Category: Scary Movies and Series

Supernatural horror related movies and series

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Is the Bedeviled Movie Based On a True Story?

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Scary Movies and Series

Is the Bedeviled App Real?

A group of friends is being picked off one by one, trying to figure out exactly what is happening.  Turns out, a killer Siri-like app is responsible for the carnage!  Anyone with a smart phone or an Alexa device is familiar with the creepy-powerful abilities of a “personal assistant.”  Today’s personal assistants are practically A.I. Robots who have the ability to remember our name, interests and make potential suggestions.  Bedeviled harnesses the power of “What If” psychological horror when it comes to a killer, out of control app that knows everywhere you go, everything you do and everyone you talk to.

Is there a Real Killer App Like in the Bedeviled Movie?

Anyone who sees the technology-inspired horror movie Bedeviled, wonders if Bedeviled is a real app. The truth is, there are apps that function a lot like Bedeviled. Three tech giants, in fact, are making a few artificial intelligence-like apps quite capable and commonplace. One of the well-known apps like Bedeviled is Siri, an Apple spawned application for the iphone that has the power to understand who you are and learn your habits.  Alexa, an Amazon personal assistant device, is able to even purchase goods.  And Cortana, a Microsoft application, is even built into Windows these days.  With these apps all over the devices we use today, it makes a lot of sense that one of these apps could become corrupt!

Final Notes & Review of Bedeviled (2016)

Although Bedeviled is a creative idea, ultimately, there is no real “killer app” like Bedeviled. However, it is reasonable to worry about the apps in existence today and the movie really makes us think about the direction of technology in the future! The app features in the movie seem a little outdated and unimpressive. Still, the ideology behind technology being so intricately woven into our lives that an app like this could become a killer is enough psychological terror to thrill.

In the end, Bedeviled may not be the best horror movie, but it is creative enough and done well enough to enjoy the entire film without bailing halfway through. And while other reviews may indicate the movie is too cheesy to be scary, Horror Enthusiast would still give this film a solid 5 out of 10 stars and an honorable mention!

Look out for Siri, ladies and gentlemen! You just never know!

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Is The House That Ghosts Built Based On a True Story?

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Scary Movies and Series

What Is The Inspiration Behind Winchester (2018)?

The haunted house horror movie Winchester (2018), draws its inspiration from a very real house, like many horror movies based on true events , that create an authentic horror story!  The trailer is quite exhilarating. The cast includes Helen Mirren as Sarah Winchester and Jason Clarke as Eric Price, both excellent choices for the roles within the house.  So, how real is the Winchester house story and to what extent is the new Winchester movie ‘based upon a true story’? 

Here are some of the most authentic facts about the Winchester House which are clearly also referenced or used in the new 2018 movie about the haunted mansion.

Sarah Winchester

Sarah Winchester is a real person. She was the wife of one of the creators of the Winchester rifle, a gun used to kill a large number of people during war.  She truly inherited the wealth of the Winchester estate upon her husband’s death.

Winchester Mystery House

The actual Winchester House itself exists and is now a historic site in San Jose, California.  This house is referred to as the “Winchester Mystery House” in real life and truly was the personal residence of Sarah Winchester.  The house was built after she inherited her wealth and after she began building the house, construction continued until her death.

Sarah’s Spiritual Torment

Sarah Winchester claimed to be tormented and haunted by the spirits…the ghosts of the people killed by the Winchester rifle.  Adam Coons, self-proclaimed psychic, was responsible for guiding Sarah to build the house as a way to “trap” the ghosts in rooms and overcome the haunts. According to Coons, the curse was on the Winchester family.  Sarah continued to build the rooms in the house to try and trap all of the spirits who were haunting her family.

Available to Tour

Sarah Winchester Drawing in a black shroud

The Winchester Mystery House is so very real, that it can be toured. That’s right: it is possible to schedule and tour the mansion by the hour! In fact, they even do something special around Halloween time! Check out the official Winchester Mystery House tour!

Other Movies Like Winchester (2018) “The House That Ghosts Built”

Although this movie may seem like it is banking off of an original concept (and it may very well be the best one yet, its release will tell), but it actually is not the first movie to be made about the Winchester House.  Rose Red (2002) is also (more loosely) based upon the Winchester mansion.  The Rose Red story is fiction, however, involving name changes and plot changes…but Stephen King did actually consider shooting the film in the actual Winchester House.  Had the rooms themselves not been so small, it very well likely would have been produced in that very house!

