The Stories We Tell in the Dark

Anywhere But Hollywood
  • 3.9 (306)
  • Film History
  • Updated Weekly

THE STORIES WE TELL IN THE DARK is an exploration of cinema deep cuts, weird behind-the-scenes stories, and forgotten film lore. FILM ON THE FRINGE was a limited series investigating modern cult classics and genre favorites and their connections to magic and mystery. MAGICAL MYSTERY MEDIA was a freeform discussion of paranormal and conspiracy documentaries. Host Adam Charles has floated in and out of the film industry for over four decades. He is an award winning screenwriter who has worked for Walt Disney Television, Amblin Entertainment, and some other companies you've never heard of.

  1. 10/29/2025

    Season Finale: Field Guide to SPIRITED AWAY, GILLIGAN'S ISLAND Real?, BBC Spaghetti Tree Hoax, EXORCIST-CIA Connection, Hollywood Star Secrets, 13 WOMEN

    Adam wraps up the season with Thirteen Women (1932) - the only film of tragic actress Peg Entwistle, more secrets behind the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the real-life viewers who thought Gilligan's Island was a documentary, and Britain's famous "Spaghetti Tree" hoax. Plus: the 1970s CIA rumors surrounding The Exorcist's author William Peter Blatty, and a bonus field guide to the Shinto spirits of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Show notes at https://magicalmystery.media

    Season Finale: Field Guide to SPIRITED AWAY, GILLIGAN'S ISLAND Real?, BBC Spaghetti Tree Hoax, EXORCIST-CIA Connection, Hollywood Star Secrets, 13 WOMEN

  2. 10/29/2025 ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

    Introducing "Vaginismus or: The Woman Is Fine" (w/ Catherine Cohen) from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. Follow the show: Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang It's Mr. Bo and Mr. Ro with Ms. Co on a "really good day, astrologically"! And that's that me nirvana! Fresh from being medically fingered on the upper west side, Catherine Cohen is BACK on the podcast to talk about her new Off-Bro show at the Lucille Lortel theater (so... Ms. Lo, we guess!) It's called Broad Strokes and you can go see it now until September 5th! The three old pals reminisce and conspire for a Seek Culture reunion, discuss pelvic floor dysfunction, and look back fondly on their most memorable fingerbangs. Also, "Espresso" in its terrible twos, how Dr. Love filled the hole in Catherine's heart (literally), and the "euthanasia coaster". All this, an attack on routine, an attack on thumbs, and an attack on British accents (that we are the perpetrators of). Catherine is sweet as honey, delightful as pie, and God's gift. Go see Broad Strokes at the Lucille Lortel in NYC! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

    You Might Also Like: Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

  3. 10/22/2025

    THE EXORCIST: Faith, Fear, and the True Story Behind Hollywood's Most Haunted Film

    Before The Exorcist terrified the world, its creator was writing comedy. This episode traces William Peter Blatty's journey from humorist to theologian of horror - his mother's influence, the real 1949 exorcism case, the film's alleged curse, and the true story of the boy who inspired it all. Show notes at https://magicalmystery.media

    THE EXORCIST: Faith, Fear, and the True Story Behind Hollywood's Most Haunted Film

  4. 10/15/2025

    THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE and The REAL Possession of Anneliese Michel

    *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:e9f740cd-314f-467b-b11e-3a7e9b936809-6" data-testid= "conversation-turn-4" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Host Adam Charles unpacks the 2005 film The Exorcism of Emily Rose and the harrowing true story behind it - the 1970s case of Anneliese Michel, a young Bavarian woman whose tragic death followed dozens of sanctioned exorcisms. This is a haunting exploration of faith, suffering, and how Hollywood turns real horror into entertainment for the masses. Show notes at https://magicalmystery.media

    THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE and The REAL Possession of Anneliese Michel

  5. 10/08/2025

    Hollywood Ghost Tour: MARILYN Monroe's Mirror, HOLLYWOOD Sign Haunting, MURDERED TV Actor, Dead Projectionists

    Take a haunted walking tour of Hollywood with Adam. Along the way, meet spectral projectionists, Marilyn Monroe's haunted mirror, the ghosts of the Roosevelt Hotel, and Peg Entwistle, the tragic actress who walks forever beneath the famous "H." Tour Stops: El Capitan Theatre TCL Chinese Theatre Hollywood Walk of Fame Roosevelt Hotel The Magic Castle Hollywood Sign Movies mentioned: Citizen Kane (1941); Anything Goes (1936, stage musical, later film); The Rocketeer (1991); Aladdin (1992); King of Kings (1927); Thirteen Women (1932); From Here to Eternity (1953). Personalities mentioned: Will Rogers; Joan Fontaine; Clark Gable; Orson Welles; Sid Grauman; Mary Pickford; Douglas Fairbanks; Howard Schenck; Norma Talmadge; Victor Arthur Killian; Charles Wagenheim; Errol Flynn; Carole Lombard; Montgomery Clift; Marilyn Monroe; Suzanne Leonard (Roosevelt Hotel staff); Harry Houdini; Roland B. Lane; Catherine Lane; Peg Entwistle; Robert Keith; Brian Keith; Irene Dunne; Myrna Loy. Other media & pop culture references: All in the Family (1971–1979); Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976–1977); The Jeffersons (1975–1985); Kojak (1973–1978); Gunsmoke (1955–1975); Planet of the Apes (TV series, 1974); The Brady Bunch (1969–1974); Family Affair (1966–1971); Hotel California (Eagles album, 1976). Show notes at https://magicalmystery.media

