From ravens and vultures to killer flocks and supernatural omens, birds have played a major role in horror for decades. In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, Abby sits down with Kate Rotunda to explore the history of birds in horror and why these animals continue to symbolize death, fear, and chaos across film and folklore.

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, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

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Why do audiences jump in horror movies? What are some of the greatest jump scares in cinema history? In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, Abby and Alan explore the history of the jump scare, from early suspense filmmaking and the famous “Lewton Bus” scene in Cat People to the modern era of loud, fast-paced horror shocks. We break down how jump scares evolved, why they work psychologically, and the films that helped define the technique across horror history.

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, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

Sources

• Collider Article: A Brief History of The Jump Scare by Samantha Graves
• Inverse Article: The Unexpected Psychology of Jump Scares by Ben Guarino
• An article from The Lineup by Kelsey Christine McConnell: The Hair Raising History of The Jump Scare
• An Atlas Obscura Article by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw: The Startling History of The Jump Scare

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This week Abby and Alan discuss the reported haunting of the Bell Witch in Tennessee during the early 1800s. The events centered on the Bell family and centers around unexplained noises, voices, and physical disturbances. The entity, often called “Kate,” was said to target specific family members.

The case became widely known and was later documented in An Authenticated History of the Bell Witch. There are also claims that Andrew Jackson visited the site. The episode reviews the reported events and their historical context.

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, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

Sources

• An Authenticated History of the Bell Witch by Martin V. Ingram
• Tennessee State Museum article by Tori Kleinpeter: Tennessee Legends: The Bell Witch
• MainStreetMediaTN.com article by Charlotte Reedy: Andrew Jackson and The Bell Witch

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This week, Abby and Alan dive into the folklore behind horror’s most contagious curses, from The Ring to Smile to It Follows.

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, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

Sources

• BBC article by Quinn Hargitai: The Strange Power of The Evil Eye
• A psmag.com article on The Aye-Aye and The Finger of Death by Jason Bittel
• Collider article by Gabrielle Grady: The Ring is Based on A Haunting Ghost Story
• The Evil Eye: The Classic Account of an Ancient Superstition by Frederick Thomas Elworthy.
• Yale Tropical Resource Institute Article by Eleanor Sterling, PhD Candidate: The Aye-Aye Lemur of Madagascar: Feeding Ecology, Social Behavior, and Microhabitat
• James George Frazer in The Golden Bough
• An Anthropology Review article by Claudine Casser: Contagious Magic - Items that have been in contact, remain connected
• https://www.bellwitchcave.com/bell-witch-legend/

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This week, Abby is joined by Alex Goleman for a double feature of eerie campfire tales, the kind that feel a little too real once the lights go out.

“Only The Dead” by Marisca Pichette and “Trash Talk” by Sam Logan.

Find more from the authors at mariscapichette.com and samloganwrites.com.

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, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

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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, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

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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: https://substack.com/@lunaticsproject

Email us at filmsaboutlunatics@gmail.com with your listener lore.

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, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

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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: https://substack.com/@drob91

Follow Abby on Substack: https://substack.com/@lunaticsproject

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, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

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