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True-crime and horror documentaries — real cases, real crimes, and the films that retell them.

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New Documentary Explores The Effects Of Horror On Mental Health

New Documentary Explores The Effects Of Horror On Mental Health

For years, horror movies have been accused of negatively affecting mental health. In fact, you’re parents probably told “Those movies are going to warp your mind,” at least once. God knows I’ve heard it a thousand times from mine. But is that really the case? A new documentary will explore the connection between horror fans, the films they love to fear, and mental health. Mental Health and Horror: A Documentary, from director Jonathan Barkan, discusses the impact horror films can have. Since launching over 6 months ago, this project has added many voices from horror icons, fans, film critics, historians, directors, writers, and professionals from the mental health world. New cast members have just been announced, including Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Nightbreed), Jhonen Vasquez (JTHM, Squee, I Feel Sick, Invader Zim), American McGee (American McGee’s Alice, Alice: Madness Returns), and Sara ‘Chibi’ Taylor (Lead Singer of The Birthday Massacre). They join previously announced speakers Paddy Murphy (The Perished),

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Feb 17, 2022
Wisconsin's MidWest WeirdFest Invites You to Experience Monsters, Mayhem, and the Mysterious

Wisconsin’s MidWest WeirdFest Invites You to Experience Monsters, Mayhem, and the Mysterious

If you have a cinematic taste for the odd, the unusual, and the frightening, Wisconsin’s MidWest WeirdFest has just what you are craving! The film festival has announced the full lineup for its March 4-6 run this year, and it’s fantastic! Along with two films previously reviewed on Horror Fuel — Night Caller and Crabs! — the fest serves up a smorgasbord of cinematic strangeness. The official press announcement follows. MidWest WeirdFest announces its full program for 2022 today. The 6th annual film festival – a cinematic celebration of of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird – takes place March 4-6, 2022 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Among the fest’s fantastic line-up of horror, sci-fi, underground and documentary cinema, are a number of films world premiering at the event. One of these is HAIR-TRIGGER, a genre-bending crime caper come rural horror movie. “HAIR-TRIGGER is truly a product of the region,” says the feature

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Feb 16, 2022
Documentary Review: 'The Missing Children' Is A True Crime Story You Need To See

Heartbreaking & Horrific 3-Part True Crime Documentary ‘The Missing Children’ Premiering On Topic

Real-life tragedies are often far more frightening than those in horror films. The documentary The Missing Children explores the tragedies and horrors that occurred at the Irish Tuam Home, where the bodies of 796 babies were discovered buried in a septic tank. Hundreds of children died of neglect or were adopted, often illegally, from the notorious institution run by Bon Secours nuns. “40 years ago, thousands of children were snatched from unwed mothers in Ireland at the behest of the Catholic Church. The remains of 796 of them were found in a septic tank of a Mother and Baby home run by Catholic nuns – many more were trafficked to the US in forced adoptions, and thousands are still unaccounted for. How was this allowed to occur and who is to be held accountable? The Missing Children is an extraordinary true crime story that exposes the Catholic Church’s involvement in the trafficking, neglect, and suspicious deaths of babies born to

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Feb 14, 2022
New Documentary 'Destination Fear: Trail To Terror' Takes Fans Back To Where It All Began

New Documentary ‘Destination Fear: Trail To Terror’ Takes Fans Back To Where It All Began

Experience the beginning of a fear-seeking journey with Destination Fear: Trail to Terror, the film that documents the inaugural road trip that blazed a path to the hit series “Destination Fear!” Destination Fear: Trail to Terror documents Dakota Laden’s very first experiment with fear as he takes his sister Chelsea, and friends Tanner and Colin on a harrowing and unforgettable journey to America’s most haunted locations. At long last, “Destination Fear” fans get the chance to witness the beginning and experience the maiden road trip that kickstarted an insatiable fear-seeking mission in ‘Destination Fear: Trail to Terror,’ the two-hour documentary directed and hosted by Dakota Laden, is premiering exclusively to discovery+ on Thursday, February 24, 2022. As the genesis for the hit TV series “Destination Fear,” the much-anticipated film – shot in 2015 and debuting for the first time on any entertainment platform – documents Dakota’s inaugural experiment with fear, resulting in a harrowing and unforgettable experience that would change

