March 1, 1949. Police are notified by surrounding neighbors that a local woman and her two-year-old daughter are missing, which leads to a basement full of horrors and the arrests of two despicable people. The couple at the heart of these horrors, who came to be known as the Lonely Hearts Killers, are later revisited in not one but TWO movie interpretations of these events. 

Love is not always exciting and new, sometimes it’s monstrous. And yes, The Honeymoon Killers and Lonely Hearts were both inspired by a true story.

Listen to this episode of the Inspired By A True Story podcast at any of the resources below or on your favorite podcast app to uncover the truth behind 1970's The Honeymoon Killers and 2006's Lonely Hearts. 

Welcome to Inspired By A True Story, a podcast where every two weeks, our award-winning hosts and film critics discuss the genuine details that have inspired some of the most memorable true crime movies around. Each episode will break down the crime or crimes that inspired a specific film, and then discuss how factual that film is, versus how much is simply Hollywood magic.

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The Honeymoon Killers An embittered nurse doesn't mind if her toupee-wearing boyfriend romances and fleeces other women, as long as he takes her along on his con jobs. Eventually it leads to murder. Written and directed by Leonard Kastle and starring Shirley Stoler and Tony Lo Bianco as Martha Beck and Ray Fernandez

Lonely Hearts Based on the true story, two homicide detectives track Martha Beck and Raymond Martinez Fernandez, a murderous pair known as the "Lonely Hearts Killers" who lured their victims through the personals Written and directed by Todd Robinson starring Jared Leto and Salma Hayek as Ray Fernandez and Martha Beck and also starring John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Scott Conn, Laura Dern.

Media inquiries, direct thoughts on this episode, and/or suggestions of films to cover for future episodes of Inspired By A True Story can be sent to [email protected] or [email protected]

Listen to all episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/inspired-by-a-true-story/

Support the podcast and gain early access to episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.patreon.com/thehollywoodoutsider

"Southern Gothic" and other music provided by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

January 6, 1994. Figure skater Nancy Kerrigan is viciously attacked on the eve of her Olympic qualifying competition at the 1994 US figure skating championships. In 2017, director Craig Gillespie showcases Margot Robbie as the alleged conspirator of this attack, Tonya Harding. Lace up before hitting this ice, because I, Tonya was Inspired By A True Story. 

Listen to this episode of the Inspired By A True Story podcast at any of the resources below or on your favorite podcast app to uncover the truth behind 2017's I, Tonya. 

Welcome to Inspired By A True Story, a podcast where every two weeks, our award-winning hosts and film critics discuss the genuine details that have inspired some of the most memorable true crime movies around. Each episode will break down the crime or crimes that inspired a specific film, and then discuss how factual that film is, versus how much is simply Hollywood magic.

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Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes. Does she have culpability? I, Tonya was written by Steven Roger, directed by Craig Gillepsie – who coincidentally directed Nancy Kerrigan in a campbell’s soup ad spot in 1993 - and starring Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, who won an Oscar for her performance, and Paul Walter Hauser.

Media inquiries, direct thoughts on this episode, and/or suggestions of films to cover for future episodes of Inspired By A True Story can be sent to [email protected] or [email protected]

Listen to all episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/inspired-by-a-true-story/

Support the podcast and gain early access to episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.patreon.com/thehollywoodoutsider

"Southern Gothic" and other music provided by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

December 26, 1996. John and Patsy Ramsey wake to find their daughter, JonBenét Ramsey, missing, and a ransom note on the stairs. Hours later, JonBenét's body would be found INSIDE the house. To this day, no murderer has been named. In 2016, Lifetime attempted to tell this story with conflicting information, and in 2024, Netflix released a dive into the case from the family's perspective. Always check every room in your house, because Who Killed JonBenét? and Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey were both inspired by a true story.

Listen to this episode of the Inspired By A True Story podcast at any of the resources below or on your favorite podcast app to uncover the truth behind 2016's Who Killed JonBenét?

Welcome to Inspired By A True Story, a podcast where every two weeks, our award-winning hosts and film critics discuss the genuine details that have inspired some of the most memorable true crime movies around. Each episode will break down the crime or crimes that inspired a specific film, and then discuss how factual that film is, versus how much is simply Hollywood magic.

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The Lifetime Original Movie, Who Killed JonBenét?, revisits the infamous murder of young beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey and the lurid details of her murder that captivated the nation. The film was written by Brian Ross, directed by Jason Lapeyre, and starred Eion Bailey, Julie Campbell, and Michael Gill. 

In Cold Case: Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey: Nearly 30 years since her murder, a three-part Netflix series revisits the death of JonBenét Ramsey, the child beauty queen killed in her Colorado home, featuring interviews with key figures including her father.

