#09 - Harold Schechter (True Crime Legend)

Investigative journalist and author of CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties, Tom O’Neill, joins us in the Crypt to unravel one of the darkest and most twisted chapters in American history–one that is still actively being covered up. From uncovering secrets about Charles Manson’s connections to the Hollywood elite and exposing the top-secret human experiments of MKUltra, to dismantling the Helter Skelter narrative completely– Tom takes us deep into a web of lies, manipulation, and cover-ups that challenge everything we think we know about the Manson murders. Join us as we reveal the hidden details and unanswered questions that continue to haunt one of America’s most infamous murder cases.—🎥 Make sure to subscribe to youtube.com/@TalksFromTheCryptFollow us:Talks From The Crypt – https://instagram.com/talksfromthecrypt / https://talksfromthecrypt.com Tom O'Neill – https://instagram.com/chaoscharlesmanson / https://tom-oneill.org / https://linktr.ee/chaosmansonbook—00:00:00 – Intro00:00:33 – Cold open, making a drink. Is Tom Into Horror? The First Omen, Salem's Lot Remake, and Rosemary's Baby Prequel. Miscategorizing Charles Manson, Shorty Shea Beheaded?00:06:01 – Mind Control 101 - The CIA, MKUltra, and the Secret History of the 60's00:22:33 – How and When Tom Got Into Helter Skelter, Meeting Vincent Bugliosi, Getting Into An Argument With Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford, and a Fight With Alec Baldwin00:35:43 – Interviewing Vincent Bugliosi and Finding Holes in the Helter Skelter Narrative00:46:22 – The First Bombshell Vincent Bugliosi Dropped In Tom's Reporting - Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski's "Sex Tape", Vincent Bugliosi's Dark Past - Abuse, The Milkman, and Planting Narcotics01:00:02 – Terry Melcher, Dennis Wilson, 'The Golden Penetrators', Charles Manson's Connection to the Hollywood Elite, and Rudi Altobelli's Guilt01:17:35 – Going Down The Rabbit Hole, Going to Dinner and Driving to the Cielo House with Rudi Altobelli01:29:19 – Chasing Case Files, Mike McGann's Files Clash with Bugliosi's Testimony, Terry Melcher Bribes Tom With Doris Day's Dark Past, and Stars of the 60s Trying to Stay Relevant Through the Manson Story01:41:50 – Manson's Federal Parole File and the "Anamolies" in His Parole Supervision by His Parole Officer Roger Smith, Spahn Ranch Raid01:52:38 – David Smith and the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic, LSD Studies on Rats in 1967 Emulated Exactly What Happened to the Manson Family - Innocent or scripted? Abigail Folger's Mother Was A Donator.02:02:10 – Where did the "illiterate" and "lifetime criminal" Charles Manson learn how to brainwash his followers? Mind control operation gone wrong, or right? Intro to Jolly West02:11:54 – Jolly West's Connection to Sidney Gottlieb, the head of the MKUltra Program - The Murder of a 3 Year Old Girl (The Jimmy Shaver Case)02:19:46 – The Many Tendrills of Tom's Theory, Satanic Ritual Abuse Might Have Been CIA Fronts, Working on the Second Book, and Manson's Charisma. Wouldn't Manson Have Wanted People to Know This? When Tom Spoke With Manson.02:27:06 – Manson Acts As A Repository of American Fears, Charles Manson In Pop Culture Then and Today - CHAOS and COINTELPRO, Truth is Stranger Than Fiction. Tom Gets Lost In The Crypt Studio Wall.02:31:53 – What Tom Wished Bugliosi Got to See if He Were Alive Today, and How Life Changed After CHAOS - A Secret of Vincent Bugliosi's - He Was Just As Dangerous As Manson02:37:42 – Tom's Dedication and Social Media02:39:05 – Outro—Copyright Disclaimer:Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talksfromthecrypt/support

Sean Clark joins us in the Crypt to talk about his journey through the horror industry, from Horror’s Hallowed Grounds and the Halloween franchise, to shaping the modern horror convention scene. We explore the evolution of horror conventions, highlighting the thrill and struggle of getting celebrities on board, building “25 Years of Terror,” and Sean’s insider experience with the “horror elite.” We talk horror's golden ages of the 30s, 70s, and 80s, discussing the MPAA's role in shaping the genre, and the way conventions have evolved since the '90s, for better or worse. Sean opens up about his early days, his hesitations about joining YouTube, and the struggles and successes he faced on projects like Halloween 2 and Halloween 3.We also dig into recent horror headlines, debating reboots and sequels, Halloween, Exorcist: Believer, Alien: Romulus, and The Crow, along with original titles like Thanksgiving, LongLegs, Maxxxine, and much more. We share thoughts on today’s horror “elite”, the tension between fans and executives, and horror’s thematic shift to psychological scares with films like Hereditary, Midsommar, and Beau Is Afraid.Beyond film, we discuss the rise of horror influencers and publications, “a*s-kissing" culture, and Sean's advice for up-and-coming creatives, stories from the convention circuit, and immortalizing yourself through creative work.