Ripped from the Headlines!

The Shocking True Stories Behind the Movies' Most Memorable Crimes

De: Harold Schechter

Narrado por: Malcolm Hillgartner

Bestselling true-crime master Harold Schechter explores the real-life headline-making psychos, serial murderers, thrill-hungry couples, and lady-killers who inspired a century of classic films.

The necktie murders in Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy; Chicago’s Jazz Age crime of passion; the fatal hookup in Looking for Mr. Goodbar; the high school horrors committed by the costumed slasher in Scream. These and other cinematic crimes have become part of pop-culture history. And each found inspiration in true events that provided the raw material for our greatest blockbusters, indie art films, black comedies, Hollywood classics, and grindhouse horrors.

So what’s the reality behind Psycho, Badlands, The Hills Have Eyes, A Place in the Sun, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Dirty Harry? How did such tabloid-ready killers as Bonnie and Clyde, body snatchers Burke and Hare, Texas sniper Charles Whitman Jr., nurse-slayer Richard Speck, and Leopold and Loeb exert their power on the public imagination and become the stuff of movie lore?

In this collection of revelatory essays, true-crime historian Harold Schechter takes a fascinating trip down the crossroads of fact and fiction to reveal the sensational real-life stories that are more shocking, taboo, and fantastic than even the most imaginative screenwriter can dream up.

©2020 Harold Schechter. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“The exploits of Depression-era homicidal sweethearts Bonnie and Clyde and the 1960s strangler who inspired the necktie murders in Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy are among the true stories behind many of cinema’s most famous crimes and criminals. Schechter, author of numerous books on serial killers, tracks the path from felony to film.” (Publishers Weekly)

Hollywood meets True Crime

Narrator very dramatic, brings popular Hollywood movies to live by introducing the true life stories.

Well researched

This was a very well researched book of essays in new and old crimes throughout history. Some I knew and some I didn't.

Movies and true crimes

This is an excellent collection of well researched essays on films that were inspired by true crime stories. Schechter does a great job of laying out the facts behind classic and not-so-classic crime, thriller and horror movies, including Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” and “Rope,” not too mention “A Place in the Sun,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” “Chicago” and slasher flicks like “Scream” and “The Hills Have Eyes.” Ghoulish, full of historical context and very entertaining, expertly narrated by Malcom Hillgartner.

Worth the listen

An insight into the crimes that inspired many movies, both new and old. Harold Schechter once again delivers a delightful read.

good listen!

it was an easy listen. very informative! I didn't know about some of these movies being based on true events! I'll be watching 'Arsenic and Old Lace' very soon!

Interesting but rushed

This book had some interesting connections but I tuned out for a lot of the middle chapters,

Three Stars

In a brilliant move, customers are now forced to write reviews if they want to rate books. This is a waste of time both for me and for whoever reads this.

Exactly as Titled

A review of dozens of sensational murders in America over the past century.

Excellent narration by Malcom Hillgartner.

A decent listen

Not a deep enough dive into either the movie or the crime it was based on. Fewer movies and more detail would’ve been better. For a couple of the movies, I had no idea how the crime actually related to the movie.

Koller good storues

I Love the comparison of movie titles to real crimes. I appreciate the notice to details and differences between each movie that represents each crime in histories headlines