Spend Your Friday the 13th Watching “Cropsey”

The real-life boogeyman inspiration for Cropsey, Andre Rand. Picture courtesy of Investigation Discovery.

If you’re like me, a fan of horror movies, you may know many of them get their inspiration from real life events. Examples: Robert the Doll served as inspiration for Child’s Play, and Cheeseman Park tickled Spielberg’s muse for Poltergeist.

I’m not sure if the boogeyman of Staten Island known as “Cropsey” inspired any horror movies, but it could’ve. It did, however, inspire filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio to produce a documentary.

A Digital Publicist for Investigation Discovery included me among the bloggers she contacted about the world TV premier of Cropsey: The Urban Legend this Friday the 13th at 9 pm ET.

Growing up on Staten Island, Zeman and Brancaccio had often heard the legend of “Cropsey” – the escaped mental patient who lived in the abandoned tunnels of the Willowbrook mental hospital and came at night to snatch children off the streets. “Cropsey” remained just that, an urban legend, until the summer of 1987 when a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome disappeared from her neighborhood. Five weeks later, she was found buried in a shallow grave on the grounds of Willowbrook. Investigators soon link this case to four other missing children cases in the area – none of whom had been found. In CROPSEY, the filmmakers return to Staten Island to undertake their own investigation of the missing children, as well as the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances – convicted kidnapper, Andre Rand.

Zeman and Brancaccio exploring where "Cropsey" once roamed. Picture courtesy of Investigation Discovery.
Directors Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio investigate an abandoned building. Directors Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio investigate an abandoned building. Picture courtesy of Investigation Discovery.

But wait, that’s not all. I’ve got more to whet your macabre appetite. First up, the trailer for Cropsey.

But wait, I’m still not done. Javier over GhostTheory is doing a Cropsey DVD/USB giveaway. (I’m so wanting one of those cool key-shaped USBs! I would’ve asked the publicist for one if I’d known about them. But I think Javier’s going to hook me up. Once again, he’s got my back!)

SEE ALSO:  The Ghost Brothers Return in Urban Legends Season 2 Podcast

OTHERS WHO HAVE COVERED THE CROPSEY DOCUMENTARY

If you end up watching be sure to let me know what you thought!

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5 Comments

  1. Thanks for the heads up. It looks good and I like to watch stories like this. I will be sure to put it on my DVR list to record in case I miss it.

  2. Got this set on DVR. I had not heard of this before, but I got the same email and I am looking forward to watching it!

    Mommy D
    Weekly Spectre

  3. LOL Julie. That’s what I do…remember to record in case I forget to watch. Yeehaw DVRs!!!!!!!

    Mommy D…you didn’t write about it too, did you? Jason from the Occult Section did and I failed to find those and link him up. If I missed you too I’m sorry!


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