Pick 3 segments that you believe would make great movies and explain why...

INSLAW/Octopus: Danny Casalaro/Doug Johnston/Charles Morgan (and Don Devereux). Perhaps setup for a conspiracy film (a potential mistake hit, a suicide ruling with a missing gun, cryptic phone calls, missing documents, etc.)

Tammy Lynn Leppert: Missing model who appeared to be breaking down at the time of her disappearance, allegedly saw something terrible at a party, and then went missing. Sounds like a suspense/thriller minus any actual resolution.

Brenda Merrill: Sounds like a Lifetime movie. Teenager abandoned by mother, forced to raise siblings on her own in the middle of nowhere, losing them via adoption/foster homes, and then reuniting with them decades later.

I'm too lazy to explain why

1. I-70 Killer

2. Cindy James

3. Kurt Mcfall

1. Richard Minns/Barbra Piotrowski. A classic fairytale romance that ends in tragedy. It would draw the attention of romance/drama fanatics.
2. Sharon Kinne. Not sure if a movie has been made of her story, but her promiscuity and black widow ways make for a good film.
3. Circleville writer. Also not sure if a movie has been made, but this case has a lot of twists and turns and leaves you wondering who and why.

1. Richard Minns/Barbra Piotrowski. A classic fairytale romance that ends in tragedy. It would draw the attention of romance/drama fanatics.

They actually already made a movie for this one.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120146/

ETA: I've only seen snippets, but they definitely up the drama. Someone tries to kill her in the hospital after she was shot. You can find the film on the forbidden site. It's based on the book written by the journalist/author interviewed in the segment, Suzanne Finstad.

I always thought the story of Walter Curly Green could have made one of those Nichols Sparks books adapted into a movie.

Definitely Dark Dante.

Zodiac.

Sammy Wheeler! Not only is who would play Bob Bean a fun convo, but it'd be a really suspenseful buildup with all the mud slinging that it was some rando in the end. What a plot twist.

(Beat all y'all!)

Philip Fraser. Setting off to start a new life and just...murdered.

Marie Hilley. Poisonings and pretending she's her own twin sister?

Marie Hilley. Poisonings and pretending she's her own twin sister?

I feel like such a nerd knowing the ones that have already been made into movies, but here you go :D

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103258/

Judith Light did a great job playing the part.

I feel like such a nerd knowing the ones that have already been made into movies, but here you go :D

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103258/

Judith Light did a great job playing the part.

Ha. No worries! TV movies of the week were a big deal during UM's heyday and I know there was at least one (I think two?) that were directly labelled as UM movies of the week? This is a super vague childhood memory I'm too lazy to google. :lol:

The disappearance of Amy Billig.

The disappearance/possible murder of Michael Rosenblum.

1) Dale Kerstetter - The film could have a dual-perspective narrative or unreliable narrator that forces the viewer to question the veracity of the story (psychological thriller). The investigator is the protagonist, and give the audience subtle hints of dramatic irony, but nothing on the nose.

2) Cindy James - I mean, she is THE ultimate unreliable narrator. Throw in a "Twin Peaks" plot twist that drives the audience crazy. The girl who cried "wolf!" Maybe she started out seeking attention, and the attention she found was that of a killer.

3) Tallman House - This is probably the scariest paranormal segment ever made by Unsolved Mysteries. Christian family terrorized by malevolent entities. "Based on a true story". This one writes itself. Leave any allusions to haunted furniture on the cutting room floor.

They actually already made a movie for this one.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120146/

ETA: I've only seen snippets, but they definitely up the drama. Someone tries to kill her in the hospital after she was shot. You can find the film on the forbidden site. It's based on the book written by the journalist/author interviewed in the segment, Suzanne Finstad.

I've mentioned this before, that is definitely one of the most bizarre UM segments in history - Extraordinarily lengthy re-enactments of the ups and downs of their relationship, a very, very long interview with Barbara herself, the focus on the happily ever after relationship with her doctor. Its already a mini MOTW!

And the kicker being that there's no real mystery - Its clear Minns attacked her and its clear where Minns is currently located, the authorities declining to extradite him for reasons that UM doesn't explore.

Liz Carmichael (the "inventor" of the Dale).

You could film it as a farce/satire/courtroom thriller/drama/LGBT themed....

Sharon Kinne - I'm actually surprised no one has yet made a film about this sociopath and her swath of destruction.

Amy Billig

Gus Hoffman

Tammy Leppert

I've mentioned this before, that is definitely one of the most bizarre UM segments in history - Extraordinarily lengthy re-enactments of the ups and downs of their relationship, a very, very long interview with Barbara herself, the focus on the happily ever after relationship with her doctor. Its already a mini MOTW!

And the kicker being that there's no real mystery - Its clear Minns attacked her and its clear where Minns is currently located, the authorities declining to extradite him for reasons that UM doesn't explore.

