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True Story

Horror films based on true events — the real cases behind the movies and how much they got right.

374 stories
The Real Life 'Purge' And Christmas

The Real Life ‘Purge’ And Christmas

Over the years you at one point must have heard people say, or post on social media, that they either wonder if or wish that the Purge was or could be real. The 2013 film The Purge gave audiences uncomfortable feelings, or awkward excitement… and spawned four sequels and a television series. The story takes place in a dystopian/utopia society where once a year all crimes are legal (but people seem to REALLY be into the murdering kind), and the films focus on either an individual or groups of individuals trying to survive the night of lawlessness. In the films the idea behind having a Purge was to give the masses a release resulting in lower crime rates during the rest of the year and the economy thrived from it, spoiler alert, in real life just one purge night would completely destroy a country financially since all emergency services (like fire fighting) would not be in service, a lot of

Continue reading →
Dec 12, 2021
"Interview With The Vampire" Author Anne Rice Has Passed Away

“Interview With The Vampire” Author Anne Rice Has Passed Away

We have tragic news to share with you. On Saturday (12/11/2021), prolific author Anne Rice passed away at the age of 80 due to complications from a stroke. Earlier tonight, Anne passed away due to complications resulting from a stroke,” Rice’s son, Christopher Rice, said in a statement on social media. “She left us almost nineteen years to the day my father, her husband Stan, died. The immensity of our family’s grief cannot be overstated. As my mother, her support for me was unconditional — she taught me to embrace my dreams, reject conformity and challenge the dark voices of fear and self-doubt. As a writer, she taught me to defy genre boundaries and surrender to my obsessive passions. In her final hours, I sat beside her hospital bed in awe of her accomplishments and her courage, awash in memories of a life that took us from the fog laced hills of the San Francisco Bay Area to the magical

Continue reading →
Dec 12, 2021
True Crime Documentary 'Dead Asleep' Premieres This December On Hulu

True Crime Documentary ‘Dead Asleep’ Premieres This December On Hulu

Hulu has now announced the premiere date for the true crime documentary Dead Asleep, produced in association with Sky Crime. The film flips the traditional thriller narrative to explore a deeper and more troubling mystery – did a remorseful Randy Herman Jr. really commit a brutal murder in his sleep, or was it a convenient cover story? The documentary follows the case of Randy Herman Jr., a Florida man convicted of a murder he says he committed while sleepwalking in 2017. The film shares exclusive footage of Herman and his family, the defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists who covered the case, forensic psychiatrists, and world experts in violent parasomnia (sleepwalking) to give viewers an inside look at the shocking twists and turns of the controversial crime. A Pulse Films production, directed by award-winner Skye Borgman, who is behind the critically acclaimed documentary Abducted In Plain Sight and recently worked with Pulse Films on their Oxygen special The Case Died With

Continue reading →
Shudder Review: The Superdeep

Scientists Make A Terrifying Discovery This January In ‘The Superdeep’ – Inspired By Real Events

This January, RLJE Films dives deep into a world of terror with their newly acquired horror The Superdeep, from Shudder. Milena Radulovic (The Balkan Line), Nikita Dyuvbanov (Abigail), Kirill Kovbas (Ikariya), Vadim Demchog (Son of a Rich), and Sergey Ivanyuk (Z’olushka) star in the frightening flick. Arseniy Sukhin (Lockout) directed from the script penned by Victor Bondaryuk (Deadly Still), which was inspired by true events and real locations. In The Superdeep, the Russian Kola Superdeep Borehole is the largest drilling project in the world, attempting to drill as far as possible into the Earth’s crust. After reaching depths of nearly seven miles below the surface, unexplained sounds resembling the screams and moans of numerous people were reported and the borehole was shut down. But when a small team of scientists and military personnel set out to unearth the source of the strange sounds, they end up discovering the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced. The Superdeep debuts on January

Continue reading →
Horror Fuel

Filmmaker Chris Sun Discusses The Real Exorcism That Inspired ‘The Possessed’ And More

Chris Sun, known for horror films such as Boar, Charlie’s Farm, Daddy’s Little Girl, and Come and Get Me, has a new addition to his credit, the supernatural horror, The Possessed staring Wolf Creek actor John Jarratt. We sat down with Chris to discuss The Possessed and the true story inspiration behind it. In the film, Jacob Chandler (Jarratt) is just an ordinary man with an extraordinary gift. The Possessed is a terrifying story of accidental exorcist Jacob and his nephew Liam (Lincoln Lewis). The two have forged a career clearing demons from the bodies of their clients. Of late, something has changed and demonic possessions are increasing, and in order to keep those he loves safe from the wrath of unspeakable evil, Jacob must fight for them to survive. When meeting Liam’s new girlfriend, Atalie Carlisle (Lauren Grimson), he recognizes something in her dark, broken gaze – she too can see the damned. Jacob never expected to meet anyone

