Ahead of the release of 'The Conjuring: The Last Rites', we look at the best horror films that drew from real events, the ones that made us ponder the possibility of unseen, malicious forces lurking for real.
William Peter Blatty's novel, upon which William Friedkin’s iconic film was based, drew inspiration from an actual exorcism in 1949. However, no conclusive proof of demonic possession was recorded.
The 1979 film, which spawned several sequels, is based on Jay Anson's novel of the same name, which took inspiration from a real incident of paranormal disturbances in the home previously inhabited by a murderer.
Director Wes Craven was inspired by an article about a Cambodian refugee family that survived the Killing Fields genocide, and their nightmare-stricken little boy’s untimely death during the middle of another nightmare.
Alfred Hitchcock was inspired by an incident of a mass bird attack that occurred in 1961 in California. A medical reason was later attributed, but at the time of the incident, people saw it as a "horror movie" scenario.
Here's another Wes Craven slasher film based on a different true example: the Gainesville Ripper, who committed a series of heinous crimes in the 1990s. The film's antagonist, Ghostface, was modeled on him.
Strangely enough, the original events that partly inspired this Tobe Hooper directorial — scripted by Steven Spielberg — occurred in the same location as the Amityville incident.
The crimes of serial killer Ed Gein were the basis for another Tobe Hooper film. Interestingly, the killer also inspired filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock ("Psycho"). Also a subject of Season 3 of Netflix's 'Monster' anthology.
Based on the real-life cases undertaken by paranormal investigators Edward Warren Miney and Lorraine Rita Warren, portrayed on screen by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga