Now I know what you’re thinking “it’s a movie…. that’s not real!”
ahhhhh but what if it was?

If you don’t know what movie I am talking about it’s this one….
and I will tell you that I have seen it a billion times and it still scares the crap out of me.

(click the picture to go rent or buy it on amazon!)
BUT there is some truth behind this movie!

Before we move on – answer this simple poll so we can see who knows and who doesn’t before I get into the story!

So the Strangers is a story about a man and woman who to go a house and get harassed by three strangers in masks. It’s quite terrifying – but it’s a really good movie. It’s not 100% truthful but it’s BASED on true events.
Now – for the ‘inspired by’ parts.

The screenplay was inspired by TWO real-life events: the Manson family Tate murders, a multiple homicide, as well as a series of break-ins that occurred in Bertino’s (the writer/director) neighborhood as a child. Some journalists noted similarities between the film and the Keddie cabin murders that occurred in Keddie, California in 1981, though Bertino did not cite this as a reference.

Manson Murders – Tate murders, the shocking and grisly murders of actress Sharon Tate and four other people by followers of cult leader Charles Manson on the night of August 8–9, 1969, in Los Angeles. … After two highly publicized trials, Manson and four of his followers were convicted of all the murders in 1971.

The Manson murders is the most POPULAR theory but I was one of the ones who heard the story about the Keddie murders and it does make sense – so let’s see what you think!

Keddie Cabin Murders – The murders took place in Cabin 28 of the Keddie Resort during the late evening of April 11, 1981, or early the following morning, and the bodies of Sue, John, and Dana were found on the morning of April 12 by Sue’s 14-year-old daughter, Sheila, who had been sleeping at a friend’s house. Sue’s two younger sons, Rick and Greg, as well as their friend Justin Smartt, were also in the house, but were unharmed. Tina – another daughter – was missing from the scene.

Tina remained a missing person until April 1984, when her skull and several other bones were recovered at Camp Eighteen, California, near Feather Falls in Butte County. Multiple leads and suspects were examined in the intervening years, though no charges were ever filed. Some police say the investigation was done poorly and they missed a lot of crucial evidence. Some new leads were been announced in the 21st century, including the discovery of a hammer in a pond in 2016, as well as announcements regarding the discovery of new DNA evidence.

Renewed public interest in the case was sparked in part by the release of the 2008 horror film The Strangers, which various Internet bloggers theorized was inspired by the Keddie murders; despite slight similarities, the film made no such claims to having been based on the crimes. But some STILL think Bertino used these murders as some inspiration for the film.

There isn’t much information about the break-ins in his neighborhood – though I wish there was so we could learn about them – but I’m sure it did have a lot to do with the film.

What do you think?
What theory makes more sense to you or have you heard different theories too?
Let us know in the comments!