CategoryDocumentaries
True-crime and horror documentaries — real cases, real crimes, and the films that retell them.
375 stories
DocumentariesFilm FestivalsMoviesReviews
Although in the documentary Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on the Exorcist Friedkin is the only on-camera subject interviewed, the film is riveting stuff throughout its 104-minute running time. The director gives a master class on filmmaking while providing a behind-the-scenes account of what is inarguably one of the greatest horror films ever made. Director Alexandre O. Philippe (who helmed the incredible and highly recommended 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene) conducts a sit-down interview with Friedkin, who plainly and boldly speaks about the singular mindset he had for The Exorcist, from marking up a hardback copy of William Peter Blatty’s source novel so he could convey exactly what he wanted for the film, through the arduous process of getting the film rolling on production, to anecdotes about how he got the actors to give the terrific performances they did in certain scenes, to the film’s enduring legacy. It’s interesting to also hear who and what didn’t appear in the film, including
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMoviesReviews
Jayne Mansfield, apparently quite the international jet-setter, is kind enough to take us along on her last tour around the globe. Make sure you take your Dramamine as I suspect this is going to be a bumpy-ass ride… We start off in Rome, where Jayne just putzes around nearly deserted streets (in black and white footage… remember this)… but c’mon, Jayne is a big star, they aren’t really selling it… oh, wait… thankfully stock footage of countless people looking at… something… has been spliced in (via color footage). Ciao Bella Mrs. Mansfield… After more stock footage, some people eventually show up and Jayne gets her ass pinched (which may be more stock footage… but definitely involves a look-alike) in the middle of the afternoon, watches some ladies take their clothes off, fills us in on the games of the coliseums (via scenes from an old Hercules picture and a rando soccer game), fantasizes about dragons and ancient orgies (thankfully not
Continue reading →
DocumentariesForeignMoviesReviews
After a big spoon of hippie-dippy bullshit (set to some pseudo-Vic Damone crooning) that attempts to rationalize the horrors we will doubtfully soon witness, Mondo Balordo gets underway… … and in less than five minutes we get handicapped, and possibly deranged, people busking, a man that can inflate his stomach to asinine degrees, and sex with a midget prostitute… fuck me (but not like our little person harlot), this is going to be a bumpy ride… oh, and Boris Karloff of all people is mixed up in this too… Moving on we get a thick stew of Hercules flick stock-footage, exercises to reinvigorate the tiddies of ol’ biddies, strip shows, light S&M, female rasslin’ … and so much, much more. Also a blonde-haired Buddy Holly clone sings some song that is an unholy combination of ’50’s rock mixed with the manic energy of Guitar Wolf set to images of native peoples dancing to god knows what… honestly, that was my
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMoviesNewsTrailersTrue Story
Joe R. Lansdale has created an incredible legacy, writing films such as Bubba Ho-Tep, Masters of Horror, and Cold Jury, as well as series episodes for “Creepshow (2019)”, “Hap and Leonard”, and “Batman: The Animated Series”. That legacy will be explored in the new documentary All Hail the Popcorn King. Filmmaker Hansi Oppenheimer paints a vivid picture of award-winning author and screenwriter and martial artist Joe R.Lansdale in what’s been described as a “five-star” film (GrimdarkMagazine). Chronicling the life and career of the Lone Star State’s “writer of the purple rage” (The Austin Chronicle), the acclaimed documentary also features new interviews with the likes of Bruce Campbell, James Purefoy, Joe Hill, Don Coscarelli, Mick Garris, Del Howison, Amber Benson, novelist David J. Schow, and former Fangoria editor Tony Timpone. All Hail The Popcorn King has been touring the country and will be released wider over the coming months. Oppenheimer produced the fan-centric creative event SqueeCon 12/18, produces a podcast, The
Continue reading →
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Amazon Prime VideoDocumentariesMoviesNewsStreaming TVTrailersTrue CrimeTrue Story
True crime buffs, we’ve got news for you, the documentary Yancey McCord: The Killer that Arizona Forgot About has just landed on Amazon Prime Video. Who is Yancey McCord? He is believed to have committed the familicide of the Jenkins clan in Kindred Township, Arizona in 1961. The victims included both parents, three children, and two visiting cousins resulting in seven gruesome deaths in one home. McCord was taken in and held in custody. But sixteen hours later, he went missing after either an escape or release by the community’s only police officer. McCord was never pursued by authorities for this crime, essentially slipping through the cracks for nearly 60 years after disappearing from Kindred… until now. Stunned by the event, the unincorporated township of Kindred went from a population of 171 to an estimated 30 within 5 years, becoming a real ghost town. Is Yancey McCord still in Arizona? Free or imprisoned? Dead or alive? The answers are unbelievable
