A Brief History
On October 3, 2014, Warner Bros. Pictures releases Annabelle, a film about a haunted doll, to theaters. The movie is a prequel to 2013’s award-winning The Conjuring. Both films concern alleged, real-life hauntings associated with the famed paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Yet, to what extent are they actually based on real events? Please read this spoiler-filled article to find out!
Digging Deeper
A new article on the website History vs Hollywood provides quite a bit of information on the film’s purported inspiration from a historical event. Key points for those interested in a briefer read will be summarized here. Readers who would like more details are encouraged to click on the link.
Overall, one gets the impression that the divergence from reality for the cinematic depiction of the Annabelle doll is not as bad as it was for The Quiet Ones (please click on this film’s title to find out how much Hollywood can stretch a claim that something was based on real-life events). Nevertheless, Annabelle is still a significant departure from what (actually) may have happened!
Perhaps most notably, the actual Annabelle doll that inspired the movie looks nothing like the doll that appears in the film. Somehow a Raggedy Ann doll was deemed not sufficiently creepy enough and has instead been replaced by a porcelain doll. If the titular doll does not even remotely resemble its real-world counterpart, you can imagine that from there things will only continue to veer off from what might have occurred historically.
Indeed, the story also takes many liberties. The doll was not actually given to a man’s pregnant wife as a gift as the film depicts, nor were the doll’s former owners the victims of wicked occultists. The real doll did not start a kitchen fire either. Instead, the doll was given by a mother to her daughter whose experiences, while frightening, never approached the horrifying levels shown in the movie.
So, what was real, or rather allegedly real? Well, just as is dramatized in the film, the real-life Annabelle doll did change positions on its own as reported by its owners and also left cryptic and unsettling messages. The film similarly accurately recreates the claims about blood appearing on the doll and the revelation that the spirit of a deceased child named Annabelle (of course…) possessed the infamous doll.
Elsewhere, the film blurs the line between reality and fiction. For example, while the doll’s “victims” do claim to have been physically harmed by it, these assaults did not go quite as far as what audiences will see exaggerated in the cinematic take on the incident. The Warrens do believe that the doll managed to cause at least one death, but whether the doll was in fact responsible is debatable and cannot be proven.
Therefore, as far as history goes, this film is no documentary, but as with The Conjuring, it is a fun and thrilling fictional take on the paranormal.
As for one final note, Annabelle is actually NOT the only infamous real-life haunted doll that has inspired disturbing films. Arguably even more famous is Robert the Doll, the inspiration for Chucky in the Child’s Play series. Robert ranks number one on the following video:
Question for students (and subscribers): Do you believe dolls can be haunted? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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For another event that happened on October 3, please also read the History and Headlines article: “1+9 Foods You Cannot Believe Other People Eat.”
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please read…
Brittle, Gerald. The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren (The Paranormal Investigators Featured in the Film “The Conjuring”). Graymalkin Media, 2013.
We also encourage you to see the film, just as John Carroll University’s Paranormal Research Group has already done as seen below as we wear our masks that we acquired for attending a special preview screening: 
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="5351 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=5351">56 Comments
Shout out to the Boostreaks! This article explains the basic change when events get portrayed by Hollywood. Rarely is the real story the one that we see in the film. I’d like to know what movie most accurately portrays an event because it seems like most stray from the facts.
It’s interesting to see how many historical facts are altered in movies.
Such a disappointment. I loved the conjuring. Now I don’t think I’ll view it in the same way.
I am not a horror movie person. However, it does not surprise me much that there are inaccuracies. To have something very horrific happen and be real, i feel would make people very, very afraid. The filmmakers may have heightened the events to make it more thrilling for people when they see it? I do not watch these movies, they would scare me too much. In any depiction, horror movies or historical movies, etc. the historical events seem to be stretched a little bit.
I suppose we all have a tendency to embellish. I don’t find it surprising that Hollywood’s is exaggerated.
Horror movies based on real life events rarely, if ever, even make an attempt to be accurate. However, I actually had heard about the doll named Robert before and, honestly, I find his story to be much more interesting and creepy than the doll the movie Annabelle is based on.
