The Woman Who Lived Through ‘The Conjuring’.

Andrea Perron decided it was time to tell the world about what happened to her family in their home in Rhode Island. Forty years after it happened, the story she tells in her book, “House of Darkness, House of light” has become the most buzzed about “horror” film in quite a while. Andrea talked to Anthony Agate and Luci Leibfried of Paranormal Review Radio about her book and the new Warner Brothers film “The Conjuring” and what it was like to live through the events chronicled in the movie. The movie had an impressive $41.9 million opening weekend, breaking records for the largest opening for and original horror film and was Warner Brothers largest 3 day opening for a horror film. The reviews of the film have been very positive.

The movie tells about the events that happened to the Perron Family after they purchased and moved into the farmhouse located in Harrisburg, Rhode Island. World renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were called in to help the family and the movie focuses on the couple and what they did to help the Perron Family. The movie claims that the Warrens state this was the most terrifying case of their lives.

But what about the story from the families point of view? Andrea is the first person in her family to speak publicly about the events that occurred. In her book “House of Darkness, House of Light” we find that the activity started the very first day that the family moved in. Andrea speaks of a man who appeared in the home that both she and her sister saw, but neither ever mentioned it to anyone else. The family really never spoke about what they individually saw until Andrea wrote the book. The book is divided into three volumes and Andrea goes into detail about the effects of the interaction that the family had with what was in the home. The story begins in Rhode Island, but continues to Georgia, where she says that her mother came to the realization that attachments do occur. “We moved into that house as a family and left as a paranormal family”.

Andrea watched film for the first time with her family and with Lorraine Warren in March of 2013. “The film is literally breathtaking, in that it will rob you of your ability to breathe for moments and it will impale images in your mind that you will remember for the rest of your life.” Andrea described watching the film with Lorraine. “I don’t think of it as a horror film at all.” “My sister and I sat there and cried right through the whole thing, because it was fulfilment of a promise that she made to her husband before he died to have this story told, to find a way to tell this story.” She had wondered if anyone was going to even be interested in the story before she wrote the book. The director wove the fabric of the family’s experience and the Warren’s to create the film.

When the project was first proposed to Andrea, she says she took a leap of faith by signing on to allow the story to be told. Andrea hoped by telling the story it will bring peace and the ability to others to accept their own mortality. “There is a shift happening, people’s eyes, the third eyes are opening.” “There is something that exists beyond our mortal existence. There is a fourth dimension. We have to see the world for what it really is. Great revelations are coming.”

Speaking with Andrea it is very apparent how this experience has affected her. She has a calm exterior which underneath is a wonderful awareness of the world that she expresses in a very poetic way. The movie the Conjuring is full of chills and moments that will make one jump, but when you talk to this amazing woman, you see that this was an awakening of a storyteller who has a message that she was meant to share. If you have seen the movie, you owe it to yourself to read her book “House of Darkness, House of Light”. The book is available on Amazon and the film.”The Conjuring” is currently in theaters. 

Did Mothman visit the UK in 1963?

Okay, I might be just a little bit premature in announcing this, but what the heck. A few months isn’t that long to wait, at all. Plus, by revealing the data now, and splashing the story on Mysterious Universe, I figured it might possibly generate new leads – and perhaps even prompt old eyewitnesses to come forward. You may very well ask: eyewitnesses to what? Nothing less than the 50th anniversary of a Mothman-style encounter that occurred in Kent, England.

But here’s the very interesting thing: the encounter occurred several years before the eerie, shining-eyed beast of Point Pleasant, West Virginia was on anyone’s radar. More intriguing is the fact that the description of the beast was eerily Mothman-like. The very same winged beast, but in a completely different part of the planet? Who knows? What I do know, however, is that in November of this year, the case in question will be celebrating its half a century. And, as far I’m concerned, it should not pass without comment or celebration!

For those reasons, I wanted to bring it to your attention right now, in the specific event that doing so may very possibly open new doors, and even re-open older ones, to what really went down on the night that a bunch of friends encountered something terrifying and monstrous. Neil Arnold, a well-known Kent-based cryptozoologist, researcher and author of many acclaimed books on mystery animals, has dug into the now-renowned event, which took place at Sandling Park, Hythe, Kent on November 16, 1963.

Neil’s book, The Mystery Animals of the British Isles: Kent, includes the story of the Hythe Mothman, and it’s an excellent book that I most definitely recommend to anyone and everyone with an interest in not just cryptozoology in general, but unknown winged things in particular. But what about the night in question? What was the story? Let’s take a look at what we know.

The area, known as Sandling Park, was certainly shrouded in overwhelming darkness at the time of the beastly event. But it was hardly the sort of place where one would expect to encounter nothing less than a fully fledged monster. Amazingly, however, that’s what apparently happened.

John Flaxton, aged 17 on the night that all hell broke loose, was accompanied by three friends, including 18-year old Mervyn Hutchinson. As they walked along a lane running by the park – after returning from a local Friday night dance – the group of friends became aware of a bright object moving overhead, which they at first took to be nothing stranger than a star. How wrong they were.

