8 Horror Movies Supposedly Based On "True" Events
3. The Amityville Horror (1979)
Whilst not the first movie to make the claim of being based on true events, The Amityville Horror was the most high profile. The film came two years after the publication of Jay Anson book of the same name and the uproar it caused was still at a fever pitch.
The Lutz family purchased 112 Ocean Avenue in 1975. A little over a year earlier six members of the DeFeo family were murdered there by their eldest child Ronald Jr. Only four weeks after purchasing their dream home, the Lutz family fled, screaming that paranormal forces wanted them out.
If you mention the word Amityville to anyone, their answer is usually "hoax." Soon after abandoning their home, the Lutzes called in the press and sought a book deal. This in itself is suspicious enough, but people began to come forward to expose the truth of the matter. Among the naysayers was William Weber, Ronald DeFeo's lawyer. His claim is that every part of the story was a money making scheme orchestrated by himself and the Lutzes over many bottles of wine. When you consider that the family was in financial straits and sought the involvement of the Warrens, it seems indisputable Amityville was nothing more than a cash grab.
However, we must never forget the true horror of this situation - that six innocent people died in that infamous house.