Continue reading →
Nov 22, 2021
True Crime Documentary ‘The Acid King’ Explores A Sacrificial Murder

True Crime Documentary ‘The Acid King’ Explores A Sacrificial Murder

Ahead of its November release, we’ve got the new trailer for The Acid King, a true-crime documentary based on Ricky Kasso, the young man who murdered his friend in an alleged “Satanic sacrifice” in 1984. Directed by Dan Jones and Jesse P. Pollack whose book the film is based on, the documentary examines Kasso’s life and hardships that may have made him a killer as well as the murder Kasso committed and the trial. Ricky Kasso wasn’t a bad kid, but he was lost. To feel better, he started smoking pot, moving on from that to PCP and LSD. He ended up living on the streets and thinking he had nothing to lose. Gary Lauwers went from being a victim of bullying to using drugs to fit in, and finally robbery—but then he made the mistake of stealing from Ricky, and from that moment on, his fate was sealed.” Pollack states in his book. “A few months later, Gary went

Continue reading →
Nov 22, 2021
The Real ‘Curse Of Akkad’

The Real ‘Curse Of Akkad’

In the recently released horror game The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes, like the previous titles in the series, the basis of the game’s plot comes from historical events, in Man of Medan it was the urban legend during WWII of a ghost ship, in Little Hope, it was the Salem Witch Trials, and now in House of Ashes it’s the Curse of Akkad. At the start of the story, we see the Akkadians sacrificing Gutian soldiers with Naram-Sin of Akkad watching over before the curse takes shape in a supernatural way dooming Naram-Sin and the Akkadians. Historically there was mentioned a curse that befell the ancient ruler and his people, but what was it really? Let’s get right to it! Naram-Sin of Akkad was a real ruler, the fourth out of seven rulers of the Akkadian Empire that is now modern Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. It was said that he and the empire fell out of favor

Continue reading →
Nov 22, 2021
30 ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ Facts To Celebrate It’s 30th Anniversary!

30 ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ Facts To Celebrate It’s 30th Anniversary!

The crime horror/thriller film that gave us the loveable cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter turned 30 this year on Valentine’s Day (when it was released in 1991). Since we’re getting closer to Halloween, why not share some interesting facts from both the film and the book that it came from, here are 30 facts about The Silence of The Lambs for you to chew on with a nice Chianti. Hannibal never once said “Hello Clarice” in the film, the misquoted line actually goes “Good evening, Clarice.” Ted Levine drank a lot of coffee before his audition to play Buffalo Bill resulting in a performance that impressed everyone. The real-life “Death’s Head Moth” (known as the Lesser Death’s Head Hawkmoth) does not have a pattern that looks like a skull on its back, but it does resemble a hooded face. Sir Anthony Hopkins based Hannibal’s voice on a combination of Truman Capote and Katherine Hepburn. The infamous dancing scene with

Continue reading →
Nov 21, 2021
Horror Fuel

A Look At A Non-Horror Horror Film: ‘Come and See’

Being a bit of a history nerd with a love of horror, it would be no surprise that interesting things pop up in my online searches, especially when some sites have a “you may be interested in…” section, and it always seems that this film titled Come and See pops up, finally I looked into it and watched the film and HOLY SHIT does not even begin to describe what I saw. Everywhere I looked afterward it seems everyone has said the same thing over and over, this film is a “non-horror horror movie” which after seeing, I have to agree, let me tell you about Come and See. Come and See is a surrealist anti-war film made in the Soviet Union in 1985. The film was directed by Elem Klimov and was his last as he felt after making the film that he went as far as he could creatively as a director which was not far from the

Continue reading →
Aug 25, 2021
Horror Fuel

HorrorFuel Interviews Eugenie Bondurant, “The Occultist” From ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’

From director Michael Chaves’ comes The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Ahead of its release on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD later this month, I sat down with model turned actress Eugenie Bondurant to discuss her role as “The Occultist,” the villain of the film. The Conjuring 3 reveals a chilling story of terror, murder, and unknown evil that shocked even real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Featuring one the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’ve ever seen before, marking the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense. Behind the scenes, a dark evil lurks pulling the strings, “The Occultist”. Before Eugenie was casting spells and killing people in the third installment of The Conjuring franchise, she was walking the runway and starring in films such as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Continue reading →
Aug 21, 2021