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Feb 10, 2022
MidWest WeirdFest Premieres New UFO Documentary Featuring Whitley Strieber

MidWest WeirdFest Premieres New UFO Documentary Featuring Whitley Strieber

Whitley Strieber is well known as both a horror novelist (The Hunger and Wolfen) and for his nonfiction work as someone who has experienced the paranormal (Communion). He appears in the film Alien Abduction: Answers, a new documentary on UFOs that will receive its world premiere in March at MidWest WeirdFest in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Following is the official press announcement. A major new documentary on the UFO subject will world premiere at the 6th annual MidWest WeirdFest. The film festival takes place at Micon Cinemas in downtown Eau Claire, Wisconsin from March 4-6, 2022. The documentary, Alien Abduction: Answers, is directed by John Yost. It features world famous writer and alien abductee Whitley Strieber, author of the best-selling Communion book series. “By articulating the ordeal of abduction in his uniquely brilliant and personal style in Alien Abduction: Answers, Whitley Strieber has allowed all of us to share in experiences that challenge ordinary reality and the meaning of life itself.”

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Feb 3, 2022
Two Out Of This World Documentaries Premiere This February On Discovery+

Two Out Of This World Documentaries Premiere This February On Discovery+

Discovery+ has teamed up with the Emmy Award-Winning production company 1895 Films for renowned high-quality documentary programming headed by journalist turned-filmmaker Tom Jennings. On February 18th, Discovery+ will premiere two all-new out-of-this-world documentaries brought by 1895 Films, ALIEN ABDUCTION: BETTY AND BARNEY HILL and ALIEN ABDUCTION: TRAVIS WALTON. The mysterious alleged abductions are among the most well-documented in history. Tom weaves archival footage together with haunting interviews, as eerie experiences are recounted by eyewitnesses and victims. Exclusive audio tapes capture some of the most fascinating and frightening close encounters ever reported. And despite the decades elapsed since these incidents, well-preserved evidence puts modern forensic technologies to task, as investigators now seek conclusive proof of extraterrestrial claims and contacts. ALIEN ABDUCTION: BETTY AND BARNEY HILL In September 1961, Betty and Barney Hill were driving home to New Hampshire from a honeymoon trip when they made a shocking discovery and came face-to-face with a UFO. When they could not shake the feeling

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Feb 2, 2022
True Crime Docuseries 'Thunder: The Life and Death of Arturo Gatti' Announced

True Crime Docuseries ‘Thunder: The Life and Death of Arturo Gatti’ Announced

ScoreG Productions and Super Channel have teamed up to release a new revealing three-part true-crime docuseries, Thunder: The Life and Death of Arturo Gatti, a chronicle of the original “blood and guts warrior” and his illustrious career with never-before-seen evidence surrounding his mysterious death. Arturo Gatti is one of the most remarkable yet heartbreaking stories that need to be told in an episodic documentary series. From the Italian neighborhood of St. Leonard in Montréal to the boxing rings of New Jersey, and his enormous success in Atlantic City, Thunder celebrates the life of this legendary throwback fighter in all his guts and glory. Many called him a “throwback fighter” or an “old school gladiator”. On July 11, 2009, while on vacation with his family in Brazil, Gatti was found dead in his hotel room of apparent suicide, at the age of 37. His wife, Amanda Rodriquez reportedly woke up to discover his body and repeatedly stated to police that she

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 31, 2022
True Crime Doc 'Suburban Nightmare: Chris Watts' Now Streaming Free On Tubi

