Movies
The Top 10 ‘True-Story’ Horror Movies of All-time!
In honor of the resounding success of the supposedly “inspired by true events” home invasion pic The Strangers, let’s take a look at some of the most memorable horror movies ever based–whether dubiously or not–on real life. Some of these films were adapted from actual, verifiable happenings; while others were simply marketed that way by savvy studio suits.
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I’ve never been a huge fan of this Margot Kidder/James Brolin haunted house flick, but what list of this kind would be complete without the infamous Amityville Horror? The purportedly true situation on which the film was based was later soundly debunked, but that hasn’t stopped countless lunkheads from continuing to swear it was legit. Yeah, and so was Kidder’s future as a leading lady.
Based on a reported series of paranormal events that occurred in a small West Virginia town in the late 1960s, the over-rated Richard Gere’s rare foray into horror is better than most give it credit for. As for the veracity of those original events, is it really worth going to West Virginia to find out?
This unrelentingly off-putting David Cronenberg favorite about twin gynecologists is actually based upon the story of twins Stewart and Cyril Marcus, who were found dead together of drug overdoses in their Manhattan apartment. The full tale can be found in the 1977 book Twins (not to be confused with the movie of the same name, which we could only wish would’ve ended the same way.)
The stories about Max Shreck’s real-life vampirism have persisted for decades, and inspired this movie about the 1922 filming of the German silent classic, Nosferatu. While not strictly a horror movie, Shadow of the Vampire does portray Shreck (played brilliantly by Willem Dafoe) as an actual vampire, so “reality” is a very subjective term here.
German woman Anneliese Michel was the inspiration for this one. Her story of possession was recounted, suitably enough, in the book The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel, written by the anthropologist who testified in the actual trial. The filmmakers have admitted that they took great liberties with the source.
Insomuch as we all know there was a real Jack the Ripper, this film can certainly be considered an adaptation from true events. Nevertheless, its central speculation as to the identity of ol’ Red Jack is just that–speculation. The queen’s physician can no more be considered the real killer than Heather Graham can be considered a real actress.
This cult favorite is the tale of the unfortunately very real serial killer Henry Lee Lucas. While most films of this kind usually fall into the thriller or docudrama categories, this one stands out for having the brass to present its real-life events within a horror context. Perhaps that’s why it’s still so memorable.
Speaking of taking liberties, Wes Craven’s critically acclaimed voodoo zombie flick is notorious for how it sensationalized the true story of the scientist who traveled to Haiti in the 1980s to investigate the factual basis of alleged zombification. Known for its iconic scene of poor Bill Pullman getting buried alive, as well as for its villain, who resembles an evil Lou Rawls.
Many forget that the mother of all exorcism movies was also based on a reported case of demonic possession. William Peter Blatty took the idea for his novel from the story of the six-week exorcism of a 13-year-old boy that was reputed to have taken place in 1949. Many of the symptoms seen in the movie were recorded, although these did not include the famous head-spinning.
and the number-one horror film based on/inspired by actual events…
There’s no doubt now that TCM’s famous marketing campaign and prologue, which assert that the movie was based on fact, was no more than a clever way to put asses in seats–just as it is today with The Strangers. Yet although most of the film comes from the mind of Tobe Hooper, the character of Leatherface was directly based upon the legendarily depraved 1950s looney Ed Gein. Gein, who wore masks sewn from the skin of his victims, performed acts of cannibalism and suffered from severe misogynistic impulses fostered by his controlling mother, was also the basis for movies such as Psycho (1960) and the highly underrated Deranged (1974).
For more news and opinions on the world of horror, including a review of French slasher Inside, an early look at Dario Argento’s Giallo, and part 3 of the history of modern zombie cinema, check out Brian’s daily blog, The Vault of Horror, at thevaultofhorror.net.
A contemporary reimagining of H.P. Lovecraft’s short story Herbert West: Reanimator is on the way, and Deadline has unveiled the first look at the new Herbert West and the pathologist drawn to his orbit.
Adam Simon (The Haunting in Connecticut, “Salem”) and Tim Metcalfe (The Haunting in Connecticut, Kalifornia) penned the script. The original screenplay and storyline come from Jade Sandberg Wallace.
Michael Grossman (“The Originals”, “Pretty Little Liars”) directs.
The new images introduce star Joseph Morgan (“Vampire Diaries“), who plays “brilliant surgeon and scientist Herbert West, who is obsessed with creating a serum to reanimate the dead.” Katie Cassidy (Speed Demon) stars opposite as the pathologist with a troubled past who joins his efforts.
Together, they prove that conquering death may be the ultimate sin against life itself.
The film’s official synopsis: “As a child, Herbert West watches his father Peter reanimate his dead mother Judith in a secret basement lab — only for Judith to mortally wound Peter and nearly kill Herbert before Peter shoots her. The trauma leaves its mark on Herbert, but so does one final image: his mother’s finger, twitching after death. Thirty years later, Herbert West is a brilliant, secretive surgeon still chasing his father’s obsession.
“Pathologist Kate Locke arrives in town and is drawn into his orbit — first through a spark at a hospital fundraiser, then through his secret lab, where he reveals a serum capable of reanimating severed tissue. Kate, hiding a dark past of her own, is thrilled rather than horrified, and moves into West’s mansion to work alongside him. Their early experiments on a cadaver succeed only briefly. West concludes that dead tissue is the problem — they need something fresher.”
Supporting cast includes Scott Aiello, Ira J Amyx, Randall Newsome, Emma Reinagal, James D. Bryce, Kathryn A Bentley, Jack Lancaster, Amy Holland Pennell, John Pierson, Mindy Shaw, Eric Dean White, Tristan Wilder Hallet, Adrienne Lamping, Aaron Crippen, and Drew Patterson.
Makeup artist Jeff Lewis (“Star Trek: Voyager,” “Star Trek: Enterprise”) and cousin Roger Lewis are heading the production via their newly established Woodlake Entertainment.
Lovecraft’s short story, first serialized in Home Brew magazine in 1922, is the first among his works to mention the fictional Miskatonic University. It was most famously adapted into a 1985 horror movie from Stuart Gordon, starring Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West.
Herbert West: Reanimator is set in Alton, Illinois, where production is now underway.
Herbert West: Reanimator. Photo credit: Matt Lief Anderson
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