Discovery+ will launch a two-hour documentary as part of their shock documents series in honor of the newest entry in the “Scream” franchise titled “Scream: The True Story” on January 14.
In December 1996, Wes Craven’s “Scream” made its big screen debut and revitalized the slasher film genre. This now iconic piece of cinematic history was greatly inspired by a drifter in Florida who murdered five college students in three days in August 1990. The drifter? Danny Rolling, originally from Shreveport.
Rolling’s reign of terror began in Shreveport in November 1989, when he broke into the home of 24-year-old Julie Grissom, where he killed her, her 8-year-old nephew and her father. .
Fleeing to Florida after shooting his father, a Shreveport police officer, in May of the following year, Rolling committed the crimes that later earned him the nickname “The Gainesville Ripper”.
When he was finally arrested and charged for the murders nearly two years later, Rolling claimed he was pressured into doing so by another personality named “Gemini”. In February 1994, Rolling pleaded guilty to his crimes while his mother told the jury about the abuse Rolling had suffered at the hands of his father. Several psychiatrists testified that a Rolling suffered from a severe personality disorder, but said Rolling understood what he was doing at the time of his crimes.
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Rolling was convicted on all five counts in late March and sentenced to death in April 1994. He was executed at Florida State Prison on October 25, 2006.
In 1994, an episode of ABC News’ “Turning Point” on Rolling inspired screenwriter Kevin Williamson to write “Woodsboro Murders,” which later became the script for “Scream.”
The cult horror classic draws on various “horror movie rules” to explore the story of two teenagers who terrorize a small town.
In the new documentary, paranormal investigator Steve Shippy and psychic medium Cindy Kaza team up to uncover the truth behind Rolling’s insanity claims.
The duo will be the first to conduct a paranormal investigation at the campsite near the University of Florida campus where the murders took place and at their childhood home, where the current owners complain of aggressive poltergeist activity.
the “Scream” finds a new set of teenagers terrorized by the infamous Ghostface to resurrect the secrets of the city’s past 25 years after the original murder spree. Although it’s the fifth installment in the franchise, it’s being marketed as a relaunch and will be the first not to be directed by Wes Craven after his death in 2015.
“Scream” and “Scream: The True Story” will both premiere on January 14. You can see the new film in cinemas around the world and the documentary on Discovery+ with a subscription.
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Meredith G. White is an arts and culture reporter for the Shreveport Times. You can find it on Facebook as Meredith G. White, on instagram and Twitter as @meredithgwhite, and email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: ‘Scream’ Film Documentary Details Danny Rolling, ‘Gainesville Ripper’
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