Ominous Origins

What happens behind the scenes of films? Well, there’s a lot, and we’ve looked into some of what people do during our interview series, but there’s one woman who really embodies that behind-the-scenes essence. That woman is Helen Lyons-Curran, and she is a director, producer, and writer, and one of her latest projects, Ends Meat is going to have big things coming its way. Beyond that, she is the d...

So, during our time with Women in Horror Month, I’ve talked to a great assortment of people, that has been established, but today is a truly different one. Sarah is one of the founders of Geeks Who Eat, a brand dedicated to making recipes based off of films of all genres, and as somebody who is terrible at cooking (even if Sarah doesn’t believe people can’t cook), I found her work to be fascinatin...

In the time that I’ve interviewed all these incredible women in horror, I’ve gotten to speak with actresses, directors, writers, performers, but Horrocane is a first. She’s a YouTuber from Australia. So not only is her location unique to the series, but so is her vocation. Talking from experience, YouTube is a tough place to break into. With the constantly changing algorithms, to the near daily up...

The great thing about this Women in Horror Month interview series is all the people I get to meet, and I couldn’t be happier about sitting down with Elizabeth McCafferty. She’s a British actress and filmmaker with a passion for feminist horror. She’s had some roles in some pretty large movies, and continues to make her way through the world of filmmaking, but her upcoming project is something she...

In the world of horror, there are so many faces behind the scenes that make things work, that helps the machine run smoothly, and one of those faces is Somica Spratley. She is a visual effects and makeup artist with a flare for the creative. Not only is Somica a woman in horror, but she’s also a woman of color, and so much more. We all know that labelling people based on gender and skin color is a...

One of the reasons why I love celebrations like Women in Horror Month so much is due to all the amazing and interesting people I get to meet, and today I got to chat with one of the most fascinating women I’ve ever had the pleasure of interviewing. Kino McFarland is a multi-talented performer, writer, filmmaker, and well, everything, and she even has a stage name, Kino B. Demented! How cool is tha...

Before I get into the article, I would like to welcome The Horror Spinsters to the Morbidly Beautiful podcasting network, and they just happen to be today’s interview for Women in Horror Month! Kelly and Jess are two Canadian girls who absolutely love horror, especially in the feminist sense. They release their cast, I Spit On Your Podcast, on the last day of every month, and they talk about every...

Our first interview on the journey through the wonderful Women in Horror Month is a very special one. If you’ve listened to the podcast in the last year or so, you would be familiar with Morbidly Beautful’s website, and that website is founded by one Stephanie Malone. When I think of Women in Horror, she’s one of the first names to pop into my mind. She’s the creator, content provider, and editor-...

This week is the last day before we hit February, and with February comes the illustrious Women In Horror Month! In honour of that kicking off tomorrow, I have a myth for you in the realm of that - the Banshee. One of the most well known and famous of spirits, this wailing harbinger of death laments her song as a warning to those who are about to meet an untimely demise, or those close to you. If...

I can’t believe it took me the long to do the Jersey Devil. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a fascination with New Jersey. Don’t’ ask why, I’m well aware of the states reputation. Nevertheless, the allure of the hockey team, Kevin Smith films, and coastline has always been there – oh, and of course the Jersey Devil. In the same tier as Bigfoot and Loch Ness, the Jersey Devil ranks a...

The Highway of Tears – what’s there to say on the topic? Well, a lot. For those unfamiliar with the massive stretch of highway in the middle of British Colombia, it’s a tragic and terrible story that is ongoing to this day. It’s a series of cases involving Canada’s Indigenous population that have largely gone unsolved, and some date back to the 1960’s. Over the course of the last 60 years, many wo...

It’s time for a lesson in the ABC’s… No, I trust you know your alphabet, I’m talking about Alien Big Cats. These aren’t some extra-terrestrial tentacle beings that look like cats, but rather regular old exotic cats, like pumas or leopards that have somehow found their way to a part of the world in which they simply do not belong. From these ABC’s stems countless myths and legends, and even inspire...

Welcome to the very first episode of the Ominous Origins Podcast! Of course, this is still a Horror Shots Production, but with a twist. With the new branding, I’m thinking of throwing in some more real life dark history into the mix. Most of everything will still be in the supernatural vein, but I would like to expand on more natural horrors as well, such as the topic of today’s podcast. A little...