The teenagers were amazed, and more than a bit scared, by the object’s presence, as they watched it hover and then drop out of sight behind a group of trees. The boys decided to leave the area with haste, but the light soon loomed into view again. It hovered around ten feet from the ground, and at an approximate distance of two hundred feet, then once again went out of sight.

“It was a bright and gold oval”, one of the boys reported. “And when we moved, it moved. When we stopped, it stopped.” That was not necessarily a good sign!

Suddenly, the boys heard the snapping of twigs from a nearby thicket, and out from the wooded area shuffled a creature of horrendous appearance. “It was the size of a human,” reported Mervyn Hutchinson. “But it didn’t seem to have any head. There were wings on its back, like bat wings.” The group fled, perhaps understandably not wanting to hang around and see what developed next.

Matters didn’t end there, however. Five night later, one Keith Croucher saw an unusual object float across a nearby football field. Forty-eight-hours after that, a John McGoldrick, accompanied by a friend, checked out the location and stumbled upon unusual impressions in the ground, which gave every indication that something solid and significant had landed there.

Click for Original artwork by Haitisworst

Neil Arnold has this to say about the matter: “Local UFO experts believed that the case was nothing more than a misinterpretation of natural phenomena, but Flaxton recalled: ‘I felt cold all over.’”

Sounds familiar? Mothman fans may very well be nodding their heads in agreement by now!

And, as Neil Arnold also notes: “Three giant footprints were also found in the vicinity which were said to have measured two-feet long and nine inches across. On 11 December, various newspaper reporters accompanied McGoldrick to the area and found that the woods were illuminated by an eerie, glowing light. No-one investigated any further and the case faded as mysteriously as it had emerged.”

To this date, the saga of the Mothman of Hythe, Kent remains precisely that: a mystery. Unless, that is, you’re one of the original witnesses, reading these words, and still recalling those events of 50 years ago. If you are, then get in touch! Some of us would very much like to know what happened in Sandling Park, Hythe, Kent on the night of November 16, 1963. If any further details are available,  and additional light can be shed on the matter, the build up to the 50th anniversary would be an ideal time for the truth to finally come tumbling out.

Feature Artwork by CageyShick05

GHOSTS, HAUNTINGS, POLTERGEISTS:

SquatchIt Bigfoot call device inventors respond to 10 million dollar Bigfoot bounty by upcoming Spike TV reality show with Sasquatch luring device offer to contestants. The inventors of SquatchIt are inviting contestants to use their Bigfoot luring device to bolster their chances of capturing proof of the existence of Sasquatch.

SquatchIt Bigfoot Call Maker Responds to 10 Million Dollar Bigfoot Bounty Offered By Reality TV Show!

James Villepigue, co-inventor of SquatchIt, says, “We couldn’t be more excited about Spike TV’s 10 Million Dollar Bigfoot Bounty reality show. This unprecedented $10,000,000.00 cash prize is the largest cash prize in television history. What’s so exciting about this news for us, is that we believe that our Bigfoot luring device, SquatchIt, can be the very tool that ultimately helps one of the shows contestants collect the necessary evidence needed to stake their claim to the 10 million dollar cash prize!”

The $10,000,000 bounty is being offered through a partnership with International insurance market, Lloyd’s of London. According to Spike TV’s senior vice president, Tim Duffy, having such significant backing signified to them that there was an opportunity to attract the best scientists, zoologists, trackers and Bigfoot hunters in the world in an attempt to prove or disprove its existence: “This large cash prize means that the show will attract the BEST scientists.”

SquatchIt is not only the world’s first novelty Bigfoot call aka a “predator call” product, it’s also a new lifestyle brand phrase that allows people to shrug off situations that really aren’t worth getting upset over i.e. when you’re in a jam, just SquatchIt! For more information about SquatchIt visit their website at squatchit.com or email contact(at)squatchit.com.

GHOSTS, HAUNTINGS, POLTERGEISTS:

Paranormal Investigators Document Activity In South Texas

One Texas State alumnus spends his days documenting mysterious disembodied voices, ghostly shadows and other paranormal phenomena in south Texas.

The investigator heads out to areas of alleged paranormal activity with camcorders, audio recorders and an open mind. Many cases are debunked, but a marginal number of them have no known scientific explanation. Roger Escobar, founder of Shadow Light Paranormal and a 2008 Texas State graduate, said he has been investigating alleged paranormal cases for two years.

Escobar said he has documented about eight potentially paranormal events. He said paranormal means something out of the ordinary, not necessarily anything to do with ghosts, hauntings or spirits.  

One notable and recurring phenomena was documented at the Gonzales County Jail, where Escobar said disembodied voices were recorded. He said his girlfriend heard a voice, and he did not hear it until he reviewed the audio recording.

“When I went to her voice recorder, right next to her, clear as day, in a very loud whisper you can hear ‘here they come,’” Escobar said.

Escobar said this occurrence happened outside of the jail at 10 p.m. when the courthouse bells tolled across from the jail.

Escobar and other investigators came back to the jail on a different night. This time, all of their recording equipment malfunctioned when the courthouse bells tolled at 10 p.m.