Hollywood definitely likes to over exaggerate their movies
It is Hollywood… is anyone truly surprised? — DAVID WARDLE
It is crazy to think that a story that IS truely creepy can be exaggerated in a way that this is. The truth would be scarier ….
Horror movies are not my favorite; I’m more of a comedy lover. However, I’m really not surprised the film makers changed what actually happened in this film. If they portrayed what the doll actually did, they would have not gotten enough ratings.
I agree Josh, it is interesting. I wonder if it is necessary, however.
The Conjuring was a great movie and seemed to be fairly accurate. Does not surprise me that Hollywood twists the story.
I found it interesting to see how movie producers will distort factual information with the intent of enhancing their film. The problem with doing this in my opinion, is that it presents a false reality of information that many will believe to be true.
I am not a horror/thriller type of person, so I will not be seeing this movie, but it was interesting to see that these “alleged” events get so skewed in a movie that is supposedly “based on real events.” Saying this however, it is just like every other Hollywood adaptation. The events that take place in any film will for the most part be different than the source they came from.
It doesn’t surprise me that such a difference would occur with Hollywood’s track record
It is not surprising that media would alter and twist the story to make it all that they could. I feel as if all horror movies try their best to make a simple scare into an extremely horrific story. -AD
I am not surprised that the movie is different compared to
what happened in real life. I feel like a lot of movies are changed to make
them more interesting. Personally I’m not a fan of these types of movies and don’t
entirely believe the story.
A lot of these horror movies that say they are based on true stories, change what really happened so much so that they are completely different from the original story.
Hollywood definitely can exaggerate realistic events.
I’ve always known how much Hollywood can alter a story, but I’m not worried about that. I just love a good scary movie!
Hollywood is just using the fact that the movie is loosely based on real-life events in order to draw in bigger crowds. I definitely would like to see how exaggerated the movie actually is.
To see just how much Hollywood changes even the type of doll that is used is a bit unsettling. To hear that the owners actually experienced some of the creepy antics of the doll however is spooky, but I wish Hollywood would have kept it a little more realistic in the sense of what really happened.
I think Hollywood has to take at least some creative liberties in order to make films entertaining. I mean a doll that flips from back to front isn’t particularly terrifying but one that sets a fire…different story. I also recently watched the movie and am happy that I can rest easier about the potency of the haunted doll
Hollywood has alter things to grab the public’s attention. It’s nice to see what they are changing though.
Honestly I think the real Annabelle doll is a lot scarier looking than the one in the movie.
As expected, Hollywood seems to spice up every story that is deemed to be true in order to create a stronger interest. The movie usually reads, “based on a true story”, but the audience can never be too sure how much of the information in the movie is actually true.
My favorite part of this article is when is says things about the type of doll Annabelle really was. I guess Hollywood did not think that a Raggedy Ann doll was scary enough (although I find them pretty creepy).
After reading this article, it seems extremely unrealistic for a doll to come to life and cause death to people. However, I do believe in spirits and maybe they were able to enter into the doll and perform a paranormal activity. Obviously, we will never know the truth, but it gets you to think outside the box.
Interesting article. I actually kind of jumped when I clicked on this and the picture had appeared, but other wise it’s not really a surprise when it comes to Hollywood basing their movies off of real life experiences because you know Hollywood loves to stretch the truth.
You will never be able to surprise me when it comes to Hollywood movies stretching the truth. The best that I’ve seen is when someone can get shot five times in a movie only to still remain conscious enough to give one last heroic speech before dying. This pretty much sums of everywhere war movie ever made.
I haven’t seen the movie but from what I understand, ‘Annabelle’ even contradicts the cannon established in ‘the Conjuring’. I wonder if the events shown in the Conjuring are more accurate. Oh well, I guess historical inaccuracies are the least that can be expected from spin-off pushed by the studio and in no way related to the original.
Hollywood always tries to stretch the truth with movies & are rarely accurate. It’s interesting though to see what changes they make in the article.
I knew about the Annabelle doll being just a normal raggedy Anne doll. I have not seen the movie, but I think it would be pretty funny if they used a raggedy Anne doll instead.
