These ten horror movies are all inspired by real events—unfortunately.
While it's true that many horror filmmakers have plastered the phony "true story" label on their movies in hopes of filling theater seats and winning box office gold, some scary movies have been inspired by real-life events. Tragic tales, actual murder cases, and dark memories are usually the basis for these films, proving that fact can be more terrifying than fiction. A lot of people know the story behind famous fright films like The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror, or even Texas Chainsaw Massacre (serial killer Ed Gein has inspired dozens of movies thanks to his gruesome history), but here are several other lesser-known, real-life plot lines that influenced popular works of horror.
This post also appears on Flavorpill, an Atlantic partner site.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.