Jay Villarreal, a freelance paranormal investigator, will sometimes team with Escobar to document different phenomena.

 Villarreal does not have a definite answer for what happened on the night he and a team of investigators visited a 100-year-old house in Hondo, Texas six years ago.

Villarreal said he and the investigative team were sitting in the attic of the old house, waiting, until they heard scratching on the floor.

The team ran downstairs with their audio recorders.

“We heard it right under the stairs and we looked up and it sounded like  huge-ass claws, like lion claws, coming down the stairs,” Villarreal said. “All we felt was cold air go through us. When I heard that huge growl coming through us, my heart was in my throat.”

Alejandro Dominguez, a freelance filmmaker, said he has traveled across the country for about two years investigating paranormal events for his online YouTube series “Dead Explorer.” From the numerous cases he has investigated with Villarreal and Escobar in south Texas, Dominguez said at least six are potentially paranormal.

Dominguez said he has recorded unexplained disembodied voices and video recorded Villarreal being scratched slowly by something unseen.

“I try to figure out what has caused a scratch to form slowly,” Dominguez said. “Does it prove there’s ghosts? Not 100 percent.”

These investigators said they are not looking for ghosts, poltergeists or demons, but seek to document potentially paranormal activity. Escobar said most cases he investigates could be explained scientifically. He said most people who report a haunting are actually stressed, depressed or dealing with drama in their life.

Each investigator said they have their own theory what potential paranormal activity could be caused by.

Escobar said disembodied voices could be imprinted energy from intense past emotions. Dominguez said he wonders if it has to do with the afterlife.

Dominguez said investigating should be handled with skepticism to ensure credibility, keep a thorough observation process and not alarm or cause additional emotional harm to people dealing with the phenomena.

GHOSTS, HAUNTINGS, POLTERGEISTS:

Encounters of an unexplained kind

This world and our lives are full of events that defy logic and baffle people. Men of science and psychology pore over these happenings in a bid to find an explanation, but unable to do so, stash them in the category of the paranormal.Edgar Alan Poe, the famous writer of classic horror and mystery stories, once wrote about three shipwrecked people adrift in the sea, who in a bid to survive, cast lots and then cannibalised one of the group, named Parker. While this story was pure fiction, a newspaper report appearing many years later reported a court trial involving three shipmates, who were accused of first killing and then devouring their fourth companion – a cabin boy named Parker. The accused claimed that they had been shipwrecked and had done the deed in order to survive. Was this sheer coincidence or was Mr Poe seeing into the future.Our own part of the world, particularly the subcontinent, has a history of unexplained events and mysterious happenings. Take, for example, the oft told story concerning the spectral, blood spattered figure of a dishevelled young woman, who appeared in front of motorists on a busy main road in Karachi during specific nights, only to disappear when approached. It was even said that trying to converse with this entity was an ill omen.While the story from Pakistan’s largest city may be a figment of imagination, there are some things that happen to everyday people, who refuse to talk about them for fear of being ridiculed. I am acquainted with men and women, who are known in their family circles for precognitive abilities. Precognition is the gift to see or feel an event before it actually occurs. One such person is a young woman (distantly related to me), who migrated to the West, a few years ago. She was for all purpose like any other teenager, except for the fact that at times she said things in passing – things that actually came to pass in the future. Telekinesis is the ability to move things without physically touching them. There are many cases where people have bent metal objects by sheer mind power or levitated objects including themselves. My mother, who along with her family spent the summer months at Dharamsala (a hill station in the Kangra Hills) in the years before 1947, often told us about an old Sadhu, who sat near the Hindu fire temple and who had the ability to defy gravity, while sitting cross legged. She claimed that she had seen this happening once, as she took some visitors from Lahore around various spots of interest, one of which was the volcanic flame that appeared out of a cleft in the rock within the temple.During my tenure of posting in Bahawalpur area, I was confronted by one of my employees, who appeared to be in a state of panic. He requested that the department’s quarter allotted to him should be withdrawn and he be given leave to return the family to his village near Sahiwal. I was surprised at the request, as this very individual had moved heaven and earth to get the accommodation, so he could live with his wife and children. Questioning revealed that since the day he had moved in, his home had been incessantly pelted with bottles and stones that appeared from nowhere. Matters had so aggravated that clothes lying in closets were catching fire – needless to say that I allowed the distraught man to proceed on immediate leave. An interesting twist in the story occurred a few days later, when the old occupant of the house submitted an application asking that the house be re-allotted to him. I called the individual and asked him as to why was he risking his life and limb by occupying a ‘haunted’ house. His response convinced me that, perhaps, the unseen ‘entity’ plaguing the quarter was none other than this very person.It is an established fact that during our lifetime, we use only a tiny portion of our brain, while geniuses perhaps use a relatively larger segment of the grey matter. It is, however, people with paranormal powers, who are gifted with the ability to use a much bigger part of what is inside our skull as compared to normal human beings and this is what gives them attributes beyond our understanding. I can only imagine the capabilities of a race of humans, which could master the use of what the entire brain has to offer – they would then indeed not be humans, but super humans.
The writer belongs to a very old and established family of the Walled City. His forte is the study of History.