As I mentioned in the last episode, Horror Shots, the Podcast is getting a makeover, and this is it! Welcome to the Ominous Origins Podcast! A brand new season will be kicking off on Friday, with the same compelling content you've come to expect from me here at Horror Shots. I also mentioned that Horror Shots won't be going anywhere. The brand still is alive and well, and as you can see from the R...

Well 2019 is coming to an end. It means a fresh start for many, and with it being a new decade, I thought I’d talk about the year that’s been, and what the future holds, as well as thanking you for listening. If I could thank each and every one of you personally, I would. It means everything to me that you’ve given the podcast a chance, and that you’ve stuck with me for so long. Thank you. But, th...

In the state of Indiana there lives a familiar monster. Now, this beast has had at least two eye witness accounts, and both describe the same thing – though the encounters were vastly different. I’m of course talking about the Crosley Monster. Who, or what is that? Great question. This is a fairly new cryptid roaming the woods near Crosley Pond in Indiana, in fact the first, and potentially last s...

Yes, Friday the 13th is more than just a Voorhees family reunion; it’s a day wrought bad luck and for the religious and superstitious, it means a whole lot more than many people think. Its origins date back hundreds upon hundreds of years, and it has had plenty of dark and devastating things have happened on it. From the ancient Greeks who had a different take on the 13th, to Italy, who also have...

While today’s topic might not be an urban legend, so to speak, it does fall into the realm of disturbing and macabre. Sorry to those who were hoping to hear about Bigfoot or other cryptids, but today I have a real life horror for you, something tangible, a monster made of man. We’re talking about H.H. Holmes, and his murder hotel. We can’t talk about Illinois without going into some detail about H...

The stop on our tour is the unassuming Idaho, the state known for its potatoes, of all things. Well, like any other state, it has legends of its own. Being located in an area rich with history, including being part of the Oregon trail, and having a huge indigenous presence, it’s bound to have a story or two behind it. And that’s where we enter Coyote and the Seven Devils. The story goes that there...

Ah, Hawaii! If I were to ever travel the USA in person, this would most certainly be a destination. The sun, the sand, the waves, it’s truly a beautiful state full of history and culture. However, there are certain places in the state that should be avoided, such as an island called Ni’ihau. The story goes that this is a very plentiful spot to fish, however as with the good comes the bad. The isla...

We are back with our tour of the Eerie USA this week after a little pit stop last. Today we’re going to be looking at the State of Georgia. After trolling for the creepiest urban legends, I found a whopper of one. We’re talking about Lake Lanier, the man-made reservoir sprawls an enormous distance, and was stricken with issues right out of the gate. From trouble funding the project, to having vari...

A few months back, you may recall, I did a podcast just touching the topic of the Nephilim. I say just touching for one reason, it is a very deep topic, deeper than I could have imagined. It is so deep in fact that I was contacted by one Ken Ammi to discuss the topic in more detail. In fact Ken didn’t even cover everything on the topic. Am I getting ahead of myself? I think I’m getting ahead of my...

Loch Ness, The Cupacabra, Big Foot – all very recognizable names to those who don’t even know what those are classified as – Cryptids, they’re called cryptids – but what about a not-so-known-one, what about one with a name so fierce it strikes fear into the hearts of those who just hear a whisper of it. What about the fabled and terrifying SKUNK-APE! No…? Doesn’t strike fear and cause you to run?...

As we continue our tour on the Eerie USA, we come across some smaller states, naturally. But that doesn’t mean they’re any less deserving of a spot on our tour – Hell, some of them have the best legends and stories. Sadly though, well maybe not sadly, but for lack of a better word, we’ll use that, many of these stories have to do with hauntings or spirits. Now, I promise you I’ll do my best to fin...

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my travels through the Eerie USA, Connecticut is by far one of the hardest to spell. That’s not supernatural, of course, just an observation… Anywhoo, Connecticut is home to one of the creepier legends on this list with a story of a woman by the name of Hanna Cranna. Now, the name itself is dangerously close a childhood mocking rhyme, but I’ll ignore that for n...