Episode 173 - The History of Isolation and Winter Horror

Episode 173 - The History of Isolation and Winter Horror

Author: The Lunatics Project January 13, 2026 Duration: 1:15:50
This week Abby and Alan continue exploring the intersection of winter and horror, this time through the lens of of isolation.  Sources:  A Medical News Today article by Danielle Dresdon: What to know about cabin fever. JAMA Network, scientific study by Eugene Ziskind, M.D. called Isolation Stress in Medical and Mental Illness PubMed study from 2021, Social Isolation and Psychosis: An Investigation of social interactions and paranoia in daily life  Study we found on PubMed from 2008: Psychological effects of polar expeditions And another study listed on PubMed The role of circadian phase in sleep and performance during Antarctic winter expeditions from 2022 Slash Film article by Danielle Ryan: The Haunted History Behind The Shinings Stanley Hotel SyFy article by Josh Weiss: The Thing Oral History: Cast and Crew Reveal Secrets of John Carpenter's Sci-Fi Horror Masterpiece Get Lunatics Merch here. Join the discussion on Discord. Check out Abby's book Horror Stories. Available in eBook and paperback. Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep. Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tune into Lunatics Radio Hour: The History of Horror for a deep and often unsettling journey into the shadows of our past. Produced by The Lunatics Project, this series operates on a compelling premise: that the history of horror and the horror of history are inextricably linked. Rather than reviewing movies, each episode digs into documented, real-world events where primal forces like fear, violence, and the struggle for survival left a permanent mark on cultures and individuals. You’ll hear about the dark historical episodes and psychological phenomena that have haunted humanity for centuries, as well as the folklore born from genuine terror. Furthermore, this podcast meticulously traces the line from these factual atrocities and anxieties to the silver screen, analyzing how our most profound real-world fears are processed, shaped, and reflected in the horror films we watch. It’s an exploration for anyone curious about where our darkest stories truly come from and how the echoes of actual events resonate in the genre’s most iconic imagery and narratives. The result is a rich, thought-provoking listen that challenges the boundary between entertainment and the unsettling truths from which it often springs.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Lunatics Radio Hour: The History of Horror
Podcast Episodes
Episode 208 - The History of Atomic Horror: Part 1 - The Atomic Age [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:49
The atomic bomb changed the world in 1945, but it also changed the way people imagined horror. In Part One of our history of Atomic Horror, Abby and Alan look at how the Manhattan Project, the bombings of Hiroshima and N…
Episode 207 - The History of Divining and Dowsing Rods [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:58
This week Abby and Alan discuss dowsing and divining rods, and how people believed a forked stick could reveal hidden water, buried treasure, minerals, or even supernatural forces. From early references to divining rods…
Episode 206 - The History of Victorian Era Death Rituals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:30
Death was a major part of everyday life in the Victorian era, and people developed elaborate ways to mourn, remember, and preserve the dead. In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, we explore the history of Victorian fun…
Episode 205 - The History of Witch Bottles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:40
This week Abby and Alan dig into the strange history of witch bottles, a form of folk magic once used to protect from witchcraft, curses, and supernatural attacks. We explore where the practice came from, how witch bottl…
Episode 202 - The History of Horror Sequels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:43
This week on Lunatics Radio Hour, we're exploring the history of horror sequels. It might seem like an unusual topic, but sequels have played a major role in the development of the horror genre. Horror has embraced seque…
Episode 201 - The History of Horror Taglines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:07
This week on Lunatics Radio Hour we're talking through the fascinating history of horror taglines. We get into the history of film marketing, the evolution of taglines and some of the most iconic of all time. Sources 10…
Episode 200 - The History of The Final Girl [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:29
In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, we explore the history of the Final Girl, one of horror’s most recognizable character archetypes. From early examples in horror literature and film to the rise of the slasher genre…
Episode 199 - The History of Masks in Folklore and Horror: Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:17
In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, we explore the folklore behind masks, from ancient legends and seasonal traditions to the myths that gave rise to some of horror's most unforgettable imagery. Discover how masks ha…