What is a Poltergeist?

Chances are, if you’re into scary movies and spooky books, you’ve heard of the ‘Poltergeist’. Belonging in the realm of folklore, the legend of the poltergeist has been passed down to new skeptics and believers as early as the first century. Tales of this strange phenomena are widespread, touching upon both eastern and western civilizations. pol·ter·geist ˈpōltərˌɡīst/ noun a ghost or other supernatural being supposedly responsible for physical disturbances such as loud noises and objects thrown around. The word ‘Poltergeist’ has Germanic roots, and stems from the German word poltern, meaning “to make sound” and….

The Warrens – A Hollywood Conjuring

These days, there are no two figures within the paranormal research world with more celebrity status than Demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren. Ed Warren passed away in 2006, respectively, but his life’s work and legacy within the community lives on. His wife and investigative partner, Lorraine Warren at 91 years old, has pulled back from their work but is still very much a voice and an emblem for paranormal research. Ed claimed that he spent his childhood years growing up in a haunted house. He stated: “My family would all go to bed and just around two to….

The Nature of Horror

In the horror genre, a setting only nature can provide is a vital tool used among storytellers. Whether on a page or a screen, a night sky can bring about fear. The darkness can leave one feeling alone and vulnerable, unable to see far ahead to protect oneself if need be. Rain invokes sadness, sunlight a sense of fresh beginnings and hope. Caves, trees, riverbeds and the many dips and turns of grass and soil are for the storyteller to sculpt, like clay to an artist. The setting of a forest is a playground for all of nature’s….

7 Undead Creatures… including Zombies

The mid-season return of The Walking Dead on AMC is upon us, and zombies are once again in the spotlight. But did you know that zombies are not the only creatures to reanimate? Here are 7 still kicking Undead Creatures… 1. Vampire The idea of a vampire is shrouded in mystery and seduction. Armed with a taste for blood and two fangs, these humans turned into the undead have an unquenchable thirst. The vampire first appeared in mainstream western culture in 1819 with the publication of The Vampyre by John Polidori which preceded the grandfather….

‘Based on a True Story’: A Look at the Use of this Horror Movie Tagline

‘Based on a True Story’ is eye-catching, head-turning and ticket-worthy for many movie fans. For horror, this tagline alone and its message is especially enticing and ups the ante on all other movies playing that week in theaters. Quite simply: it sells. But what does ‘based on a true story’ really mean? As movie-goers, how much can we hold such a movie accountable as being truthful towards the real persons and events it portrays? Advertising that a movie is based in a true story goes back to 1899 with the short film Major Wilson’s Last Stand. However, the first major horror genre….

Let’s Play! The Ouija Board

Whether or not you consider yourself a fan of horror, chances are you’ve heard of the famed Ouija Board. A simple concept for a board game, it contains only two objects: a flat board and a planchette. On the board are written in black bold font the numbers zero through nine, the letters of the alphabet, the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’ and sometimes the word ‘goodbye’ for manner’s sake. Players (one or more) are to place their hands on the planchette, ask the spirit world or specific spirits a question and wait for a reply. The planchette is supposed….

What are the ‘Supernatural’ and ‘Paranormal’?

We often hear the two words “Supernatural” and “Paranormal” used interchangeably. A simple online search shows overlapping horror television and films categorized under both terms, leading to even more confusion. Forget grabbing the dictionary, Webster remains vague. So how do we differentiate the two? Let’s start with ‘Supernatural’: History tells us that the term ‘Supernatural’ was first used between 1520 and 1530 AD and is rooted in religion and spiritualism. The things or occurrences which believers believe to be true based on their faith or willingness to believe is the foundation of the term. As early humans evolved….