Nonetheless, the Winchester (aka The House That Ghosts Built) trailer release shows a very promising film…one that will give Rose Red and all haunted house horror movies a run for their money! Could we have a new ‘best horror movie about haunted houses’ after all?  The movie’s official release date is February 2, 2018.

Fun Fact: The name “Dr Eric Price” given to Jason Clarke’s character, could be a tip of the hat to the Haunting of Hill house, The haunting, and the House on Haunted Hill…all of which have some connection to a ‘dr’ in the house, or a brilliant or otherwise wealthy male “Price” character.  In all instances, the character is always summoned to the house for one reason or another. Similarly, Winchester (2018) summons Dr Eric Price to the haunted mansion.

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Is the Movie Red Christmas Based On a True Story?

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Scary Movies and Series

A seemingly normal family meets for Christmas, all gathering together from varying walks of life and styles of living. Clearly there is a dark family secret, however, and a lot of puzzle pieces are not revealed until far later in the film.  The characters are nicely built and all members of the audience most certainly identify with at least one of the actors or actresses.  This personal connection to the audience is one of the most important aspects of a horror film, without it, the audience is unable to feel empathy for the victims within the movie, and ultimately unable to be scared or enjoy the film. 

That said, Red Christmas does a great job of building the characters, as niche as it may be. And the story line is so unique and compelling that one must wonder… Is Red Christmas based upon a true story? 

The Inspiration and Making of Red Christmas [Spoiler Alert]

Red Christmas (2017) was written by Michael Joy and is apparently his first title, at least to be popular enough to find through imdb. Michael Joy does an awesome job of putting together the dynamics which is interpreted by the viewers as a sincerely terrible situation to be in. A mother had long ago aborted a baby after learning he has down syndrome, but the baby survives (unknown to the mother).  This baby grows up to be truly disfigured and in a great deal of emotional pain…deciding to seek out the mother and slay her and her family on Christmas itself! 

What Inspired Making Red Christmas?

Dee Wallace recently shared in an interview that the movie Red Christmas possessed a strong “slice of life” element, which she describes as ‘real’ and ‘those quirky things that go on between families.’  And she is definitely right: the movie capitalizes on real family dynamics to make a personal connection with the audience, and posses a quite possible real life horror scenario.  Director Craig Anderson is interviewed about the movie as well and is specifically asked about the inspiration for the villain Cletus. Craig states that the abortion debate had a lot to do with the movie itself and that he wanted to encourage thinking about it from multiple perspectives.

The film was somewhat a result of a shot in the dark, as Craig also goes on to admit that he started out with a pro-life slasher film because he was trying to capitalize on satire.  He even tried to model the movie after previous low-budget horror films (interesting that he wound up picking Dee Wallace, who absolutely KILLED IT in this movie!). However, after realizing his initial plot didn’t align with his personal beliefs, he spent a couple years researching and getting to know reproductive rights and the ethical challenges that all perspectives faced. The result was creating a slasher who the audience would feel sympathetic towards, but also fear.  Ultimately, both Dee Wallace (playing Diane) and Sam Campbell (playing slasher Cletus) were made to feel as though their characters were justified in their actions, as though they were both ‘the good guy.’

Is Red Christmas About Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?

Director Craig Anderson specifically tried to give both sides a spotlight and opportunity for sympathy in his film, Red Christmas.  While it is true that the movie seems to sway in favor of pro-life, as the director himself suggests the film is most likely received as a pro-life film, he still insists he was concerned with giving both sides a fair chance and a fair amount of unbiased representation within the film.

Could a Baby Really Survive an Abortion Like in Red Christmas?

Both, doctors and abortion clinics have proven that babies can survive the abortion process. If a baby survives the abortion, they are supposed to be immediately transported to the hospital.  In fact, there are many documented cases of a baby surviving an abortion.

Are There Any Documented Cases of an Aborted Baby Murdering Their Mother?

There has not been any documented incident of a baby growing up after surviving an abortion to seek out their mother to murder her. Still, it is possible a renamed baby could grow up (like many before have done), and murder their mother without law enforcement ever making the blood-relation connection. 

The Bottom Line: Was There a REAL Red Christmas Before the Movie? [Spoiler Alert]

red christmas abortion horror movie

No, Red Christmas is not based upon a true story…however, a common fear of a mother-to-be has spawned this tremendously creative horror film, which no one would want to experience in real life.  Real life fear is what drives horror…and Red Christmas strikes upon a very real fear.