—🎥 Make sure to subscribe to youtube.com/@talksfromthecrypt / youtube.com/@malfuncsean Follow us:Talks From The Crypt – https://instagram.com/talksfromthecrypt / https://talksfromthecrypt.com Sean Clark – https://instagram.com/malfuncsean —00:00:00 – Introduction00:01:05 – Horror’s Hallowed GG00:17:29 – Sean's Involvement in the Halloween Franchise - Finding a Real Shatner Mask, 25 Years of Terror, Early Legal Battles, Landing a Standalone Feature00:30:37 – Convention All-Stars00:41:15 – The Horror Industry: A Labor of Love, Celebrities Who Revel In It or Hate It, Getting Them to Do Conventions00:52:05 – Horror's Golden Age: 30's, 70's, and 80's & the MPAA's Involvement00:56:14 – Conventions Now Are A Different World, The Good and The Bad01:02:10 – Being Hesitant to Get on YouTube, Early Success and Struggles In Sean's Horror Career, Working on Halloween 2 and Halloween 3, Finding Filming Locations and Going to the Wrong Place01:27:15 – Remakes and Reboots? When does a classic become a classic?01:42:47 – Excorcist: Believer, The Crow, Casting Bill Skarsgard in Everything, Child's Play Remake, Movies We Love and Hate, Alien: Romulus, Believable Casts01:55:04 – Horror Publications Ass-Kissing, Executives and Influencers vs. Fans and Artists, The "Horror Elite,” Thanksgiving, LongLegs, and Terrifier02:05:22 – LongLegs Review, Maxxxine & Its Prequels, The First Omen02:12:20 – Casting New Actors vs. Big Stars, the Scream Movies, In A Violent Nature 02:21:31 – Horror's Evolution: Social to Internal, Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau Is Afraid, The Strange Thing About The Johnsons, Alien: Romulus Review (Contains Spoilers02:29:05 – Film Critic Buzzwords, Why Do The Biggest Directors Have The Coolest Sounding Names?!02:33:22 – Advice to Upcoming Creatives02:48:34 – Long Intros and Trolls02:54:37 – Safety In Numbers, Unfinished Episodes, and Immortalizing Yourself Through Your Work03:05:16 – Sean's Talks His Famous Haircut03:10:33 – Cutting Your Teeth03:13:45 – Outro—Copyright Disclaimer Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talksfromthecrypt/support

Joe Coleman, the legendary artist whose work digs into the darkest corners of the human psyche, joins us in the Crypt to discuss everything from painting serial killers like Carl Panzram, Albert Fish, and Ed Gein, to sharing the secrets of his controversial art. Join us as we delve into the contradictory beauty of the grotesque and the divine. Joe takes us inside his Odditorium, a personal collection as eerie as his paintings, where he houses macabre artifacts like a painting by John Wayne Gacy, the actual letter Albert Fish sent to Grace Budd's mother, a lock of Charles Manson's hair, and a Christmas card from Ed Gein. These relics serve as a tangible connection, DNA, to the energy that Joe channels into his art.   We explore the paradoxes of life and death that permeate Joe's art, discuss his fascination with the redacted stories of the Bible, the corruption of the soul and flesh, and dive into his experiences selling art to icons like HR Giger, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Iggy Pop. – 🎥 Subscribe: youtube.com/@TalksFromTheCrypt Follow us: Talks From The Crypt – https://instagram.com/talksfromthecrypt / https://talksfromthecrypt.com  Joe Coleman – https://www.joecoleman.com/ / https://www.instagram.com/joecolemanartist ORDER A COPY OF “A DOORWAY TO JOE: THE ART OF JOE COLEMAN” – AVAILABLE NOW AT https://joecoleman.com/print/a-doorway-to-joe-the-art-of-joe-coleman/ — 00:00 – Intro 01:10 – Embracing the Dark Side of Humanity Through Paintings 10:31 – The Lighter Subjects of Joe's Paintings, Filming Rest in Pieces, Professor Momboozoo 16:51 – When Joe's Work Got Global Recognition, His First Art Gallery 29:10 – The Darker Subjects of Joe's Paintings: Carl Panzram, Mary Bell, Ed Gein, Albert Fish, Charles Manson, Swift Runner, Conducting Research and Meeting Harold Schechter 37:14 – Identifying with Serial Killers, Giving a Voice to Them. Within every man is the Christ and Anti-Christ. Channelling trauma and rage into art. 45:23 – The Common Theme of Joe's Paintings: Carl Panzram 52:31 – Life is a Prison in Which We Are Sentenced for The Crime of Being Born 59:22 – The Redacted Stories of The Bible, The 'Virgin' Mary's Secret, Jesus Christ's Childhood  01:15:06 – Selling Art to HR Giger, Johnny Depp, Iggy Pop, Leonardo DiCaprio 01:20:42 – TV is a God, Losing Faith in Evil and Death, A Look at Mortality, Performing an Autopsy in Budapest 01:33:15 – Quick Break, Doing Podcasts 01:35:32 – Making Art for Yourself and No One Else 01:37:48 – Death & Searching for a Soul 01:41:03 – The Odditorium 01:46:44 – How Joe Got The Real Letter Albert Fish Wrote 01:52:43 – The Mirror Side of Saint's Relics, Objects Housing the Soul 01:56:27 – "Outsider" Art 01:59:00 – Joe's Belief in the Paranormal & The Commodification of the Word 2:00:51 – Is it better to paint from the scar or the wound? 