The Biggest Lies In Paranormal Films Based On True Stories

Some of the biggest lies, exaggerations, and outright inventions that movies keep repeating - from violent ghosts to misunderstood gadgets, and how they differ from what actual investigators experience.

By Steve Higgins
May 28, 2025

Supernatural films that claim to be "based on true events" are a big part of what keeps paranormal stories in the mainstream, but how much of what you see on screen is actually true? Whether it's a movie about a haunted house or a demonic possession, most paranormal films take real cases and twist them to suit a dramatic plot. But they often go further than that, promoting ideas about the supernatural that don't hold up in the real world of ghost hunting.

Ghosts Can Physically Harm You

Many films show ghosts scratching, pushing or even killing people - but most investigators say that's not how hauntings work. While some claim to feel touched or experience minor marks, there's little credible evidence that ghosts can cause physical harm. The idea of violent spirits makes for great scares on screen, but it's rarely backed up by the accounts of long-term researchers.

Possession Happens Quickly & Often

In films, someone gets possessed within minutes of entering a haunted location. In reality, cases of alleged possession are extremely rare and usually involve complex psychological or religious elements. The dramatic transformations, deep voices, and levitation scenes in films owe more to 'The Exorcist' than to any real-world documentation.

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Ghost Hunting Gadgets Work Like Magic

Movies often depict EMF meters, thermal cameras, or spirit boxes as reliable tools that clearly detect ghosts. In real investigations, these devices are much less definitive. An EMF meter lighting up might just mean there's a nearby plug socket, and spirit boxes spit out random noise that's open to interpretation. Despite what films suggest, there's no scientific gadget that can confirm a haunting.

Demons Are Everywhere

Films love to bring demons into the mix - especially anything involving a Catholic priest and a crumbling church. In most genuine haunting cases, the idea of demonic entities rarely comes up. While demonology is part of some religious frameworks, it's not a common focus in everyday paranormal research. The demon trope tends to overshadow more subtle and unexplained activity that's often at the heart of real reports.

Ghosts Appear Clearly On Camera

Seeing a full-bodied ghost walk down a corridor is a staple of horror cinema, but very few investigators ever capture anything so clear. Most ghost hunters work with grainy footage, unexplained noises, and the odd shadow. Anything more dramatic is often considered too good to be true - or at least in need of a lot more scrutiny.

The Story Is 100% True

Probably the biggest myth of all is that the film you're watching is a faithful retelling of real events. Even when movies borrow from real paranormal cases - like 'The Amityville Horror', 'The Conjuring', or 'The Exorcism Of Emily Rose' - they often change names, invent scenes, and exaggerate the fear factor to keep audiences hooked. The "true story" label is usually more of a marketing device than a statement of fact.

About the Author

Steve Higgins

Higgypop Founder & Paranormal Writer

Steve Higgins has been writing about the paranormal for almost two decades, covering ghosts, hauntings, and the paranormal attracting over 500,000 monthly readers.