Agree 100% with this. On a side note, I remain peeved Filmrise took away the original update with Minns being captured and looking super decrepit and miserable. I will cherish my copy because it's like a cherry on top of the sundae of him being caught (even though I realize he never faced the full repercussions he should have, I like to think this was a blow to his ego).

This is certainly one of the craziest segments ever on the show, and I bet it did not even scratch the surface. Anyone read the book on the case "Sleeping with the Devil?" I'm curious to give it a read.

Alex Cooper - The entire ordeal would really make for a good movie because new revelations keep getting discovered along the way. From his family's perspective you go from...

*Family is happy and content
*Dad disappears
*Dad must be dead
*The discovery that there are no records indicating dad existed prior to his marriage
*Dad is discovered alive on the other side of the country - but he's gone missing again
*Dad is found again
*Dad is reunited with the family and his early life secret is explained

If you had never heard of this case, the story would lure the viewer in with the constant new discoveries throughout the film. And no matter what you may think of Alex Cooper, the family did forgive him and take him back so there is a happy ending. And happy endings are pretty rare unless you're watching a Hallmark Christmas movie.

_____________________________________________________________

Another segment that would have made for a good movie is the lost love story of Irene Love. Again, revelations about the past are intriguing. You have Irene discovering as a teenager that she is actually adopted. Then she finds out that her best friend from when she was little, Dolores, is actually her sister. And that her adopted parents worked out a way for her birth parents to see her from a far every weekend at their favorite family restaurant.

If you were writing a script for this story, you could also show it from Dolores' perspective. Because eventually she would have to discover that she is adopted and that Irene was her sister. Then the inevitable bombshell of finding out that the young couple who took you in are actually your birth parents! All that would be needed to complete a movie version is Irene and Dolores finding each other so they can (in Irene's own words) once again be the silly little girls together that they once were.

Sadly, Dolores ended up dying before Irene could locate her. But you throw in a reunion and that's a great story for a movie. Although, there's so may perspectives and discoveries, you might not be able to fit it in to one movie. You'd probably have to have a three part mini series.

Tony DeCompo because of how truly bizarre the segment is, and the segment only scratched the surface about what a POS DeCompo is.

John Grundhofer's kidnapping could be a black comedy buddy movie.

The unsolved murder of O'Neal Moore would be a good documentary about injustice.

Sammy Wheeler! Not only is who would play Bob Bean a fun convo, but it'd be a really suspenseful buildup with all the mud slinging that it was some rando in the end. What a plot twist.


"And I don't go in for....incest...." :lol:

100% agree

Also, I think Jesse James Hollywood and the Nick Markowitz ca.......oh wait.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Dog

Keith Warren: I think this case would make a great film so many twists and turns in this story and no resolution.

Black Hope Cemetery: Just the thought of this segment gives me chills one of the best supernatural segments I ever did see.

California Tunnels Robberies: This was just fascinating and even more fascinating that they actually got away.

*BONUS

Ellen McClung Berry: This would make a great Lifetime movie hell maybe even a mini series. I don't know why but I have always enjoyed stories about old money and scandal. There was another segment that was about a effeminate man who got really close to a wealthy pair of spinster sisters and killed them both. I just remember one of the sisters being name Girlie and she ran a flower shop. The other sister was very masculine and loved to curse LOL.

California Tunnels Robberies
Oh Hell yes!

Also, I think Jesse James Hollywood and the Nick Markowitz ca.......oh wait.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Dog
I think the only reason there was any Hollywood interest was that Jesse James Hollywood was a conventionally attractive white male and his name being what it is. lol

I think the only reason there was any Hollywood interest was that Jesse James Hollywood was a conventionally attractive white male and his name being what it is. lol

:lol::lol::lol:

Jamie Santos...missing stripper and that mystery 911 caller.

Tara Breckinridge...strip club cocktail waitress goes missing. She has a booty bar patron as an admirer and a jobless boyfriend!

Robert Weeks...3 of his women go missing under eerily similar circumstances.

As a dog lover, the segment where Harley the dog could predict his owner Victoria's seizures was always an amazing story to me. I think that would make a great movie. You could go from the car accident to her epilepsy diagnoses to the bonding with Harley, etc.

It would be a tear jerker with Harley's eventual death but the story of him giving Victoria the will to live again makes for an otherwise happy ending.

INSLAW/Octopus: Danny Casalaro/Doug Johnston/Charles Morgan (and Don Devereux). Perhaps setup for a conspiracy film (a potential mistake hit, a suicide ruling with a missing gun, cryptic phone calls, missing documents, etc.)

Tammy Lynn Leppert: Missing model who appeared to be breaking down at the time of her disappearance, allegedly saw something terrible at a party, and then went missing. Sounds like a suspense/thriller minus any actual resolution.

Brenda Merrill: Sounds like a Lifetime movie. Teenager abandoned by mother, forced to raise siblings on her own in the middle of nowhere, losing them via adoption/foster homes, and then reuniting with them decades later.