2:03:52 – A Doorway to Joe —  Copyright Disclaimer:  Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talksfromthecrypt/support

Kane Hodder, legendary actor and stuntman behind Jason Voorhees and Victor Crowley, joins us in the Crypt for Episode 13! From his love of the number 13 to almost playing Freddy Krueger, Kane shares never-before-heard stories that made him into a horror icon.Tune in as Kane reveals his early days of scaring people, his intense stunt training, the personal Easter eggs he includes in his films, and his opinions on the other actors who have portrayed Jason Voorhees. We’ll dive into the infamous Freddy vs. Jason controversy, his ghost hunting adventures, favorite horror conventions, a peculiar connection to John Wayne Gacy, and more!–00:00 - Introduction00:48 - Taking a shot, drinking with fans at conventions, and getting sued for choking someone05:18 - The Number 13, Watching Pt. 7 in 1988 at the Chinese Theater, Getting Famous, Doing 180 Films09:10 - Collectibles, Playing Frankenstein, Adam Green Regenerating Kane's Horror Career with 'Hatchet', Jason Voorhees' Continuity Errors15:43 - Doing Podcasts and Interviews18:23 - Scaring People Since Age 921:17 - Getting into Stunt Acting, Going to Stunt School With Another Actor That Played Jason Voorhees, High-Falls, Fear of Heights, and Getting Older26:26 - Stunt Coordinating vs. Stunt Acting, Do Certain Actors ACTUALLY do their own stunts? Getting injured on set, Paramount Made Ken Kurzinger Do Kane's stunt on F12 Pt8. Getting hit by cars and falling down stairs33:57 - Which stunts ALWAYS suck? Getting more dialogue roles at an older age39:07 - Revolutionizing the role of Jason Voorhees, Kane was a huge fan before being cast as Jason Voorhees43:18 - Pt 7's Censorship, MPAA Censorship of Horror in the 80s, Jason Voorhees' Consistency Throughout Movies46:15 - Kane Hodder Almost Played Freddy Krueger Before Robert Englund50:36 - John Wayne Gacy, Dean Corll, BTK, Ed Gein, Fascination with Serial Killers, Owning Murderabilia58:14 - Putting his kids, friends, and hometown as Easter Eggs in his films1:01:40 - Working with Adam Green, the balance of comedy and horror1:03:10 - The way Kane gets into character to play a killer scares the cast, getting to kill more people on screen than anyone in history1:06:07 - The only person Kane has ever injured1:07:27 - F13 was so popular they changed the name of Jason Voorhees, why everyone loves Jason Voorhees, which Friday the 13th Kane loved acting in the most1:12:17 - Jason Takes Manhattan1:16:07 - Embracing horror stardom, breaking out of "the horror ghetto"1:19:48 - The growing popularity of horror conventions1:21:40 - Kane premiers a never-before-seen kill video1:27:22 - Pulling someone's head apart in Hatchet, punching another person's head off in F131:30:32 - Seeing co-stars at conventions, fun photo-ops, and Favorite conventions around the U.S.1:34:01 - Playing Leatherface and Jason Voorhees in video games, doing mocap1:39:23 - The Freddy vs. Jason Controversy, Kane Was Snubbed for the Role, planning Freddy vs. Jason since Jason Goes to Hell1:53:24 - Kane weighs in on the other actors that played Jason Voorhees, when studios made him step away on stunts for Friday th 13th Pt 8. Cameo in Jason Goes To Hell. Who wins a real-life Freddy vs. Jason?2:04:15 - Kane's Ghost Hunting Group, Paranormal Experiences, Afterlife2:16:11 - Doppelgängers and Working on The Devil's Rejects2:20:02 - Favorite Directors, Directors Kane Would Love to Work With, Wanting to do Comedies, Kane's 'Candid Farts' Show2:25:45 - Writing a Screenplay, Kane's Newest Venture After Anesthesia 2:33:19 - Kane Hodder's Burn Incident that Gave Him 3rd Degree Burns on 65% of His Body, Connecting With Others Through It. The Beauty of the Horror Community.2:41:22 - In Hollywood, Heroes are Villains and Villains are Heroes2:44:11 - Fears, The Power of the Mind, and Getting Older2:53:38 - Looking Back on an Iconic Career2:56:45 - Outro --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talksfromthecrypt/support

