The girl next door, an american crime, and the murder of. Thats the subject of gregory wilsonsjack ketchums the girl next door, a conscienceblanching horror movie based on a real 1965 case. The murder of sylvia likens sylvia likens i watched the movie an american crime and it broke my heart, so i did a little more reading about sylvia and what exactly happened to her. The next day sylvia was placed in the bathtub again. The girl next door was a sickening read its grim and grimy, and so dark its a miracle you can even read the words on the page. The police were told that sylvia had been an uncontrollable and promiscuous tearaway. After a scalding bath, sylvia died the next day from brain hemorrhage, shock, and malnutrition.
She became very quiet and her jailers realised that she was dead. She managed to get out the front door before gertrude caught her. Released in 2007 and starring blanche baker, the girl next door is largely inspired by a 1989 novel penned by author jack ketchum. The novel is loosely based on the murder of sylvia likens, in indianapolis, indiana in 1965, although the names of the people involved, as well as the location, time and details of the crime itself have been changed. In the girl next door, slyvia likens is played by blythe auffarth, an up and coming new actress. Sylvia likens, the teenager murdered by her caretaker and. Oct 04, 2007 l ike some demented cross between a norman rockwell painting and an eli roth film, the girl next door flaunts the dark side of suburbia while selling itself as an examination of our social mores. Its based on a true story of a single suburban mother played by blanche baker, carrolls daughter whos a total psychopath. I had recently rewatched jack ketchums the girl next door. Unlike lets go play at the adams, the girl next door became a film adaptation. I know its not the usual rwtf post, and its a long wikipedia article, but i promise if you spend 5 minutes to read through it you will be saying what the fuck, and youll also be questioning humanity. Nov 15, 2007 thats the subject of gregory wilsonsjack ketchums the girl next door, a conscienceblanching horror movie based on a real 1965 case.
When new years 2015 arrived, sylvia likens was far from my thoughts. The film was adapted from jack ketchums novel of the same name, which in turn found its inspiration in the 1965 death of 16yearold sylvia likens. The girl next door was based upon jack ketchums notorious book nope, never read it of the same name which was itself loosely based on the true life murder of. This movie was based on the true story of the torture and murder of sylvia likens, a 16 year old girl who along with her disabled sister, was left in the care of a sick sadistic woman and her sadistic sons in indianna, 1965. The girl next door unfolds in a quiet suburban town in the summer of 1958.
Sylvia and jennie fae likens, the two daughters of. Based on a true story that shocked the nation in 1965, the film recounts one of the most shocking crimes ever committed against a single victim. The girl next door was based upon jack ketchums notorious book nope, never read it of the same name which was itself loosely based on the true life murder of sylvia marie likens. Follows the unspeakable torture and abuses committed on a teenage girl in the care of her aunt and the boys who witness and fail to report the crime. With william atherton, blythe auffarth, blanche baker, kevin chamberlin. And the name of the divorcee, gertrude baniszewski, alias gertrude wright, came. It is a nightmare come to life and death in 1965 indianapolis. See more ideas about sylvia likens, true crime and serial killers. Sixteenyearold sylvia marie likens died from abuse and malnutrition at the hands of a woman who encouraged neighbor children to put lighted cigarettes on sylvia s skin and insert objects into her body. Sixteenyearold sylvia marie likens died from abuse and malnutrition at the hands of a woman who encouraged neighbor children to put lighted cigarettes on sylvias skin and insert objects into her body. A bunch of teenagers and a housewife tied up a girl and tortured her to death over the course of a few months. Since she had a tiny income, baniszewski took in children for the summer to earn extra money.
Jul 24, 2019 the girl next door novel is available for purchase in digital and physical formats, with some versions containing an interview with ketchum about the story and the movie. While an american crime sticks to the facts of the case, jack ketchums the girl next door is a fictionalized version of the true story. Both films tell the horrifying true story of sylvia likens, a girl tortured to death by gertrude baniszewski, her children, and kids from the neighborhood in indiana, 1965. The ferocious murder of sylvia likens, the true story. Sylvia likens was born january 3rd 1949, in lebanon, in to lester and betty likens.
L ike some demented cross between a norman rockwell painting and an eli roth film, the girl next door flaunts the dark side of suburbia while selling itself as an examination of our social mores. This is a bleak, bleak, bleak story of child abuse of the worst kind, and just when you think the depictions of imprisonment, assault, and torture cannot get any worse, ketchum peels back yet one more layer of the. Based on jack ketchums novel with the same title, which is based on the true story of sylvia likens, who was tortured and killed in 1965 in indiana. The true story of suburban housewife gertrude baniszewski, who kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her indiana home during the 1960s. When the police showed up, baniszewski told police a group of boys had shown up several days earlier, dragged sylvia off, and returned her in supremely. In 2007 it was made into a feature film, the girl next door. In the girl next door, slyvia likens is played by blythe auffarth. This is the true story behind the movie the girl next door.
