10 Movies You Didn't Know Were Based On Real-Life People

Notting Hill, A Nightmare on Elm Street, 50 First Dates and those other movies based on real life!

Uma Thurman Notting Hill
Universal Pictures

Across the decades of cinema, many a movie has been loud 'n' proudly based on a true story.

Seeing the fascinating, entertaining, heart-warming or even tragic tale of a real-life person or situation adapted for the silver screen can make for genuine movie magic at times. So much so, there have been numerous Academy Awards handed out to those 'based on real events' sort of pictures over the years.

While many films of this ilk will usually start or end with a disclaimer of being based on real people or real events - or some may even be heavily marketed as such during their pre-release promotional push - there are those other reality-driven efforts that are a little less forthcoming with their roots.

It may actually be a little crazy to realise that certain films have pulled their inspiration from the real world, but that's been the case for way more movies than one would imagine - from horror offerings, to rom-coms, to all-out cheesy action pictures and more!

Here, then, are ten movies that you likely had no idea were based on real people and their extremely real life.

10. The Hills Have Eyes

Uma Thurman Notting Hill
Vanguard

The second feature film of the legendary Wes Craven - well, unless you count the Fireworks Woman adult movie Craven helmed under the Abe Snake alias - The Hills Have Eyes stands as a huge favourite of many a horror hound to this day.

What many of those fans may not realise, is that The Hills Have Eyes took inspiration from some very real horrors carried out by Alexander 'Sawney' Bean.

Legend has it, Bean was a 16th century Scotsman who took his clan out into the hills, where they led a life of incest, murder and cannibalism. The belief is that Sawney and his family were responsible for attacking over 1,000 passers-by.

Pulling direct inspiration from this, Craven's 1977 The Hills Have Eyes showcased a murderous tribe of cannibals looking to prey on those passing through the desert. And like the story of Alexander Bean, the iconic Horror Master's movie concluded with the purported victims of the tale being just as vicious and violent as their attackers once the tables were turned.

In real life, the Bean clan were tortured, quartered, burned and hanged by the officials of the day.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

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