Media inquiries, direct thoughts on this episode, and/or suggestions of films to cover for future episodes of Inspired By A True Story can be sent to [email protected] or [email protected]

Listen to all episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/inspired-by-a-true-story/

Support the podcast and gain early access to episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.patreon.com/thehollywoodoutsider

"Southern Gothic" and other music provided by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

December 7, 2003. A beloved young boy sets off to take a bus ride on a journey to buy his parents Christmas presents and is never seen alive again. In 2022, Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris starred in a film that focuses on the police investigation that led to the perpetrator’s eventual arrest, which left the family of the victim in complete disdain. An incredible tale that seems almost impossible, yet The Stranger was indeed inspired by a true story.

Listen to this episode of the Inspired By A True Story podcast at any of the resources below or on your favorite podcast app to uncover the truth behind 2022's The Stranger. Resources for The Daniel Morcombe Foundation can be found HERE. 

Welcome to Inspired By A True Story, a podcast where every two weeks, our award-winning hosts and film critics discuss the genuine details that have inspired some of the most memorable true crime movies around. Each episode will break down the crime or crimes that inspired a specific film, and then discuss how factual that film is, versus how much is simply Hollywood magic.

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The Stranger follows Henry Teague and Mark Frame, two men who meet on a bus almost as a stroke of fate. These two men strike up a most unique friendship, one that leads to a calvacade of crime and decadence. But there is something more to this relationship, something lingering under the surface. And it’s about to break free. The film was written and directed by Thomas M. Wright and stars Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris.

The Casefile episode referenced in this podcast with the original recordings can be found HERE

Media inquiries, direct thoughts on this episode, and/or suggestions of films to cover for future episodes of Inspired By A True Story can be sent to [email protected] or [email protected]

Listen to all episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/inspired-by-a-true-story/

Support the podcast and gain early access to episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.patreon.com/thehollywoodoutsider

"Southern Gothic" and other music provided by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

September 13, 1978. Cheryl Bradshaw, a drama teacher, takes a trip to The Dating Game, where she asks potential suitors random questions that lead to an eventual date. One of those contestants, is a serial killer. In 2024, Anna Kendrick renames the film's lead Sheryl and offers up her directorial debut with Woman of the Hour, recapturing these same events in creatively intense ways with a uniquely distinct approach. 

Listen to this episode of the Inspired By A True Story podcast at any of the resources below or on your favorite podcast app to uncover the truth behind 2024's Woman of the Hour.

Welcome to Inspired By A True Story, a podcast where every two weeks, our award-winning hosts and film critics discuss the genuine details that have inspired some of the most memorable true crime movies around. Each episode will break down the crime or crimes that inspired a specific film, and then discuss how factual that film is, versus how much is simply Hollywood magic.

Sheryl Bradshaw, a single woman looking for a suitor on a hit 1970s TV show, chooses charming bachelor Rodney Alcala, unaware that, behind the man's gentle facade, he hides a deadly secret. Woman of the Hour was written by Ian Macdonald, directed and starring Anna Kendrick as well as Daniel Zovatto.

Media inquiries, direct thoughts on this episode, and/or suggestions of films to cover for future episodes of Inspired By A True Story can be sent to [email protected] or [email protected]

Listen to all episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/inspired-by-a-true-story/

Support the podcast and gain early access to episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.patreon.com/thehollywoodoutsider

"Southern Gothic" and other music provided by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

September 1975. Suffering from either psychosis or demonic possession, a young woman begins undergoing an exorcism that will lead to her eventual death. In 2005, director Scott Derrickson delivers a film based off of these true events that posits the question of what is good and what is evil? It’s time to put everlasting battle between God and the Devil on trial, this is the story behind The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

Listen to this episode of the Inspired By A True Story podcast at any of the resources below or on your favorite podcast app to uncover the truth behind 2005's The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and prepare for an exorcism of facts.

Welcome to Inspired By A True Story, a podcast where every two weeks, our award-winning hosts and film critics discuss the genuine details that have inspired some of the most memorable true crime movies around. Each episode will break down the crime or crimes that inspired a specific film, and then discuss how factual that film is, versus how much is simply Hollywood magic.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose, directed by Scott Derrickson (The Black Phone), follows an ambitious lawyer, Erin Bruner (Laura Linney), as she defends Father Moore (Tom Wilkinson) from murder charges after the tragic death of Emily Rose (Jennifer Carpenter). Was it divine intervention, or something far more sinister?

Email your thoughts on this episode and/or suggestions of films to cover to [email protected]

Listen to all episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/inspired-by-a-true-story/

Support the podcast and gain early access to episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.patreon.com/thehollywoodoutsider

"Southern Gothic" and other music provided by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

October - 1973. The Perron Family have moved into a dream of a home. Unfortunately, it allegedly harbored a dark, evil secret and for the next decade. This family claimed to be tortured by a malevolent spirt, and they were begging for help, and Ed and Lorraine Warren, a pair of paranormal investigators, were more than happy to oblige. In 2013, renowned horror director James Wan reinvents history in The Conjuring, as Ed and Lorraine Warren are reimagined as the only ones who can stop this horror. But did they?

