Disturbing real TV footage that inspired new Netflix film Woman of the Hour shows what actually happened

Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.

A brand-new psychological thriller has just landed on Netflix, and it's sparked quite the reaction online.

Starring Anna Kendrick, who also directed it, Woman of the Hour is based on the harrowing true crime story of the 'Dating Game Killer', Rodney Alcala, who enters a dating show with aspiring actor Sheryl Bradshaw.

Based on real events, the story details Alcala's chilling killing spree in the 1970s, with the film estimating the number of his victims to be as high as 130.

Check out the official Netflix trailer here:

Since watching the thriller, fans have been eager to find out more about Alcala and search for the real TV footage that inspired Woman of the Hour to show what actually happened.

Now, the real-life Alcala (played by Daniel Zovatto) had already killed at least three women before appearing on the programme, and he killed at least two more after his episode.

He was chosen as one of three bachelors lined up as a potential suitor for singleton Bradshaw, played by Kendrick.

Rodney Alcala got his nickname because he had once appeared on The Dating Game (ABC)

Bradshaw ended up picking Alcala, but decided to cancel the date following a 'creepy' conversation with him after the cameras stopped rolling.

Opening up about her decision to pull out of the date last-minute, which ultimately probably saved her life, Bradshaw said: "I started to feel ill.

"He was acting really creepy. I turned down his offer. I didn’t want to see him again," she told the Sydney Telegraph back in 2012.

Alcala had already killed at least three women before appearing on the programme (ABC)

She reportedly called up producer Ellen Metzger and said: "There’s weird vibes that are coming off of him. He’s very strange.

"I am not comfortable. Is that going to be a problem?"

Thankfully, producers didn't force Bradshaw go through with the date.

If she did, she almost certainly would have been killed.

Check out Alcala's appearance on the Dating Game back in 1978:

Just two years later, Alcala was convicted of murdering a 12-year-old girl and went on to be found guilty of eight murders across California, New York, and Wyoming between 1971 and 1979.

However, as we know, it's believed he was responsible for the deaths of 130 women and girls.

He died in prison in 2021 aged 77, having had a previous death sentence overturned.

So, how on earth did Alcala even get selected to be an 'eligible bachelor' on the Dating Game - despite the history of reports filed against him?

It's estimated that Alcala killed as many as 130 people (Huntington Beach Police)

Well, it's thought he was picked because he was tall, charming, and handsome, and producers did not conduct a background check.

If they did, they would have discovered he had also already served three years in prison for beating and raping an eight-year-old child.

Woman of the Hour is currently available to stream on Netflix.