CategoryTrue Story
Horror films based on true events — the real cases behind the movies and how much they got right.
374 stories
True Story
1929 was a rough year. The stock markets crashed and it was the genesis of the dreaded dirty thirties. Many people had their lives ripped apart, but on Christmas Day, the Lawson family had their lives ripped away…by their own father. Charlie Lawson (age 43) his wife, Fanny (age 37) and their seven children, Marie (age 17), Arthur (age 16), Carrie (age 12), Maybell (age 7) James (age 4) Raymond, (age 2) and Mary Lou (age 4 months) had a large family on a failing tobacco farm in North Carolina. A few days before Christmas, Charley took his family to town and and used what little funds they had to buy new clothes and get a, now famous, family portrait. This action has led many to believe that his actions were pre-meditated as opposed to a spur of the moment psychotic break. First on the familial hit list were daughters Carrie and Maybell. They were murdered with a shot gun
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True Story
I have never been a huge fan of Christmas. Obviously Halloween is the better holiday — there could be a whole article on the reasons why, but even without the comparison I have a tough time with this holiday. (It doesn’t help that the two most embarrassing moments of my life have happened due to this holiday) but I also don’t get all giddy about lights, trees, traditions, or parties. It’s not Christmas parties in general that I am opposed to, but simply the quantity of events that are squeezed into this month like fat circus clowns in a small car. That being said, there has never been a party that I have attended that has come close to the horrors of the annual Christmas Eve party of the Pardo family in 2008. Bruce and Sylvia Pardo were married in January of 2006. Their marriage started off rocky as it was discovered that Bruce was hiding a child from a
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
Scott Foley has appeared in several successful series including ‘Scandal’, the medical comedy ‘Scrubs’, and the vampire series ‘True Blood’ . He also had a major role in Wes Craven’s 2000 sequel ‘Scream 3’. Now, Foley is making his return to the genre in the upcoming true crime film ‘Final Vision’ as real life killer Jeffrey MacDonald. ‘Final Vision’ is the first of a five-part true crime series from Investigation Discovery and Lincoln Square Productions. In the film “MacDonald, who was convicted of brutally murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters in the middle of the night. The television movie will be told through the eyes of bestselling author Joe McGinniss (Dave Annable, 666 Park Avenue) who was asked by MacDonald to write a book about his “personal nightmare” as he claimed he was falsely accused and was about to go on trial. The film begins as a story about an innocent man being railroaded by a flawed legal
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
Back in 1998 I watched my first actual horror movie. I had always had a secret love of terror and an unaccepted fascination with horrors, but hid them from public until that night. I slipped the DVD of the classic: Psycho into the DVD player and was mesmerized for the entire 109 minutes. Watching Norman Bates changed my life. I delved into everything I could get my hands on! I knew that I had a lot of catching up to do for missed years of macabre immersion. I watched Silence of the Lambs, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, House of 1000 Corpses and other horror movies. Imagine my absolute cryptic delight when I realized that one man, one real-life man, served as the inspiration for all of these villains. Ed Gein. One of the truest, most horrific villains ever to stain ground red with blood. One of two sons born to a religiously fanatic mother and an abusive, leather-tanning father, Ed grew
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
“Lizzie Borden took an axe. And gave her mother 40 whacks. And when the job was nicely done, she gave her father 41.” We’ve all heard that rhyme. The true story of Lizzie Borden is still as popular as ever. In fact, a new (still untitled) biopic is preparing to begin filming next week. Chloë Sevigny (American Horror Story) will star opposite Kristen Stewart (Twilight), and Jay Huguley (The Walking Dead), in the film directed by Craig William Macneill. Macneil will direct from the script penned by Bryce Kass. William Henry Moody, the prosecuting attorney, will be played by Huguley. Stewart will co-star as Bridget Sullivan, the Borden’s live in maid. Naomi Despres and Elizabeth Destro will be producing. The film centers on infamous killer Lizzie Borden (Sevigny), who was first convicted, then acquitted of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe in 1892. Photo Credit: appsdirectories.com