GHOSTS, HAUNTINGS, POLTERGEISTS:

Paranormal Journeys

TV and Hollywood have spawned an interest in ghosts, vampires and zombies. Horror is in. Take the journey with Ken Roberts.

The Paranormal: Guess what is the hottest trend going

The interest in ghosts, walking dead, the macabre and everything else that goes bump in the night continues to grow in popularity with no signs of letting up. It seems that everyday there is a new show on TV related to these hot topics. Getting kids today to read an actual book has been an ongoing challenge except when it comes to a particular subject matter.

The number one reading material for kids centers on ghosts, vampires, zombies and the supernatural. Make no mistake about it the reading material is no Mr. Roger’s version. After severing the head: the headless body hangs upside down allowing the blood to drain out, etc.

One of the hottest trends for 2013 involves Victorians

This year is the 150^th year anniversary of the London Underground subway train and to celebrate, events related to Victorians, dark Victorian secrets, ghostly superstitions, Jack the Ripper, Gothic horror and the like are hot. Who does not like to dress up in Victorian inspired outfits, talk ghosts and other macabre stuff to help us relax?

The Victorians believed that a ghost could not see those dressed in black. The “veil” designed to shield a woman’s eyes at a wake from the ghost of the recently deceased. It was believed that if the ghost were to look you straight in the eye that it could beckon you to go with them. The veil was a form of spirit protection for woman.

GHOSTS, HAUNTINGS, POLTERGEISTS:

5 things to know about the Warrens, paranormal investigators featured in ‘The Conjuring’

In supernatural circles, the names Ed and Lorraine Warren are well known. Ed died in 2006 but Lorraine continues their mission, conducting high-profile investigations into paranormal activity, including the infamous Amityville house.

The work of the Warrens is back in the spotlight this month as one of their investigations from 30 years ago is chronicled in the film “The Conjuring,” starring Vera Farmiga as Lorraine andPatrick Wilson as Ed.

The film, based on the experiences of the Perron family in a Rhode Island farmhouse, is being hyped as one of the scariest in decades. Variety called it “A sensationally entertaining old-school freakout” and “one of the smartest thrillers … in recent memory.”

Read an account of the haunting by Andrea Perron, author of “House of Darkness, House of Light” here.

Read a Q&A with Huntsville paranormal investigator Kevin Thompson here.

Here are 5 things to know about the Warrens:

1. Ed Warren grew up in a haunted house. From the time Ed was ages 5 to 12, he lived in a Connecticut house in which he experienced supernatural events. 

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga portray Ed and Lorraine Warren in “The Conjuring,” in theaters July 19. (Contributed by vera-farmiga.com)

“My father, who was a police officer at the time would often say, ‘Ed, there’s a logical reason for everything that happens in this house.’ But he never came up with that logical reason,” Ed said in an interview on the Warrens’ website.

The family heard pounding, rapping and footsteps, he said.

“My family would all go to bed and just around 2 to 3 o’clock in the morning, many times I would hear the closet door beginning to open up. At first I’d look into that closet and see only shapeless darkness, then slowly I’d start to see a light beginning to form and it would morph into like a ball shape, sort of like a basketball and then I’d begin to see a face in that ball.” Ed said it was the face of an old woman.

2. The Center for Psychic Research. The Warrens founded the New England Center for Psychic Research in Connecticut in 1952 with the goal of investigating hauntings. Around 1965, the Warrens went into a home where the spirit of a little girl named Cynthia who, speaking through a medium, said she was looking for her mother. The Warrens expanded the mission of their center to help earth-bound spirits move on. The Warrens say the center’s work is based in religion but also uses science.

3. Religion and ghost busting. The Warrens are Catholic and have said that background is what allows them to fight demons and to continue supernatural investigations. Ed describes himself as a demonologist, while Lorraine is a trance medium. The website contends they are not occultists and “not strange.”

“They are essentially ordinary people who happen to do highly extraordinary work.”

4. In the beginning. Ed, an accomplished artist, would hear of a home whose owners claimed it was haunted and would take Lorraine to check it out. 

Movie poster for “€œThe Conjuring”

“We were just kids nobody was just going to let us in, we were curiosity seekers,” Ed said on the website. So he would begin to sketch the house. 

“I would do a really nice sketch of the house with ghosts coming out of it, and I’d give it to Lorraine, she’d go knock on the door and with her Irish personality she’d say, ‘Oh, my husband loves to sketch and paint haunted houses and he made this.’” 

Then they would ask the home owners for their story.

5. The Warrens’ Occult Museum. This museum founded by the couple claims to be the oldest and only museum of its kind. The museum houses an array of haunted artifacts and items used in occult activities and diabolical practices around the world, including a conjuring mirror used for summoning spirits, a coffin used by a modern vampire, an organ that plays by itself and a Raggedy Ann doll said to be responsible for a death of a young man. 

  

‘The Conjuring’ review: Best horror film of 2013

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  Brad Hamilton-JOHN BROTHERTON, Carolyn Perron-LILI TAYLOR, Ed Warren-PATRICK WILSON, Roger Perron-RON LIVINGSTON in, “The Conjuring.” Photo: Michael Tackett, Warner Bros.

