5 Movies Just As Disturbing As True Crimes They're Based On
Did you know that the popular Scream franchise has its roots in real-life events?
Apparently, not all of the great horror movies we see on the big screen are made up.
Some of them are based on true stories that serve as a chilling reminder of the dark side of humanity. Here are the most devastating crimes that have been turned into movies.
1. Scream ( 1996)
The inspiration for the story of the Scream franchise was based on the horrific events surrounding the murder of five University of Florida students in the summer of 1990, committed by Danny Rolling, also known as the Gainesville Ripper.
The horrific events caused panic in the town, which led to people fleeing, securing their homes, and even dropping out of classes, just as is depicted in the movie.
2. Murder By Numbers (2002)
Starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt, Murder By Numbers is based on the true case of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, privileged college students who committed a heinous crime while searching for the "perfect crime."
Their story raised issues of privilege, class, and negative gay stereotypes at the time.
3. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974/2003)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was heavily influenced by the story of Ed Gein, the real-life serial killer also known as the Butcher of Plainfield or the Plainfield Ghoul. The character Leatherface was inspired by Gein's crimes, which included dressing in women's clothing, mutilating corpses, and wearing human skin.
Ed Gein was also the inspiration for another famous movie character —Buffalo Bill, the infamous serial killer from The Silence of the Lambs.
4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Director Wes Craven admitted that he was inspired by a series of mysterious deaths for another masterpiece and Freddy Krueger's ability to enter people's dreams and kill them in their sleep.
He also revealed that he once read the Los Angeles Times article that described a family who survived the Killing Fields in Cambodia, where their son died while sleeping after experiencing terrifying nightmares.
5. The Strangers (2008)
The heartbreaking story is inspired by true events, including the infamous Manson Family murders and break-ins near where director Bryan Bertino grew up.
Bertino's personal experience of strangers knocking on his family's door and asking for someone who didn't live there influenced the story, which once struck fear in viewers.