Bill Moseley, best known for his iconic roles as Chop Top in “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2" and Otis B. Driftwood in Rob Zombie's ‘House of 1000 Corpses’ trilogy, joins us in the Crypt to discuss behind-the-scenes details of his most notorious roles and the path that led him to horror stardom. From his early days as Chop Top to his career-defining role as Otis in Rob Zombie's films, Bill walks us through his unexpected entry into acting after a career in journalism, his encounter with the Manson Family, and his reflections on working with visionary directors like Rob Zombie, Sam Raimi, Clint Eastwood, and Tobe Hooper. Hear how Bill Moseley embraces the world of horror both on and off the screen, his thoughts on the evolution of the genre, and personal anecdotes with fellow horror icons. From behind-the-scenes memories to insights into the art of terror, we'll explore what '3 From Hell' would have been like with Captain Spaulding, favorite horror films, personal fears, and more. – 🎥 Subscribe: youtube.com/@talksfromthecrypt Follow us: Talks From The Crypt – https://instagram.com/talksfromthecrypt / https://talksfromthecrypt.com Bill Moseley – https://instagram.com/choptopmoseley / http://www.choptopsbbq.com/ – CHAPTERS: 00:00-Introduction 01:03-The Start of Bill Moseley’s Acting Career 04:20-Halloween Traditions, Grave Rubbing Misadventures with Police at a Cemetery 07:46-Early Influences: Horror Hosts & Shock Theater 10:54-Pitching a Short Film to SNL & Tobe Hooper 24:03-Playing Dead in Movies is Harder Than it Looks 26:07-Tobe Hooper and Kit Carson offer the role of Chop Top 28:15-First Hollywood Heartbreak 34:12-Not Having A Goal to Act 37:38-Getting the role of Chop Top in ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2’, How He Felt About the Comedic Tones 43:59-Preparing to Play Chop Top As His First Role, Warehouse Caught On Fire? 50:12-TCM2 Censorship Battles & Drive-In Fame, Public Reception, and Moving to Hollywood 54:56-What Bill's Portrayal of Otis Was Like Before Rob Pried His Hands Off of Chop Top, ‘House of 1000 Corpses’ 58:39-Filming ‘House of 1000 Corpses’ on the Universal Studios Backlot 1:00:28-How Columbine and 9/11 Impacted the Distribution for ‘House of 1000 Corpses’, Universal Studios Dropped the Movie 1:05:20-Behind 'The Devil's Rejects': Deleted Scenes & Character Evolution 1:08:02-Bill's Motel Scene with Priscilla Barnes, Almost Backing Out. "Art is not safe.” 1:15:55-Winning the Audience Over Despite Playing Despicable Characters, 'Tutti F**kin' Frutti' 1:17:28-Getting Pitched '3 From Hell' 1:23:00-Sid Haig's Health, What 3 From Hell Would Have Been Like With Captain Spaulding 1:25:12-‘3 From Hell’ Was Made in Only 20 Days, Richard Brake's Performance 1:29:15-Launching into Horror Stardom, Working With Various Directors, & Getting to Play Chop Top Again 1:35:55-How Bill Moseley Prepares to Play His Characters 1:40:05-What if Bill Had Never Entered Hollywood? 1:45:02-Traveling the World, the Middle East, and Fears 1:49:58-Acting in a Play that The Manson Family Came to Watch, Spirits of The Theatre 1:58:22-Venturing into Musicals with 'Repo: The Genetic Opera' 2:00:04-Still Working As An Actor, Getting Older In Horror, Young Directors, Favorite Horror Films, The Beauty of the Horror Genre, Living in the Moment 2:05:06-Outro --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talksfromthecrypt/support

Museum of Death owners/curators, JD Healy and Cathee Shultz, join us in the Crypt for Episode 11 to guide us through the eerie corridors of their world-famous museum, located in Hollywood, CA and New Orleans, LA. We'll uncover the origins of the museum, the fascinating stories behind the acquisition of their gruesome collection, and the chilling artifacts that starkly remind us of life's fragility. From serial killer memorabilia gifted to them by the killers themselves, to mortician's tools and autopsy rooms, we explore the museum's most haunting exhibits and the impact they have on visitors. Learn about the history, mission, and controversies surrounding this unique museum that continues to captivate and horrify visitors from around the globe after nearly 3 decades. Thoughts on afterlife, the paranormal, personal relationships with serial killers, GG Allin & The Murder Junkies, Kenneth Anger, and more! — 🎥 Make sure to subscribe to youtube.com/@talksfromthecrypt  — Follow us: Talks From The Crypt – https://instagram.com/talksfromthecrypt / https://talksfromthecrypt.com   Museum of Death – https://www.museumofdeath.net – CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Warning 00:26 – Introduction 01:09 – Losing Money in Vegas 02:13 – Getting Recognized In Public For Owning the Museum of Death, The Goal of the Museum 