Top 10 Historical Inaccuracies in Horror Movies
Were things really that horrific? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the horror movies that don’t quite nail the history of their time period.
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00:00 "You know, they used to burn men like you alive."
00:02 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the horror movies that
00:06 don't quite nail the history of their time period.
00:10 "Don't be frightened.
00:12 I want this opportunity."
00:14 Number 10.
00:15 Time-travelling whaling unit, Alien vs. Predator
00:18 Unsurprisingly, Alien vs. Predator isn't all that interested in getting history correct.
00:28 The central team travels to Bouvet Island in the South Atlantic, where they investigate
00:32 an old whaling station.
00:34 A flashback says that it was abandoned in the early 1900s, but it was only in the early
00:38 20th century that these kinds of facilities were established in this part of the world.
00:44 For example, a similar type of station on South Georgia Island was only created in 1904.
00:49 This doesn't even count the fact that Antarctica, and its surrounding islands, were only in
00:54 the midst of being explored by European nations.
00:57 Oh, and did we also mention that there aren't any records of xenomorphs or predators on
01:03 Earth?
01:10 Number 9.
01:11 Costumes from the wrong period, Bram Stoker's Dracula
01:14 Set in the late 19th century, this adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel takes artistic liberties
01:20 with the time period.
01:21 "Welcome to my home."
01:23 The costume design in particular doesn't exactly follow the Victorian era's dress code.
01:28 Lucy and Mina both have a wardrobe that flies in the face of late 1890s conventions and
01:34 designs.
01:35 Researchers found that these characters were actually wearing clothes that were much more
01:38 common in previous decades.
01:40 These include dresses with bustle cages, worn by both women in the film.
01:44 "I love him, I love him!
01:47 Oh, Mina!
01:48 It's so wonderful, I've decided.
01:51 I love him and I've said yes!"
01:55 Lucy also wears a nightgown that's much more for show than it is historically sound.
02:00 While the movie's costume designer won a much-deserved Oscar, they definitely aimed for style over
02:06 accuracy.
02:07 "I have offended you with my ignorance, Count.
02:11 Forgive me."
02:12 Number 8.
02:13 Tuberculosis outbreak, The Others
02:15 Set in the 1940s, this horror movie follows a woman and her children as they encounter
02:20 some spooky events on Jersey Island.
02:22 "What if we see a ghost?"
02:25 "Has your sister been telling you one of her stories?"
02:27 "I haven't told him anything!"
02:28 "Well, if you see a ghost, you say 'hello' and you continue on studying."
02:32 The plot references an apparent tuberculosis outbreak that occurred on the island in the
02:36 late 1800s.
02:37 "Why did you leave?"
02:38 "Oh, it was on account of the tuberculosis.
02:41 The whole area was evacuated."
02:43 It's ultimately unclear whether or not there was a large-scale transmission of the disease
02:48 at that particular time.
02:50 Through the 19th and the earlier 20th centuries, the European continent and the United Kingdom
02:55 lost millions as a result of TB.
02:58 "Tuberculosis finished us off more than half a century ago."
03:02 While it's not certain if the terrible event happened decades earlier, it does inspire
03:07 one potential cause for all of the dead haunting the area in The Others.
03:11 "The intruders are leaving, but others will come.
03:15 Now, sometimes we'll sense them, other times we won't.
03:21 But that's the way it's always been."
03:24 7.
03:25 Canada stands in for New England - The Witch
03:28 Director Robert Eggers has gone to many lengths to create his period horror films.
03:33 The Witch takes viewers into colonial New England for a story about a rural family dealing
03:38 with dark forces.
03:39 "What dost thou want?"
03:43 Eggers originally intended to shoot in New Hampshire to capture the unique topography
03:47 and visual accuracy of the area.
03:50 The production decided instead to move to Canada, receiving tax incentives for filming
03:54 north of the border.
03:56 Luckily, the director was able to use the Canadian locations to their fullest potential.
04:00 He also had great production design and costuming to make up for the inaccurate location.
04:07 "Kill him!"
04:11 6.
04:15 Vlad's true victims - Dracula Untold
04:19 Trying to blend the legend of the iconic vampire with his real-life inspiration, Dracula
04:23 Untold had some fun with history.
04:25 "From among these boys, one grew into a warrior so fierce that entire armies would
04:33 retreat in terror with the mention of his name."
04:36 The main character, Vlad III, appears to be a fearsome military leader that's given the
04:41 nickname "The Impaler."
04:43 While the actual man did impale his victims, he didn't earn the moniker for his work in
04:47 the Turkish army.
04:49 Many Turks were actually on the receiving end of his brutal punishments, as he battled
04:53 invaders on present-day Romania.
04:56 Along with altering these facts, the movie portrays him as being made to fight for the
05:00 Ottomans against his will.
05:02 "I just want peace.
05:04 That's all."
05:05 In reality, he was considered to be a hostage of higher status.
05:09 Ultimately, the plot shies away from the broader implications of his campaigns.
05:14 5.