True Crime Doc ‘Suburban Nightmare: Chris Watts’ Now Streaming Free On Tubi

In August of 2018, Shannon Watts and her two young daughters disappeared without a trace. Everyone quickly turned their gaze to the picture-perfect life she shared with her husband Chris. But it all came crashing down when Chris made a shocking confession. The 33-year-old father and husband confessed that he had strangled his beautiful, pregnant wife and their two young daughters before disposing of their bodies at a remote worksite, shocking the nation. Now, a two-hour special, Suburban Nightmare: Chris Watts, will delve into the shocking crime in gripping detail through examining the Watt’s own social media posts, as well as news reports, crime scene photos, and archival materials. Those with intimate knowledge of the brutal killings, including investigators, friends of the family, psychologists, and social media experts, speak out in interviews and new experts weigh in on this devasting case and the term “family annihilator”—looking to give us answers to the question we were all asking ourselves, “why?” Watch

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 14, 2022
Watch Indie Films Free On The Streaming Service IndieBox

Watch Indie Films Free On The Streaming Service IndieBox

Are you a fan of indie films? Tired of paying the monthly subscriptions? Then we’ve got a must-have channel for you. From Bayview Entertainment comes the FREE movie channel IndieBox, your home for free award-winning independent feature films and documentaries, from horror to comedy and everything in-between. The carefully curated library features the best discoveries from around the world, all with instant and unlimited access. Download IndieBox now on Roku, LG, and on Fire TV.

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 11, 2022
Netflix Explores The Torso Killer In New Doc series 'Crimes Scene: The Times Square Killer'

Netflix Explores The Torso Killer In New Doc series ‘Crimes Scene: The Times Square Killer’

Netflix is continuing to explore the world of true crime with their new three-part documentary series Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer that focuses on the serial killer that stalked Times Square in the 70s and 80s, believed to have taken over 100 lives. In December of 1979 firemen responded to a call at a seedy hotel in the middle of Times Square, what they discover among the smoke and ash shocked even the most seasoned NYC homicide detectives, triggering a hunt for a vicious serial killer who preyed upon sex workers operating within Times Square’s then-booming, anything-goes sex industry, leading to the arrest of Richard Cottingham, also known as the “Torso Killer,” who was arrested in May of 1980 after the muffled screams of his last victim alerted hotel staff as he tortured her, assaulting her which included him nearly biting her nipple clean off. The three-part series takes viewers deep into the investigation, detailing the social and systemic

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Dec 31, 2021

More from Documentaries

New Documentary Explores The Effects Of Horror On Mental Health

New Documentary Explores The Effects Of Horror On Mental Health

For years, horror movies have been accused of negatively affecting mental health. In fact, you’re parents probably told “Those movies are going to warp your mind,” at least once. God knows I’ve heard it a thousand times from mine. But is that really the case? A new documentary will explore the connection between horror fans, the films they love to fear, and mental health. Mental Health and Horror: A Documentary, from director Jonathan Barkan, discusses the impact horror films can have. Since launching over 6 months ago, this project has added many voices from horror icons, fans, film critics, historians, directors, writers, and professionals from the mental health world. New cast members have just been announced, including Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Nightbreed), Jhonen Vasquez (JTHM, Squee, I Feel Sick, Invader Zim), American McGee (American McGee’s Alice, Alice: Madness Returns), and Sara ‘Chibi’ Taylor (Lead Singer of The Birthday Massacre). They join previously announced speakers Paddy Murphy (The Perished),

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Feb 17, 2022
Wisconsin's MidWest WeirdFest Invites You to Experience Monsters, Mayhem, and the Mysterious

Wisconsin’s MidWest WeirdFest Invites You to Experience Monsters, Mayhem, and the Mysterious

If you have a cinematic taste for the odd, the unusual, and the frightening, Wisconsin’s MidWest WeirdFest has just what you are craving! The film festival has announced the full lineup for its March 4-6 run this year, and it’s fantastic! Along with two films previously reviewed on Horror Fuel — Night Caller and Crabs! — the fest serves up a smorgasbord of cinematic strangeness. The official press announcement follows. MidWest WeirdFest announces its full program for 2022 today. The 6th annual film festival – a cinematic celebration of of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird – takes place March 4-6, 2022 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Among the fest’s fantastic line-up of horror, sci-fi, underground and documentary cinema, are a number of films world premiering at the event. One of these is HAIR-TRIGGER, a genre-bending crime caper come rural horror movie. “HAIR-TRIGGER is truly a product of the region,” says the feature

