There is a plethora of films that draw inspiration from real-life events, with a significant number of them centered around criminal activities. This presents a unique challenge for filmmakers, as they must navigate the delicate balance of creating a captivating narrative without glorifying any heinous acts or individuals involved. At the same time, movies that are purely works of fiction also bear a responsibility to depict their material in a manner that does not inadvertently influence any wrongful actions in society. This is precisely why film ratings exist, to provide guidance and caution to viewers.
Unfortunately, there have been instances where individuals have committed crimes and attributed their actions to being inspired by certain movies. This highlights the need for filmmakers to exercise caution and responsibility in their storytelling, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of personal accountability. These are five movies that unfortunately inspired real life crimes.
Project X
Project X is a high-octane comedy film that follows three teenagers, Thomas, Costa, and JB, as they throw an epic house party for their friend’s birthday. The plot takes an outrageous turn when the party spirals out of control, leading to chaos in the suburban neighborhood. The movie is known for its found-footage style, as it unfolds through the lens of various cameras capturing the wild antics of the partygoers. This film also marked an early role for the talented rising star, Miles Teller. However, after the glaring success of the movie, many young party goers were inspired to copy the events of the movie. As a result, many street parties got so out of control that the police were called. One party in particular took a drastic turn and a Houston teenager was shot and killed.
Wedding Crashers
Wedding Crashers is a light-hearted comedy from 2005 that has quickly become a cult classic. The story focuses on best friends John (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy (Vince Vaughn), two womanizers who sneak into weddings to utilise the tinge of love in the air and bag themselves one night stands. They operate under strict rules and pride themselves on their made up characters with extensive backstories. However, things take a turn when both men become romantically involved with two women from a wedding.
Although the characters are somewhat despicable, we see them grow as people and finally start to see the error of their ways. While the plot of the movie undoubtedly inspired some questionable exploits from young bachelors, the trouble lay with one scene in particular. When John wants to get closer to his latest target, he poisons her boyfriend’s drink with eye drops to make him sick. However, in real life, this can result in death. After the movie was released, many people combined this medicine with alcohol, poisoning others in the process. Of these, Lana Sue Clayton’s murder of her husband and subsequent 25-year prison sentence is perhaps the most well-known and disturbing instance.
Saw
Saw is a unique horror film that hit movie theaters in 2004 and created a sub-genre known as “Torture Porn”. The plot follows two men who wake up in a mysterious room with no recollection of how they got there. To make matters worse, they are chained up and forced to forgo a series of twisted tasks. The movie boasts strong gore and a claustrophobic feel that made it an instant classic. However, the film’s brutality sparked major concern when the box office numbers saw it become a major hit.
Inspired by the movie, two 13-year-old girls played a practical joke on a woman in 2007. As part of their trick, they pretended to be the woman’s friends and told her that one of them was imprisoned in her house and that she had 10 minutes to find her before she was killed. The prank’s victim, Beverly Dickson, suffered a catastrophic stroke that would affect her for the rest of her life due to the extreme fright she endured.
The Dark Knight
Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight revolutionized the Batman franchise in 2008, taking it to new, much darker heights. With its riveting storyline and impeccable execution, Nolan captivated audiences worldwide and showcased a unique and gritty portrayal of Gotham City and its iconic hero. However, it was the late Heath Ledger‘s haunting performance as the Joker that truly stole the show. Ledger’s portrayal was nothing short of mesmerizing, as he brilliantly depicted the chaotic madness that embodies the character. His posthumous Oscar win was a testament to his exceptional talent and his ability to bring an unforgettable and menacing presence to the screen.
The movie has gone on to be considered a true classic. However, after the release of this famed epic, a disturbing amount of crimes took place. In 2009, a high school girl attempted to mutilate one of her tutors after self-inflicting the Joker’s scars on herself and donning the character’s iconic makeup. Furthermore, the horrific Dendermonde nursery attack, in which a disturbed 20-year-old entered a nursery dressed as the Joker, killing three people and leaving twelve others harmed, is another infamous crime inspired by The Dark Knight.
Heat
Michael Mann is one of the most decorated filmmakers of all time. He has showcased his talent through an array of iconic movies. However, his most renowned movie is perhaps the crime masterpiece, Heat. Serving as the first time Robert De Niro and Al Pacino ever shared the screen, Heat tells the story of a group of high-end thieves who start to feel the pressure when a tough LAPD detective (Pacino) starts to close in on them. Boasting a star-studded cast, riveting plot, and one of the most dazzling shootout scenes in cinema history, Heat has etched itself into cinema history as a true classic.
However, the famous shootout scene in question actually inspired a real life robbery. In the scene, the group of professional thieves attempt to pull off the score of a lifetime. We see their whole plan unfold, which nearly pays off until the cops close in on them, resulting in a violent shootout. In 1997, North Hollywood saw its most shocking shootout of all time, which saw twelve police officers and eight civilians injured after a bank robbery. This event was later referred to as the Battle of North Hollywood. When being interviewed on The Director’s Chair, Michael Mann shed some light on the event and recalled how the LAPD had told him that the criminals were inspired by his movie, Heat. He added that they told him the criminals had “just about worn out the video cassette” as they planned their heist.
Follow Us
