Dark stories behind horror films…HUMAN skin collector who spawned 3 movies to Scots cannibal clan who killed 1,000
THEY leave us hiding behind boxes of popcorn, jumping in fright and twitching on the edge of our seats with adrenaline pumping through our veins.
Scary films are loved by many but few know some of our favourites are actually based on real-life horror stories featuring serial killers, unexplained deaths, massacres and haunted objects.
A Nightmare On Elm Street
Take supernatural slasher series A Nightmare On Elm Street, which famously stars Robert Englund as knife-fingered killer Freddy Kreuger (below).
The original 1984 film – check out the trailer below – was revealed to have been based on a stranger-than-fiction article in the Los Angeles Times.
Director Wes Craven said the story was about the mysterious deaths of a group of refugees, who had all passed away in their sleep without reason.
The unknown causes for their demise led to local children believing it was their nightmares that had killed them … and from that, Freddy was born.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Leatherface revving the motor of his chainsaw and racing toward his victims are among the many scary scenes that will forever haunt horror movie fans.
And while the majority of the 1974 film was a work of fiction, the protagonist was loosely based on reality, as was one of his famous features.
Leatherface’s… erm… leather face, which was made out of the skin of his chopped-up victims, was inspired by real-life suspected serial killer Ed Gein.
The American monster, known as the ‘Butcher of Plainfield’, murdered at least two and was suspected of at least seven more.
He also mutilated nine corpses, using their flesh for eerie creations between 1947 and 1957.
Silence Of The Lambs
It’s a chilling flick that often tops polls for the best horror movie thanks to Anthony Hopkins’s inimitable portrayal of Hannibal ‘the Cannibal’ Lecter.
But it’s not the Welsh star’s character – who has to wear a mask to prevent him from tearing guards’ skin off with his teeth – that is based on a real-life monster.
It’s actually Buffalo Bill, the cross-dressing killer who used his victim’s skin to make clothing in the 1991 flick. He was also based on Ed Gein.
Among the chilling creations Gein made from skin were a wastebasket, leggings and even a belt comprised of female nipples.
Psycho
Alfred Hitchcock’s much-loved thriller Psycho used real life as the inspiration for mum-obsessed motel manager Norman Bates.
In the 1960 film, a woman meets a sticky end at the hands of the twisted character – who is yet another fictional creation to be based on Ed Gein.
Author Robert Bloch, whose novel inspired the film, was captivated by the mummy’s boy US killer and used him as a loose basis for Bates.
Gein infamously dug up the corpses of middle-aged women who he felt looked like his mother and used their skin for paraphernalia. He also preserved the rooms his late parent had spent time in.
The Hills Have Eyes
As you can see below, this is a terrifying film about a young family targetted by a cruel cohort of cannibals after getting stuck in the Nevada Desert.
And chillingly, there is some truth behind this tale too.
The story is loosely based on a Scottish clan that operated between the 1400s and 1700s.
The grisly group, who were led by Alexander ‘Sawney’ Bean (below), are believed to have killed and consumed up to 1,000 people over 20 years.
While some historians say this figure has been exaggerated, the cannibals’ murderous behaviour inspired the film’s flesh-eating savages.
Annabelle
The 2014 film is centred around the chaos caused by a demonic doll – and believe it or not, it’s allegedly inspired by a real-life haunting.
The actual Annabelle is locked inside a glass box in a museum, as you can see below, in Monroe, Connecticut, to prevent it from causing any more terror.
It’s claimed the possessed porcelain figure attacked a group of housemates and tried to strangle one of them while he slept in his bed.
According to owner Lorraine Warren, one visitor to her museum poked fun at Annabelle and dared it to scratch him. She claims he died in a motorcycle crash soon after.
The Exorcist
Few could forget the bile-spewing, head-rotating, sexual demand-spouting possessed girl from 1971’s The Exorcist.
It’s claimed the film – which you can watch a trailer for below – was based on multiple exorcisms performed by Roman Catholic priests in the United States during the Forties.
They believed a 13-year-old boy was possessed by the devil and it took multiple attempts to heal him, including one that left one priest with a broken nose.
During the exorcisms, they claimed to have witnessed the teen vomit, urinate, spit and speak in Latin, as well as donning a deep adult voice unfamiliar to the family.
Best horror films to watch this Halloween
Halloween is the perfect time for horror movie to fans to indulge in all the scares, shocks and thrills.
Whether old favourites or a new chilling tale, here are some top picks to watch this Halloween.
- Alien (1979): Starring Sigourney Weaver, this film follows a spaceship crew who investigate a derelict spaceship and are hunted by a dangerous extra-terrestrial creature.
- The Shining (1980): Based on Stephen King’s novel, the movie stars Jack Nicholson as a recovering alcoholic and aspiring novelist who takes a a job as winter caretaker for a haunted resort hotel. Meanwhile, his young son possesses clairvoyant powers.
- Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): Wes Craven’s horror classic introduced audiences to legendary villain Freddy Kreuger. This movie also notably marked Johnny Depp‘s film debut.
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974): An independent horror film, the story follows a group of friends who fall victim to a family of cannibals. It also introduces the character Leatherface.
- Friday the 13th (1980): Directed by Sean S. Cunningham, this film kicked off a franchise and introduced Jason Vorhees. follows a group of teenage camp counselors who are murdered one by one by an unknown killer. Among the cast is a young Kevin Bacon.
- Scream (1996): Written by Kevin Williamson, this film sees Wes Craven pay homage to horror classics – including his own Nightmare on Elm Street. The beginning of a long-running franchise; the cast includes Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette.
- Poltergeist (1982): Directed by Tobe Hooper and written by Steven Spielberg, this supernatural horror film focuses on a family whose home is invaded by ghosts who abduct their daughter.
Child’s Play
Chucky the creepy child-like doll from the famous horror film franchise and book is believed to have been inspired by a haunted toy too.
Author Robert Eugene Otto claimed a voodoo curse had been cast on his favourite childhood plaything, ‘Robert the Doll’.
He allegedly heard it giggling, believed it had knocked over items around his house and thought it could move between rooms.
The doll was discovered by a new family who moved into Otto’s home after his death and they reported mysterious activities too. It’s now in a museum.
The Amityville Horror
Moving house is never fun – but especially when it’s plagued with ghostly figures, like in the film franchise The Amityville Horror. Check it out below:
But few may be aware that the series, which began in 1979, was based on a book written by a family who allegedly had terrifying experiences at a property in Long Island, New York.
The Lutz family temporarily moved into the ‘haunted home’ 13 months after the bodies of a couple and their four children were discovered there.
Their eldest son Ronald DeFeo Jr confessed to the murders and claimed “voices from the house” told him to do it.
While living in the home, the Lutz family claimed to have heard footsteps, saw ghostly figures and were threatened by a spirit who allegedly told them: “You’ll live here forever.”