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
We reported back in January that HBO, capitalizing on the current obsession with true crime documentaries like Netflix’s Making a Murderer, would soon release a dark documentary of there own titled Beware the Slenderman, from director Irene Taylor. Today, the television premiere date has finally been revealed as January 23, 2017 on HBO. Beware the Slenderman, set to have a special screening at DOC NYC this weekend, delves into the legend of Slenderman and the case of Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, two 12- year-old Wisconsin girls, and their brutal attempted murder of their friend and classmate, Payton Leutner, another 12-year-old girl. The documentary first premiered at this year’s SXSW. What makes the case so interesting are the girls’ claims that it was an attempt to please Slenderman, a legend created by Eric Knudsen on the Something Awful internet forum. The two girls were convinced that Slenderman was very real and that he would hurt their families if they did
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
Have you ever wondered why parents began checking their children’s candy after Trick-R-Treating? It all because of one man, known now as “The Candyman”. Ronald O’Bryan of Pasadena, a father of two, laced candy with cyanide and gave it out to five trick-r-treaters, including his own 5-year-old daughter and his 8-year-old son in 1974. You see, the twisted optician was deep in debt and had taken out a life insurance policy on his children worth $40,000. In his mind it would have been suspicious if only his children had fallen ill so he handed out the poisoned candy to other kids. His son, Timothy, ate the poison, hidden in an old-style Pixy Stix, which O’Bryan had opened, mixed with poison and resealed with staples. Only one of the five children ate the candy, Timothy. O’Bryan later claimed he held Timothy while he was vomiting and the child went limp in his arms. Timothy died en route to the hospital less
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
Halloween is supposed to a time of fun, gathering with friends and trick-r-treating. But on Saturday night at a party in San Antonio, Texas five people’s live were forever changed when a man dressed as Freddy Krueger shot five people. At the party in question, five men showed up uninvited to a Halloween party in the early morning hours. Around 5 am the men started causing trouble. The party’s host asked the men to leave and the man dressed as the ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ character pulled a shotgun hidden beneath his costume and opened fire, injuring 4 men and 1 woman. The male victims were rushed to two different hospitals. The female victim attempted to drive herself to the hospital but wrecked her car. Miracusly, all 4 victims four survived. Police are still searching for the shooter and his companions who fled the scene. Maybe they should check Elm Street. After we called 911, we were hesitant to open
Continue reading →
ParanormalTrue Story
‘Ouija: Origin of Evil‘ is now in theaters nationwide. Ouija boards, even though they are sold as games, can be truly terrifying. Many believe that they are a gateway to communicating with the dead. Others believe that they are just a game by Hasbro. But, they were once much more serious. How much do you know about the “talking board”? Let me fill you in on how it came to be. Almost every one of us have used a Ouija board at least once in our lives. More than likely the first experience you had with a board was at a sleep over asking silly questions like “Who will I marry?” or “Is Elvis really dead?”. At some point you probably got spooked and swore to never use one again, I know I did. Then there are those who seek answers and communications with those beyond in a more serious note. The word Ouija alone conjures fear and mystery. The
Continue reading →
True Story
Twenty-five years ago, Jeffery Dahmer became a household name after he committed a series of brutal murders. His legacy of evil still lingers today. Before he became a serial killer, he was a relatively normal child and teenager. At his school, Revere High School in Ohio, Dahmer had friends, and did the things most teenagers do. One of his friends was author Derf Backderf. Backderf began his graphic novel in 2012 based their high school friendship, titled ‘My Friend Dahmer’. The graphic novel is now being adapted for a full-length film. Young Dahmer will be played by Disney star and musician Ross Lynch. Lynch’s role is completely opposite of his clean-cut Disney image. He’s going from roles in films like ‘Teen Beach Movie’ to playing the young killer. Lynch is the spitting image of young Dahmer. Young Dahmer Ross Lynch as young Dahmer It’s not a slasher film – it’s a very melancholy tale full of regret and remorse that
