The story of Emily Rose is loosely based on that of Anneliese Michel, a young German woman who underwent an exorcism and later died from malnutrition and dehydration. Her parents and the priests involved were charged with negligent homicide following her death. This is director Scott Derrickson’s first exorcism movie based on real events.
‘Monster’ (2003)
Charlize Theron won 17 awards, including an Oscar, for her portrayal of former prostitute-turned-serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Wuornos was convicted on six counts of first-degree murder — though there was a seventh victim — and was executed in Florida in 2002.
‘Dahmer’ (2002)
Jeremy Renner plays well-known serial killer and rapist Jeffrey Dahmer in the 2002 biopic. Though the crimes portrayed are real events, the victims’ names were changed. The Dahmer story was also portrayed in the 2017 film My Friend Dahmer, with Ross Lynch starring as the serial killer. Evan Peters also portrayed Dahmer in the 2022 Netflix series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
‘The Birds’ (1963)
Daphne du Maurier’s The Birds short story may have been an inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film The Birds, but the film was reportedly based on real-life events. The film centers on a Californian coastal town that was terrorized by a flock of birds. In 1961, birds in the Monterey Bay area reportedly acted disoriented and rammed into people’s houses due to an unknown cause. In 2011, researchers found a toxin-making algae in the birds that cause amnesia, disorientation and seizures.
‘Scream’ (1996)
The 1996 original slasher film that would spawn a franchise was inspired by the Gainesville, Florida, mutilations in which several young people were murdered in the Florida community. After screenwriter Kevin Williamson watched TV special on the Gainesville murders, the story inspired a script about a knife-wielding killer.
‘Poltergeist’ (1982)
The 1982 classic co-written by Spielberg tells the story of a family whose home was built on a burial ground and plagued by its violent spirits.
The premise of the story was based on the Hermann family, who claimed that their Long Island, New York, home was haunted by a poltergeist due to objects mysteriously flying around the house. The family, who eventually moved, believe the events were due to the home being near a Native American burial site.
‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (1974)
The 1974 film centered on chainsaw murderer Leatherface is loosely inspired by the life and crimes of killer Ed Gein, also known as “the Butcher of Plainfield” or “Plainfield Ghoul,” in the 1950s. Gein exhumed corpses from graveyards and made keepsakes from their bones and skin. Gein also had a history of wearing women’s clothes as Leatherface does in the original film.
‘Zodiac’ (2007)
The chilling 2007 film starring Jake Gyllenhaal was based on the Zodiac Killer, who was behind brutal murders in San Francisco throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The killer would also taunt police by sharing puzzles and coded messages through the press. David Fincher’s film centered on political cartoonist Robert Graysmith (portrayed by Gyllenhaal) who spent decades obsessing over uncovering the identity of the killer. However, the Zodiac Killer case remains unsolved.
‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
The Exorcist continues to frighten audiences years after its 1974 debut, but the film’s inspiration is just as chilling. The film’s premise is based off the case of 14-year-old boy known as Roland Doe. In 1994, it was reported that Doe was possessed by something sinister, and an exorcism was performed on him by priests. The exorcism reportedly had to be stopped because Doe ripped off and threw a piece of mattress spring at the priest. Red scratches would appear on Doe a few days later with marks spelling out “LOUIS.” The circumstances surrounding Doe continue to be a mystery.