05:15 Abraham Lincoln and William Johnson - Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter
05:19 Okay, so nobody comes to this movie with historical accuracy top of mind, but this crazy take
05:26 on the 16th President does feature a few curious references to real people and events.
05:31 "I'm Abraham.
05:33 Uh, Lincoln."
05:35 "Mary Todd."
05:37 The relationship between Abraham Lincoln and William Johnson ends up becoming a central
05:42 part of the film.
05:43 "Will Johnson?
05:45 How did you?"
05:47 "I was back home."
05:49 The fictional Johnson is a childhood friend that becomes Lincoln's closest ally on his
05:54 vampire hunting journey.
05:56 But in reality, Johnson was a valet to the Commander-in-Chief, who previously had a working
06:01 relationship with the Lincoln family.
06:03 It's fascinating that Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, even includes this historical figure.
06:09 Too bad the writers decided to create a new background for the man.
06:12 "This is what we need.
06:15 A fork.
06:17 Silver."
06:18 4.
06:19 Blood Transfusions - The Last Voyage of the Demeter
06:23 "Evil is on board.
06:26 Powerful evil."
06:27 After finding a stowaway on the ship, the resident Dr. Clemens of the Demeter tries
06:31 to help the unauthorized passenger by giving her his blood.
06:35 With some rudimentary equipment, the medic manages to revive her and later lets the captain
06:40 do the same for his son.
06:42 "You will be fine, my boy.
06:45 Everything will be fine."
06:48 The thought of doing such procedures on board a ship in the 19th century seems unsafe and
06:53 historically questionable.
06:54 Meanwhile, the crew keeps getting picked off by Dracula before a violent finale.
07:00 "Ahhhhhh!"
07:05 Arguments could be made for its legitimacy during the era, but the working conditions
07:09 and sterilization of the open seas raises some red flags.
07:14 Many advances were made in the 20th century that would have been a great help to them,
07:18 such as the understanding of blood groups.
07:21 3.
07:22 Integrated Units - Overlord
07:25 Taking a twisted look at the events surrounding D-Day, Overlord follows the exploits of a
07:29 paratrooper unit on a special mission.
07:32 "So what do you have to do?"
07:34 "Our goddamn job, Sergeant!"
07:36 "That's right!"
07:37 The group of American soldiers includes a multiracial lineup of soldiers.
07:41 In this version of history, the U.S. military is disintegrated several years before it happened
07:46 in real life.
07:47 The groundbreaking decision, known as Executive Order 9981, was actually issued by President
07:53 Harry S. Truman after World War II.
07:56 This banned the armed forces from discriminating by race in 1948.
08:01 While meant to be an entertaining war movie, the plot does feature an interesting and thought-provoking
08:06 spin on racial policies of the time.
08:09 "Good job, soldier.
08:10 You and your squad."
08:11 "Thank you, sir."
08:12 6.
08:13 Bubonic Plague - Hadn't Reached America Yet - Interview with the Vampire
08:17 Anne Rice's gothic novel inspired this popular adaptation in 1994.
08:22 Originally set in the 18th and 19th century New Orleans, the movie depicts the city dealing
08:27 with the plague.
08:28 "You don't got that witness, you.
08:29 It's the plague."
08:30 Rice's vampires aren't the only things fictional about this film, though.
08:34 The first recorded case of the disease came in the early 20th century in the U.S., making
08:39 this particular outbreak another invention of the plot.
08:42 It took until 1900 for ships to carry deadly and verified cases of the illness to American
08:47 shores.
08:48 While it provides a visceral and alarming backdrop for this tale, the filmmakers used
08:52 the plague outside of its historical context.
08:55 "Who will care for me, my love?
08:58 My dark angel, when you are gone?"
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09:16 1.
09:18 Inaccurate Casting - From Hell - Interview with the Vampire
09:20 Dramatizing the Jack the Ripper case, From Hell, stars Johnny Depp as the central character,
09:26 Inspector Frederick Abberline.
09:28 "Butchery is irrational, yet meticulous and deliberate.
09:33 Altogether, a different breed of killer."
09:37 His real-life counterpart was several years older, larger, and not considered to have
09:42 the same movie-star good looks.
09:45 Abberline works with the older Sergeant Godley, but the actor playing the latter has even
09:49 more of an age difference with the actual person.
09:51 "From Hell.
09:52 Well, at least they got the address right."
09:56 Robbie Coltrane is middle-aged while playing Godley, whilst the officer was a decade younger
10:01 than his co-worker.
10:02 Heather Graham's turn as Mary Kelly also calls into question making the character skinnier
10:07 and potentially altering her hair colour.
10:10 While some of these details can be disputed, it's more than a bit of a stretch to see these
10:14 performers in their respective roles.
10:16 "I'll remember these words for as long as I live."
10:19 Did we forget a less-than-historical horror movie?
10:21 Let us know in the comments below.
10:23 "I narrowly saved her life."
10:24 "From Mrs. Featherston?"
10:26 "From an undead, Mrs. Featherston."
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10:36 [music]