This Oscar season, a lot has been made about Hollywood’s poetic license when it comes to biopics. With “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Green Book” being the prime examples of studios’ willingness to alter events and real-life people to better suit the narrative that is trying to be put forth. That being said, hold on to your hot takes about those two films for a little while longer because we have the biggest offender of them all, “The Haunting of Sharon Tate.”
In a new trailer for “The Haunting of Sharon Tate,” we see perhaps the worst-case example of what happens when Hollywood decides to take inspiration from real-life tragedy to suit a film structure that is sure to get audience attention. Long story short, ‘Haunting’ takes the violent, senseless murder of a pregnant Sharon Tate in 1969 by Charles Manson’s “Family” and turns it into a jumpscare-fest in the same vein as “The Nun” or any other modern day horror film.
If that’s not enough to make your skin crawl with cringe, we don’t know what will. Last month, another trailer for the film premiered, and in it, the supernatural aspects of the film were highlighted more, leading us to think this film is truly going to be a trainwreck. The new trailer dials back the supernatural elements and focuses on the “Strangers”-esque story of a group of killers attempting to break into Tates house.
Utilizing real footage of Tate being interviewed and Manson being creepy, ‘Haunting’ attempts to give credence to the idea that this film is somehow based on real events. Sure, we know that Tate was murdered by the folks in the film, but subliminal messages? Premonitions? Evil entities? That’s no way to honor the life of a woman that was brutally murdered 50 years ago.
That being said, if you read all this and think I’m crazy, then hey, this film is for you, apparently. “The Haunting of Sharon Tate” has a cast that includes Hilary Duff (as Tate), Jonathan Bennett (of “Mean Girls” and “Cupcake Wars” fame), and Lydia Hearst.
Saban Films is releasing the movie in select theaters and On Demand on April 5.
Here’s the ill-advised film’s synopsis:
Pregnant with director Roman Polanski’s child and awaiting his return from Europe, 26-year-old Hollywood actress Sharon Tate becomes plagued by visions of her imminent death.