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMovies
Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street is a documentary about how Mark Patton’s life and acting career were negatively impacted after he toplined A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985), and how that ultimately led him to becoming a positive voice for a new generation of horror fans, gay and straight alike. A young closeted gay man trying to make a name for himself when AIDS made headlines and claimed the lives and livelihoods of gay men, Patton disappeared from the public eye for decades and blamed Freddy’s Revenge writer David Chaskin for being a major reason why he chose to do so. Scream, Queen! is a poignant journey from Patton’s childhood and his decision to leave home and take a chance on an acting career in New York City to his rather sudden rise to becoming a Broadway star and the lead in Freddy’s Revenge, to his being discovered living an anonymous lifestyle in Mexico by
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMoviesNewsStreaming TVThrillerTrue CrimeTrue Story
In 1981, after years of intimidation and brutality, the town bully Ken Rex McElroy is gun downed in broad daylight in front of 60 witnesses in the small town of Skidmore, Missouri, but no one saw a thing or at least that’s what they claim to this very day. Blumhouse’s docuseries “No One Saw A Thing” delves into the case that garnered international attention and remains one of the most interesting true-crime mysteries today. Award-winning Israeli filmmaker Avi Belkin (Mike Wallace Is Here, Sundance 2019 Premiere) directs and serves as executive producer of the six-episode series, which is also executive produced by Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, and Marci Wiseman and co-executive produced by Mary Lisio as part of Blumhouse Television. Delirio’s Rafael Marmor and Christopher Leggett (Hunting ISIS, Honey Boy, Mike Wallace Is Here) also serve as executive producers. The six-episode series “No One Saw A Thing” is now available on the Sundance Channel.
Continue reading →
DocumentariesShudder
Cursed Films, the original five-part documentary series from streaming service Shudder, strives to examine the facts behind the rumors and the tragic events that affected the making of some beloved classic horror movies produced in the 1970s and 1980s. These cinematic offerings have been deemed cursed, often because of urban legend and gossip. After launching with impressive episodes about The Exorcist, Poltergeist, and The Omen that offered rational considerations of their topics, the series wraps up with equally engaging looks at The Crow and Twilight Zone: The Movie. As he did so well regarding the tragic deaths of young stars Heather O’Rourke and Dominique Dunne in the Cursed Films: Poltergeist installment, series writer/director/editor Jay Cheel once again provides poignant, respectful views on how on-set deaths and accidents affect those close to the victims — from those who worked with Brandon Lee on The Crow and with Vic Morrow and the two young child actors on Twilight Zone: The Movie to
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMoviesReviews
Love his films or hate them (but seriously though… how could you hate such delightful exploitation goodness?) there’s no denying that legendary director Al Adamson had one hell of a life… a life detailed in Severin’s newest Blu-ray release; Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson! Most of you lot are no doubt familiar with Adamson; the shit-kickin’ indie filmmaker that dabbled in all manner of drive-in fare featuring everything from monsters to bikers to secret agents (and so much more) and served up well-seasoned with a dash of John Carradine here, a tit or two there… and pure insanity all around. Seriously just look some of these titles and tell me they aren’t pure rad-ass awesome: Dracula vs. Frankenstein, Satan’s Sadists, Horror of the Blood Monsters… those are fried ghoulish gold thru and thru! Now that’s all freaky fun n’ gory games, but unfortunately Adamson’s life ended up as a true horror show as
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMoviesNewsParanormalTrailers
The House in Between is heading to On Demand this May, documenting what may very well be the most haunted location in America. Starring Steve Gonsalves (Ghost Nation, Ghost Hunters) and John Bullard, a paranormal investigator as they embark on the first-ever decade-long investigation. Bridging the paranormal, real science and the human experience this documentary shows a detailed look at what could be the most haunted house in America. After a life-changing paranormal experience, Alice Jackson has refused to spend another night in her own home. Looking for answers she opened her house up to investigators who have conducted the first-ever, decade long paranormal investigation. Who or what is haunting her home? A beautiful documentary telling the real story of a homeowner, and the team looking for answers that will get Alice back into her house. This film is not only scary, but it’s also a thought-provoking look at what it’s like to live with a haunting. Bridging the paranormal,
