Documentaries

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

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DocumentariesMoviesNewsParanormalStreaming TVTrailersTrue Crime

New Shock Doc Special Explores The True Crime That Inspired The ‘Scream’ Franchise

The hit documentary series Shock Docs will next explore the terrifying true-crime of the Gainsviller Ripper that inspired one of the biggest horror franchises in history, Scream. The horrific story of serial killer Danny Rolling, aka The Gainesville Ripper, inspired the films. Now, just in time for the release of the newest Scream movie, Scream: The True Story delves into the real-life horror of a murderer who believed he was possessed by a demon and whose gruesome crime spree inspired the blockbuster film. Launching Friday, January 14 on discovery+, the docu-special – through a groundbreaking paranormal investigation, archival media, and expert interviews – take a closer look at the alleged diabolical forces involved and whether Rolling’s spirit still lurks in the shadows. Beginning in 1989, Danny Rolling stalked and murdered eight victims in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Gainesville, Florida, including five college students. Rolling claimed he was possessed by a demon named “Gemini” when he committed his crimes; he was eventually

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Dec 17, 2021

DocumentariesHuluInterviewsMoviesNewsStreaming TVTrailersTrue Crime

Skye Borgman Talks About Her True Crime Documentary ‘Dead Asleep’ – Premiering On Hulu

We’ve got something special for true crime fans. We sat down with documentary filmmaker Skye Borgman who has made many documentaries including her 2017 truly disturbing film Abducted in Plain Sight. Her new documentary, Dead Asleep is making its Hulu debut on December 16th and it’s an interesting case. Dead Asleep explores the murder of Brooke Preston by her roommate Randy Herman Jr. who claimed that he killed her while he was sleepwalking. Luckily, the jury didn’t buy it and he was convicted. In Dead Asleep, Borgman dives deep into the case. The documentary not only features information about the case but also interviews with those involved including lRandy Herman Jr. himself. The documentary presents the case and leaves it up to the viewer to decide if Herman was really sleepwalking or if he was actually awake. I will give you a warning, there is a lot of graphic photos included from the crime scene. Kelli McNeely: “What got you

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Dec 16, 2021

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Kane Hodder Captures Paranormal Activity In The New Clip From ‘Balsam: A Paranormal Investigation’

Horror icon Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th VII, VIII, IX, X, Hatchet) leads a team of paranormal investigators as they explore the 112-year-old Grand Old Lady Hotel in Balsam, North Carolina in Balsam: A Paranormal Investigation. Ahead of its release, we’ve got a new clip that captures possible paranormal activity on camera. Watch as Hodder and his team investigate the 40,000 square foot hotel, called “The south’s Stanley Hotel,” with a disturbing past, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. While Hodder is known for his many roles in the horror genre, he is an experienced paranormal investigator and a founding member of the Hollywood Ghost Hunters and has appeared on “Ghost Adventures”. Director Tony H. Cadwell stated, “This is a paranormal investigation like no other. You have an experienced team led by a horror icon. We had this amazing 40,000 square foot hotel all to ourselves to investigate. Nothing was scripted. We just went in and tried to document any paranormal

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Dec 11, 2021

DocumentariesHuluMoviesNewsStreaming TVTrailersTrue CrimeTrue Story

True Crime Documentary ‘Dead Asleep’ Premieres This December On Hulu

Hulu has now announced the premiere date for the true crime documentary Dead Asleep, produced in association with Sky Crime. The film flips the traditional thriller narrative to explore a deeper and more troubling mystery – did a remorseful Randy Herman Jr. really commit a brutal murder in his sleep, or was it a convenient cover story? The documentary follows the case of Randy Herman Jr., a Florida man convicted of a murder he says he committed while sleepwalking in 2017. The film shares exclusive footage of Herman and his family, the defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists who covered the case, forensic psychiatrists, and world experts in violent parasomnia (sleepwalking) to give viewers an inside look at the shocking twists and turns of the controversial crime. A Pulse Films production, directed by award-winner Skye Borgman, who is behind the critically acclaimed documentary Abducted In Plain Sight and recently worked with Pulse Films on their Oxygen special The Case Died With

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Dec 8, 2021

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Blu-ray Release: Dark Shadows and Beyond: the Jonathan Frid Story (2021)

You lot know I love me some Dark Shadows; Dan Curtis’ ground-breaking 1960’s soap opera filled to the brim with Gothic atmosphere, witches, werewolves, and of course vampires, and it’s with that last denizen of the creature feature that the series featured it’s most enduring icon, the undead Lord of Collinwood, Barnabas Collins… played by to suave perfection by Jonathan Frid… speaking of which… Dark Shadows and Beyond: the Jonathan Frid Story, the new Blu-ray documentary release from MPI Pictures will either delight you with tales of showbiz and theater, or aggravate you if you want to know the man himself. What this film does right is explores in great detail the entire breadth of Frid’s work, from stage, to television, to movies, and back again; the man was an impressive actor with dozens of memorable performances under his belt before he even slipped in those enamel canines and set about putting the bite on Collinsport, Maine. Of course much