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The Conjuring

by Peter Hartlaub

Horror. Starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson.Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston. Directed byJames Wan. (R. 112 minutes.)

James Wan, for better or worse, seemed destined to be known as “the guy who made ‘Saw’ ” – a film that ushered in the recent era of torture porn cinema.

Never mind that he’s directed four movies since then. Never mind that in the hazy memory created by six diminishing sequels, people forget that the original “Saw” was a decent piece of filmmaking. (With less torture than you remember.) Wan was on track to endure a lifetime of sideways looks when he got introduced at parties.

If there’s any fairness, he’ll now be known as “the guy who made ‘The Conjuring.’ ” The horror movie is artfully crafted from the first scares to the closing credits, with a bold retro vibe. But while its closest cousins are “The Exorcist” and the original “The Amityville Horror,” Wan understands that modern audiences have short attention spans. The scares here begin in the pre-credits sequence, and barely let up until the end.

The throwback horror genre has been percolating for years in art houses – most notably with talented young Ti West’s “The House of the Devil” and “The Innkeepers.” Although West prefers a minimalist approach with a slow build, Wan aims for a more epic style.

“The Conjuring” introduces us quickly to Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), demonologists who believe in the occult, but understand that most events are easily explained hoaxes. Next we meet the Perron family – Carolyn, Roger and their five girls. With their 1970s clothing and sensibilities, the family is recognizable and realistic, with seasoned Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor in parental roles.

The Perrons have invested too much in an old house, which they gradually learn is haunted by spirits who mean to do them harm. They quickly hook up with the Warrens, who want evidence of the paranormal events before calling in an exorcist. The Perrons agree, after being told that these demons will follow them if they leave. The tale is tied together well – at no point does the plot require anyone to make idiotic decisions in the name of narrative momentum.

Wan’s boldest move is his reliance on practical effects, which enhance the 1972 setting. A storm of crows looks more like something from “The Birds” than a modern movie apocalypse. Demons are clearly played by made-up actors. The postproduction digital effects bill couldn’t have topped the low six figures – and yet nothing feels skimpy.

The weakness of “The Conjuring” is repetition. There are multiple sequences where a Perron lights the basement with matches, sleepwalks or investigates an armoire, and scenes start to blend together in the 112-minute run time. (The emotionally satisfying ending makes up for minor editing issues.)

Although the budget was likely modest, attention to detail is rich. The musical score sets a menacing tone and is also an effective tease, changing things up to avoid tipping off the audience. As action builds, the camera work seems to get a little shakier and rise to impossible angles, as if the demons are handling the cinematography as well.

The actors are all committed to Wan’s vision, but Taylor stands out, giving everything to a complex and constantly shifting role. Writers Chad and Carey Hayes are also assets, resisting the horror movie urge to overexplain. They craft memorable scenes, but also include mystery, ensuring that new things will be discovered upon repeat viewings.

There are two kinds of people who won’t like this film: those who hate all horror movies, and a less mature crowd not ready to experiment beyond the cheaper thrills of the “Paranormal Activity” or “Final Destination” templates. (That latter group doesn’t trust mainstream movie reviews, so this glowing take should provide adequate warning.)

As the critic in charge of putting together this publication’s summer movie preview, I barely considered “The Conjuring” worthy of mention. That was clearly a mistake. I’d be shocked if we see a better horror film in 2013.

Breaking News….

 

World Premiere Series “The Unexplained Files” Investigates Bizarre Phenomena and Mysterious Cases This Summer on Science Channel
The six-part series launches Wednesday, August 28 at 9:00/8:00c on the network.

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WORLD PREMIERE SERIES “THE UNEXPLAINED FILES” INVESTIGATES BIZARRE PHENOMENA AND MYSTERIOUS CASES THIS SUMMER ON SCIENCE CHANNEL
–THE UNEXPLAINED FILES

Premieres on Science Channel August 28 at 9PM/ ET/PT–
(Los Angeles, Ca.)–From strange abductions, to mutated species, to bizarre occurrences, there are some phenomena that science cannot – or will not – explain. This summer Science Channel unveils some of these shocking and mind-boggling cases from around the world in the world premiere series THE UNEXPLAINED FILES. From mysterious disappearances and UFO encounters, to unidentified fanged predators and reported curses, THE UNEXPLAINED FILES investigates actual, inexplicable occurrences that have confounded scientists and inspired legends. Science Channel invites viewers on a mystifying journey that will challenge disbelief with THE UNEXPLAINED FILES premiering on Wednesday, August 28 at 9PM ET/PT.