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Feb 16, 2022
Documentary Review: 'The Missing Children' Is A True Crime Story You Need To See

Heartbreaking & Horrific 3-Part True Crime Documentary ‘The Missing Children’ Premiering On Topic

Real-life tragedies are often far more frightening than those in horror films. The documentary The Missing Children explores the tragedies and horrors that occurred at the Irish Tuam Home, where the bodies of 796 babies were discovered buried in a septic tank. Hundreds of children died of neglect or were adopted, often illegally, from the notorious institution run by Bon Secours nuns. “40 years ago, thousands of children were snatched from unwed mothers in Ireland at the behest of the Catholic Church. The remains of 796 of them were found in a septic tank of a Mother and Baby home run by Catholic nuns – many more were trafficked to the US in forced adoptions, and thousands are still unaccounted for. How was this allowed to occur and who is to be held accountable? The Missing Children is an extraordinary true crime story that exposes the Catholic Church’s involvement in the trafficking, neglect, and suspicious deaths of babies born to

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Feb 14, 2022
New Documentary 'Destination Fear: Trail To Terror' Takes Fans Back To Where It All Began

New Documentary ‘Destination Fear: Trail To Terror’ Takes Fans Back To Where It All Began

Experience the beginning of a fear-seeking journey with Destination Fear: Trail to Terror, the film that documents the inaugural road trip that blazed a path to the hit series “Destination Fear!” Destination Fear: Trail to Terror documents Dakota Laden’s very first experiment with fear as he takes his sister Chelsea, and friends Tanner and Colin on a harrowing and unforgettable journey to America’s most haunted locations. At long last, “Destination Fear” fans get the chance to witness the beginning and experience the maiden road trip that kickstarted an insatiable fear-seeking mission in ‘Destination Fear: Trail to Terror,’ the two-hour documentary directed and hosted by Dakota Laden, is premiering exclusively to discovery+ on Thursday, February 24, 2022. As the genesis for the hit TV series “Destination Fear,” the much-anticipated film – shot in 2015 and debuting for the first time on any entertainment platform – documents Dakota’s inaugural experiment with fear, resulting in a harrowing and unforgettable experience that would change

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Feb 10, 2022
MidWest WeirdFest Premieres New UFO Documentary Featuring Whitley Strieber

MidWest WeirdFest Premieres New UFO Documentary Featuring Whitley Strieber

Whitley Strieber is well known as both a horror novelist (The Hunger and Wolfen) and for his nonfiction work as someone who has experienced the paranormal (Communion). He appears in the film Alien Abduction: Answers, a new documentary on UFOs that will receive its world premiere in March at MidWest WeirdFest in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Following is the official press announcement. A major new documentary on the UFO subject will world premiere at the 6th annual MidWest WeirdFest. The film festival takes place at Micon Cinemas in downtown Eau Claire, Wisconsin from March 4-6, 2022. The documentary, Alien Abduction: Answers, is directed by John Yost. It features world famous writer and alien abductee Whitley Strieber, author of the best-selling Communion book series. “By articulating the ordeal of abduction in his uniquely brilliant and personal style in Alien Abduction: Answers, Whitley Strieber has allowed all of us to share in experiences that challenge ordinary reality and the meaning of life itself.”

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Feb 3, 2022
Two Out Of This World Documentaries Premiere This February On Discovery+

Two Out Of This World Documentaries Premiere This February On Discovery+

Discovery+ has teamed up with the Emmy Award-Winning production company 1895 Films for renowned high-quality documentary programming headed by journalist turned-filmmaker Tom Jennings. On February 18th, Discovery+ will premiere two all-new out-of-this-world documentaries brought by 1895 Films, ALIEN ABDUCTION: BETTY AND BARNEY HILL and ALIEN ABDUCTION: TRAVIS WALTON. The mysterious alleged abductions are among the most well-documented in history. Tom weaves archival footage together with haunting interviews, as eerie experiences are recounted by eyewitnesses and victims. Exclusive audio tapes capture some of the most fascinating and frightening close encounters ever reported. And despite the decades elapsed since these incidents, well-preserved evidence puts modern forensic technologies to task, as investigators now seek conclusive proof of extraterrestrial claims and contacts. ALIEN ABDUCTION: BETTY AND BARNEY HILL In September 1961, Betty and Barney Hill were driving home to New Hampshire from a honeymoon trip when they made a shocking discovery and came face-to-face with a UFO. When they could not shake the feeling