More from True Story

The Real Life 'Purge' And Christmas

The Real Life ‘Purge’ And Christmas

Over the years you at one point must have heard people say, or post on social media, that they either wonder if or wish that the Purge was or could be real. The 2013 film The Purge gave audiences uncomfortable feelings, or awkward excitement… and spawned four sequels and a television series. The story takes place in a dystopian/utopia society where once a year all crimes are legal (but people seem to REALLY be into the murdering kind), and the films focus on either an individual or groups of individuals trying to survive the night of lawlessness. In the films the idea behind having a Purge was to give the masses a release resulting in lower crime rates during the rest of the year and the economy thrived from it, spoiler alert, in real life just one purge night would completely destroy a country financially since all emergency services (like fire fighting) would not be in service, a lot of

Continue reading →
Dec 12, 2021
"Interview With The Vampire" Author Anne Rice Has Passed Away

“Interview With The Vampire” Author Anne Rice Has Passed Away

We have tragic news to share with you. On Saturday (12/11/2021), prolific author Anne Rice passed away at the age of 80 due to complications from a stroke. Earlier tonight, Anne passed away due to complications resulting from a stroke,” Rice’s son, Christopher Rice, said in a statement on social media. “She left us almost nineteen years to the day my father, her husband Stan, died. The immensity of our family’s grief cannot be overstated. As my mother, her support for me was unconditional — she taught me to embrace my dreams, reject conformity and challenge the dark voices of fear and self-doubt. As a writer, she taught me to defy genre boundaries and surrender to my obsessive passions. In her final hours, I sat beside her hospital bed in awe of her accomplishments and her courage, awash in memories of a life that took us from the fog laced hills of the San Francisco Bay Area to the magical

Continue reading →
Dec 12, 2021
True Crime Documentary 'Dead Asleep' Premieres This December On Hulu

True Crime Documentary ‘Dead Asleep’ Premieres This December On Hulu

Hulu has now announced the premiere date for the true crime documentary Dead Asleep, produced in association with Sky Crime. The film flips the traditional thriller narrative to explore a deeper and more troubling mystery – did a remorseful Randy Herman Jr. really commit a brutal murder in his sleep, or was it a convenient cover story? The documentary follows the case of Randy Herman Jr., a Florida man convicted of a murder he says he committed while sleepwalking in 2017. The film shares exclusive footage of Herman and his family, the defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists who covered the case, forensic psychiatrists, and world experts in violent parasomnia (sleepwalking) to give viewers an inside look at the shocking twists and turns of the controversial crime. A Pulse Films production, directed by award-winner Skye Borgman, who is behind the critically acclaimed documentary Abducted In Plain Sight and recently worked with Pulse Films on their Oxygen special The Case Died With

Continue reading →
Shudder Review: The Superdeep

Scientists Make A Terrifying Discovery This January In ‘The Superdeep’ – Inspired By Real Events

This January, RLJE Films dives deep into a world of terror with their newly acquired horror The Superdeep, from Shudder. Milena Radulovic (The Balkan Line), Nikita Dyuvbanov (Abigail), Kirill Kovbas (Ikariya), Vadim Demchog (Son of a Rich), and Sergey Ivanyuk (Z’olushka) star in the frightening flick. Arseniy Sukhin (Lockout) directed from the script penned by Victor Bondaryuk (Deadly Still), which was inspired by true events and real locations. In The Superdeep, the Russian Kola Superdeep Borehole is the largest drilling project in the world, attempting to drill as far as possible into the Earth’s crust. After reaching depths of nearly seven miles below the surface, unexplained sounds resembling the screams and moans of numerous people were reported and the borehole was shut down. But when a small team of scientists and military personnel set out to unearth the source of the strange sounds, they end up discovering the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced. The Superdeep debuts on January

Continue reading →
Horror Fuel

Filmmaker Chris Sun Discusses The Real Exorcism That Inspired ‘The Possessed’ And More

Chris Sun, known for horror films such as Boar, Charlie’s Farm, Daddy’s Little Girl, and Come and Get Me, has a new addition to his credit, the supernatural horror, The Possessed staring Wolf Creek actor John Jarratt. We sat down with Chris to discuss The Possessed and the true story inspiration behind it. In the film, Jacob Chandler (Jarratt) is just an ordinary man with an extraordinary gift. The Possessed is a terrifying story of accidental exorcist Jacob and his nephew Liam (Lincoln Lewis). The two have forged a career clearing demons from the bodies of their clients. Of late, something has changed and demonic possessions are increasing, and in order to keep those he loves safe from the wrath of unspeakable evil, Jacob must fight for them to survive. When meeting Liam’s new girlfriend, Atalie Carlisle (Lauren Grimson), he recognizes something in her dark, broken gaze – she too can see the damned. Jacob never expected to meet anyone

