Yes, The Conjuring movie is loosely based on the case files of famous paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The story is reportedly inspired by the true horror the Perron Family were subjected to during their stay in a Rhode Island farmhouse in the 1970s.
The 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan had everyone on the edge of their seats and was regarded as one of the scariest films ever made. What bothered us the most was that the film was based on 'true events.'
Later, Warner Bros. also confirmed that the film indeed was based on the true events that the actual Perron family had to go through in their lives and how the actual Ed and Lorraine Warren helped them get rid of the demonic spirit.
Who were Ed and Lorraine Warren?
Edward Warren Miney was a self-professed demonologist, and his wife Lorraine Rita Warren claimed to be a clairvoyant and a light trance medium who could communicate with spirits. The couple were well-known American paranormal investigators, working on prominent cases of alleged hauntings.
The couple was known for their notable investigation in famous cases such as The Amityville Horror, the Perron family case, getting a hold of the possessed Annabelle doll, the Enfield poltergeist, the Arne Johnson case, Snedeker house, and other bone-chilling cases.
The couple also founded the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) which is the oldest ghost-hunting group in New England. The couple claimed to have worked on 10,000 haunted cases during their career timeline and also have authored many books based on these investigations.
Warren's work has inspired and adapted into dozens of films, TV series, and documentaries. Talking about the films, the most famous ones were the Amityville Horror series and the Conjuring universe.
Out of all their work, the haunting story of the Perron family that we saw on screens through 'The Conjuring' still leaves us with goosebumps. While James Wan was creating the film, he had Lorraine Warren as the consultant for the film as Ed Warren had passed away back in 2006.
The real Perron family haunting case
Usually, when a horror film is made and it's based on a true event, the names of the characters in the film are changed for many reasons. However, when James Wan directed the 2013 film The Conjuring, he kept most of the events shown in the film true to its nature and also used the actual family members' names.
As said above, this is based on the true event of what the actual 'Perron family' had to deal with during their stay at the Rhode Island farmhouse during the 1970s. Not just them, many other families who stayed there complained of creepy hauntings and also witnessed the mysterious deaths of family members.
After moving into the house (Old Arnold Estate), at the start things seemed fine for the Perron family, it was just that their dog refused to enter the house. As the days passed, the family members, especially Carolyn Perron, witnessed things moving on their own and would often find dirt in the center of a newly-cleaned kitchen.
Rodger and Carolyn Perron's five daughters began noticing spirits in their house. While most of them were harmless, a few were malevolent. In the movie, it was claimed that the family was being haunted by a spirit called Bathsheba.
The actual Andrea Perron claimed that the events shown in the film were true, but not just one spirit, their house was haunted by many nefarious spirits. According to Andrea, their beds would rise off the floor and the house would smell like rotten flesh.
The bone-chilling exorcism scene that Ed Warren was shown conducting in the film didn't happen in real life, as the real Ed and Lorrain refrained from performing an exorcism on their own as they believed it should be done by a catholic priest. As per Andrea Perron, not an exorcism but a seance was performed by Lorraine Warren that went wrong, as the spirit of Bathsheba possessed her mother Carolyn.
Andrea claimed to have witnessed the seance and termed it as the scariest thing in her life. While opening up about the seance, Andrea said “I thought I was going to pass out.” Andrea added, “My mother began to speak a language not of this world in a voice not her own. Her chair levitated and she was thrown across the room.”
As per Andrea, their family continued to live in that house until they were able to move in 1980. However, things later turned out to be fine and the spirits were silenced. Andrea herself wrote books on her chilling experience during her stay in the house.
Was Bathsheba Sherman real?
You would be shocked to know that the violent and terrifying spirit shown in the film was an actual woman who was accused of being a Satan-worshiping witch and was accused of killing a child.
Bathsheba Sherman was feared by the locals for being a witch. As per legends, the woman put a curse on the land (the farmhouse in which the Perrons lived) and anyone who occupied her property before she died. The spirit is said to be more vengeful towards other women and would haunt them more.
FAQs
Q What were Ed and Lorraine Warren known for?
A. Ed and Lorraine Warren were known for being famous paranormal investigators and for their notable work in this field.
Q When did the Conjuring release and is it based on true events?
A. The Conjuring is loosely based on the true events that happened with the Perron family in the 1970s. The film was released on July 15, 2013
Q Which spirit haunted the Perron family?
A. As per the film and the actual Andrea Perron, the family was tormented by the spirit of Bathsheba Sherman and other nefarious spirits too.
Q. Is there a sequel to The Conjuring?
A. The Conjuring 2 and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It are sequels to the first part.
