Few things compare to ordering a pizza, snuggling up on the couch, turning all of the lights off, and turning on a classic slasher film. But we’re convinced that you don’t know true fear until you’ve watched a horror movie that started off with “based on a true story” or “based on true events”, so we’ve put together a list of just a few of our favorite horror movies that are indeed based on true events for the next time you want to have the pants scared off of you.
Psycho, 1960
It doesn’t get more classic than Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, and the shower scene is the stuff of nightmares, and this film is based loosely on Ed Gein’s crimes and Wisconsin murders. If you aren’t entirely sure who Ed Gein is, allow us to enlighten you. Known as the Butcher of Plainfield, Gein’s was a killer and body snatcher who was found guilty of killing 2, was suspected of killing 7, and guilty of mutilating 9 corpses. If you’ve not yet seen Psycho, we absolutely recommend a Hitchcock horror movie marathon.
The Conjuring, 2013
Another marathon we highly recommend: literally all of The Conjuring films. These movies are based on the lives and paranormal investigations of Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Warren’s were paranormal investigators and authors that dealt with a number of hauntings. Ed was a self-proclaimed demonologist, author, and lecturer; while Lorraine claimed to be a clairvoyant and medium who worked closely with her husband. A lot of people said they were full of it, but the idea behind all of the films being based on true events makes them a hundred times more terrifying, and we’re all about it.
The Strangers, 2008
To say this movie left us scarred is an understatement, and to add to the creep factor, it’s based on the murders by Charles Mansion. If you love a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat, isn’t without a few jump-scares, and will have you terrified to ever stay at a cabin in the woods ever again ever, then you need to watch this.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose, 2005
fWe will never forget this movie, it will haunt the rest of our life, and it is based on the true story of Anneliese Michel who claims to have been possessed by demons so strong that it took over a year for an exorcism to be successful. We guarantee that this movie will have you questioning your sanity and probably sleeping with all of the lights on. Not that we had to do that. Because we totally didn’t.