“The UNEXPLAINED FILES mixes hard science with mystery and storytelling to create a formula that is uniquely Science Channel. Our goal is to provide a forum for credible voices from all sides of these cases so that the viewers can make up their own minds,” said Debbie Myers, general manager and executive vice president of Science Channel. “Each episode of THE UNEXPLAINED FILES offers smart, lean-forward programming that will leave even the most skeptical viewers wondering what is and is not possible.”
Join renowned scientists, credible experts and first-hand eyewitnesses as they present riveting neverbefore- seen footage and share their vivid first-person accounts of truly bewildering experiences. The series will take viewers on a thrilling expedition presenting some of the most shocking and interesting stories ever told. Within the bizarre yet factual world of THE UNEXPLAINED FILES viewers will discover that seeking explanations often leads to compelling questions of the unfamiliar and unexplainable.

THE UNEXPLAINED FILES ventures to Texas to research bizarre hairless, blue-skinned, blue-eyed and hunch-backed creatures that prey on local livestock and farm animals-leaving Texans questioning what these strange animals could possibly be. The series also takes a look at the world’s most puzzling tome, the Voynich Manuscript, which is hundreds of years old, appears to be written in an unknown language and contains images of non-existent plants. Who wrote this unbreakable cipher and what does it mean? Heading to Australia, THE UNEXPLAINED FILES delves into the story of Frederick Valentich, a pilot on a routine training flight, who reported that a strange and unusual aircraft was hovering over him just minutes before he disappeared. Valentich and his plane were never seen again. These unsolved mysteries stem from reliable sources offering trembling accounts and daunting evidence that will leave the audience contemplating whether these odd predicaments and occurrences are true or stranger than fiction.

THE UNEXPLAINED FILES makes its premiere on August 28 at 9:00 PM ET/PT. The series also will premiere on Discovery Channel outside the US in more than 220 countries and territories across Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

THE UNEXPLAINED FILES is produced for Science Channel (US) and Discovery Networks International by Raw TV Ltd. For Science Channel (US) and Discovery Networks International, Josh Berkley is executive producer. For Science Channel, Bernadette McDaid is vice president of production and Deborah Adler Myers is general manager and executive vice president. For Discovery Networks International, Sarah Davies is commissioning editor and executive producer. For Raw, Dimitri Doganis and Ben Fox are executive producers, and Bart Layton is creative director.
Episodes to include the following stories: (6×60)

Episode 1 Premieres Wednesday, August 28 at 9PM ET/PT Valentich- On October 21, 1978, 20-year-old Australian pilot Frederick Valentich rented a single engine Cessna 182L and left Melbourne, Australia to begin a 48-mile training flight. During the flight, Valentich told Melbourne air traffic control that an aircraft about 1,000 feet above him was accompanying him. He said, “The strange aircraft is hovering on top of me again. It is hovering and it’s not an aircraft.” Frederick Valentich and his plane were never seen again. Texas Blue Dogs- Since 2004 bizarre hairless, blue-skinned, blue-eyed and hunch-backed dogs have been seen in Texas attacking and mutilating livestock and farm animals. The creatures have been caught on film and camera, and their bodies have been found. One Texas doctor even has one stuffed and mounted in her fireplace. But the classification of these creatures is still very much a matter of great debate among experts.

Episode 2 Premieres Wednesday, September 4 at 9PM ET/PT Freaky Fires- In late 2003, in a small village in northern Sicily, ordinary household electronic items like refrigerators, toasters and televisions suddenly began bursting into flames and exploding seemingly at random. Air conditioners erupted even when unplugged. Computers jammed. Cellphones rang when no one was calling and electronic door locks in empty cars went demonically up and down. The mystery was left unsolved. Ghost Yacht- The Kaz II, dubbed the ghost yacht, is a catamaran, which was found drifting 88 nautical miles off the northern coast of Australia on April 18, 2007. The fate of her three-man crew remains unknown, and the mysterious circumstances in which they disappeared still puzzle authorities, family and friends. When the boat was found there appeared to be no signs of struggle and items on board were untouched-there was even a full cup of coffee and an open running laptop left undisturbed. How did the three men vanish without a trace?

Episode 3 Premieres Wednesday, September 11 at 9PM ET/PT Livestock Mutilation- This gruesome phenomenon, where livestock are unusually and, sometimes, inexplicably mutilated and killed, was first reported in Britain in the 19th Century and in the U.S. in the 1960s. It still happens today. As recently as November 29, 2012, David Mitchell, a Scottish farmer, found one of his sheep slaughtered with surgical precision, its heart, lungs and liver laid out meticulously on the hillside and a pair of surgical gloves lying next to the remains. Curse of the Ice Mummy- In September 1991, a couple was hiking in the Alps near the Austrian-Italian border when they suddenly noticed a skeleton poking out of the ice. It was the body of what appeared to be a perfectly preserved warrior, complete with fur robes, leather shoes and a bow and arrow. Scientists studying the body dubbed it the Iceman. The Iceman is one of the oldest preserved bodies ever found and has provided us with invaluable information about mankind’s past. But many involved in the excavation of the body have unexpectedly died – could the remains be cursed, putting everyone who touches the body at risk?

