10 Horror Movies Inspired By Creepy Urban Legends
1. Native American Horrors Stalk The Wilderness - Head Count
Head Count director Elle Callahan created her own original creation to stalk a group of teens in rural Joshua Tree in Head Count. The film sees Evan meet a bunch of other students out partying in the desert, and joins them for a weekend at their sprawling villa - but little does he realise that reading aloud an online story will conjure a strange, shape-shifting monster that subsequently terrorises the group by posing as each of the friends.
Callahan herself stated that she "drew a lot of inspiration from creatures such as skinwalkers and wendigos, and a little bit of witchcraft," but what feels most appropriate for this legend is the story of the Goatman, as told by Anansi. Born itself from creepypasta forums exactly like the one Evan reads from, the Goatman is an entity that lives in the woods and infiltrates groups by intermingling without being spotted, only known to be there when the number of the group are counted and it comes back one higher. Sounds remarkably familiar to Head Count, right?
As for skin walkers, they're a part of private Navajo folklore. From what little can be gathered on them, it's understood that they are evil witches that can disguise themselves as animals. Unfortunately, that includes humans too, with one look enough for them to take control and wear your skin. Creepy.