Continue reading →
More from Documentaries
DocumentariesFilm FestivalsMoviesReviews
Although in the documentary Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on the Exorcist Friedkin is the only on-camera subject interviewed, the film is riveting stuff throughout its 104-minute running time. The director gives a master class on filmmaking while providing a behind-the-scenes account of what is inarguably one of the greatest horror films ever made. Director Alexandre O. Philippe (who helmed the incredible and highly recommended 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene) conducts a sit-down interview with Friedkin, who plainly and boldly speaks about the singular mindset he had for The Exorcist, from marking up a hardback copy of William Peter Blatty’s source novel so he could convey exactly what he wanted for the film, through the arduous process of getting the film rolling on production, to anecdotes about how he got the actors to give the terrific performances they did in certain scenes, to the film’s enduring legacy. It’s interesting to also hear who and what didn’t appear in the film, including
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMoviesReviews
Jayne Mansfield, apparently quite the international jet-setter, is kind enough to take us along on her last tour around the globe. Make sure you take your Dramamine as I suspect this is going to be a bumpy-ass ride… We start off in Rome, where Jayne just putzes around nearly deserted streets (in black and white footage… remember this)… but c’mon, Jayne is a big star, they aren’t really selling it… oh, wait… thankfully stock footage of countless people looking at… something… has been spliced in (via color footage). Ciao Bella Mrs. Mansfield… After more stock footage, some people eventually show up and Jayne gets her ass pinched (which may be more stock footage… but definitely involves a look-alike) in the middle of the afternoon, watches some ladies take their clothes off, fills us in on the games of the coliseums (via scenes from an old Hercules picture and a rando soccer game), fantasizes about dragons and ancient orgies (thankfully not
Continue reading →
DocumentariesForeignMoviesReviews
After a big spoon of hippie-dippy bullshit (set to some pseudo-Vic Damone crooning) that attempts to rationalize the horrors we will doubtfully soon witness, Mondo Balordo gets underway… … and in less than five minutes we get handicapped, and possibly deranged, people busking, a man that can inflate his stomach to asinine degrees, and sex with a midget prostitute… fuck me (but not like our little person harlot), this is going to be a bumpy ride… oh, and Boris Karloff of all people is mixed up in this too… Moving on we get a thick stew of Hercules flick stock-footage, exercises to reinvigorate the tiddies of ol’ biddies, strip shows, light S&M, female rasslin’ … and so much, much more. Also a blonde-haired Buddy Holly clone sings some song that is an unholy combination of ’50’s rock mixed with the manic energy of Guitar Wolf set to images of native peoples dancing to god knows what… honestly, that was my
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMoviesNewsTrailersTrue Story
Joe R. Lansdale has created an incredible legacy, writing films such as Bubba Ho-Tep, Masters of Horror, and Cold Jury, as well as series episodes for “Creepshow (2019)”, “Hap and Leonard”, and “Batman: The Animated Series”. That legacy will be explored in the new documentary All Hail the Popcorn King. Filmmaker Hansi Oppenheimer paints a vivid picture of award-winning author and screenwriter and martial artist Joe R.Lansdale in what’s been described as a “five-star” film (GrimdarkMagazine). Chronicling the life and career of the Lone Star State’s “writer of the purple rage” (The Austin Chronicle), the acclaimed documentary also features new interviews with the likes of Bruce Campbell, James Purefoy, Joe Hill, Don Coscarelli, Mick Garris, Del Howison, Amber Benson, novelist David J. Schow, and former Fangoria editor Tony Timpone. All Hail The Popcorn King has been touring the country and will be released wider over the coming months. Oppenheimer produced the fan-centric creative event SqueeCon 12/18, produces a podcast, The
Continue reading →
Amazon Prime VideoDocumentariesMoviesNewsStreaming TVTrailersTrue CrimeTrue Story
True crime buffs, we’ve got news for you, the documentary Yancey McCord: The Killer that Arizona Forgot About has just landed on Amazon Prime Video. Who is Yancey McCord? He is believed to have committed the familicide of the Jenkins clan in Kindred Township, Arizona in 1961. The victims included both parents, three children, and two visiting cousins resulting in seven gruesome deaths in one home. McCord was taken in and held in custody. But sixteen hours later, he went missing after either an escape or release by the community’s only police officer. McCord was never pursued by authorities for this crime, essentially slipping through the cracks for nearly 60 years after disappearing from Kindred… until now. Stunned by the event, the unincorporated township of Kindred went from a population of 171 to an estimated 30 within 5 years, becoming a real ghost town. Is Yancey McCord still in Arizona? Free or imprisoned? Dead or alive? The answers are unbelievable
