Twilight, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries…it seems like everywhere we turn these days there is another movie or television show about vampires popping up. They fascinate us, draw us in with their sharp teeth and sex appeal, but they’re just fictional characters, right? The Haunted Histories Collection explores this topic, and many other spooky legends, in this 20 disc and 18 hour long History Channel special released just in time for Halloween.
While this box set promises “the real story” behind several horrifying tales, there are very few parts that actually contain exceptional historical content. About half of the discs revolved around ghost stories from various parts of the country, including Hawaii, Georgia and Washington, D.C. The portions pertaining to the haunted houses and poltergeists are interesting, though they tend to be longer than they really need to be, and contain some historical elements, but the majority of it revolves around interviews with the witnesses of the hauntings or psychics who walk around picking up on ectoplasmic residue.
Take the haunted houses or leave them, but there are some truly fascinating episodes in this series. The “Salem Witch Trials” disc provides an in-depth analysis of what spurred the accusations that led to 19 deaths, citing everything from fear to the quest for a neighbor’s land as a reason to point the finger at someone. Historians clear up the notion that the so-called witches were burnt at the stake, guide the viewer through the hysteria, and explain the trial process, demonstrating how the “spectral evidence” of a spirit attacking an accuser might cause an innocent person to die. Plus, there is the added bonus of sitting through another lecture by David Goss, my former history professor. In comparison to the thousands of dollars I spent for the others, this DVD set is a bargain.
One of the things I appreciate most about this box set is the objectivity of each episode. This is especially apparent in the disc entitled “Vampire Secrets.” During this segment, historians suggest that several vampire legends can be attributed to cases of people who were buried alive. One historian explains the symptoms which afflict a recently deceased body (bloating, liquid seeping from the mouth, hair and nail growth) and gives reasonable excuses for why people in previous centuries believed these were signs of a vampire. This information is given approximately the same amount of air time as the interviews with vampire priests and other psychic vampires later on in the episode, as well as the description of the underground vampire scene in New York in the 1990s. If you can stomach watching the reenactment of the Countess of Bathory pouring virgin blood all over her nasty self in the bathtub, you may even discover the mystery of Susan Walsh, a Village Voice reporter who disappeared shortly after writing an article about the vampire subculture which was never published.
Other highlights of this set include “The Haunted History of Halloween,” which delves into the pagan origins of the holiday, and “In Search of the Real Frankenstein,” which offers insight on whether Shelley’s hit horror novel was inspired by true events. There’s something for everyone, except those who shun the supernatural. And while history buffs may be a bit disappointed, as most of the episodes provide very little fresh material for those well versed in such phenomena, the overall content is a pleasant mix of information and entertainment. For anyone with an interest in the occult or an eye for the undead, this DVD series is for you.
DVD Bonus Features
There are no special features on this DVD set, but with 18 hours of footage, who really needs them?
"Haunted Histories Collection" is on sale September 29, 2009 and is rated NR. Documentary, Television. Directed by James Hawes, Richard Ross, Tom Jennings. Starring Candice Bergen, Harry Smith, John Glover.