Continue reading →
Nov 22, 2021
True Crime Documentary ‘The Acid King’ Explores A Sacrificial Murder

True Crime Documentary ‘The Acid King’ Explores A Sacrificial Murder

Ahead of its November release, we’ve got the new trailer for The Acid King, a true-crime documentary based on Ricky Kasso, the young man who murdered his friend in an alleged “Satanic sacrifice” in 1984. Directed by Dan Jones and Jesse P. Pollack whose book the film is based on, the documentary examines Kasso’s life and hardships that may have made him a killer as well as the murder Kasso committed and the trial. Ricky Kasso wasn’t a bad kid, but he was lost. To feel better, he started smoking pot, moving on from that to PCP and LSD. He ended up living on the streets and thinking he had nothing to lose. Gary Lauwers went from being a victim of bullying to using drugs to fit in, and finally robbery—but then he made the mistake of stealing from Ricky, and from that moment on, his fate was sealed.” Pollack states in his book. “A few months later, Gary went

Continue reading →
Nov 22, 2021
The Real ‘Curse Of Akkad’

The Real ‘Curse Of Akkad’

In the recently released horror game The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes, like the previous titles in the series, the basis of the game’s plot comes from historical events, in Man of Medan it was the urban legend during WWII of a ghost ship, in Little Hope, it was the Salem Witch Trials, and now in House of Ashes it’s the Curse of Akkad. At the start of the story, we see the Akkadians sacrificing Gutian soldiers with Naram-Sin of Akkad watching over before the curse takes shape in a supernatural way dooming Naram-Sin and the Akkadians. Historically there was mentioned a curse that befell the ancient ruler and his people, but what was it really? Let’s get right to it! Naram-Sin of Akkad was a real ruler, the fourth out of seven rulers of the Akkadian Empire that is now modern Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. It was said that he and the empire fell out of favor

Continue reading →
Nov 22, 2021
30 ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ Facts To Celebrate It’s 30th Anniversary!

30 ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ Facts To Celebrate It’s 30th Anniversary!

The crime horror/thriller film that gave us the loveable cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter turned 30 this year on Valentine’s Day (when it was released in 1991). Since we’re getting closer to Halloween, why not share some interesting facts from both the film and the book that it came from, here are 30 facts about The Silence of The Lambs for you to chew on with a nice Chianti. Hannibal never once said “Hello Clarice” in the film, the misquoted line actually goes “Good evening, Clarice.” Ted Levine drank a lot of coffee before his audition to play Buffalo Bill resulting in a performance that impressed everyone. The real-life “Death’s Head Moth” (known as the Lesser Death’s Head Hawkmoth) does not have a pattern that looks like a skull on its back, but it does resemble a hooded face. Sir Anthony Hopkins based Hannibal’s voice on a combination of Truman Capote and Katherine Hepburn. The infamous dancing scene with

Continue reading →
Nov 21, 2021
Horror Fuel

A Look At A Non-Horror Horror Film: ‘Come and See’

Being a bit of a history nerd with a love of horror, it would be no surprise that interesting things pop up in my online searches, especially when some sites have a “you may be interested in…” section, and it always seems that this film titled Come and See pops up, finally I looked into it and watched the film and HOLY SHIT does not even begin to describe what I saw. Everywhere I looked afterward it seems everyone has said the same thing over and over, this film is a “non-horror horror movie” which after seeing, I have to agree, let me tell you about Come and See. Come and See is a surrealist anti-war film made in the Soviet Union in 1985. The film was directed by Elem Klimov and was his last as he felt after making the film that he went as far as he could creatively as a director which was not far from the

Continue reading →
Aug 25, 2021
Horror Fuel

HorrorFuel Interviews Eugenie Bondurant, “The Occultist” From ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’

From director Michael Chaves’ comes The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Ahead of its release on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD later this month, I sat down with model turned actress Eugenie Bondurant to discuss her role as “The Occultist,” the villain of the film. The Conjuring 3 reveals a chilling story of terror, murder, and unknown evil that shocked even real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Featuring one the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’ve ever seen before, marking the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense. Behind the scenes, a dark evil lurks pulling the strings, “The Occultist”. Before Eugenie was casting spells and killing people in the third installment of The Conjuring franchise, she was walking the runway and starring in films such as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Continue reading →
Aug 21, 2021