15 Horror Movies That Inspired Real-Life Crimes

Based on the book of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho has had its fair share of controversy in both literary and cinematic form. Condemned by feminists for its violence and misogyny, the book was only available to readers over the age of 18 in Australia and New Zealand and the film attracted the ire of many a perturbed critic too.

Even before it was made into a film, American Psycho was leaving a trail of wannabe psychos in its wake when in the early 90s the prosecution in the trial against Canadian serial killer and rapist Paul Bernardo referred to the book as his ‘bible’.

In 2004, four years after the movie’s release, 14-year-old Michael Hernandez stabbed a fellow classmate to death at school and later admitted modelling his crime on American Psycho’s antagonist Patrick Bateman.

2012 saw a couple of Patrick Bateman inspired murders too. In April 19-year-old Brian Douglas White, who frequently quoted American Psycho on social media, murdered his ex-girlfriend’s mother and new boyfriend with an axe before taking his own life.

A month later, Canadian ex-porn star Luka Magnotta murdered international student Jun Lin with an ice pick while the American Psycho soundtrack was playing in the background before uploading a video of the murder titled ‘1 Lunatic, 1 Ice Pick’.