Grab your crucifixes, it’s time for an exorcism of facts, because The Conjuring was indeed inspired by a true story.

Listen to this episode of the Inspired By A True Story podcast at any of the resources below or on your favorite podcast app to uncover the truth behind 2013's The Conjuring

Welcome to Inspired By A True Story, a podcast where every two weeks, our award-winning hosts and film critics discuss the genuine details that have inspired some of the most memorable true crime movies around. Each episode will break down the crime or crimes that inspired a specific film, and then discuss how factual that film is, versus how much is simply Hollywood magic.

The Conjuring follows Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren as they battle a demonic force haunting the family and house of Carolyn and Roger Perron. Can the Warrens stop this horrific force before it’s too late? 

Email your thoughts on this episode and/or suggestions of films to cover to [email protected]

Listen to all episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/inspired-by-a-true-story/

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Support the podcast and gain early access to episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.patreon.com/thehollywoodoutsider

"Southern Gothic" and other music provided by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Just a quick announcement to alert all of you listeners that a new season of Inspired By A True Story will return beginning October 14th! Keep those podcast feeds subscribed as we hit the ground running with Ed and Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring...

Welcome to Inspired By A True Story, a podcast where every two weeks, our award-winning hosts and film critics discuss the genuine details that have inspired some of the most memorable true crime movies around. Each episode will break down the crime or crimes that inspired a specific film, and then discuss how factual that film is, versus how much is simply Hollywood magic.

Email your thoughts on this episode and/or suggestions of films to cover to [email protected]

Listen to all episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/inspired-by-a-true-story/

Subscribe: 

Apple Podcasts

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Support the podcast and gain early access to episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.patreon.com/thehollywoodoutsider

"Southern Gothic" and other music provided by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

May 1, 1990. Greggory Smart is found murdered in his own home, the victim of an apparent burglary gone wrong. Shortly after, his wife, Pamela Smart, is charged with his murder, committed by the 15 year old boy she was having a sexual affair with. In 1995, Nicole Kidman’s stars in Gus Van Sant’s To Die For, a wild retelling of these same events, complete with a much darker outcome.

Listen to this episode of the Inspired By A True Story podcast at any of the resources below or on your favorite podcast app to uncover the truth of the crimes behind 1995's To Die For. Remember, you're not anyone unless you're on TV.

Welcome to Inspired By A True Story, a podcast where every two weeks, our award-winning hosts and film critics discuss the genuine details that have inspired some of the most memorable true crime movies around. Each episode will break down the crime or crimes that inspired a specific film, and then discuss how factual that film is, versus how much is simply Hollywood magic.

To Die For follows Suzanne Moretto, aka Suzanne Stone as he strives to make it as a media journalist. Starring Nicole Kidman, Suzanne struggles to find her footing, and as she works on her pet project for a local cable news outlet, Teens Speak Out, she sees a solution to one of her problems, her husband. After beginning an affair with Jimmy Emmett, Suzanne begins crafting a plot to have her husband murdered, as she refuses to ponder a divorce. Things quickly spiral out of control.

Listen to our To Die For episode of Presenting Hitchcock covering the film itself in greater detail

Email your thoughts on this episode and/or suggestions of films to cover to [email protected]

Listen to all episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/inspired-by-a-true-story/

Subscribe: 

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Support the podcast and gain early access to episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.patreon.com/thehollywoodoutsider

"Southern Gothic" and other music provided by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

October 26, 1881. Four men, armed with guns, long coats, and badges, rolled up to a lot near the OK Corral to disarm several miscreants looking for trouble. What happened next became the most infamous gunfight in American history.

In 1993, Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer star as Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday in one of the greatest westerns of all time.

Grab your horses and load your revolvers, because Tombstone was indeed inspired by a true story.

Welcome to Inspired By A True Story, a podcast where every two weeks, our award-winning hosts and film critics discuss the genuine details that have inspired some of the most memorable true crime movies around. Each episode will break down the crime or crimes that inspired a specific film, and then discuss how factual that film is, versus how much is simply Hollywood magic.

Tombstone follows Wyatt Earp as he and his brothers Virgil and Morgan arrive in Tombstone, Arizona searching for fortune and glory. What they instead find is a mining town in desperate need of some law and order. And the Earps, along with their friend Doc Holliday, are there to serve it to them.  Starring Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Dana Delaney, Powers Booth, Michael Biehn

Email your thoughts on this episode and/or suggestions of films to cover to [email protected]

Listen to all episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/inspired-by-a-true-story/

Subscribe: 

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Support the podcast and gain early access to episodes of Inspired By A True Story at https://www.patreon.com/thehollywoodoutsider

"Southern Gothic" and other music provided by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/