“Based on a true story.”
These haunting words make the terror of horror movies all the more scary. The implication that paranormal activities, supernatural presences and demonic possessions don’t just appear on the big screen adds another level of horror to film.
A common trend for horror movies and TV shows like “The Conjuring”, “Pray to the Devil” and “The Watcher” is to base their plots on reality. As Halloween approaches and scary movie marathons begin, viewers may be left wondering how much of the truth is used in these shows and movies.
The answer? It depends.
Artistic decisions and creative interpretations either portray an accurate retelling of events or a false plot loosely based on reality; this important decision is often left at the discretion of directors and producers. Some horror movies have executed retellings that represent reality, but others have failed to meet this standard.
Avid horror-movie fan Khushi Mehta notices the different types of fear that stem from movies that are accurately based on their true story and movies that aren’t. “Feelings of discomfort and horror stay with you after watching a movie,” she said. “Movies with an accurate true story portrayal are more scary because, technically, it has already happened and could happen to you.”
“The Conjuring” is a movie that did just that.
After its release in 2013, “The Conjuring” achieved critical acclaim for its realistic portrayal of the supernatural experiences of a Rhode Island family. The Perron family moved to Rhode Island in 1971 and immediately began noticing strange things. Brooms would go missing and noises would sound from the kitchen, even when no one was there.
Further research on the house revealed the disturbing history of the previous owners. The house had been owned by the same family for eight generations, with many dying from mysterious circumstances.
The spirit from the film, Bathsheba, terrorized the family most, both in real life and the film. Research revealed that Bathsheba Sherman lived on the property in the 1800s and was rumored to be a Satanist involved in the murder of a child.
Andrea Perron, the eldest daughter of the Perron family, recounted her experiences with Bathsheba. “She perceived herself to be mistress of the house and she resented the competition my mother posed for the position,” she said.
Lorraine Warren, a self-proclaimed clairvoyant, attempted to help the Perron family communicate with the spirit. During a seance, Carolyn Perron, the mother of the household, was possessed. Reports say she began speaking in tongues and rising from the ground.
Years later, Warren served as a consultant for “The Conjuring”, helping to maintain the accuracy of the film. Her presence on set ensured that the paranormal events were not dramaticized to the extent that would have made the movie fake.
The same cannot be said for “The Watcher.” A new suspense series from Netflix, the show follows the life of the Brannock family. After moving into their new home, strange and shady neighbors add tension to the family’s life. Threatening letters then start arriving from an anonymous source, calling themself ‘The Watcher.’ This figure begins obsessively watching the family, spying on them and revealing the dark history of the house.
The true story is one that is less frightening.
In reality, the Broaddus family bought a house in New Jersey in 2014. While renovating the house, they received a letter from an anonymous source. The letter started off like a welcome, but soon took a dark turn. Mysterious questions put the family on edge.
But that’s where the story ends. The family received letters, some more threatening than others, but there was no proof they were stalked or spied on by ‘The Watcher’. The movie was exaggerated for dramatic effect to an extent that separated it from the “true story” it was based on.
“Both movies, accurate and inaccurate to real life events, are often advertised as ‘based on a true story’. It’s the films that are accurately based on a true story that are more scary,” Mehta said. “I’ve heard many people say that ‘The Watcher’ on Netflix is especially scary because it actually happened; however, I know most of the story is exaggerated for dramatic effect. This takes away some of the scary aspects,” she concluded.
Being loosely based on real events does not make a film inherently bad, but it does bring up questions about the “truth” behind their plots.
