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Artwork for Lunatics Radio Hour: The History of Horror

Lunatics Radio Hour: The History of Horror

The Lunatics Project
Dancing Plague Of 1518
Artificial Intelligence
Horror Films
Demonic Summoning
Horror Stories
Exorcism
Djinn
Terminators
Folklore
Whirling Dervish
Horror Literature
Amusement Parks
Ex Machina
The Exorcist
Tourette Syndrome
The Sacrifice Game
Megan
The Stepford Wives
Robocop
The Truman Show

Lunatics Radio Hour is a non-fiction history podcast about the history of horror and the horror of history. Each episode explores real, documented events where fear, violence, survival, and the unknown shaped human lives and cultures. The show also traces how historical events influenced film, examining how real-world horrors became the stories and images that appear on screen.

Topics include dar... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes234Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TV & FilmHistoryFilm History

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Lunatics Radio Hour: The History of Horror

Latest Episodes

This week Abby sits down with Kate Rotunda to discuss the vast and unnerving history of mirrors. 

Get Lunatics Merch here. Join the discussion on Discord. Check out Abby's book Horror Stories. Available in eBook and paperback. Music by Michaela Papa... more

YouTube

Today we are bringing you 6 hometown urban legends straight from our listeners.

Follow Madz on Instagram @madzsmiled and @sonrisalibrary. And consider supporting BeLoved Asheville. 

Follow Abby on Substack: substack.com/@lunaticsproject

Em... more

YouTube

This week Abby and Alan sit down with Dan Roberts to discuss the history of The Babysitter and The Man Upstairs urban legend and When A Stranger Calls (1979). 

Follow Dan on Substack: substack.com/@drob91

Follow Abby on Substack: su... more

YouTube

Have you ever felt like someone was watching you from outside your house?  It's an (overdue) honor to present this real scary story from K.L. Mill.

If you want to walk down memory lane with us, you can listen to The Man With The Axe (the very first... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

John C. Cooke
Host of the Fado podcast; storyteller on this episode
Fado podcast
Episode: Episode 185 - Listener Lore #1
Madz O'Brien
Folklore storyteller; Colorado-centric urban legends
MadzSmiled; Sonrisalibrary on Instagram
Episode: Episode 185 - Listener Lore #1
Michael Crosa
Friend of the pod; conducts an interview-style segment
Local blogger/podcaster
Episode: Episode 185 - Listener Lore #1
KL. Mill
Author and voice actor
Cursed Morsels; Krapuskiller Magazine
Episode: Episode 183 - Real Scary Stories: Midnight Visitor
Kate Rotunda
Horror encyclopedia and writer who published a category-focused article
lunaticsproject.com
Episode: Episode 181 - Categorizing Horror Villains
Josh Hutchinson
Co-founder of the Connecticut Witch Trials Exoneration Project
Connecticut Witch Trials Exoneration Project
Episode: Episode 180 - The History of The Connecticut Witch Trials
Joseph Hare
Writer based in Barnard Castle, England, who also works at the Auckland Project Foundation.
Auckland Project Foundation
Episode: Episode 162 - Campfire Tales #6
LindaAnn Lo Schiavo
Native New Yorker and award-winning author affiliated with multiple literary societies.
Episode: Episode 162 - Campfire Tales #6
Curtis A. Deeter
Author of fantasy, science fiction, and horror with two dozen short stories published.
Editor and founder of Of Rust and Glass magazine
Episode: Lunatics Library 46 - Space Horror Stories: Part 2

Hosts

Abby Branker
Host of Lunatics Radio Hour; frequently appears with deep involvement in historical horror topics and folklore.
Alan Kudan
Co-host with a focus on historical analysis and discussion of horror-related topics.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 126 ratings
  • Great

    Alan =Really Good

    Abby = Great

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TING Ting 23
    United States3 months ago
  • Complex review

    Abby=good

    Alan=bad

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    devil zilla
    United Statesa year ago
  • Alan is unbearable

    Let me start by saying I’ve been listening for a while, a few years, and I love the topics. I love horror movies and history and Abby does an amazing job selecting, researching, and discussing great content. Each of the three stars go only to her. I’ve had to turn off s few episodes because Alan is literally unbearable. He does no preparation, has no background knowledge of any of the topics, comes in critical of Abby’s every word, then drops the “you’ve never heard of ____?!?!” And proceeds to ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Sarahpgh
    United Statesa year ago
  • Abby and Alan are great

    Abby and Alan have a great dynamic and really know how to keep their audience engaged.

    Audible
    5
    Amazon Customer
    United Statesa year ago
  • You guys seem to not like any movies.

    The last episode, you guys put on about demonic possession. It just seems like every single movie you disliked. In fact, the only movie you even gave a positive spin on was the one that your friends made. It gets a little frustrating, listening to this podcast because I really want to get the information, but I feel like all the Pokémon talk, and hating all horror movies, especially beloved classics like the exorcist Rosemary‘s baby and the witch kind of turns me off. I’ve noticed that lately. Y... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    LukeJ2022phantom
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the hosts' chemistry and the show's mix of history and horror.
Some feedback notes a division in reception about hosts' delivery, with calls for more prep and background knowledge from co-hosts.
Many reviews highlight the well-researched topics and engaging storytelling.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 181 - Categorizing Horror Villains
Q: Tell us about hedonistic pleasure as a category and why it feels terrifying.
Hedonistic villains pursue pleasure above all else, with no moral constraints, which makes their actions feel arbitrary and devastating because the motive is pure delight at others' expense.
Episode 180 - The History of The Connecticut Witch Trials
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the Connecticut Witch Trials Exoneration Project and the work that you guys are doing?
The project began in 2022 to clear the names of those accused in Colonial Connecticut; it culminated in legislation passed in 2023 to exonerate 11 executed individuals and to address broader injustices, with ongoing efforts to expand recognition to other New England cases and to build educational trails and resources.
Episode 149 - The Science Behind Alien Phenomena: Part 1
Q: What do you think is true about interdimensional beings?
If we only experience a limited reality, there may be other dimensions or realities we don't comprehend, possibly linked to the concept of God or non-human intelligence.
Episode 149 - The Science Behind Alien Phenomena: Part 1
Q: What's the belief behind the loss of time in UFO encounters?
This relates to special relativity, where how you experience time is based on your frame of reference and speed in relation to light.
Episode 149 - The Science Behind Alien Phenomena: Part 1
Q: How did you first get into UFOs?
I wasn't really into UFOs until 2017, when a New York Times article described a secret Pentagon program researching UFOs, which made me reconsider what I thought reality was.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show explores real historical horrors and the impact of fear on people, cultures, and cinema. Each episode tends to center on documented events, mysteries, or phenomena that shaped narratives in film and popular culture, from witch trials and colonial histories to survival psychology and folklore. A standout trait is the show's blend of rigorous history with eerie storytelling, occasionally featuring short fiction that's clearly labeled. Potential listeners who enjoy learning the historical roots behind scary stories, and those curious about how real events influence horror cinema, are likely to find this engaging and unique.

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Heart Starts Pounding: Horrors, Hauntings and Mysteries
2. Residue: A True Crime Podcast
3. Crime Weekly
4. Morbid
5. My Victorian Nightmare

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 6 years ago and published 234 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. John C. Cooke
2. Madz O'Brien
3. Michael Crosa
4. KL. Mill
5. Kate Rotunda
6. Josh Hutchinson
7. Joseph Hare
8. LindaAnn Lo Schiavo

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