06:08 – JD and Cathee Getting GG Allin Exhumed and Putting His Body On Display 09:23 – Todd Phillips Making ‘Hated’, Getting Arrested with GG Allin, & Joker / Heath Ledger Warned By Jack Nicholson 11:26 – Actors Winning Posthumous Awards 13:36 – The Museum of Death Started As A Gallery in San Diego's First Mortuary That Was Haunted, A Ghost Attacked Them 24:58 – JD & Cathee's Gallery Evolution, Covering Insane Topics No One Else Would Cover 27:51 – Early Issues and Controversy They Went Through, Investigators Came Through & The City Wanted to Shut Them Down 31:02 – Where Their Fascination With Death Was Born 33:14 – The Ethics of Kevorkian, Owning His Death Machine 35:40 – Death is Only Hard For The Living 37:22 – Reincarnation, What Comes After Death? JD and Cathee Will Have Their Bodies On Display at the Museum When They Die / Putting the Fun back in Funeral 43:22 – PT Barnum Taxidermed His Dead Elephant & Put Him on Display 45:09 – Becoming an "Overnight Success" After 28 Years, Death Follows Them Around, John Wayne Gacy Used to Call Cathee at Night, Someone Died Above the Museum 48:43 – The Evolution of the Museum of Death, The Start of Their Death Collection, Making a Return on Murderabilia & Crime Scene Photos 52:37 – People Would Pass Out In The Museum Looking at Photographs of “The Couple" 56:06 – How they get their items, like the decapitaded head of the bluebeard of france / how much a human head costs 1:02:48 – The infamous story of "the hand", an amputated hand that was randomly dropped off at the Museum of Death 1:16:20 – Gifted items to the Museum of Death, Kenneth Anger, Black Dahlia Photos, detectives would secretly gift them items 1:18:15 – What's Too Far? What Items Will They Not Take? A post-mortem scandal with a west coast college 1:20:00 – Celebrities offer items, like clothing from the exhumation of Rebecca Schaffer and the socks Sam Kinison died in 1:22:32 – The balance of shock and education, why do people want to see these things? 1:26:15 – Heaven's Gate, JD and Cathee own the real outfits and bed from the crime scene, how they got it 1:34:14 – We're All Fortunate to be Alive - You Can Die at Any Moment 1:35:44 – Would They Remove Something From The Museum if Someone Asked, When People Have asked if they could remove an item 1:39:32 – Moving the Museum of Death of New Orleans / Most of Us Die in Our Sleep / We All Die, So Do What You Love 1:44:29 – Cremation, Reincarnation, Afterlife, Ghosts, and Legal Execution 1:49:54 – Making Death Palatable, favorite items 1:52:01 – Outro --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talksfromthecrypt/support

Grimmlife Collective joins us in the Crypt for Episode 10, unveiling their journey from early struggles to iconic moments at horror conventions, and their ventures into the grim side of culture across the globe. Join us as we explore their artistic process, the emotional toll of delving into true crime, and their encounters with the paranormal. We'll discuss the difficulties of covering cases like Ted Bundy, Michael's harrowing near-death encounter, and a haunting glimpse of a real apparition. Afterlife theories, ghostly experiences, the magic of movies / filming locations, eerie adventures, and more! — 🎥 Make sure to subscribe to https://youtube.com/@talksfromthecrypt  / https://youtube.com/@grimmlifecollective   Follow us: Talks From The Crypt – https://instagram.com/talksfromthecrypt / https://talksfromthecrypt.com  Grimmlife Collective – https://instagram.com/grimmlifecollective / https://grimmlifecollective.com  Jessica Kolence – https://instagram.com/witchydame / https://grimmlifecollective.com  - CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Intro 01:29 – Destined Paths, How Michael & Jessica Met 03:54 – The Essence of Grimmlife Collective: The Travel Channel of Horror 05:18 – Tracing the Roots of Fear, exploring where Michael and Jessica’s fascination with fear began 09:28 – RL Stine's Mysterious Gift to Michael and Jessica 12:02 – The early days: How Grimmlife started as a blog and transitioned to YouTube 13:40 – How Jessica became an integral part of Grimmlife Collective 15:50 – You never get used to being on camera 18:45 – One-Take Wonders: The Grimmlife Filming Process and Michael’s Computer Brain 23:49 – How Michael and Jessica Collaborate on Ideas 29:05 – Jessica wasn't always Grimmlife's co-host, “the nitty gritty” 31:57 – Overcoming challenges and almost quitting: The early struggles of starting a channel 35:29 – A Full-Circle Moment, Bridging the gap of the internet and horror conventions 36:59 – From interviewing celebs at horror cons, to being first YouTubers at conventions 40:11 – Exploring dark travels and history: The grim side