Episode 4 Premieres Wednesday, September 18 at 9PM ET/PT Spontaneous Human Combustion- Closely examining recent cases including ones in Ireland and Oklahoma, and a U.S. survivor of spontaneous human combustion that has lived to tell viewers his horrifying tale. Carlos de los Santos- Pilot Carlos de los Santos is en route to Mexico City Airport, when he is suddenly surrounded by three UFOs. Carlos is terrified as the silver discs seem to disable his aircraft, then raise it to a high altitude, threatening a fatal stall. Carlos regains control when the strange objects suddenly dart off to a volcano at inconceivably high speeds, completing aerial manoeuvres that were unheard of at the time. Investigation proves that Carlos was neither intoxicated or under the influence of durgs and the actual 18-minute recording of his desperate Mayday call to the airport attests to his genuine panic. It is first time testimony from a radar operator that could prove that Carlos’s plane may have been trailed by UFOs.

Episode 5 Premieres Wednesday, September 25 at 9PM ET/PT Argentina UFO- Joaquin V Gonzalez, a small town in Argentina seems to attract UFO’s. A local mayor has recorded hundreds of UFOs over 20 years. In 1995 one crashed into a nearby mountain range- local pilot Tony Galvagno and his friends locate the crash site but are barred from investigating further. In 2009, 200 witnesses see a brilliant white shining craft in the sky. Some onlookers manage to take photos of it before the town is plunged into darkness. The power outage stretches over a 120-mile area and lasts for over 12 hours. Could alien visitors really be targeting the town? And if so, why? Mothman- On November 15, 1966, four people witnessed a huge winged creature as they sat in their cars on the outskirts of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. It was six to seven feet tall with red eyes and no head, as if the eyes were in its chest. Over the next 13 months more than 100 others saw the creature. The winged creature became known as The Mothman and was seen as a harbinger of doom. Morgellon’s Disease- Sufferers of this strange disease report fatigue, awful skin lesions, aches and pains, a sensation that insects are crawling under their skin and odd multi-colored fibers emerging from their bodies. Thousands of people around the world believe they have Morgellon’s, but the disease does not officially exist! The majority of doctors regard it as a form of delusional infestation, but some sufferers of the disease believe it could have extraterrestrial origins.

Episode 6 Premieres Wednesday, October 2 at 9PM ET/PT Alien Rain- There are many areas around the world where rainwater has turned a disturbing shade of red. The most mysterious rain of all is the Blood Red Rains of Kerala, India. Could this mysterious rain be carrying alien life? If so, how does it arrive on Earth? Carolina Beach Boom- Residents of a beach town in South Carolina experience a mysterious boom that rumbles the ground around them and shakes the glass on their windows, sometimes on a weekly basis. Locals speculate that it could be because of alien involvement or secret military tests, but no one has been able to get to the bottom of these strange events. Voynich Manuscript- Bought by the book dealer Wilfried Voynich in 1912, and now held by Yale University’s Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the manuscript has been described as the world’s most mysterious manuscript. It seems to be hundreds of years old, and is written in an unknown language (or unbreakable cipher) and filled with bizarre images of plants that do not exist on earth. What is it? Who wrote it?

About Science Channel:

Science Channel, a division of Discovery Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), is home for the thought provocateur, the individual who is unafraid to ask the killer questions of “how” and “why not.” The network is a playground for those with audacious intellects and features programming willing to go beyond imagination to explore the unknown. Guided by curiosity, Science Channel looks for innovation in mysterious new worlds as well as in its own backyard. Science Channel and the Science Channel HD simulcast reach more than 68 million U.S. households. The network also features hightraffic online and social media destinations, including ScienceChannel.com, facebook.com/Science Channel and twitter.com/Science Channel.

About Discovery Communications:

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than two billion cumulative subscribers in 223 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity through 162 worldwide television networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science and Investigation Discovery, as well as U.S. joint venture networks OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, The Hub and 3net, the first 24-hour 3D network. Across the Nordic region, Discovery owns and operates SBS Discovery Media, a top-three portfolio of 20 television brands that feature leading nonfiction content, as well as locally produced entertainment programs, sports and the best scripted series and movies from major studios. Discovery also is the leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of digital textbooks, and owns and operates a diversified portfolio of digital media services, including Revision3. For more information, please visit http://www.discoverycommunications.com.

15 Best Supernatural Ghost Story Movies

With ‘The Conjuring’ at cinemas now I thought we could count down 15 other ghost stories to keep up at night.  It is interesting that a lot of good ghost films feature boys who see dead people.

#15: Two Thousand Maniacs (1964) The godfather of gore, Herschell Gordon Lewis takes us on an adventure in the south where a small town is still very upset about losing the Civil War. The kills are highly imaginative and coated in vibrant red viscera. The “barrel roll” is a must see. If you haven’t experienced the odd beauty of Two Thousand Maniacs, then its inclusion in this list may be a spoiler.

#14: Ghostbusters (1984) This is one of those films that never feels dated, whether it is a nostalgic viewing or your first time it never ceases to entertain. While not overtly horrific, except of course for Rick Moranis’ over-the-top awkward and cringe-worthy character. It does offer a few jump scares for the less desensitized. The greatness lies in the camaraderie of Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson – their bond is what ensnares most audiences.