Continue reading →
More from True Story
True Story
1929 was a rough year. The stock markets crashed and it was the genesis of the dreaded dirty thirties. Many people had their lives ripped apart, but on Christmas Day, the Lawson family had their lives ripped away…by their own father. Charlie Lawson (age 43) his wife, Fanny (age 37) and their seven children, Marie (age 17), Arthur (age 16), Carrie (age 12), Maybell (age 7) James (age 4) Raymond, (age 2) and Mary Lou (age 4 months) had a large family on a failing tobacco farm in North Carolina. A few days before Christmas, Charley took his family to town and and used what little funds they had to buy new clothes and get a, now famous, family portrait. This action has led many to believe that his actions were pre-meditated as opposed to a spur of the moment psychotic break. First on the familial hit list were daughters Carrie and Maybell. They were murdered with a shot gun
Continue reading →
True Story
I have never been a huge fan of Christmas. Obviously Halloween is the better holiday — there could be a whole article on the reasons why, but even without the comparison I have a tough time with this holiday. (It doesn’t help that the two most embarrassing moments of my life have happened due to this holiday) but I also don’t get all giddy about lights, trees, traditions, or parties. It’s not Christmas parties in general that I am opposed to, but simply the quantity of events that are squeezed into this month like fat circus clowns in a small car. That being said, there has never been a party that I have attended that has come close to the horrors of the annual Christmas Eve party of the Pardo family in 2008. Bruce and Sylvia Pardo were married in January of 2006. Their marriage started off rocky as it was discovered that Bruce was hiding a child from a
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
Scott Foley has appeared in several successful series including ‘Scandal’, the medical comedy ‘Scrubs’, and the vampire series ‘True Blood’ . He also had a major role in Wes Craven’s 2000 sequel ‘Scream 3’. Now, Foley is making his return to the genre in the upcoming true crime film ‘Final Vision’ as real life killer Jeffrey MacDonald. ‘Final Vision’ is the first of a five-part true crime series from Investigation Discovery and Lincoln Square Productions. In the film “MacDonald, who was convicted of brutally murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters in the middle of the night. The television movie will be told through the eyes of bestselling author Joe McGinniss (Dave Annable, 666 Park Avenue) who was asked by MacDonald to write a book about his “personal nightmare” as he claimed he was falsely accused and was about to go on trial. The film begins as a story about an innocent man being railroaded by a flawed legal
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
Back in 1998 I watched my first actual horror movie. I had always had a secret love of terror and an unaccepted fascination with horrors, but hid them from public until that night. I slipped the DVD of the classic: Psycho into the DVD player and was mesmerized for the entire 109 minutes. Watching Norman Bates changed my life. I delved into everything I could get my hands on! I knew that I had a lot of catching up to do for missed years of macabre immersion. I watched Silence of the Lambs, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, House of 1000 Corpses and other horror movies. Imagine my absolute cryptic delight when I realized that one man, one real-life man, served as the inspiration for all of these villains. Ed Gein. One of the truest, most horrific villains ever to stain ground red with blood. One of two sons born to a religiously fanatic mother and an abusive, leather-tanning father, Ed grew
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
“Lizzie Borden took an axe. And gave her mother 40 whacks. And when the job was nicely done, she gave her father 41.” We’ve all heard that rhyme. The true story of Lizzie Borden is still as popular as ever. In fact, a new (still untitled) biopic is preparing to begin filming next week. Chloë Sevigny (American Horror Story) will star opposite Kristen Stewart (Twilight), and Jay Huguley (The Walking Dead), in the film directed by Craig William Macneill. Macneil will direct from the script penned by Bryce Kass. William Henry Moody, the prosecuting attorney, will be played by Huguley. Stewart will co-star as Bridget Sullivan, the Borden’s live in maid. Naomi Despres and Elizabeth Destro will be producing. The film centers on infamous killer Lizzie Borden (Sevigny), who was first convicted, then acquitted of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe in 1892. Photo Credit: appsdirectories.com