of culture in the U.S. and abroad 43:36 – A mysterious trip to a German town that doesn’t exist and visiting the Nosferatu (1922) filming locations 48:12 – Keeping content fresh and the challenges of recreating movie magic 53:46 – Stanley Kubrick built an exact replica of The Ahwahnee for The Shining 55:12 – Addressing Shelley Duvall Controversy and Producing a new horror film "The Forest Hills" 1:01:42 – Getting kicked out of locations 1:07:08 – The delicate balance of exploring sensitive locations and where to draw the line 1:14:46 – Discussing the emotional toll of covering cases like Ted Bundy's 1:20:09 – The complexities of covering sensitive murder cases like Ed Gein and Albert Fish 1:23:07 – Do Michael and Jessica believe in the paranormal? Insights from real experiences. 1:27:41 – Ghostly encounters and the history behind Grimmlife's ghost tours 1:32:00 – The Haunting of The Old Sorrel Weed House, Michael shows a photo of him with a real apparition 1:33:23 – Questioning the validity of ghost stories and what it takes to believe 1:36:10 – Modern ghost hunting shows and their authenticity 1:40:01 – Jessica opens up about her sensitivity to paranormal activity 1:44:05 – Michael's Near Death Experience and Insane Ghost Story 1:50:31 – Contemplating the afterlife: Theories and beliefs 1:54:45 – The Functionality of Horror - Lovecraft vs. King 1:58:32 – Michael almost became a catholic priest but was kicked out of the church 2:01:15 – Grimmlife Hits Hollywood – Moving to LA, when this became a real career 2:14:11 – LA's Impact on Grimmlife Collective 2:19:37 – Richard Ramirez causes Michael and Jessica to change their residence 2:24:03 – Identifying the moment Grimmlife's channel ascended to new heights 2:26:24 – Horror's Inner Circle, Entering the Convention Scene, and Dealing With Inner Politics of the Industry 2:30:35 – The Grimmlife Philosophy, Embracing the Dark 2:36:29 – Outro --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talksfromthecrypt/support

Explore the dark recesses of the criminal mind as true crime legend Harold Schechter joins us in the Crypt. Listen closely as we dissect the intriguing world of collecting murder memorabilia, hear never-before-released audio of Ed Gein’s voice, and unravel the psychology behind our fascination with monsters and serial killers. In this expansive conversation, we peel back the layers on his captivating new book, 'Murderabilia: A History of Crime in 100 Objects’, get details on Harold Schechter's real-time reaction of hearing Ed Gein’s voice, and find out if this alters the psychological profile of Gein. We also tackle the defining 'signature crimes' of each era, the media's role in glamorizing them, the horrific tales of Albert Fish, BTK, Son of Sam, John Wayne Gacy, and Harold's selection process when it comes to choosing the deranged subjects of his novels. -- 🎥 Subscribe on youtube.com/@TalksFromTheCrypt! Follow us: Talks From The Crypt – https://instagram.com/talksfromthecrypt / https://talksfromthecrypt.com Harold Schechter – https://haroldschechter.com / https://facebook.com/HaroldSchechterAuthor — Order a copy of Harold’s newest book, “Murderabilia: A History of Crime in 100 Objects” – https://haroldschechter.com/books/murderabilia – CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Warning 00:28 – Introduction 01:25 – Harold & Brandon’s Bad Luck 02:08 – Murderabilia: A History of Crime in 100 Objects 05:50 – Collecting “Murderabilia” Dates Back to the 1600’s 10:11 – The Moral Issues Surrounding True Crime & Collecting Murderabilia 12:35 – Murder Ballads 15:11 – Telling a History of Murder in 100 Random Objects 16:22 – Items Harold Could Not Use In His Book 19:08 – Augusta Gein’s, Ed Gein’s Mother, Crucifix Was Gifted 22:55 – New Ed Gein Evidence, Voice Heard For the First Time 24:31 – Harold Schechter Reacts to Hearing Ed Gein’s Voice For The First Time, what he thought it would sound like, vs. what it actually sounded like 27:30 – Did hearing Gein's voice change anything in his psychological profile? 32:33 – Ed Gein Was NOT a Serial Killer, what the term means and where it came from 37:12 – Will Plainfield Ever Exhume More Bodies? 