The Conjuring movie franchise has spooked audiences with chilling scenes and thrilling jump scares since 2013. Later this year, the fourth installment (not including spin-offs) is due to hit theaters. What attracts viewers to The Conjuring in particular is the realistic elements, which make it even scarier. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is the final exploration of the paranormal investigation cases of real-life couple Ed and Lorraine Warren. And as fans may have noticed, each film keeps getting better and better (or scarier and scarier), so it’s bound to be a bloody good time.
Along with the rise of supernatural cinema and advancements in realistic visual effects, it’s only natural that viewers may wonder how real what they see is. Before closing the curtain on the last chapter in The Conjuring universe, let’s look at an eerie legend that echoes throughout this haunting film. To truly recon with the big question, is The Conjuring: Last Rites based on a true story, we’ll need to delve deeper into the Smurl family haunting of 1986.
Is ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ based on a true story?
Yes, the new movie is based on a true story. Since each film explores different cases Ed and Lorraine Warren investigated, it is simply a different haunting. Like the others, Last Rites immerses viewers into the terrifying world of haunted and hurting families. But this time, it’s as scary as it gets with the Smurl family case in the spotlight.
In an exclusive with Entertainment Weekly, Director Michael Chaves even reflects on the subject of the new movie. He points out the difference with The Conjuring: Last Rites by saying, “The Smurl case was the darkest thing we’ve ever seen in the series.” So, the case of the Smurl family is no joke, according to those who know The Conjuring universe best.
Although there are many stories of American paranormal lore, not many tales are as chilling as the Smurl family’s. Technically, the case occurred between 1974 and 1987. But it was investigated by the Warrens in 1986, per The New England Society For Psychic Research (N.E.S.P.R.).
N.E.S.P.R. is an investigative organization that is run by the real life Ed and Lorraine Warren’s daughter and son-in-law. As they report, the Smurls moved into a duplex on Chase Street in West Pittson, Pennsylvania. But this move was not made of their own free will, they were forced from their home after flood damage. Once they began to make renovations to the outdated proprty, things went left.
What happened to the Smurl family?
The New England Society For Psychic Research describes the alleged incidents as “evil encounters.” During the Smurl family hauntings, they experienced a range of supernatural activity, including violent acts and sexual assault. For example, a light fixture fell on one of their daughters and left a large gash. Then their dog Simon, a mid-sized German Shepherd, was thrown against a wall, according to People. Other strange occurrences went down in their home, like repulsive smells and even fits of screaming. All these scary occurrences put their family in danger, so they knew they had to do something.
So, Jack and Janet Smurl went on a media tour, which entailed appearing on shows like Larry King Live. Eventually, this caught the attention of the Warrens, and they started their investigation of the home. Upon checking out the haunting, as N.E.S.P.R. reports, the Warrens found multiple presences in the Smurl home. Lorrain even concluded, “The Smurls shared their home with four spirits: a harmless elderly woman, a young and possibly violent girl, a man who suffered and died in the home and a demon that used the other three spirits to destroy the Smurl family.” But this is where the real world story gets interesting.
Technically, the Warrens did not successfully rid the house of the spirits. It was a local pastor who did the job. As the Times Leader archive of 1986 cites, Rev. Joseph Adonizio, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in West Pittston at the time, said in an Oct. 28, 1986, article, “Prayers have chased the foul smells and violent demons from the West Pittston home.”
But after the Smurl’s home was (mostly) relieved from ghostly activity, they ended up moving away about a year later, relocating to Wilkes-Barre, PA. Because of the real-life conclusion to the haunting, the movie could go in any direction. Whether or not the upcoming project takes liberties with the storyline or not, this widely documented supernatural case will shed light on the perilous journey of the Smurls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Smurl House?
The Smurl family put the home up for sale in 1987, and it is still standing, according to People. Other tenants have lived in the house without experiencing problems, but the haunted history of the duplex still lives on.
Who are the daughters of the Smurl family?
The Smurls had four daughters: Dawn, Heather and twins Shannon and Carin. While they have all grown and live relatively normal lives, their daughter Carin is rumored to do paranormal investigations occasionally.