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMovies
Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street is a documentary about how Mark Patton’s life and acting career were negatively impacted after he toplined A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985), and how that ultimately led him to becoming a positive voice for a new generation of horror fans, gay and straight alike. A young closeted gay man trying to make a name for himself when AIDS made headlines and claimed the lives and livelihoods of gay men, Patton disappeared from the public eye for decades and blamed Freddy’s Revenge writer David Chaskin for being a major reason why he chose to do so. Scream, Queen! is a poignant journey from Patton’s childhood and his decision to leave home and take a chance on an acting career in New York City to his rather sudden rise to becoming a Broadway star and the lead in Freddy’s Revenge, to his being discovered living an anonymous lifestyle in Mexico by
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMoviesNewsStreaming TVThrillerTrue CrimeTrue Story
In 1981, after years of intimidation and brutality, the town bully Ken Rex McElroy is gun downed in broad daylight in front of 60 witnesses in the small town of Skidmore, Missouri, but no one saw a thing or at least that’s what they claim to this very day. Blumhouse’s docuseries “No One Saw A Thing” delves into the case that garnered international attention and remains one of the most interesting true-crime mysteries today. Award-winning Israeli filmmaker Avi Belkin (Mike Wallace Is Here, Sundance 2019 Premiere) directs and serves as executive producer of the six-episode series, which is also executive produced by Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, and Marci Wiseman and co-executive produced by Mary Lisio as part of Blumhouse Television. Delirio’s Rafael Marmor and Christopher Leggett (Hunting ISIS, Honey Boy, Mike Wallace Is Here) also serve as executive producers. The six-episode series “No One Saw A Thing” is now available on the Sundance Channel.
Continue reading →
DocumentariesShudder
Cursed Films, the original five-part documentary series from streaming service Shudder, strives to examine the facts behind the rumors and the tragic events that affected the making of some beloved classic horror movies produced in the 1970s and 1980s. These cinematic offerings have been deemed cursed, often because of urban legend and gossip. After launching with impressive episodes about The Exorcist, Poltergeist, and The Omen that offered rational considerations of their topics, the series wraps up with equally engaging looks at The Crow and Twilight Zone: The Movie. As he did so well regarding the tragic deaths of young stars Heather O’Rourke and Dominique Dunne in the Cursed Films: Poltergeist installment, series writer/director/editor Jay Cheel once again provides poignant, respectful views on how on-set deaths and accidents affect those close to the victims — from those who worked with Brandon Lee on The Crow and with Vic Morrow and the two young child actors on Twilight Zone: The Movie to
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMoviesReviews
Love his films or hate them (but seriously though… how could you hate such delightful exploitation goodness?) there’s no denying that legendary director Al Adamson had one hell of a life… a life detailed in Severin’s newest Blu-ray release; Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson! Most of you lot are no doubt familiar with Adamson; the shit-kickin’ indie filmmaker that dabbled in all manner of drive-in fare featuring everything from monsters to bikers to secret agents (and so much more) and served up well-seasoned with a dash of John Carradine here, a tit or two there… and pure insanity all around. Seriously just look some of these titles and tell me they aren’t pure rad-ass awesome: Dracula vs. Frankenstein, Satan’s Sadists, Horror of the Blood Monsters… those are fried ghoulish gold thru and thru! Now that’s all freaky fun n’ gory games, but unfortunately Adamson’s life ended up as a true horror show as
Continue reading →
DocumentariesMoviesNewsParanormalTrailers
The House in Between is heading to On Demand this May, documenting what may very well be the most haunted location in America. Starring Steve Gonsalves (Ghost Nation, Ghost Hunters) and John Bullard, a paranormal investigator as they embark on the first-ever decade-long investigation. Bridging the paranormal, real science and the human experience this documentary shows a detailed look at what could be the most haunted house in America. After a life-changing paranormal experience, Alice Jackson has refused to spend another night in her own home. Looking for answers she opened her house up to investigators who have conducted the first-ever, decade long paranormal investigation. Who or what is haunting her home? A beautiful documentary telling the real story of a homeowner, and the team looking for answers that will get Alice back into her house. This film is not only scary, but it’s also a thought-provoking look at what it’s like to live with a haunting. Bridging the paranormal,
Continue reading →