39:12 – Did Ed Gein ever dig up his mother? / HH Holmes Was Afraid That He Woulds Be Grave Robbed 40:56 – The Growing Interest In Ed Gein 42:18 – Robert Bloch (Author of Psycho) only lived 30 miles from Ed Gein When It Happened 44:25 – Albert Fish, Who He Is and Why More People Don’t Know of Him 47:41 – Albert Fish’s Insane Masochism 49:27 – How Long Albert Fish Got Away With His Crimes & How He Got Caught 54:53 – How Albert Fish Preyed & Murdered 55:58 – Harold Was In Contact With Albert Fish’s Legendary Defense Lawyer 59:41 – Harold Visited The Murder Location of Grace Budd 1:03:06 – The Psychological Function of True Crime 1:06:53 – The “Boogeyman” of Harold’s Generation / His Love For Horror / What Scared Him Growing Up 1:09:47 – Signature crimes that define each era / Living in the era of mass murderers 1:14:31 – The Difference Between Mass Murderers & Serial Killers 1:16:07 – History of Mass Murderers / Howard Unruh (The first mass shooting) 1:18:23 – How Much Media Glamorizes Crime / BTK, Son of Sam 1:23:28 – How Harold Schechter Chooses A Killer To Write About 1:27:03 – The Psychological Reason We Are Fascinated By Monsters 1:30:49 – Verifying Stories as far back as the 1800’s / HH Holmes 1:33:05 – AI / ChatGPT Taking Over The World / ChatGPT Wrote Harold A Fake True Crime Story 1:36:59 – Does a fascination in horror & true crime make us more okay with death or more scared of it? 1:42:36 – Why Harold Doesn’t Have Social Media / Go Buy Murderabilia: A History of Crime in 100 Objects 1:44:36 – Outro --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talksfromthecrypt/support

Venture into the depths of the Black Hills Forest as both directors of “The Blair Witch Project”, Dan Myrick and Ed Sanchez, join us on this episode of Talks From The Crypt to uncover the secrets behind one of the world’s most influential horror films of all time. Hear exclusive behind-the-scenes stories that turned a low-budget indie film into a global phenomenon.From its inception to the legacy it left behind, learn about the creative process that brought worldwide attention to an entirely ‘new’ subgenre of horror: found footage. Explore the threads that link "The Blair Witch Project" to other iconic films, including "Cannibal Holocaust", “Faces of Death”, “Man Bites Dog” "Paranormal Activity", and "Cloverfield". Go beyond Blair Witch as we touch upon their inspirations from classics like “The Omen”, “Jacob’s Ladder”, “The Shining”, and “Amityville Horror”. At the end of the episode, Dan and Ed respond to the world's most controversial myths and rumors that have entangled the film for 24 years. -- 🎥 Make sure to subscribe to youtube.com/@TalksFromTheCrypt Follow us: Talks From The Crypt – https://instagram.com/talksfromthecrypt / https://talksfromthecrypt.com Ed Sanchez – https://instagram.com/sanchezonthemic / https://haxan.com Dan Myrick – https://instagram.com/dan_myrick / https://gangofrobots.com – CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Teaser 00:17 – Introduction 00:58 – Dan and Eduardo's Reunion 01:51 – Discussing "The Blair Witch Project" After 24 Years 03:22 – Blair Witch's Popularity & Impact 05:27 – Trailblazing Viral Marketing: “Paranormal Activity” & ”Skinamarink” 06:53 – Internet's Early Days: Misinformation and New Standards 09:22 – Found Footage Pioneers: "Cannibal Holocaust", "Man Bites Dog", "Faces of Death" 13:01 – Coming Up With ”The Blair Witch Project” – One Idea Started It All 15:44 – The State of Collaboration in Film Industry 18:28 – Why Ed & Dan Stopped Collaborating After Blair Witch 23:07 – Dan and Ed's Individual Contributions to Blair Witch 25:32 – Future Collaborations Between Dan and Ed? 27:15 – Reflecting on Their Working Relationship 28:40 – Casting and Selling Fiction as Reality: How They Convinced the World That Heather, Mike, and Josh Were Dead & The Casting Process 32:23 – Doubts Surrounding ”The Blair Witch Project’s” Success 34:36 – The First Screening: Sundance 1999 37:15 – The Moment They Realized “The Blair Witch Project” Redefined Horror 41:09 – Selling the Blair Witch IP: Any Regrets or Creative Control? 43:00 – Satisfaction with Selling the IP to Artisan 45:15 – Blurring the Lines Between Fiction and Reality: Influence on True Crime 49:07 – Could ”The Blair Witch Project” Be Pulled Off Today? 51:50 – Thoughts on Later Found Footage Films: ”Paranormal Activity”, ”Cloverfield” 53:04 – Favorite Horror Subgenres and Films: “The Omen”, “The Shining”, ”It’s Alive”, ”Amityville Horror” 56:57 – Dan & Ed's Current Projects 1:00:37 – The Challenges of Indie Filmmaking 1:02:27 – FACT OR FICTION - Dan and Ed respond to the world's most controversial myths and rumors surrounding ”The Blair Witch Project” (Crypt Notes) 1:02:54 – Crypt Note 1 – Alternate Endings & Fate of the Characters Explained 1:04:50 – Crypt Note 1b– Insight into the Film's Original Cut: ”The Blair Witch Project” Ending Explained 1:08:41 – Crypt Note 2 – The Bundle of Sticks Contained Actual Human Teeth and Hair 1:09:26 – Crypt Note 3 – An 'Actual Witch' is Seen In The Movie 1:12:34 – Crypt Note 4 – Heather Donahue’s Mother Received sympathy Cards from people who believed her daughter was actually dead or missing 1:12:50 – Crypt Note 5 – The actors were given less and less food each day of shooting to promote discord between them on-set 1:14:20 – Crypt Note 6 – One of the cameras was bought at Circuit City and was returned after shooting wrapped 1:15:08 – Crypt Note 7 – The safety word on-set was "Taco" 1:17:50 – Crypt Note 8 – The Blair Witch Project is a snuff film, Mike and Josh lured Heather into the woods to murder her 1:18:53 – Outro --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talksfromthecrypt/support

