The Room Went Dark

Amalie & Lorraine

The Room Went Dark - Casual conversations and honest opinions about the films, tv series and documentaries you love that have been inspired by true and troubling real life events. Each week, Amalie and Lorraine break down the true stories behind popular movies, tv series and documentaries, asking one key question: How accurate are they? From serial killers like Aileen Wuornos, Gary Heidnik and Ed Gein to paranormal cases like The Conjuring, we compare Hollywood portrayals with historical reality — separating fact from fiction. If you're fascinated by movies based on true stories and want to know what really happened, this is the podcast for you. Thank you for listening and please rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  1. Sep 7

    IT (2017) — The Monster Beneath Derry

    What if the thing you're most afraid of isn't really the monster? In this episode of The Room Went Dark, Amalie & Lorraine head to Derry, Maine, for a deep dive into Andy Muschietti's 2017 adaptation of Stephen King's IT — a film about childhood, fear, friendship and the things that follow us long after we grow up. We meet the Losers' Club, return to the storm drains and come face-to-face with Pennywise, the Dancing Clown. But beneath the balloons, jump scares and supernatural horror lies something considerably darker: a town where terrible things seem to happen again and again. We'll look at how Pennywise turns childhood fears into weapons, why Derry itself may be just as frightening as the creature hiding beneath it, and how the film uses its 1980s setting to create a distorted version of childhood nostalgia. But there's another story hiding beneath IT. Stephen King's fictional Derry was inspired by his real-life home of Bangor, Maine. And while writing IT, King was affected by the 1984 murder of Charlie Howard, a young gay man who was attacked by teenagers and thrown from a bridge in Bangor. That real-life tragedy became the inspiration for Adrian Mellon's story in King's novel — a connection that would eventually make its way onto the screen in IT: Chapter Two. We'll also look at the darker cultural history surrounding the image of the killer clown and the often-repeated comparisons between Pennywise and John Wayne Gacy's infamous "Pogo the Clown" persona — separating what is documented from what has become horror folklore. Because perhaps the most disturbing thing about IT isn't the creature in the sewer. It's the reminder that sometimes the real monsters are human. One town. Seven children. One ancient nightmare. Welcome to Derry. Join the Conversation: What are your thoughts on Pennywise? Thank you for listening and please rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Let us know your thoughts by contacting us on one of the following: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theroomwentdark_ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588033651455 Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theroomwentdark Email - theroomwentdark@gmail.com Music: Track: Caverns Of Madness - Artist: Darren Curtis https://www.darrencurtismusic.com/

    IT (2017) — The Monster Beneath Derry
  2. Aug 24

    A Toxic Love Story

    Love, obsession and manipulation collide in this unsettling true story of a relationship that became anything but romantic. In this episode of The Room Went Dark, Amalie & Lorraine explore the documentary A Toxic Love Story and the disturbing events at its centre. What begins as a story of love and attraction gradually reveals a much darker reality, raising questions about control, obsession, manipulation and how toxic relationships can escalate. We look beyond the documentary itself to examine the people involved, the events that inspired the film, and the warning signs that can become lost beneath the idea of a passionate love story. In this episode: The story behind A Toxic Love StoryThe relationship at the centre of the documentaryObsession, manipulation and controlThe real events behind the storyHow the documentary presents those involvedThe darker reality behind the romanceOur thoughts on the documentary and its portrayal of events Content warning: This episode discusses toxic relationships, abuse, violence and disturbing real-life events. Listen to the episode and step beyond the screen as we uncover the troubling true story behind A Toxic Love Story. Join the Conversation: What are you views on how the case was handled for Michelle? Thank you for listening and please rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Let us know your thoughts by contacting us on one of the following: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theroomwentdark_ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588033651455 Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theroomwentdark Email - theroomwentdark@gmail.com Music: Track: Caverns Of Madness - Artist: Darren Curtis https://www.darrencurtismusic.com/

  3. Jul 27

    Jeepers Creepers (2001) - The monsters on the road and the real-life killer who inspired it.

    What happens when a terrifying horror movie begins with something that feels far too real? In this episode of The Room Went Dark, Amalie & Lorraine take a dark journey into Jeepers Creepers (2001) — the cult horror film that introduced us to The Creeper, a creature that awakens every 23 years to hunt for 23 days. But before we get to the monster, we’re taking a closer look at the disturbing real-life case that bears an uncanny resemblance to the film’s opening. In 1990, siblings Ray and Marie Thornton were driving through rural Michigan when they witnessed a man disposing of what appeared to be a bloodied body wrapped in a sheet behind an abandoned schoolhouse. The case became part of a police investigation and was later featured on Unsolved Mysteries. That man was Dennis DePue. We’ll explore the DePue case, what happened to his wife Marilyn, the terrifying encounter witnessed by the Thorntons, before examining the similarities between those real events and the opening scenes of Jeepers Creepers. Then it’s time to get back on the road with Trish and Darry. We’ll dive deep into the 2001 film, from that unforgettable opening sequence and the mysterious Creeper, to the escalating sense of dread as the siblings realise they are being hunted. Because sometimes the most disturbing horror stories aren't completely fictional. Join the Conversation: How would you try and escape The Creeper? Thank you for listening and please rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Let us know your thoughts by contacting us on one of the following: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theroomwentdark_ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588033651455 Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theroomwentdark Email - theroomwentdark@gmail.com Music: Track: Caverns Of Madness - Artist: Darren Curtis https://www.darrencurtismusic.com/

    Jeepers Creepers (2001) - The monsters on the road and the real-life killer who inspired it.

About

The Room Went Dark - Casual conversations and honest opinions about the films, tv series and documentaries you love that have been inspired by true and troubling real life events. Each week, Amalie and Lorraine break down the true stories behind popular movies, tv series and documentaries, asking one key question: How accurate are they? From serial killers like Aileen Wuornos, Gary Heidnik and Ed Gein to paranormal cases like The Conjuring, we compare Hollywood portrayals with historical reality — separating fact from fiction. If you're fascinated by movies based on true stories and want to know what really happened, this is the podcast for you. Thank you for listening and please rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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