#13: The Frighteners (1996) Before tackling The Lord Of The Rings and after his amusingly disgusting films (see Bad Taste, Meet The Feebles, and Dead-Alive) Peter Jackson made this semi-kid friendly spook show. Michael J. Fox interacts with the dead while making a living as a phony paranormal expert. The special effects are top notch and R. Lee Ermey steals the show as usual.

#12: Stir Of Echoes (1999) Richard Matheson was a poet of fear, his words will live forever. I Am Legend is a yearly re-read for me. In this adaptation, Kevin Bacon is in full Bacon form – whatever that means. His son seems to have the ability to communicate with the dead, almost a SENSE of the world beyond the grave. This is one of those great plot devices that is so original it would be interesting to see another film use it. After watching Stir Of Echoes something very odd happens, the only song that is stuck in your head for the following weeks is The Rolling Stones “Paint It Black.” It is almost as bad as the effect of “Time Is On Your Side,” after watching Fallen.

#11: Drag Me To Hell (2009) Sam Raimi’s return to form after the terror of Spidey 3. Carnival shocks abound in Raimi’s allegory for the American debt crisis. A woman is cursed when she is forced to turn a gypsy down for a loan – that will teach the banks what can happen when they fail to help the penniless.

#10: The Devil’s Backbone (2001) Guillermo del Toro’s pirates vs. ghosts film isn’t heavy on the scares but is an example of wonderful storytelling. If you haven’t seen it, I apologize for getting your hopes up about pirates, there are no pirates in a literal sense. There is, however, a giant diffused bomb that provides a symbol of foreboding for all the characters.

#9: The Orphanage (2007) Produced by Guillermo del Toro years after Devil’s Backbone and featuring more orphans and another young boy who befriends a ghost. This time the boy goes missing and it is up to the spirits to help his mother uncover the mystery. This slow burn has an amazing pay off.

#8: The Sixth Sense (1999) A boy who sees dead people and his therapist team up to battle their fear of ghosts. M. Night Shyamalan built his his own trap with Sixth Sense – he made a near perfect film with a twist. After this film his twist endings became his cliché, until he decided he didn’t care about his audience anymore and made Lady In The Water, The Happening, and The Last Airbender.

#7: The Ring (2002) Okay, really? Another boy sees the dead. This time the boy’s mother leaves a cursed tape lying around and instead of getting cartoons he gets a dose of student avant-garde filmmaking. This experimental film was made by a dead girl and those who see it die in seven days unless they force someone else to see it – now that’s an interesting way to promote your film. From my understanding: in the original books the curse eventually effects the world and those who have shared the viewing experience are affected by a deadly disease. Too bad the sequel didn’t touch on this at all.

#6: The Fog (1980) John Carpenter’s masterpiece about a small coastal town invaded by a fog filled with ghosts. For such an odd concept Carpenter knew he’d have to have some great actors to pull it off so he casted Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, her mother Janet Leigh, Hal Holbrook, and we also get Carpenter regular George ‘Buck’ Flower. The Fog offers good scares and a morality tale.

#5: The Others (2001) While Nicole Kidman awaits any news of the first Doctor Who, who’s battling in WWII, she must maintain her mansion with a list of bizarre rules. Her children cannot be exposed to direct sunlight so the house has to be ran a certain way: all the doors must be locked and curtains drawn. Her children are not vampires in case you were wondering, instead there is something more nefarious occurring in the home. With The Others we have another slow build, probably too slow for some, but while waiting we are able to see wonderful cinematography and little details that each have the opportunity to elicit shock.

#4: Paranormal Activity (2009) Though I love older films with much more fervor than most of the current genre titles, Paranormal Activity scared the hell out of me in the theater. The ability to build and release tension created a Pavlovian effect in audiences. It’s night time, we’re ready to anticipate another encounter. Found footage creates fear by paying tribute to classical tactics, where less is truly more. Though these films are bound by a minuscule budget they use the old adage to their advantage: What an audience can imagine is always more terrifying than what we can show.

#3: Poltergeist (1982) Tobe Hooper, under the guidance of Steven Spielberg, created a film so terrifying that if it were release today as it would have also acquired an R-rating for being too scary. This film taught us a valuable lesson, never build your house on top of an Indian burial ground. This film created an irrational fear of clowns and trees that followed me through my entire childhood.

#2: The Shining (1980) Yet another film where boys and ghosts interact, but this is the granddaddy of all ghost stories. I suggest a double feature of The Shining and Room 237, it may be the best four hours ever. The Shining works because there is no set-in-stone meaning, some say it is an allegorical tale for the death of the American dream – I kinda like that. Whatever meaning you have of the film and its ending, the perfection of The Shining will stay with you forever, and ever.

#1: The Haunting (1963) Tagline: You may not believe in ghosts but you cannot deny terror. Robert Wise created a perfect ghost story filled with skeptics and psychics. A doctor brings a motley crew of people to Hill House to investigate if it is truly haunted. The mansion has a history of death and insanity, as time goes on for these investigators it becomes apparent that the house only wants one of them. “We couldn’t hear you in the night. No one could. No one lives any nearer than town. No one will come any nearer than that. In the night. In the dark.”

Okay, so what did I miss?  What should have been number 1?  Let me know by leaving a comment..