Truth Behind the Terror

Truth Behind the Terror

Welcome to Truth Behind the Terror, the podcast that digs into the “based on a true story” claims behind your favourite horror films. Host Carissa dives deep into the backstories, legends, and real-life events that supposedly inspired iconic scary movies — from haunted hotels to demonic possessions to monsters born from myth. Each episode separates fact from fiction to reveal what’s real, what’s exaggerated, and what’s pure Hollywood imagination. If you love horror, research, or just debunking spooky stories, this is the podcast for you.

Episodes

April 9, 2024 68 mins

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Happy New Year ... in April!!  We are back with our first episode of 2024 and it's a fun one!  Join us as we look at a movie that had one of the most creative marketing campaigns in movie history ... it's based on a true story ... but it actually isn't.  It's also a bit of winding path as we explore a truly indescribable movie from the 70s that was actually the pioneer of the modern found footage f...

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Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!  Happy holidays to you! 

Need a break from your Festivus celebrations?  Looking for that perfect holiday film to cuddle up with the whole family?  Need some topics of conversation to get through all of the awkward family dinners?  You are in luck!  Join us on the winding path of our latest podcast as we cover such topics as:

✅  Why were all of the horror movies of ...

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November 5, 2023 74 mins

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One of the most terrifying movies of all time, "The Exorcist" was based on the true story of a 14 year old boy, which also inspired the novel by William Peter Blatty.  Join us as we explore the myths surrounding the "cursed" movie, the theology behind exorcisms, the true story of Roland Doe, and to what extent demonic possession can be linked to mental health.

Show Notes:
- Music by
So...

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July 22, 2023 33 mins

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In the first part of our special two-part episode, we take a look at the hit HBO show and video game, "The Last of Us".  Even though the show is not based on a true story, it has led to much speculation about the role that fungi may play in future pandemics.  In Part 1, we look at the history of zombies in pop culture, take a look at some "true" cases of zombies, and look at how this latest instalm...

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In the second of our special two-part episode, we take a deep dive into the world of fungi with mycologist and Teaching Professor Emerita from the University of Calgary, Heather Addy.
 
 What is a fungus?
 What is the Cordyceps fungus?
 Could the Cordyceps fungus ever evolve to infect humans?
 Are there any fungi that are dangerous to humans?
 Is there anything that humans can do?
 
 W...

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June 9, 2023 52 mins

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In December of 1975, newlyweds George and Kathy Lutz moved into a house at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York, setting off what would become one of the most famous haunted house stories of all time.  The house, the site of a grisly mass murder, had a history that the Lutzes were not concerned about, but just 28 days later, they were fleeing for their lives with only the clothes on their back.  Based on the 1977 ...

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May 7, 2023 42 mins

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Published in 1977, the popularity of Stephen King’s gothic horror novel, “The Shining”, is outmatched only by the 1980 film adaptation by legendary director Stanley Kubrick.  

Jack Torrance has been hired to be the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, a grand hotel with a violent past, located high up in the Colorado mountains.  Along with his wife, Wendy and their son Danny, the Torrance family settles in for what ...

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We've all seen those movies that are supposedly "based on a true story" or "inspired by true events", but what does that mean?  How much of the story is actually true and how much is just Hollywood?  Join Carissa and Tara as we explore horror movies, both old and new, to see how much of the true story is actually true. 

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