7 of the Best Horror Movies Based on True Events

One of the most affecting elements of a horror film is prefacing it with the words, “Based on true events,” as it automatically blurs the line between fact and fiction for an audience. Dating all the way back to films like Frankenstein and its depiction of the horrors of scientific advancements, horror movies have always relied on a viewer’s preconceived fears about the world around them.

Hitting theaters this weekend is Winchester, a film which takes its inspiration from the real-life story of Sarah Winchester, the widow of William Winchester. The widow was fearful that all of the souls who were killed by the Winchester rifle would come back to haunt her, causing her to create a labyrinthine house that would be so perplexing, even ghosts would get lost inside it.

From cases of the supernatural to real-world killers, “true events” have inspired countless horror films throughout the decades. Check out our picks for some of the best horror films claiming to be inspired by true events!

‘The Town That Dreaded Sundown’ (1976)

Before the slasher craze got into full swing in the aftermath of Halloween, The Town That Dreaded Sundown dramatized a series of real-life murders in a disturbing fashion.

The film depicts the Phantom Killer, who concealed their identity with nothing more than a burlap sack, as they terrorized a small town on the border of Texas and Arkansas. A Texas ranger hopes to take the threat down before they can cause more mayhem, yet the killer disappears just as quickly as they arrive, with their identity never becoming known.

Sadly, the film’s plot plays out similarly to the reality, as a Phantom Killer took the lives of eight individuals in 10 weeks in 1946, with their identity still unknown.

‘The Conjuring’ (2013)

Taken from the case files of famed paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring shows the couple coming to the aid of a family in Rhode Island who claimed to be tormented by spirits. The film also briefly explores the legend of “Annabelle,” a doll that was reportedly one of the most haunted items ever documented.

The film might not be an exact recreation of all of the events found in the Warrens’ case files, but the couple did investigate the home of a Rhode Island family, only to discover that a purported witch had lived there in the 19th century, as was depicted in the film.

Having investigated thousands of reports, The Conjuring was only the first film in a franchise that is based on Warren cases, with the fifth film, The Nun, coming to theaters this summer.

‘The Amityville Horror’ (1979)

A family discovers a price for a house in Long Island, New York that seems too good to be true, only to learn they got such a good deal due to a series of grisly murders that had taken place there. Shortly after moving in, bizarre occurrences begin, from strange smells and apparitions appearing to blood dripping from the walls. The family’s only peace comes from their complete abandonment of the house.

The house in Long Island really does exist, really was the site of murders, and really did have a family move in to claim that the house was haunted. The effectiveness of the film comes from the intensity of the supernatural events, as many other films rely on subtlety to convey otherworldly visitors, while The Amityville Horror portrays a variety of extreme events.

While not inspired by their official investigation, the Warrens also investigated the claims of the homeowners back in the ’70s.

‘Jaws’ (1975)

After a series of attacks from a shark off the coast of New England kills swimmers, a local community’s police chief, a shark researcher and a legendary fisherman embark on a mission to eradicate the monstrous beast before it can claim more victims. Their mission results in the discovery of a shark larger than any in recorded history, forcing the trio to go to great lengths to kill the animal.

The film was based on Peter Benchley’s novel of the same name, which was reportedly inspired by two true-life events.

One of the events featured a fisherman catching a great white shark off the coast of Long Island in the ’60s, whose waters are much colder than the average range of the animal. Another supposed source is a string of shark attacks that occurred off the coast of New Jersey in the early 20th century, an area which isn’t prone to shark attacks.

Between all of these occurrences, Benchley developed the idea, while he eventually devoted his life to shark conservation following the horrifying image of the animal he helped create.

‘Open Water’ (2003)

Due to an accidental oversight while performing a headcount on a SCUBA trip, a couple on vacation becomes stranded in the middle of the ocean with no hope in sight. After multiples days drifting in the water, sharks begin circling the couple, with their vulnerability leaving them open to an attack.

The events that unfold in the film are merely conjecture, as the real-life couple that was mistakenly left at sea were never found after the incorrect count on the SCUBA trip. It took two days for the company responsible for the error to realize what they had done, yet their search never yielded an answer for the couple’s fate.

Open Water posits that sharks were a major threat, while any number of horrific events could have led to the couple’s disappearance.

‘The Exorcist’ (1973)

Much like Jaws, The Exorcist was based on a novel of the same name that was supposedly based on true events.

A young girl in Washington, D.C. begins to exhibit bizarre behavior, from wetting the bed to violent mood swings. These behaviors intensify in violence, with the girl beginning to physically and verbally assault those closest to her. Doctors can’t seem to find an answer to the problem, leading the girl’s mom to seek supernatural solutions, bringing in a priest to perform an exorcism to rid her of an evil spirit.

The author of the original novel, William Peter Blatty, reportedly based his story on the tale of a young boy who had an exorcism performed on him in 1949. In the years following the event, various sources have attributed his behavior to mental issues as opposed to otherworldly influences.

‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (1974)

Horror films often look no further than the news to craft their stories, with Texas Chain Saw Massacre being one of many films that was at least loosely inspired by serial killer Ed Gein.

In the film, a group of teenagers hope to investigate the vandalization of their grandfather’s grave, only to stumble across a family of formidable psychopaths whose sadistic nature knows no bounds. The most iconic character, Leatherface, would cut the skin from his victims’ faces to create masks to wear.

Gein might not have been known to slaughter his victims with a chainsaw, but authorities did reportedly discover that the murderer had crafted multiple masks from human skin. Additionally, Gein is said to have at least partially cannibalized his victims, with human meat being the key to the barbecue the family in Chain Saw made a living from selling.