Lunatics Radio Hour: The History of Horror
Lunatics Radio Hour is a non-fiction history podcast about the history of horror and the horror of history. Each episode explores real, documented events where fear, violence, survival, and the unknown shaped human lives and cultures. The show also traces how historical events influenced film, examining how real-world horrors became the stories and images that appear on screen.
Topics include dark history, psychological phenomena, folklore rooted in fact, and the historical roots of horror cinema. Most episodes focus on researched historical subjects. Occasional short fiction stories are included and clearly labeled.
If you’re drawn to the darker side of history and the real events behind horror films, Lunatics Radio Hour explores where history, fear, and cinema intersect.
Episodes
252 episodes
Episode 204 - The Ultimate Horror Sequel Villain: The Scary Scuffle Sequel Part 2
The Scary Scuffle reaches its bloody finale!In Part Two of our horror villain tournament, the remaining sequel monsters and villains face off in a series of one-on-one battles to determine who will be crowned the ultimate champion. Every...
Episode 203 - The Ultimate Horror Sequel Villain: The Scary Scuffle Sequel Part 1
In Part One of the Scary Scuffle, we’re putting the villains of horror sequels head-to-head in a one-on-one tournament to determine who is the ultimate sequel villain. Using a bracket-style showdown, each round pits two horror icons against eac...
Episode 202 - The History of Horror Sequels
This week on Lunatics Radio Hour, we're exploring the history of horror sequels. It might seem like an unusual topic, but sequels have played a major role in the development of the horror genre. Horror has embraced sequels and franchises more s...
Episode 201 - The History of Horror Taglines
This week on Lunatics Radio Hour we're talking through the fascinating history of horror taglines. We get into the history of film marketing, the evolution of taglines and some of the most iconic of all time.Sources
Episode 200 - The History of The Final Girl
In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, we explore the history of the Final Girl, one of horror’s most recognizable character archetypes. From early examples in horror literature and film to the rise of the slasher genre in the 1970s and 1980s,...
Episode 199 - The History of Masks in Folklore and Horror: Part 2
In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, we explore the folklore behind masks, from ancient legends and seasonal traditions to the myths that gave rise to some of horror's most unforgettable imagery.Discover how masks have been used to wa...
Episode 198 - The Dark History of Masks: Part 1
This week on Lunatics Radio Hour, we explore the history of masks, from prehistoric rituals and ancient Egyptian funerary masks to Roman death masks, Venetian Carnival, and the eerie plague doctor.SourcesNational Geogr...
Episode 197 - The Devil's Footprints of 1855
On the morning of February 9, 1855, residents across Devon, England awoke to a baffling sight. Strange hoof-like footprints stretched through fresh snow for miles, appearing in dozens of towns and villages. According to contemporary reports, th...
Episode 196 - Campfire Tales #11: Shadow Man
This week Abby and Alex present two original works of horror fiction.Shadows was written by by Jon Adcock. Find more of Jon's work at https://linktr.ee/jonadcock.Family, Like ...
Episode 195 - The History of Medieval UFO Sightings
Modern UFO reports are often associated with the 20th century, but strange objects in the sky have been recorded for hundreds of years. Medieval chronicles describe unusual celestial events, mysterious lights, and unexplained phenomena that lef...
Episode 194 - The History of The Green Children Of Woolpit
In the 12th century, villagers in Woolpit, England reported a strange discovery: two children with green-colored skin who appeared suddenly near the village. The children spoke an unknown language, refused most food, and seemed unable to explai...
Episode 193 - The History of The Paris Catacombs
Watch our footage from the Paris Catacombs HERE.Beneath the streets of Paris lies one of the most disturbing landmarks in the world: the Paris Catacombs. In this episode, we explo...
Episode 192 - Campfire Tales #10: In Life and Death
This week Abby is joined by Alex Goleman to read two haunting stories about grief and death. Forgiving Amy was written by Mike Macera. Follow @mikemacera on Instagram and check out https://www.scene3.co/filmsIn Life an...
Episode 191 - The History of Birds in Horror
From ravens and vultures to killer flocks and supernatural omens, birds have played a major role in horror for decades. In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, Abby sits down with Kate Rotunda to explore the history of birds in horror and why t...
Episode 190 - The History of Jump Scares in Horror
Why do audiences jump in horror movies? What are some of the greatest jump scares in cinema history? In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, Abby and Alan explore the history of the jump scare, from early suspense filmmaking and the fa...
Episode 189 - The History of The Bell Witch
This week Abby and Alan discuss the reported haunting of the Bell Witch in Tennessee during the early 1800s. The events centered on the Bell family and centers around unexplained noises, voices, and physical disturbances. The entity, often call...
Episode 188 - The History of Contagious Curses
This week, Abby and Alan dive into the folklore behind horror’s most contagious curses, from The Ring to Smile to It Follows.Get Lunatics Merch her...
Episode 187 - Campfire Tales #9: Only The Dead
This week, Abby is joined by Alex Goleman for a double feature of eerie campfire tales, the kind that feel a little too real once the lights go out.“Only The Dead” by Marisca Pichette and “Trash Talk” by Sam Logan.Find more from t...
Episode 186 - The Horrifying History of Mirrors
This week Abby sits down with Kate Rotunda to discuss the vast and unnerving history of mirrors. Get Lunatics Merch here. Join the discussion on
Episode 185 - Listener Lore #1
Today we are bringing you 6 hometown urban legends straight from our listeners.Follow Madz on Instagram @madzsmiled and @sonrisalibrary. And consider supporting BeLoved Asheville. Follow Abby on Substack: https://substack.com...
Episode 184 - The Babysitter and The Man Upstairs
This week Abby and Alan sit down with Dan Roberts to discuss the history of The Babysitter and The Man Upstairs urban legend and When A Stranger Calls (1979). Follow Dan on Substack: https://substack.com/@drob91Follow Abby on...
Episode 183 - Real Scary Stories: Midnight Visitor
Have you ever felt like someone was watching you from outside your house? It's an (overdue) honor to present this real scary story from K.L. Mill. If you want to walk down memory lane with us, you can listen to
Episode 182 - The Clown Riot of 1855
In 1855, a bizarre incident in Toronto escalated into one of the city’s strangest riots. After a fight broke out between clowns from a visiting circus and members of a volunteer firefighting company, tensions quickly spiraled. What began as a c...
Episode 181 - Categorizing Horror Villains
This week Abby sits down with Kate Rotunda to talk through her classifications of horror villains. You can read Kate's original article HERE
Episode 180 - The History of The Connecticut Witch Trials
Before Salem, there was Connecticut.In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, Abby Brenker sits down with historian Josh Hutchinson to explore the Connecticut Witch Trials, which spanned 1647 to 1697 and led to 11 executions decades before...