When it comes to Hollywood they are never going to be accurate because they are always going to make changes to make the story invigorating. I find it interesting that a raggedy Anne doll was not creepy enough for Hollywood because think it already terrifying.
I guess I did not realize that any of these movies were based off anything from real events. I think clown dolls are creepy, and the infamous “Chucky doll” is surely creepy.
As frightening as these things portrayed in the film and these accounts may be, I still have a hard time believing they are anything more than coincidence.
I feel like in order for a film to be successful they have to veer away from the facts unfortunately, because if they portrayed it as it really was it probably wouldn’t sell. I feel like the same happens when they take a book and make it into a movie.
I actually really like paranormal stories. Even though I do not believe in ghosts or supernatural ideas myself, I still find it pretty cool to fantasize about what could possibly be in the unknown if I believed in those kinds of ideas. I think that wondering if there is something more to a potentially monotonous existence makes for a pretty cool hobby and I think that this club is pretty cool. I’m also a huge fan of horror films and I think it’s really interesting to see how history is interpreted (for better or for worse) in these movies.
I have always though porcelain dolls are creepy along with certain dolls so this article just proves I’m not a freak and gives me more reasoning to be more freaked out than i was before haha. The fact that they are based off historical events…..
No surprise that the facts are altered in Annabelle. Seems like this happens in a lot of movies just for a more entertaining movie which makes sense and not something I really have a huge problem with. It is definitely interesting to know the true story though.
what are u saying about the real story of the doll is after that movie…the anabelle movie is about the family that had the doll before the students that you are talking about…in the end of movie u can see that an woman goes to buy it for her daughter…just like you say…
Horrible that director changed the appearance of the original doll, Annabelle (a Raggedy Ann Doll). Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, I am way more terrified by a Raggedy Ann Doll gone evil than by this fake portrayal of the Annabelle doll. In the first place, who would ever let this disgusting looking doll into their house? And it’s looks are not at all historical (which it claims to be) to a Victorian era doll. What were they thinking about? Probably sensationalism for money at the cost of the Warren’s hard earned life’s work and reputation.
I enjoyed the story of Annabelle and would one day want to see it in person. The Robert the Doll story seems interesting as well. Will it only be a matter of time before we see a movie about him?
I saw this moving with the paranormal group. Although the movie was scary, I think it was a bit overboard. I would have to experience to believe a doll could produce harm.
I have seen the movie and was not a big fan but I was very surprised to see how different the real doll was from the movie doll.
I have not seen Annabelle and i don’t plan on seeing it because dolls creep me out! I actually didn’t know that the Annabelle doll was originally a raggedy Anne Doll.
History will always be twisted in order to make a more exciting movie. In Hollywood, something need only be “based on a true story” in order to be considered factual by a majority of the population.
I would find this movie much more scary if I could actually believe someone would want that doll. The design that was chosen for it is so blatantly creepy that I can’t see someone actually willingly owning that thing. (Some dolls are pretty creepy. My Grandmother collects them too. Even the clowns are not as creepy as “Annabell” ) I’m a little sad they chose not to go with the Raggedy Ann doll. I can see why, in a way, but still …that doll?
I for one would never buy a doll like seen in Annabelle. I find it very creepy but I do not believe the story.
I have always found dolls creepy, whether they are haunted are not. So I find horror movies with haunted dolls especially creepy.
They stretched it so far it went from a horror to a comedy
I absolutely refuse to watch this movie. When I was younger, I had a Mrs. Beasley doll and I swear to god I would have to hide the thing because I was terrified it was watching me in my sleep. The Robert the Doll story is even creepier because of what happens in the museum at night
This doll gives me the chills. I hate looking at the image. The fact that it has these special powers to move makes me feel scared of any dolls I use to own. I wonder if they ever moved and I just didn’t notice!
I am not surprised that Hollywood stretched the truth for this movie, as they do it for almost every horror movie that is “based on a true story”.
theres no such thing as a haunted doll bs things that were ment to happen in the occult museum and the young guy with the bike theres not any prove that really happen your only getting told what edd and lorraine wants you to hear
the warrens are frauds but people are just dumb enough to believe their bs