Plot Synopsis

THE SHOCKING TRUTH is a documentary series that explores cases of real-life murder and paranormal activity that have inspired Hollywood screen adaptations, including GOODFELLAS, JAWS, THE EXORCIST, AMITYVILLE HORROR, and more. Each episode focuses on a different film, going behind the scenes to provide insight into these gruesome homicides and supernatural events. There's more to these hit movies than meets the eye. Season 1 features 30 minutes episodes, which expanded to hour-long programs in the second season. ReelzChannel premiered the second season of THE SHOCKING TRUTH on Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 9pm ET/6pm PT. The season opener features THE FUGITIVE, the third highest grossing film of 1993, which was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture. Tommy Lee Jones won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for playing a relentless U.S. Marshal who pursues the wrongfully convicted inmate Dr. Richard Kimble. But the shocking truth is that both the movie and TV series are based on a real crime. In 1954, Dr. Sam Sheppard, his wife Marilyn and their young son Sam were living in a two-story house in a Cleveland suburb. On July 4th, Marilyn Sheppard was beaten to death in her bedroom while her husband slept downstairs on the couch. Dr. Sheppard was woken up by the cries of his wife. He immediately ran upstairs to their bedroom. As he entered the bedroom, he saw what he described as a "form" in the room. This "form" later morphed into the infamous "one-armed man" character in both the series and the film.
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THE SHOCKING TRUTH returned with new episodes on Friday, July 13, 2018 at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ReelzChannel. New hour-long episodes kick off with the shocking truth behind A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. Before there was a Freddy Krueger, there was the night terror. The horror icon wasn't born in a boiler room but the shocking truth behind the movie character did originate in troubling dreams as a string of real-world deaths. In the late '70s to the mid '80s more than 110 men died in their sleep. Until their quiet final moments they were young and healthy. Their families were stunned. Investigators were bewildered. With the victims all being Asian medical authorities named the sleep scourge Asian Death Syndrome. Witnesses and families called it the night terror. The first case was reported in California's Orange County in 1977. By the summer of 1981 20 people had fallen victim to the night terror. Authorities and medical responders were powerless as men across the country went to sleep and never woke up. Subsequent episodes dive into the riveting and sometimes unnerving real stories behind the movies POLTERGEIST, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND and CASINO.