Dark Academy (Southern Belles and Chilling Tales)

Kristin Roman
  • 4.1 (7)
  • True Crime
  • Updated Monthly

Two friends, Kristin and Rebecca, swapped true crime, paranormal, cryptid, and alien stories with Southern sass. Think spooky front-porch tales with a side of humor. While new episodes have ended, you can still binge past chilling tales, then follow Kristin to her new podcast, Dark Academy, where the stories continue in a spookier, more immersive world. Dark Academy Episodes are Clean. Southern Belles and Chilling Tales, not so much

  1. Aug 12

    18 The Lost Boys

    Welcome to the Dark Academy Summer Drive-In. Tonight’s feature is The Lost Boys. A movie filled with neon lights, motorcycles, leather jackets, and vampires But Santa Carla isn’t entirely fictional. The real Santa Cruz, California, has a darker history of its own. Once called the “Murder Capital of the World,” the city was home to notorious killers including Edmund Kemper, Herbert Mullin, and John Linley Frazier. Then we’ll step back into the movie and visit the real places where The Lost Boys was filmed, from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to the abandoned location used for Grandpa’s house. We’ll look at what locations survived the devastating 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Our Final Fright takes us all over the Santa Cruz area to explore the myths and legends that round out the dark atmosphere of this California town: the Mystery Spot, haunted Brookdale Lodge, the mysterious Respini Mansion, the Lady in White, and the creepy lore surrounding the tunnels beneath the boardwalk.

    18 The Lost Boys

  2. Jul 1

    17 I Know What You Did Last Summer and the Hookman Urban Legend

    A deadly hit-and-run. A fisherman with a hook. A killer who refuses to let the past stay buried. Tonight at Dark Academy, we’re celebrating the Fourth of July with a ‘90s horror classic: I Know What You Did Last Summer. We revisit the coastal slasher that helped define a generation, discuss what still works, what makes us yell at the screen, and why the Hookman remains one of horror’s most recognizable killers. Then we examine the heartbreaking true story of Tony Parsons, a charity cyclist whose fatal hit-and-run led to a cold blooded cover-up. Next, we head to Virginia to untangle the still-mysterious Colonial Parkway Murders. Recent DNA evidence identified fisherman Alan Wade Wilmer as the killer in several cases, but lingering questions and unsolved murders continue to fuel speculation that another predator may still be part of the story. Finally, we gather around the campfire for our Final Fright and trace the evolution of The Hookman urban legend. From 1940s Lovers’ Lane warnings to campfire tales, Hollywood slashers, and the age of AI, why has this story survived for nearly 80 years? So grab a flashlight, stay with your friends, and whatever you do… Don’t stop on a lonely road.

    17 I Know What You Did Last Summer and the Hookman Urban Legend

  3. Jun 3

    16 The Exorcist

    In this episode of Dark Academy, we gather in the Midnight Library to discuss all things Exorcist. The whole show is the Exorcist.  Join me as we journey from the ancient ruins of Iraq and the legend of the Mesopotamian demon Pazuzu to the streets of Georgetown, where a young girl’s possession would forever change the horror genre. But the story doesn't end there. The movie was based on real events. A real demon possession? You may ask. Yes! Or so they say. We’ll explore the claims, the exorcisms, the skeptical explanations, and the events that blurred the line between faith, fear, folklore, and reality. Then step into the resulting American fear of the occult, demon possession, ouija boards and the rise of the Satanic Panic Finally, we'll close with the strange and unsettling stories surrounding the production of The Exorcist itself. From mysterious fires and on-set injuries to deaths connected to the cast and crew, many came to believe the film was cursed long before audiences ever sat down to watch it. Was Roland Doe truly possessed? Did The Exorcist unleash a new era of fear? And was the production really cursed? Grab your candle and join me in the Midnight Library circle as we explore one of the darkest stories in horror history. Topics include: The Exorcist, Roland Doe, Ronald Hunkeler, exorcisms, Pazuzu, demonology, Catholic exorcism rituals, Satanic Panic, paranormal folklore, horror history, and alleged curses.