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DanXIII

Nov 27, 2021

DocumentariesMoviesNewsStreaming TV

New Discovery+ Documentary Examines Paranormal Activity At The White House

The new Shock Doc documentary Demon in the White House will take viewers on a dark journey this month as it examines an act between two grieving First Ladies that may have released a malevolent presence that still haunts America’s presidents, their families, the presidents’ closest advisors, and guests at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. President Franklin Pierce and First Lady Jane Pierce lost their son Benjamin at age 11. President Abraham Lincoln and First Lady Mary Todd’s son, William, died at the same age. Both children perished during their father’s administration. The Shock Doc thriller opens archival papers, correspondence, and diaries to document a timeline of supernatural events that unfolded after these grieving families sought solace in the fashionable new spiritualism and seance movement – and the potentially catastrophic consequences that followed. As new presidential families moved into the White House over the past 150 years, there continued to be supernatural activity and strange happenings within the walls of this famous

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Nov 22, 2021

DocumentariesMoviesNewsTrailersTrue CrimeTrue Story

True Crime Documentary ‘The Acid King’ Explores A Sacrificial Murder

Ahead of its November release, we’ve got the new trailer for The Acid King, a true-crime documentary based on Ricky Kasso, the young man who murdered his friend in an alleged “Satanic sacrifice” in 1984. Directed by Dan Jones and Jesse P. Pollack whose book the film is based on, the documentary examines Kasso’s life and hardships that may have made him a killer as well as the murder Kasso committed and the trial. Ricky Kasso wasn’t a bad kid, but he was lost. To feel better, he started smoking pot, moving on from that to PCP and LSD. He ended up living on the streets and thinking he had nothing to lose. Gary Lauwers went from being a victim of bullying to using drugs to fit in, and finally robbery—but then he made the mistake of stealing from Ricky, and from that moment on, his fate was sealed.” Pollack states in his book. “A few months later, Gary went

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Nov 22, 2021

DocumentariesMoviesNewsTrailers

New Tom Savini Documentary ‘Smoke And Mirrors’ Coming To Digital

When it comes to horror and special effects one name always comes to mind, Tom Savini, aka “The King of Splatter. A new documentary, Smoke and Mirrors, will shed light on the life and history of the SFX guru from his childhood in Pittsburgh, PA; to his tour of duty during Vietnam, to his beginnings with George A. Romero, and beyond. Smoke and Mirrors is the defining documentary on the life and career of horror icon Tom Savini. Not only does the documentary feature Tom Savini himself, but it also features interviews with Danny McBride, Robert Rodriguez, Danny Trejo, Alice Cooper, Greg Nicotero, Tom Atkins, Corey Feldman, Doug Bradley, Bill Moseley, and more! Savini’s incredible talents for special effects can be seen in classic films Dawn of the Dead and Creepshow 2 and series such as “Tales from the Darkside“. But what’s more, Savini is a fantastic actor who has appeared in films like Django Unchained, Machete Kills. And who

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Sep 27, 2021

DocumentariesNewsTrailers

Small Town Monsters Documentary ‘Skinwalker: The Howl of the Rougarou’ Is Out Today

Small Town Monsters is back with the new documentary Skinwalker: The Howl of the Rougarou that delves into the legends that surround the blood-thirsty creature. For centuries, stories have persisted throughout the southern swamps of something truly otherworldly: a terrifying, hirsute creature known by locals as the Rougarou. These legends predate the first immigrant settlers who made their way into the murky waters and dark forests of the south, yet the Rougarou has only recently made its way into pop culture via appearances in horror films, a regional festival, and even a roller coaster ride. Small Town Monsters and director Seth Breedlove peel back the curtain on this unheralded beast in their latest documentary Skinwalker: The Howl of the Rougarou. Breedlove interviewed witnesses and local experts who help to unveil the creature who will be featured in this first-ever look at what is often referred to as the Cajun Werewolf. The Rougarou has been long thought to simply be a

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Sep 14, 2021

DocumentariesNewsParanormalTrailers

New Documentary Explores ‘Ghostbusters’ Like Never Before

Ghostbusters is one of the most iconic movies ever made. Now, a new documentary, Cleanin’ Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters will delve into the making of the film like you’ve never seen before. See never-before-seen footage, glimpses behind-the-scenes of the film that changed the industry forever. Cleanin’ Up the Town also features interviews from the Ghostbusters themselves, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson. The documentary hallmarks the extraordinary achievements made for the era and emphasizes just how ambitious an undertaking the making of Ghostbusters really was. Directed by Anthony Bueno (Beware the Moon: Remembering An American Werewolf in London) the documentary is produced by Claire Bueno. The extended version of Cleanin’ Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters will open in theaters on October 1, 2021, followed by its release On Demand on October 5th.

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Sep 3, 2021

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