5 Horror Movies Inspired by Real Events!

As the weather cools down, and the leaves start to change, we all need spine-chilling thrills to entertain us this Spooky Season. The horror genre can often leave us wanting more to the story, but many are works of fiction, which often gives peace of mind to sleep at night. But, what if the terrifying tales were based in on true events? These movies will keep you up all night because they have very real origins. Please be aware that some of the topics these films are based on may be triggering for some readers, so proceed with caution!

1. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a classic horror film about a young girl who is possessed by a demon. The visuals are iconic to the point of multiple parodies in pop culture, but the story is based on a real girl. However, for most, the story of Anneliese Michel is more sad than scary. She was a young German woman that may have been possessed, according to her parents. The woman went through 67 exorcisms by a Catholic priest before dying of malnutrition. Both her parents and the priest were convicted of negligent homicide. Some believe the poor woman really was possessed and died from the demon inside her, but the most likely theory is that Anneliese suffered from mental illness. She had been in and out of psychiatric facilities for the majority of her life, as well as on several medications, but her condition only worsened. Her symptoms included demonic growling, becoming intolerant of religious objects, and hearing voices. Her life ended in tragedy and her memory will forever be muddied by the myth of her demonic possession. (Stream on Paramount+ and Pluto TV)

2. The Entity (1982)
The Entity is not for the faint of heart, as it follows the story of a woman who is assaulted in multiple ways by an invisible force. The story is based on the story of Doris Bithers, a single mother of four who, in 1974, claimed she had been attacked and sexually assaulted by an invisible force. Some discount her story due to the woman’s alleged drug use and the fact that she was reportedly squatting in a home that was in disrepair at the time of the attack. She also had claimed the classics of a haunting -- movement in the home, lights flickering, and banging on the walls. Some even witnessed Bithers being thrown downstairs, and one of her sons would try to fight off the spirit only to receive a broken arm. Bithers would receive a psych evaluation and the house would be given a thorough investigation. The only solid proof that there had been anything paranormal in the house came in the form of lights on a photograph. The investigators also confirmed the light flickering and strange noises, despite having no physical proof. As they went on, the investigators would witness many more bizarre events in the home firsthand. The story is classic and terrifying, perhaps moreso than the film. (Available on DVD/Blu-ray)

3. The Sacrament (2013)

Sometimes the scariest monsters are the ones that are just regular people. The Sacrament is a found footage film about a cult-like commune and the bizarre fanatic that keeps a strict hold on the members. The movie is based on the Jonestown Massacre in 1978. Jim Jones boasted himself as a man of God, starting his life as a preacher in Indianapolis where and later moved to California where he would form the Peoples Temple. Following reports of abuse, Jim Jones and his followers fled to Guyana where they formed Jonestown, a commune for his cult. As his grip on the people tightened, the eyes of the public really began to watch. Investigations were done, which ended in a shootout between the investigators and concerned family members and some members of the cult, before the group did the unthinkable. Jim Jones’s aides prepared a tub of grape-flavored FlavorAid laced with several poisons, and then 30 minutes later, he called a meeting. The entire town drank the cocktail of sugar and toxins knowing very well what they were doing. Over 900 people, including Jones himself, would eventually be found dead. (Stream on Peacock, Pluto TV, Plex, and Crackle)

4. Devil's Pass (2013)

Devil’s Pass is another found footage movie about a group of college kids looking to investigate the site of the Dyatlov Pass incident. They soon discover the secret of what really happened to the original hikers. Of course, the Dyatlov Pass incident really did happen, and just like the movie, they were a group of 9 hikers who died in the Ural Mountains of Russia in 1959. No one knows what happened to the group of experienced hikers. Whatever it was, it caused the group to rip out of their tent with a knife. They would later be discovered dead, and the Soviet Government would claim that most of them died of hypothermia while the other three had some strange physical trauma including skull damage and chest trauma. The investigation would end claiming they died from a natural force of some sort, but nothing else has been revealed. Many theories came forward, claiming anything from a bear attack to government testing. In 2020, the Russian government reopened the investigation, concluding that an avalanche caused their deaths, yet very few on the internetverse believe this theory. (Stream on AMC+, Philo, and Sling TV)

5. Jeepers Creepers (2001)

After discovering something horrific in the basement of an abandoned house, a pair of siblings become the targets of a supernatural creature that chases them to their doom. It is hard to imagine that Jeepers Creepers would have any basis in reality. While this is just a theory, horror fans believe the movie is loosely based on Dennis DePue, a man who murdered his wife in 1990 and tried to run a couple off the road who witnessed too much for his liking. The couple witnessed Dennis’s van pull into an abandoned school, in which they would find a bloody sheet. He would unfortunately get away, but not for long -- His story was featured on "Unsolved Mysteries", leading to his discovery and eventual death. (Stream on AMC+ and Phlio)

These movies are a mix of classics, and underrated gems based on true-to-life terrors. In most ways, this makes them for scarier than other thrillers. It just goes to show that life can often be more terrifying than fiction.