    Hollywood Ghost Tour: MARILYN Monroe's Mirror, HOLLYWOOD Sign Haunting, MURDERED TV Actor, Dead Projectionists

  6. 10/01/2025

    Robert Blake UNSOLVED MURDER Case, CAPRICORN ONE & Moon Landing Hoax Conspiracies

    A 1978 thriller accidentally supercharges a conspiracy - and a Hollywood icon's life spirals into a true-crime saga. We explore Peter Hyams' Capricorn One - why Buzz Aldrin disapproved, how it was saved by Superman, and how moon-hoax theories grew from fringe chatter to mainstream mania. Then we trace the 2001 murder of Bonny Lee Bakley - and actor Robert Blake's criminal trial. Movies mentioned: Capricorn One (1978); T.R. Baskin (1971); Busting (1974); 2010 The Year We Make Contact (1984); Outland (1981); Timecop (1994); Lost Highway (1997); Baretta (1975-1978); The Little Rascals & Our Gang (1922 to 1944); In Cold Blood (1967); Superman (1978). People mentioned: Peter Hyams; Elliot Gould; James Brolin; Sam Waterston; Brenda Vaccaro; Hal Holbrook; Karen Black; Telly Savalas; O. J. Simpson; Buzz Aldrin; Robert Blake; Bonny Lee Bakley; Christian Brando; David Lynch. Show notes at https://magicalmystery.media

    Robert Blake UNSOLVED MURDER Case, CAPRICORN ONE & Moon Landing Hoax Conspiracies

  7. 09/24/2025

    Musical Mysteries: VANISHED UFO Troubadour, MISSING Scientist Rocker, Debbie Harry ESCAPES Ted Bundy, Michael Jackson Brother Kidnapped

    Adam explores several strange and chilling tales at the crossroads of movies, music, and true crime. Folk-rock singer Jim Sullivan vanished in the New Mexico desert after appearing in Easy Rider and releasing his album UFO. Iron Butterfly bassist Philip "Taylor" Kramer, a tech pioneer in video compression, disappeared after a cryptic 911 call - his story later featured on Unsolved Mysteries. And Blondie's Debbie Harry, known for her role in Cronenberg's Videodrome, recalls a chilling near-abduction in 1970s New York she later linked to Ted Bundy. Also: Michael Jackson's Brother Randy Kidnapped by South American Guerillas! Links & Extras: Show notes and past episodes: https://magicalmystery.media Follow the podcast for more stories where film, folklore, and the unexplained collide.

    Musical Mysteries: VANISHED UFO Troubadour, MISSING Scientist Rocker, Debbie Harry ESCAPES Ted Bundy, Michael Jackson Brother Kidnapped

  8. 09/17/2025

    GODZILLA vs. GOJIRA, Atomic Fishing Boat Horror, Cannibal Rats & Giant Turtles, Could Real Kaiju Exist?

    What do radioactive fallout, cannibal rats, and a flying turtle have in common? In this episode, Adam explores the dark origins of Japan's most iconic monsters. From the real-life 1954 Lucky Dragon incident - sometimes called the "third atomic bombing" - to the scrapped rat-horror film that accidentally gave birth to Gamera, it's a wild ride through film, folklore, and Cold War fear. Plus: just how big could a real kaiju actually get? Topics include: Godzilla's link to post-war trauma and Shinto beliefs The Lucky Dragon #5 nuclear disaster How a failed giant rat movie led to Gamera Could a real giant monster actually exist? A monster-sized mix of pop culture, science, and the strange stories we tell in the dark. Movies mentioned: Gojira (1954) Godzilla (1956) King Kong (1933) Godzilla Raids Again King Kong Vs. Godzilla Rodan Mothra Them! Tarantula The Day the Earth Stood Still It Came from Beneath the Sea Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Gamera (1965) Giant Horde Beast Nezura (unmade)

    GODZILLA vs. GOJIRA, Atomic Fishing Boat Horror, Cannibal Rats & Giant Turtles, Could Real Kaiju Exist?
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3.9
out of 5
306 Ratings

About

THE STORIES WE TELL IN THE DARK is an exploration of cinema deep cuts, weird behind-the-scenes stories, and forgotten film lore. FILM ON THE FRINGE was a limited series investigating modern cult classics and genre favorites and their connections to magic and mystery. MAGICAL MYSTERY MEDIA was a freeform discussion of paranormal and conspiracy documentaries. Host Adam Charles has floated in and out of the film industry for over four decades. He is an award winning screenwriter who has worked for Walt Disney Television, Amblin Entertainment, and some other companies you've never heard of.

Information

  • Creator
    Anywhere But Hollywood
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodes
    69
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 MagicalMystery.Media
  • Show Website
    The Stories We Tell in the Dark