The Girl Next Door, a terrifying 2007 horror movie based on a Jack Ketchum novel, is made even scarier to watch because it is based on a true story. A subgenre of horror emerged in the 2000s that many in the media came to refer to as “torture porn.” The Saw and Hostel franchises, which featured brutally graphic violence and gore courtesy of Jigsaw’s traps and the Elite Hunting Club, respectively, were at the head of this pack.
For certain horror enthusiasts, it’s undoubtedly true that the kill and torture scenes were created solely for their sick entertainment, which was the rationale behind the label. However, Saw in particular has more to offer, such as an extremely complex plot. The Girl Next Door, not to be confused with the 2004 comedy starring Elisha Cuthbert, is one horror film from the 2000s that could never be accused of featuring torture for entertainment purposes.
Meg Loughlin, a teenager, and her younger sister are transferred to live with their aunt Ruth when Meg’s parents are killed in a car accident. Meg is the main character in The Girl Next Door. Ruth, sadly, is a nasty psychopath who starts off by torturing Meg before sexually assaulting Susan and Meg. The most terrifying aspect of it is that The Girl Next Door was based on a notorious true crime incident.
Other Stomach-Churning True-Life Horror Films That Are Tough To Watch
The Girl Next Door, a fictionalised true s tory, is by no means the only film to depict real-life terror onscreen. For instance, the 2007 film Borderland is based on the real-life atrocities committed by the cult’s leader Adolfo de Jess Constanzo and his followers, who dismembered victims for ritual sacrifice. There’s also The Exorcism of Emily Rose, which chronicles the exorcism of Anneliese Michel, a young woman who spent a year under the control of demons. The 1980s horror film Eaten Alive is about the real-life criminal Joe Ball, who murdered roughly 20 people and fed them to alligators, if you’re looking for something that will make your stomach turn. The titular serial killer and their reign of terror over Northern California are the subject of David Fincher’s Zodiac. Although there is evidence to suggest that the Zodiac killer is dead, the fact that the serial killer is still widely thought to be at large makes Zodiac particularly difficult to watch. These films, like The Girl Next Door, elevate the horror genre by drawing inspiration from actual individuals and incidents, serving as a stark warning that true horror may be lurking around every corner in the real world.
The Girl Next Door’s True Story Makes The Movie Harder To Watch
On paper, The Girl Next Door is a decent horror film. It boasts excellent period production design, is well-written, well-acted, well-shot, and is genuinely horrifying. Even if the violence is disturbing, it would be less difficult to live with if it were all made up. But the fact that this awful, horrifying true story actually happened to a real person is emotionally heartbreaking and draining, making it difficult to watch the movie.
The Girl Next Door: True Story Inspiration, Explained
The real-life torture and murder of a teenage girl named Sylvia Likens in 1965 served as the inspiration for The Girl Next Door and its Jack Ketchum source novel. Gertrude Baniszewski, Sylvia’s abuser, was a family acquaintance rather than her aunt, but the situation was quite similar. Gertrude’s kids and the kids from the neighbourhood participate in the abuse, which reaches horrible heights, much like in the movie.
What Happened To The Real-Life Meg (Sylvia Likens)
Sadly, Sylvia passed away in a manner that was quite similar to that of Meg from The Girl Next Door, and there was no real-life David to try to shield her. Sylvia passed away as a result of both malnutrition and the horrendous torture she endured. Sylvia had opportunity to attempt to inform someone what was occurring during the actual abuse, which continued for several months, but Gertrude, the abuser who also threatened to harm Jenny, Sylvia’s younger sister, prevented her. Unsurprisingly, Gertrude tried to hide her misdeeds, but after being expelled from the house, Jenny was able to tell the police the truth. Infuriatingly, Gertrude served just 19 years of her life sentence for killing Sylvia before being granted release.
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