What Is The Conjuring Based On
The Conjuring is a 2013 horror film directed by James Wan and produced by New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros. Pictures. The screenplay was written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes. The film draws its story from the book The Haunting of the Perron Family by Ed and Lorraine Warren, who were prominent paranormal investigators associated with the New England Society for Psychic Research. The movie depicts the experiences of the Perron family, who moved into a farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, in 1971.
The film's marketing materials and promotional content explicitly state that the story is "based on a true story," a phrase commonly used when a narrative is inspired by real events but adapted for dramatic effect. The real-life Perron family, including Andrea Perron, has publicly discussed their experiences in the farmhouse and has acknowledged the Warrens' involvement. The Conjuring is the first installment in a shared universe that includes The Conjuring 2 and several spin-offs such as Annabelle and The Nun.
Who Were the Real People in The Conjuring
The Perron family consisted of Roger and Carolyn Perron and their five daughters: Andrea, Nancy, Christine, Cindy, and Amy. They moved into the farmhouse at 18 Round Top Road in Harrisville, Rhode Island, in early 1971 and lived there for approximately ten years. The family reported a range of disturbances, including unexplained noises, odors, and physical interactions, which they documented over time.
Ed and Lorraine Warren were the primary investigators associated with the case. Ed Warren was a self-taught demonologist and author, while Lorraine Warren was a self-described clairvoyant and light trance medium. Together, they founded the New England Society for Psychic Research, which has been cited in various books and interviews as the organization behind many of their case files. The Warrens' collection of artifacts and case files is housed in their museum in Monroe, Connecticut.
What Court Records and Legal Documents Exist
There are no publicly available court records from the 1970s that directly document a formal legal case involving the Perron family and the farmhouse haunting. The primary legal matter associated with the property was a civil dispute over property boundaries and ownership, which is separate from the paranormal claims. The Warrens' involvement was based on private investigations and their own documentation methods, not on court-ordered proceedings.
The Warrens' case files have been referenced in multiple books and documentaries, including The Demonologist by Gerald Brittle and Ed and Lorraine Warren: True Ghost Stories. These sources describe the Warrens' investigation methodology, which included audio recordings, photographs, and personal interviews with the Perron family. The legal status of the Warrens' archives has been the subject of ongoing discussion among researchers and collectors interested in the history of paranormal investigation.