The Witches and Women of James Wan’s ‘The Conjuring’ [Murder Made Fiction Podcast]

In 1971, The Perron family moved into a farmhouse in rural Rhode Island. They immediately sensed a supernatural presence; unexplainable sounds, levitating beds, and the unmistakable smell of rotting flesh. Mother Carolyn (Lili Taylor) felt that she was being personally targeted by a spirit who considered herself the true mistress of the house.

After months of harassment and sleepless nights, the family contacted paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) who hosted a séance in the Perron’s basement. Their story remains one of the most frightening accounts of a real life haunting and has gone on to inspire one of horror’s most successful franchises.

Released in 2013, The Conjuring kick-started a new era of supernatural horror films. Director James Wan plays with light and shadow to create an overwhelmingly sinister atmosphere in his crumbling version of the Perron house. Disturbing imagery and well-timed jump scares combine in a series of intensely frightening sequences that still hold up after multiple viewings.

But what about the real women at the heart of this story? Was the real Bathsheba Sherman (Joseph Bishara) the devil-worshipping witch the film makes her out to be or a misunderstood housewife targeted by her small community? How does this saintly depiction of the Warrens serve to erase a troubling history of fraud and abuse?

In the latest episode of Bloody FM’s Murder Made Fiction Podcast, Jenn and Joe uncover the true story of the Perron haunting while wrestling with the underlying tone of this terrifying film.

And if you want even more Murder Made Fiction, be sure to check out the pod’s Patreon feed, where Jenn and Joe have ~80 hours of content included a bonus episode detailing the Snedeker Haunting and the curious case of the Annabelle doll, episode by episode coverage of Apple TV’s Smoke and Hulu’s The Twisted Case of Amanda Knox, and a full primer on Amanda Knox’s controversial story.