Final Notes about Red Christmas

This movie hosts some pretty fantastic performances, most notably by Dee Wallace, previously known for E.T., Critters and Cujo. Props needs to be given to director Craig Anderson as well.  Whereas Red Christmas may have received poor reviews in other places, Horror Enthusiast applauds the originality and acting in the 2017 instant cult classic.  Red Christmas is a diamond among the rough that every horror movie fan should see (though we can’t guarantee it won’t offend you)!

Fun Fact About Red Christmas: The movie is released in the summertime because it is an Australian film and their seasons are reversed, thus due to the logistics of shooting and the psychology of the local Australian release, director Craig Anderson and team decided on August 2017.

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Is The People Under the Stairs Based on a Real Story?

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Scary Movies and Series

Is The People Under the Stairs Based Upon a True Story?

The People Under the Stairs (1991) was one of Wes Craven’s greatest horror movies of all time. It gets a little less publicity than most of his other films, but it is a diamond among the rough! The movie is a little edgier than most horror films, but it pays off in huge scares and real terror. A wicked family keeps their sheltered daughter hidden from the world while collecting a number of other people ‘under the stairs’. Although the movie received mixed reviews from critics, it is without a doubt a cult classic and one of Wes Craven’s finest films.

The True Inspiration Behind The People Under the Stairs

The horror that transpired within the house that harbors the ‘people under the stairs’ is grim and the atrocities of this family are sincerely twisted.  Here is a little about what inspired The People Under the Stairs.

Wes Craven’s Inspiration Behind The People Under The Stairs

The real inspiration behind the movie came from a newspaper excerpt that Wes Craven was reading, about a family that got into trouble after police were called to a burglary scene.  Apparently, burglars tried to break into a house, but instead of finding the perpetrators…the police found locks everywhere and children who had never been allowed to go outside, raised in total abuse, totally indoors.

Although he would take the movie to an extreme, with the idea that the family was on the search for a perfect brother to match their ‘perfect daughter.’  Each boy that did not meet the standards, had their tongue cut out and now resides in the basement, in cages under the stairs.  They are malnourished and scary looking. One of Wes’ most interesting twists in the People Under the Stairs, is turning the home burglars into protagonists and the property owners into antagonists (normally the home owners would be victims of a home invasion or robbery, not the antagonists).

The movie was also meant to be a sort of adventure type of film. There are contraptions and traps everywhere, both to help and harm the protagonists. There are hidden rooms and a whole network of tunnels made throughout the walls of the house.  There is even a tale of gold to be had at the end!  The action is pretty solid as well, but still in a horror-thriller, suspenseful kind of way.

Modern Day Example: Real Life People Under The Stairs

People under the stairs horror movie actor illustration

Recently there was a case that came to light from the woodwork. A strongly religious family, much like the belief system of Alice’s parents in the movie, were found to be keeping their 13 children captive in their home basically their entire lives.  Although they appeared younger than they actually were, the children were all different ages, some even in their 20s. The David-Louis Turpin family is a perfect example of a real life People Under the Stairs situation.  Despite the fact the children were not abducted, the girl in the movie (Alice), was not abducted either, but apparently the family’s natural born daughter.

Another case a few years back also shines light on the possibilities.  Ariel Castro abducted Michelle Knight (one of three women abducted, actually), and kept her captive for more than a decade. There are several other cases of the similar sort, where victims are mutilated. Whether through abduction or natural child birth, unfortunately these are all very real fears that exist in the world, making such a movie about children kept captive for years in a basement so much more scary.

A Realistic Fear the Audience Can Feel

The story line behind The People Under the Stairs is absolutely heartbreaking and truly realistic in presentation.  There are real life thugs like Leroy, and there are hurting families out there willing to do nearly anything to help their situation.  Unfortunately, there are sadistic families that truly do keep their kids captive from the world, and it really is possible to have them mutilated as well. 

Be safe out there, as there is real evil in the world very similar to the evil seen in this movie, and you never know when there may be some people living under the stairs!

Fun Fact: Wes Craven once said he would remake The People Under the Stairs, alongside Shocker and The Last House on the Left, however, sadly he only had a chance to remake the last of the three.

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Is the Saw Movie Based On a True Story

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Horror Mystery and Lore Scary Movies and Series

Is There a Real Jigsaw Killer (Like Saw)

The Saw Movie Franchise: Is It Based Upon A Real Story?

