Killer Legends is a 2014 horror documentary directed by Joshua Zeman that explores the real-life origins of some of the most popular urban legends, such as the Candyman, The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs, and The Hook. The film delves deep into these tales and attempts to uncover the grain of truth that might have inspired them.
The documentary is structured around four different urban legends, each with its own segment. The first one deals with the Candyman legend, exploring its connections to the racist history of New Orleans and the real-life horrors of the 1917 Axeman murders. The second segment focuses on The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs, examining the murders of Janett Christman and Judith Barsi, and the similarities with the urban legend.
The third segment looks at The Hook and the murders of two teens in Lovers' Lane in Texarkana, and how that gruesome incident might have given rise to the popular legend. Finally, the film examines the legend of the Killer Clowns, delving into the history of clown sightings and exploring the case of John Wayne Gacy.
Throughout the documentary, Zeman uses interviews with experts and survivors, archival footage, and dramatic re-enactments to reconstruct the events that might have inspired the urban legends, and to shed light on the cultural resonance and psychological impact of these terrifying tales.