Oct 24, 20 egged on by gertrude baniszewski, her torturers were about the same age as sylvia. Baniszewski, producing the letter shed forced sylvia to write, stated that sylvia had returned to the house after a sex session with some boys. The murder of sylvia likens, aka the girl next door true. Most people dont know that the movie and book, the girl next door, and the film, an american crime are based on a true story. This may contain content which viewers find disturbing. With the assistance of a neighbor boy named coy hubbard, gertrude beat sylvia with a. The film contains excellent performances by all actors. The film is based on the true story of the torture and murder of sylvia likens by indianapolis single mother gertrude baniszewski. Like the above poster said, this film is based on the sylvia likens story, so the characters and details are a little different.
With the assistance of a neighbor boy named coy hubbard, gertrude beat sylvia with a curtain rod until she fell unconscious. After their mother got busted for shoplifting, sylvia likens and her sister. It was the more disturbing of the two films released about sylvia. Jack ketchums the girl next door 2007 rotten tomatoes. Oct 27, 2016 the girl next door unfolds in a quiet suburban town in the summer of 1958. Girl next door a fullthrottle horror tale with a message. Oct 22, 2008 sylvia likens inside of the death house an american crime. The girl who was tortured in this film is named meg. I did not realize it was the 50th year since the crime. Based on the harrowing bestseller by author jack ketchum, director gregory wilsons the girl next door presents a fictionalized account of the shocking ordeal endured by sylvia likens an.
Sylvias younger sister jenny was severely disabled by polio, she could barely get around by herself. If anyone is interested, i heard about it from the movie the girl next door tl. It is a completely different take with a darker twist that an american crime, but it is loosely based on the sylvia likens case. Sylvia was so weak from her injuries she could not have possibly gotten too far. The film is loosely based on true events surrounding the torture and murder of sylvia likens by gertrude baniszewski during the summer of 1965. Sick, but gripping movie the girl next door just rented this from netflix and omg.
The film jack ketchums the girl next door pops up occasionally on the major streaming services and finding a physical copy of the disc usually isnt too difficult. The influences and impact of jack ketchums the girl next door. An american crime is a 2007 american crime horror film directed by tommy ohaver and starring ellen page and catherine keener. Up next an american crime 2007 full movie duration. Jack is an author who has brought attention to the sylvia likens case through his book and movie the girl next door.
It has been the most enduring nightmare in indianapolis true crime history. The torture and murder of 16yearold sylvia likens at the hands of the woman entrusted to care for her stands as one of the most harrowing and unthinkable atrocities in the annals of american crime. Feb 18, 2015 when new years 2015 arrived, sylvia likens was far from my thoughts. See more ideas about sylvia likens, true crime and crime. Betty and lester were both circus workers and that is how they made a living. The girl next door 2007 and an american crime 2007 both tell the horrifying true story of sylvia likens, a girl tortured to death by gertrude baniszewski, her children, and kids from the neighborhood in indiana, 1965. Gertrude baniszewski lived in indianapolis with her seven children. The girl next door novel is available for purchase in digital and physical formats, with some versions containing an interview with ketchum about the story and the movie. An american crime or the girl next door tomorrow on my day off, but its also my birthday and those are definitely very dark films.
The girl next door also known as jack ketchums the girl next door and, in germany, jack ketchums evil is a 2007 american horror film adaptation of jack ketchum s 1989 novel of the same name. The girl next door sylvia marie likens, the teenage girl whom gertrude baniszewski with help from her spawn and their friends would later torture and murder, was born january 3, 1949, in lebanon, indiana. Sylvia likens inside of the death house an american crime. The girl next door is loosely based upon the murder of sylvia likens. In 1989, jack ketchums novel the girl next door, which was definitely based on likens story, was released. With ellen page, hayley mcfarland, nick searcy, romy rosemont. That being said, a few years ago on the evening of my 21st birthday, i watched a jonbenet ramsey documentary so this really wouldnt be that unusual. Sep 14, 2019 this movie was based on the true story of the torture and murder of sylvia likens, a 16 year old girl who along with her disabled sister, was left in the care of a sick sadistic woman and her sadistic sons in indianna, 1965. Sylvia marie likensa life, a case, a legacy in pictures.
A desperate sylvia likens attempted one final escape. The murder of sylvia likens became an item of daily conversation as people read how she was beaten, burned, starved, scalded, tattooed and branded until death mercifully stepped in. Til about sylvia likens, and how awful people can be reddit. An american crime is a bleak and depressing telling of the truelife story of the torture and murder of indianapolis teen, sylvia likens. This movie was based on the true story of the torture and murder of sylvia likens, a 16 year old girl who along with her disabled sister, was left in the care of a sick sadistic woman and her sadistic sons in. In 1965, she agreed to board sixteen years old sylvia likens and her sister jenny, who was a year younger.
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