By Liz Ciocher
Arts & Entertainment Editor
New Jersey stands as the foundational grounds for a lot of great things in this country and even manages to continue these contributions for spooky season activities. While the original instances of these circumstances may have scared communities for real, the scary films and TV shows that have sprung after the fact have formed the silver lining these horrifying circumstances needed.
This Halloween season, turn your attention to these frightening outlets of media, all of which were based on true events that happened within New Jersey's state lines. No matter where you live in this state, one of these instances is bound to be within closer proximity to your hometown than you’d imagine.
The following movies are based on true events that occurred in New Jersey and are listed in order of scariness.
“The Watcher” (2022) – This seven-episode Netflix series focuses on mysterious and creepy circumstances that follow the Barannock family after moving into their dream home. The weird instances include threatening letters, creepy intrusions and a substantial amount of anxiety that were really experienced by a family in Westfield back in 2014.
“The Good Nurse” (2022) - A West Orange-born serial killer is the primary subject in this film and is even given the same name: Charles Cullen. He is guilty of committing murder through purposeful medical malpractice, all whilst managing to maintain the reputation of a perfectly good nurse. Because of his scheming, Cullen has committed an uncountable number of murders, something that happened across New Jersey from 1988 to 2003.
“Jaws” (1975) - Based on the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916, this film follows a New York beach town’s newly-hired police chief as he undergoes attempts to protect the locals from an evil great white shark. The film portrays various brutal shark attacks and deaths, loosely based on five real shark attacks in Beach Haven, Spring Lake and Keyport in July of 1916.
“13th Child” (2002) - A detective is sent on a mission to stop and discover a monster known as the Jersey Devil, who was responsible for multiple deaths in his town. While there is no confirmed report of the Jersey Devil as a cause of death in real time, this mythical creature’s origin comes from our state and is rumored to be lurking in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens.
“Crime of the Century” (1996) - While not given a furtherly developed plotline or new characters than the original crime, this film is a dramatization of the very creepy and real 1932 kidnapping and murder of Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr., a 20-month-old boy who came to his tragic fate in East Amwell.
“The Hindenburg” (1975) - George C. Scott stars in this thriller depicting methods of sabotage, terrorism and Nazi manipulation whilst in the tense setting of a military crafted zeppelin. The film is filled with red herrings and drama as the pilots attempt to depict who comes in peace and who is a terrorist. While the ending may differ, the film is based on the famous 1937 airship explosion that occurred in Lakehurst.
While this list isn’t the most extensive, the levels of creepiness and uncomfortability rise with the knowledge that these situations happened here at home. What’s scarier than “based on a true story,” besides being in the same vicinity as the real thing?