Delve into the extraordinary life and career of iconic actor and author Michael Berryman, as we get into the tales and fascinating experiences that shaped his journey on this episode of Talks from the Crypt. -- Follow us: Talks From The Crypt – https://instagram.com/talksfromthecrypt / https://talksfromthecrypt.com Michael Berryman – https://instagram.com/michaelberryman_official / https://michaelberryman.com – CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Teaser 00:23 - Introduction 01:35 - Michael Berryman's Book – "It's All Good! A Michael Berryman Memoir...In My Own Words" 03:41 - Michael's Father's Exposure to the Atomic Bomb Dropped in Hiroshima & Nagasaki, The Effects of Nuclear Radiation 07:41 - Michael's Father, A World Renowned Neurosurgeon 09:25 - Michael's Father Ran Tests on Michael's Brain 12:10 - Michael's Time in Catholic School 14:26 - 'Dogma' Means Control 17:08 - The Lessons of Catholicism 18:48 - The Dark Side of Catholicism 22:52 - The Pain & Suffering of Hell 24:31 - Michael's First "Acting Role" as an Altar Boy, Going to Church with Hollywood Royalty at St. Marten of Tours 27:18 - Through the Eyes of the Child Michael Berryman 28:53 - The 60's Revolution - Music, Culture, and Meeting Joni Mitchell at the Troubadour 33:04 - The Military Industrial Complex - An Era of War 39:41 - Growing Up Around the War and Nuclear Bombs 44:02 - Michael's Family Involvement with Indigenous Native American Tribes, How They Saved His Grandmother's Life 49:24 - Movies At The Time That Changed Michael's Perspective - 2001: A Space Odyssey, Universal Monsters, and The Exorcist 51:21 - Michael's Experience with Real Exorcisms 52:29 - Having Nightmares 53:35 - The Psychological Satisfaction of Fear - The Origins of Haunted Houses 56:25 - Films That Influenced Michael's Acting Career 59:27 - Growing Up With the Fear of a Nuclear Holocaust, Modern Youth's Challenges, and Corporate Globalism 01:01:13 - Science Fiction Movies and Cautionary Tales 01:08:28 - Living through Hillside Strangler, Manson, Ramirez / Michael's Run-In With a Charles Manson Copycat 01:11:38 - Wes Craven’s “The Last House on The Left” Changed Horror Forever 01:12:45 - Being into Horror Throughout Life / Scaring the Babysitter 01:14:47 - Universal Monsters 01:15:34 - Hammer Remakes of Universal Monsters 01:16:02 - Blacula / Ken Foree 01:16:37 - Why Michael Loves Starring in Horror Films 01:18:00 - How the Film & Horror Industry Have Evolved Over the Years of His Acting Career 01:20:53 - Independent & International Films 01:22:52 - Michael's Start as an Actor in Hollywood 01:27:21 - Filming Doc Savage 01:28:41 - Being Cast in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest as a Lobotomy Patient 01:31:05 - Filming One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest in Salem 01:32:28 - Getting to know Jack Nicholson, Christopher Lloyd, Louise Fletcher, and Danny DeVito While Filming One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 01:33:40 - Partying with Christopher Lloyd while Filming One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 01:36:00 - Jack Nicholson Walking Off the Set of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest 01:39:20 - Running into 'Film Families' at Horror Conventions 01:41:33 - Spending Time with Real Mental Patients 01:46:43 - Louise Fletcher's (Nurse Ratched) Controversial Oscar Winning Speech 01:49:25 - Watching One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with Michael's Father Before His Passing 01:50:36 - Getting Cast into The Hills Have Eyes / His Reaction to Working with Wes craven & the Violent Script for His First Horror Film 01:52:03 - The Brutal and Ironic Theme of The Hills Have Eyes – Family Values 01:53:07 - Michael's Health Conditions While Filming The Hills Have Eyes 01:54:32 - Ruggero Deodato's "Cut and Run" / Staying in Good Health While Filming 01:56:54 - Talking with Fans at Horror Conventions 01:57:54 - Do Celebrities Enjoy Doing Conventions? / Robert Englund & Norman Reedus 01:59:53 - The Most important Aspect of an Actor's Life 02:01:56 - What Michael Berryman Is Up To Now 02:04:28 - Michael's Philosophy and Advice 02:09:18 - Outro --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talksfromthecrypt/support