Although Jason is supposed to be a fictitious character, there are striking similarities in the film to a series of grisly murders in Finland in the summer of 1960. Three teens were stabbed to death while camping at Lake Bodom.

evil.  Loomis' description of a young Michael was inspired by John Carpenter's experience with a real-life mental patient. 'Michael Myers' was the real-life name of the head of the now-dissolved British company Miracle Films.