    16 The Exorcist

  4. May 3

    15 The Village, Folk Magic, and Flat Earth

    Step into the woods… actually, don’t. In this episode of Dark Academy, we gather in the Midnight Library to explore The Village, a film where fear isn’t just a feeling… it’s a system. A system designed to protect. To control. To keep people safe… From “Those We Do Not Speak Of” to the quiet authority of those who claim to know what’s best, The Village forces us to ask a chilling question: Can we trust the people who decide what we’re allowed to know? We start with the film itself—its tension, its love story, its carefully constructed fear, and unravel the deeper horror beneath it: not monsters in the woods, but the stories we’re told to keep us in line. Then we step beyond the screen. Into the lies we tell children to keep them safe. Into folklore and superstition designed to control behavior. Into real-world beliefs that blurred the line between protection… and harm. From childhood warnings to cultural traditions, and even true crime rooted in fear and belief, this episode explores how easily we accept what we’re told, especially when it feels like it’s for our own good. Because sometimes the scariest thing isn’t the unknown… …it’s trusting the wrong voice in the dark. So the question is: Would you rather know the truth… or feel safe believing the lie? Welcome back to Dark Academy. Grab your candle.

  5. Mar 18

    14 Bigfoot What Does it Take to Believe?

    Something is knocking in the woods. In this episode of Dark Academy, we step beyond the firelight and into one of the most enduring mysteries in modern folklore, Bigfoot. From the forests of Bluff Creek to whispered encounters deep in the wilderness, sightings of a massive, human-like creature have been reported for decades. Footprints appear overnight. Strange sounds echo through the trees. And those who claim to have seen it are left with more questions than answers. But Bigfoot isn’t just a creature… it’s a test of belief. Why do so many people accept something that has never been proven? What does it actually take for us to believe the unbelievable? Tonight, we explore eyewitness accounts, famous evidence, psychological patterns of belief, and the theories that keep this legend alive—from scientific explanations to the truly unexplainable. So grab a blanket, get close to the fire… and listen carefully. Because something might be listening too.

    14 Bigfoot What Does it Take to Believe?

  6. Feb 3

    13 Friday the 13th

    Come join me by the fireplace. In this episode, we return to Camp Crystal Lake, right in the middle of winter, to revisit Friday the 13th and unravel why this date still gives us chills. We start with a nostalgic slasher classic: summer camp counselors, bad decisions, and a mother’s revenge. We'll dig into why this simple film still works—and why campfire stories are so popular. From there, we step off the screen and into the fear itself. Why does Friday the 13th feel cursed? Is it myth, history, coincidence, or something darker? We explore the origins of the superstition, from Norse mythology and biblical symbolism to the Knights Templar and the psychology behind paraskevidekatriaphobia. We examine real-world crimes associated with the date, including the haunting murder of Kitty Genovese and the ripple effects that helped create 911. We even look at disasters, defiance of superstition, and the people who dared to mock bad luck itself. We close out with a Final Fright rooted in summer camp folklore. Ghosts in the woods, phantom cabins, porcelain dolls (absolutely not), and the real-life tragedy that may have inspired one of horror’s most iconic stories. Is Friday the 13th truly cursed…or do we just keep giving it reasons to be?

    13 Friday the 13th

  7. 10/31/2025

    12 Origins of Halloween: Tales from the Dark Academy Clearing

    Join me at the Dark Academy clearing for a chilling journey through the origins of Halloween. From ancient Celtic rituals and headless horsemen to Victorian love charms and modern mischief, explore the eerie, fascinating, and sometimes deadly traditions that shaped our favorite spooky holiday. Along the way, encounter folklore, haunted histories, and strange customs that reveal how Halloween evolved into the celebration we know today. Gather ‘round the fire, grab a marshmallow, and beware… by listening, you are now an Inductee of Dark Academy.

    12 Origins of Halloween: Tales from the Dark Academy Clearing

  8. 08/25/2025

    11: Edmond Kemper - The Co-Ed Killer

    Step into the newly discovered wing of Dark Academy where we’ll study the dark mind and murder spree of serial killer Edmond Kemper, or the Co-Ed Killer.  Is he a soulless monster or a remorseful genius helping law enforcement hunt other murderers? Only he knows.

    11: Edmond Kemper - The Co-Ed Killer
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About

Two friends, Kristin and Rebecca, swapped true crime, paranormal, cryptid, and alien stories with Southern sass. Think spooky front-porch tales with a side of humor. While new episodes have ended, you can still binge past chilling tales, then follow Kristin to her new podcast, Dark Academy, where the stories continue in a spookier, more immersive world. Dark Academy Episodes are Clean. Southern Belles and Chilling Tales, not so much

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