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Carl Glatzel Dislikes Adaptations of His Family’s Trauma, Like THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT’

Photo from THE CONJURING Instagram

Carl Glatzel Dislikes Adaptations of His Family’s Trauma, Like THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT’

By Movieguide® Staff

With the release of THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT, the famed horror series expands to eight movies, each based on the writings of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. 

The newest CONJURING movie is the third in the central storyline. It focuses on the controversial court case from 1981 involving Arne (“Arnie”) Johnson after being accused of murdering his landlord.  

A portion of Movieguide®’s review of the movie reads.  

In the real case, a young man, Arne (“Arnie”) Johnson, is accused of murdering his landlord during a small, alcohol-infused party. Two married Roman Catholic amateur occult experts, Arnie’s girlfriend, Debbie, and Debbie’s family convince Arnie’s defense attorney to plead Not Guilty by reason of demonic possession. The movie adds a plot about a powerful Satanist who’s placed a curse on Debbie’s little brother, which was transferred to Arnie when Arnie challenged the demon attacking the boy to attack him instead.

However, Carl Glatzel—whose brother was thought to be demon-possessed—said he felt that the movie exploited his family’s trauma. 

Glatzel, 55, left Connecticut after his brother, David, started to hallucinate, the Hartford Courant recently reported. 

Carl and David’s sister, Deborah Glatzel, was then-girlfriend and eventual wife to Arne Johnson.   

According to the news outlet, Johnson’s defense attorney attempted to defend Johnson by claiming that the devil made him murder his landlord, Alan Bono, in 1981. However, the court convicted Johnson of manslaughter, and he served four years in prison.

According to the Hartford Courant, the defense was built upon the word of the Warrens but was dismissed by courts. In 2007, Carl Glatzel claimed that Warren’s exploited his family for monetary gain.  

“It was living hell when we were kids,” Glatzel told the AP in 2007. “It was just a nightmare. I’m not going to go through that again. Neither is my brother.”

According to Carl, his brother David has recovered from the mental trauma he suffered as a boy. 

THE CONJURING franchise is not the first adaptation of the story. In 1983, NBC produced a television movie called THE DEMON MURDER CASE and later in a book by Gerald Brittle called THE DEVIL IN CONNECTICUT.  

Glatzel sued Lorraine Warren and Brittle in 2006 after the book was reprinted, but his case was dismissed. Brittle, however, took the book out of print. 

“I did it because I was fed up with the case, fed up with Carl Glatzel,” Brittle said. “It just wasn’t worth it to me. It had no bearing on the fact that the book was true.”

Movieguide® advises extreme caution for discerning viewers but also commends THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT for its themes of good overcoming evil by the power of God and His Bible.

 

 

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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.