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
We reported back in January that HBO, capitalizing on the current obsession with true crime documentaries like Netflix’s Making a Murderer, would soon release a dark documentary of there own titled Beware the Slenderman, from director Irene Taylor. Today, the television premiere date has finally been revealed as January 23, 2017 on HBO. Beware the Slenderman, set to have a special screening at DOC NYC this weekend, delves into the legend of Slenderman and the case of Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, two 12- year-old Wisconsin girls, and their brutal attempted murder of their friend and classmate, Payton Leutner, another 12-year-old girl. The documentary first premiered at this year’s SXSW. What makes the case so interesting are the girls’ claims that it was an attempt to please Slenderman, a legend created by Eric Knudsen on the Something Awful internet forum. The two girls were convinced that Slenderman was very real and that he would hurt their families if they did
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
Have you ever wondered why parents began checking their children’s candy after Trick-R-Treating? It all because of one man, known now as “The Candyman”. Ronald O’Bryan of Pasadena, a father of two, laced candy with cyanide and gave it out to five trick-r-treaters, including his own 5-year-old daughter and his 8-year-old son in 1974. You see, the twisted optician was deep in debt and had taken out a life insurance policy on his children worth $40,000. In his mind it would have been suspicious if only his children had fallen ill so he handed out the poisoned candy to other kids. His son, Timothy, ate the poison, hidden in an old-style Pixy Stix, which O’Bryan had opened, mixed with poison and resealed with staples. Only one of the five children ate the candy, Timothy. O’Bryan later claimed he held Timothy while he was vomiting and the child went limp in his arms. Timothy died en route to the hospital less
Continue reading →
True CrimeTrue Story
Halloween is supposed to a time of fun, gathering with friends and trick-r-treating. But on Saturday night at a party in San Antonio, Texas five people’s live were forever changed when a man dressed as Freddy Krueger shot five people. At the party in question, five men showed up uninvited to a Halloween party in the early morning hours. Around 5 am the men started causing trouble. The party’s host asked the men to leave and the man dressed as the ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ character pulled a shotgun hidden beneath his costume and opened fire, injuring 4 men and 1 woman. The male victims were rushed to two different hospitals. The female victim attempted to drive herself to the hospital but wrecked her car. Miracusly, all 4 victims four survived. Police are still searching for the shooter and his companions who fled the scene. Maybe they should check Elm Street. After we called 911, we were hesitant to open
Continue reading →
ParanormalTrue Story
‘Ouija: Origin of Evil‘ is now in theaters nationwide. Ouija boards, even though they are sold as games, can be truly terrifying. Many believe that they are a gateway to communicating with the dead. Others believe that they are just a game by Hasbro. But, they were once much more serious. How much do you know about the “talking board”? Let me fill you in on how it came to be. Almost every one of us have used a Ouija board at least once in our lives. More than likely the first experience you had with a board was at a sleep over asking silly questions like “Who will I marry?” or “Is Elvis really dead?”. At some point you probably got spooked and swore to never use one again, I know I did. Then there are those who seek answers and communications with those beyond in a more serious note. The word Ouija alone conjures fear and mystery. The
Continue reading →
True Story
Twenty-five years ago, Jeffery Dahmer became a household name after he committed a series of brutal murders. His legacy of evil still lingers today. Before he became a serial killer, he was a relatively normal child and teenager. At his school, Revere High School in Ohio, Dahmer had friends, and did the things most teenagers do. One of his friends was author Derf Backderf. Backderf began his graphic novel in 2012 based their high school friendship, titled ‘My Friend Dahmer’. The graphic novel is now being adapted for a full-length film. Young Dahmer will be played by Disney star and musician Ross Lynch. Lynch’s role is completely opposite of his clean-cut Disney image. He’s going from roles in films like ‘Teen Beach Movie’ to playing the young killer. Lynch is the spitting image of young Dahmer. Young Dahmer Ross Lynch as young Dahmer It’s not a slasher film – it’s a very melancholy tale full of regret and remorse that
Continue reading →
