If you’re like me, a fan of horror movies, you may know many of them get their inspiration from real life events. Examples: Robert the Doll served as inspiration for Child’s Play, and Cheeseman Park tickled Spielberg’s muse for Poltergeist.
I’m not sure if the boogeyman of Staten Island known as “Cropsey” inspired any horror movies, but it could’ve. It did, however, inspire filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio to produce a documentary.
A Digital Publicist for Investigation Discovery included me among the bloggers she contacted about the world TV premier of Cropsey: The Urban Legend this Friday the 13th at 9 pm ET.
Growing up on Staten Island, Zeman and Brancaccio had often heard the legend of “Cropsey” – the escaped mental patient who lived in the abandoned tunnels of the Willowbrook mental hospital and came at night to snatch children off the streets. “Cropsey” remained just that, an urban legend, until the summer of 1987 when a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome disappeared from her neighborhood. Five weeks later, she was found buried in a shallow grave on the grounds of Willowbrook. Investigators soon link this case to four other missing children cases in the area – none of whom had been found. In CROPSEY, the filmmakers return to Staten Island to undertake their own investigation of the missing children, as well as the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances – convicted kidnapper, Andre Rand.
But wait, that’s not all. I’ve got more to whet your macabre appetite. First up, the trailer for Cropsey.
But wait, I’m still not done. Javier over GhostTheory is doing a Cropsey DVD/USB giveaway. (I’m so wanting one of those cool key-shaped USBs! I would’ve asked the publicist for one if I’d known about them. But I think Javier’s going to hook me up. Once again, he’s got my back!)
OTHERS WHO HAVE COVERED THE CROPSEY DOCUMENTARY
- Ghost Stories – Cropsey Documentary
- GhostTheory – Cropsey: DVD & USB Drive Giveaway (Yeah, I know I just mentioned it above. But it was worth repeating.)
- Dr. Donald Ryles – Urband Legend Turns Reality? Documentary Cropsey airs on TV
- Alibi.com – Cropsey: Chilling horror documentary proves some urban legends are real (Great review of the film.)
If you end up watching be sure to let me know what you thought!
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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Thanks for the heads up. It looks good and I like to watch stories like this. I will be sure to put it on my DVR list to record in case I miss it.
Got this set on DVR. I had not heard of this before, but I got the same email and I am looking forward to watching it!
Mommy D
Weekly Spectre
I kick myself for not watching this on IFC a few months ago. Unfortunately don’t have Investigation Discovery channel. Oh well. Maybe will see it somewhere down the line.
In lighter news, I have a special award waiting for you at http://southern21.blogspot.com/2010/08/getting-back-on-track.html.
LOL Julie. That’s what I do…remember to record in case I forget to watch. Yeehaw DVRs!!!!!!!
Mommy D…you didn’t write about it too, did you? Jason from the Occult Section did and I failed to find those and link him up. If I missed you too I’m sorry!