The Saw horror franchise is notorious for its sick and twisted death scenes (even being produced by a company called “Twisted Pictures”). The Saw franchise takes advantage of a very real fear in all of us: sadistic torture and body horror.  Given torture is a fairly realistic fear, free of supernatural elements, it is more logical that there could be a real life killer like John Kramer (Jigsaw from the movie). After all, many of the traps (or similar mockeries) could be devised from simple components and parts available online and from hardware stores.

Is There Any Real Life Killer Like John Kramer (aka Jigsaw) From Saw?

Who could possibly come up with such sadistic torture strategies like those employed by Jigsaw, if they weren’t basing it off of some type of real life event? Twisted Pictures.  Twisted Pictures is responsible, along with James Wan and other directors and writers, for coming up with the deranged story line that is the Saw franchise.  That said, there is one really strong media push to WANT a jigsaw killer, probably due to the movies themselves. In 2009, Jeffrey Howe was murdered by Stephen Marshall and Sarah Bush. Howe was dismembered completely and the body parts were found scattered throughout multiple places. Because the many body parts turning up, the media referred to Howe as the “Jigsaw Man,” and later referred to Marshall as the “Jigsaw Killer.”  Truly, Howe was Marshall’s only victim, and Marshall was no where near as smart as John Kramer. In fact, Marshall was a body builder who killed Howe, his friend, in order to steal his food and housing benefits…hardly an intelligent move!

Ultimately, there is no real life Jigsaw killer, however, there are still several notable murders and deaths which ACTUALLY DO resemble Saw-like devices.  And it is most certainly reasonable to assume a fair amount of murderers and conspiring-to-be murderers would draw inspiration from Jigsaw, Saw and the traps from the movies.

drawing of knife machine from Jigsaw Killer and Saw Movies

Notable Murders, Deaths & Plots That Resemble Saw Movie Deaths

Real Death Like Saw #1: The Death of Brian Douglas Wells

A device was attached to Brian Wells’ chest and he was ordered to rob a bank.  The device armed and exploded, leaving a huge baseball-sized hole in his chest, instantly killing him.

Real Death Like Saw  #2: The Death of Richard Hamilton

In 2013, a murderer was spawned who copied a scene out of a Saw film directly by slicing through his victim, Richard Hamilton’s spine until he revealed his ATM card’s PIN number. The murderer was Matthew Tinling, who owned a copy of the very Saw with the torture scene itself. Turns out he only wanted £240, specifically to spend the money on crack cocaine.

Real Death Like Saw  #3: A Triad Murder

Although the murder occurred before the time of Saw, the famous Hello Kitty Murder in Hong Kong (1999) left the world shocked in a similar sense of sadistic. A woman was murdered, decapitated, and her head stuffed into a Hello Kitty doll as an intimidation tactic.

Real Death Like Saw  #4: Canadian Serial Killer Cody Legebokoff

Cody was a fairly young serial killer and decided to murder those he felt sorry for, similar to John Kramer’s reasoning for trapping and murdering his victims in the Saw franchise.

[Close Call] Saw Inspired Plot #5: Recreating the Movie

Two teenage boys (15 and 14 years old) were turned in by one of their mothers after she heard them discussing a plot to recreate the saw movies by kidnapping a police officer and 2 girls around their age, who they believed deserved the saw treatment. They had even begun collecting their necessary supplies, including camcorders for documenting their recreation.

[Close Call] Saw Inspired Plot #6: Saw-Like Phone Calls

Two 13 year old girls from Tennessee got into a little trouble after harassing an older woman with a Jigsaw-like voice, leaving messages that insinuated a game had begun in her home.  The voice messages exclaimed her friend was trapped, hidden in fact, in her home and that she needed to risk dying of toxic gas poison while trying to find her friend, or immediately save herself by escaping the home.  The poor woman instead had a stroke and was rushed to the hospital!

Final Notes About a “Real Jigsaw Killer”

Although many people are inspired by movies, and there may most certainly have been some notable murders that could have been inspired by Saw’s fictional killer Jigsaw…there is no real Jigsaw killer.  The Saw franchise, no matter how creative, is not based upon a true story.

Still, James Wan, Twisted Pictures and everyone else involved in the production of the Saw movies, deserve a standing ovation for their originality within a wildly-saturated industry that is the horror genre.

Teddy bear with fake murder scene imagery

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