Horror - Serial Killer

Because You Were Home”: The True Story Behind “The Strangers

Welcome back to Reel Horror! Today, we’re looking at the case that inspired “The Strangers”: Charles Manson and the Tate-LaBianca Murders.

Charles Manson was born on November 12th, 1934, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Ada Kathleen Maddox, an unmarried 16-year-old. She later married William Eugene Manson, though the couple divorced in 1939. His early life was unstable: his mother was frequently absent or incarcerated, and Charles was shuffled between relatives and reform schools for much of his childhood. He spent the better part of his teens and twenties cycling in and out of prison. After the divorce, he took his stepfather’s surname due to Maddox’s neglect.

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Asylum - Horror

McKamey Manor: America’s Most Controversial Horror Attraction

A bag of dog food to enter. A waiting list of 27,000 people. A $20k cash prize. But what is McKamey Manor, really? And how did it become the source for a 32-page lawsuit?

McKamey Manor is a notoriously intense survival horror-themed haunted house attraction located in Summertown, Tennessee. The founder, Russ McKamey, has been known to be an avid horror fan since childhood, and in 1989 he decided to build his very own haunt in San Diego, California. He attempted to move to Illinois and Arizona in 2014, but the backlash to his presence was so strong that he abandoned the attempt. The San Diego house closed in 2015, but two years later, McKamey moved to Summertown and reopened for business: passionate about humane animal treatment, he only asked for a 50-pound bag of dog food or a donation to animal welfare as admission.

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Horror - Knife

Reel Horror – The True Story Behind Ghostface

Hello and welcome to Reel Horror, where we discuss the real-world inspirations behind horror films. From true crime to paranormal happenings to mysterious, unexplained, or just plain strange phenomena, horror often finds its roots in its surroundings, and this new series is devoted to exploring where some of the most iconic films and villains find their origins.

Today, we’ll be looking at the inspiration behind Ghostface and the Scream franchise: Danny Rolling, also known as the Gainesville Ripper. Rolling was an American serial killer from Shreveport, Louisiana, who killed 5 college students in Gainesville, FL over four days in 1990.

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