The inspiration behind Scream wasn't a masked man calling people about scary movies.
It was a real-life case involving Danny Rolling, better known as the Gainesville Ripper, whose crimes terrified an entire Florida college town in 1990. Students slept in groups, parents pulled their kids out of school, and hardware stores sold out of locks and deadbolts because nobody knew who might be next.
In this episode of Reel Horror: The True Stories Behind the Movies, we're digging into Danny Rolling's troubled upbringing, the crimes that made national headlines, the tip that helped investigators identify him, and how a frightened screenwriter watching a TV special turned that fear into one of the most successful horror franchises of all time.
Because before Ghostface started asking people about their favorite scary movie, Florida Man was already giving everyone a reason to lock their doors.
What's your answer if Ghostface asks you about your favorite scary movie? Let me know in the comments.
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