Sartaj Singh
Helmed by JT Mollner, ‘Strange Darling’ is a masterfully crafted thriller that subverts expectations and presents its narrative in a non-linear format. The story follows the Lady as she meets up with the Demon for a one-night stand in a remote motel. She talks about how women put their lives at risk just to have a little fun and asks him whether he is a serial killer. After seeming convinced, she steps into the bedroom with him for what quickly turns from a passionate night of intimacy to a shocking sequence of violence. To discuss the inspirations behind the film, its non-linear plot must be laid bare; therefore, there are spoilers ahead. The woman attempts to kill the Demon and is revealed to be the Electric Lady, who has been on a murder spree in the Western United States for years.
Strange Darling is Based on the True Story of a British Serial Killer
‘Strange Darling’ caused a lot of speculation regarding the nature of its story’s real-world authenticity. On one hand, there didn’t seem to be any directly comparable serial killers to The Electric Lady, and on the other, the film displays a title card claiming that it is based on a true story. Director JT Mollner, who also wrote the film, continued to stand behind the movie’s declaration. However, he did confess that the title card was a part of getting the audience immersed in the story and played into the surprise and subversion that he was aiming for. Given the expectation that the film is based on true events, the audience is more likely to believe that the Demon is the killer and the Lady his next victim.
When asked about whether the movie was actually based on a true story, Mollner initially gave non-committal responses, determined to maintain the mystery around the story. This led many to believe that ‘Strange Darling’ wasn’t actually based on real events, but more so claimed to be, like ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ Incidentally, ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ also served as an influence on Mollner in creating ‘Strange Darling,’ and he finds its opening sequence to be among the most iconic horror openings in cinema history. Despite all the mystery and subversion JT Mollner has created regarding the authenticity of ‘Strange Darling’ as being based on a true story, he dropped one crucial hint that has led The Cinemaholic to uncover the true crime inspiration behind it.
The Electric Lady is Likely Inspired by Joanna Dennehy
JT Mollner confirmed that he read about a serial killer in the UK who is similar to the Electric Lady and that her story played a major role in conceptualizing the character. The real serial killer in question could most likely be Joanna Dennehy, a UK woman with paraphilia sadomasochism who killed three men in what came to be known as the Peterborough Ditch Murders. Dennehy was raised by working-class parents in Harpenden, a quiet town north of London. At age 15, she began running away from home, and when she turned 16, the rebellious teen had a penchant for drugs and ran away for good with her 21-year-old boyfriend, John Treanor. In 1999, at the age of 17, she got pregnant but was reportedly enraged because she didn’t want any children.
Joanna Dennehy got pregnant once again in 2005 but showed no signs of wanting to take responsibility as a parent. She would prioritize getting high, cheat on Treanor, and cut herself. Soon, Treanor left her and took the children with him, afraid of the toxic environment she had created for them. She moved to Peterborough and continued to fund her addictions allegedly through sex work, likely developing a hatred for men in the process. During this time, Gary “Stretch” Richards, an over seven-foot-tall man in his 40s, became captivated by her and would go on to serve as her accomplice. In 2012, Dennehy was arrested for theft and admitted to a hospital for psychiatric treatment, providing the first glimpse into her mind. She was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and antisocial disorder. However, she was released, and her situation worsened over the following year.
In 2013, Joanna Dennehy killed three men within 10 days, purely for her amusement. Her first victim was 31-year-old Lukasz Slaboszewski, a Polish national who had known her for a few days. She invited him to a property in Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, in March 2013, and Slaboszewski told his friends that he was going to meet his new girlfriend. Dennehy stabbed Slaboszewski in the heart with a knife and stored his body in a wheelie bin. Ten days later, she killed her housemate, 56-year-old John Chapman. Only hours later, she met with her landlord, 48-year-old Kevin Lee, whom she had been having an affair with, stabbing him to death as well. With the help of Gary Richards and another friend, Leslie Layton, Dennehy tried to bury the bodies in ditches around Peterborough. When Lee’s body was discovered the next day, he was wearing a black sequin dress and posed in an explicit position meant to humiliate him.
Similarities Between the Electric Lady and Joanna Dennehy
After dumping the bodies, Joanna Dennehy and her accomplices drove to Hereford, and the killer’s bloodlust was at an all-time high. They spotted two men, John Rogers and Robin Bereza, walking their dogs, and Dennehy got out of the car to meet them. Pulling out her knife once again, Dennehy stabbed Bereza in the chest and shoulder and then continued to stab Rogers over 40 times. With a timely medical response, both men survived. The police tracked the killer down in two days and arrested her.
Dennehy was amused by the police proceedings, laughing and flirting with the male officers while making plans to kill them and escape. She showed no remorse and pleaded guilty to all the murders, becoming the third British woman to be given a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Joanna Dennehy said that she found killing men very entertaining but didn’t kill women because she was a mother. In prison, she began a romance with cellmate Hayley Palmer, and the two intend to marry despite Dennehy cheating on her with another prisoner. She also wrote letters from prison, attempting to lure men despite her incarceration.
There are many parallels to be drawn between Joanna Dennehy and the Electric Lady from ‘Strange Darling.’ The Electric Lady is on a murder spree when we are introduced to her in the film. She shares the real killer’s drug use habit and sadomasochism, asking the Demon to strangle her during their roleplay. Like Dennehy, she initially uses a knife and continues her killing spree for as long as she is able to. Therefore, we can say with some confidence that ‘Strange Darling’ is an original work of fiction written by JT Mollner, which is likely inspired by the true story of Joanna Dennehy.
Read More: Strange Darling Ending, Explained: Does The Lady Die?