These are three of my favorite segments. I just watched Tammy's segment literally 10 minutes ago. I was really pissed Amazon Prime removed UM without commercials and I kind of stopped watching (I watch every morning after work and fall asleep to UM. Which is hilarious because as kid it kept me up at night and now it is the opposite. I finally got my hands on All the Prime segments to stream from my external HD so I am back in business w/o commercials. Tammy's segment always make me sad but I feel it would be a great cautionary tale for young girls seeking fame. Sadly this is one case I believe will never be solved.

Charles Morgan's story is probably in my Top 5 segments of all times. So many theories, twists, turns..it is very intriguing. Don Devereaux seemed like a plant to me..the way he desperately tried to tie himself to CM's story. I feel like he knew more than he was admitting. Still added even more mystery to CM's story. This would make a great film.

Brenda Merrill was an interesting segment but I feel like there are a good 5-6 Lifetimes movies that have used this theme already Flowers In The Attic/Petals of The Wind/Let There Be Thorns/ etc series especially.

Some of these would make amazing movies! My 2 choices would be
1. Philip Fraser, traveling through Canada going from Alaska to Washington only to give a ride to a man that ended up murdering him and pretended to be him while he spent the night in a nice family's basement. Also, the creepiest comp. sketch ever!
2. Dian Harlin and Hugh Harlin, he just did odd jobs and smoked dirt weed, she loved her dogs and fed her husband dog food. She was found murder one day and he disappeared a few years later, leaving behind some of his precious dirt weed to boot.

The Sarah Joe segment would make a great "Perfect Storm" type movie.

With case subjects including ghosts, UFOs and treasure I’m surprised Unsolved Mysteries hasn’t been used more often as a source for inspiration what with the number that could be made into a film or TV series!

INSLAW/Octopus: Danny Casalaro/Doug Johnston/Charles Morgan (and Don Devereux). Perhaps setup for a conspiracy film (a potential mistake hit, a suicide ruling with a missing gun, cryptic phone calls, missing documents, etc.)

This intricate case would be one of my top five that would definitely make for a gripping “conspiracy theory” related film showing how truth is stranger than fiction à la Kill the Messenger (2014).

The case of Don Henry and Kevin Ives still haunts me to this day ever since watching it on TV as a child. It’d be fascinating especially if ever the truth is known and the connections behind their deaths, if any, to other similar deaths like Norman Ladner, or to high profile subjects as Barry Seal, Mena and the Clintons. I thought the Tom Cruise flick, American Made (2017) was going to be more revealing and even reference their deaths, but it was more a popcorn flick about Barry Seal.

Another couple of similar cases are Justin Burgwinkel and Lt. Paul Whipkey, which I feel their mysterious disappearances, the possible connections to intelligence and what really happened after they allegedly went “missing” would be decent fodder for a pretty good film or TV series.

Black Hope Cemetery: Just the thought of this segment gives me chills one of the best supernatural segments I ever did see.

This case I believe was made into a TV film, Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104365/) (1992).

Tammy Lynn Leppert

Blind River rest stop murders

EAR/ONS

1. The Disappearance of the Sarah Joe

2. Danny Casalaro/INSLAW, though there have been so many "government coverup" movies that this one may not be unique.

3. Fredrick Valentich - possibly the only "UFO" type of story that makes me wonder.

My favorite segment and there is at least one short movie out there that I know of, fritz and the soldiers.

The fraud case of Erich Kestler [Edward Maynard. We need to hear more about the video makeover and his insistence of renting a vehicle with a mobile telephone.

Cindy James - it would be a perfect psychological thriller/horror movie with the police suspecting she killed herself, talk of unproven multiple personalities, the ex-husband that may or may not have been involved, and of course, that creepy phone call and the scary notes.

Beverly McGowan/Elaine Parent - I still believe Parent couldn't have killed Beverly so brutally on her own, and I think the creepy "Sam" that police suspect was Parent was an accomplice. Plus you have the other incidents of her stealing identities, and her suicide.

Wendy Camp - You have all the makings for a compelling TV movie with this tragic case. A murderous corrupt garbage hillbilly family, child abuse accusations, a family custody battle - Lifetime would love it.

Mia Zapata would make a really good film. Her life was short (27 years) but very interesting. She was like a punk version of Janis Joplin. I think of Janis every time I revisit her segment. I just loved how anti she was; I love people who are 100% individual and eccentric.

Off the top of my head I can think of 2 or 3 cases that dealt with a well meaning (usually Christian) woman becoming pen pals with a prisoner and then either falling in love or being taken against their will. I think this would make a really good movie if done correctly. I mean some of them surely had Stockholm's but I also feel like the case where the Warden's wife was taken for 5 years (she may have been in love with the prisoner). I think the fact he made it adamant he forced her to stay with him makes me think he actually cared for her too.


Ellen McClung Berry would make a good movie.

DB Cooper would make a good thriller.

I know the escape from Alcatraz has been done to death, but I feel like a big Hollywood production would be genius.

Star Palumbo would make a great movie. Always been so fascinated by this.