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Feb 2, 2022
True Crime Docuseries 'Thunder: The Life and Death of Arturo Gatti' Announced

True Crime Docuseries ‘Thunder: The Life and Death of Arturo Gatti’ Announced

ScoreG Productions and Super Channel have teamed up to release a new revealing three-part true-crime docuseries, Thunder: The Life and Death of Arturo Gatti, a chronicle of the original “blood and guts warrior” and his illustrious career with never-before-seen evidence surrounding his mysterious death. Arturo Gatti is one of the most remarkable yet heartbreaking stories that need to be told in an episodic documentary series. From the Italian neighborhood of St. Leonard in Montréal to the boxing rings of New Jersey, and his enormous success in Atlantic City, Thunder celebrates the life of this legendary throwback fighter in all his guts and glory. Many called him a “throwback fighter” or an “old school gladiator”. On July 11, 2009, while on vacation with his family in Brazil, Gatti was found dead in his hotel room of apparent suicide, at the age of 37. His wife, Amanda Rodriquez reportedly woke up to discover his body and repeatedly stated to police that she

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 31, 2022
True Crime Doc 'Suburban Nightmare: Chris Watts' Now Streaming Free On Tubi

True Crime Doc ‘Suburban Nightmare: Chris Watts’ Now Streaming Free On Tubi

In August of 2018, Shannon Watts and her two young daughters disappeared without a trace. Everyone quickly turned their gaze to the picture-perfect life she shared with her husband Chris. But it all came crashing down when Chris made a shocking confession. The 33-year-old father and husband confessed that he had strangled his beautiful, pregnant wife and their two young daughters before disposing of their bodies at a remote worksite, shocking the nation. Now, a two-hour special, Suburban Nightmare: Chris Watts, will delve into the shocking crime in gripping detail through examining the Watt’s own social media posts, as well as news reports, crime scene photos, and archival materials. Those with intimate knowledge of the brutal killings, including investigators, friends of the family, psychologists, and social media experts, speak out in interviews and new experts weigh in on this devasting case and the term “family annihilator”—looking to give us answers to the question we were all asking ourselves, “why?” Watch

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 14, 2022
Watch Indie Films Free On The Streaming Service IndieBox

Watch Indie Films Free On The Streaming Service IndieBox

Are you a fan of indie films? Tired of paying the monthly subscriptions? Then we’ve got a must-have channel for you. From Bayview Entertainment comes the FREE movie channel IndieBox, your home for free award-winning independent feature films and documentaries, from horror to comedy and everything in-between. The carefully curated library features the best discoveries from around the world, all with instant and unlimited access. Download IndieBox now on Roku, LG, and on Fire TV.

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jan 11, 2022
Netflix Explores The Torso Killer In New Doc series 'Crimes Scene: The Times Square Killer'

Netflix Explores The Torso Killer In New Doc series ‘Crimes Scene: The Times Square Killer’

Netflix is continuing to explore the world of true crime with their new three-part documentary series Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer that focuses on the serial killer that stalked Times Square in the 70s and 80s, believed to have taken over 100 lives. In December of 1979 firemen responded to a call at a seedy hotel in the middle of Times Square, what they discover among the smoke and ash shocked even the most seasoned NYC homicide detectives, triggering a hunt for a vicious serial killer who preyed upon sex workers operating within Times Square’s then-booming, anything-goes sex industry, leading to the arrest of Richard Cottingham, also known as the “Torso Killer,” who was arrested in May of 1980 after the muffled screams of his last victim alerted hotel staff as he tortured her, assaulting her which included him nearly biting her nipple clean off. The three-part series takes viewers deep into the investigation, detailing the social and systemic

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Dec 31, 2021
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