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[Closer to Death] The Scientific Proof Behind ‘The Apparition’

Published

11 years ago

November 30, 2012

Watching a ghost story like The Apparition, you wouldn’t think that any of it could be even remotely based on a true story. Oddly enough, you’d be wrong.

At the beginning of The Apparition, a seance-like trial is conducted under scientific conditions, which ends up manifesting a supernatural entity from beyond. In the film they called it The Charles Experiment. Well, in the early 1970’s, a group of researchers performed something very similar called The Philip Experiment, and it was all caught on tape.

Though not nearly as violent, contact was made with an entity over the course of months, resulting in everything from communicative knocks, to the seance table shifting around – sometimes rising above the floor. What made this “Philip” case so unique, besides there being ample footage of their findings, is the fact that this was a rare “man made ghost” – meaning that the person they were attempting to contact was completely fictional.

Generating spectral responses while attempting to contact a made-up person opened up the minds of occult scientists everywhere. Were sounds, interferences, and contacts made during seances solely from the spirit world? Or could they also be the result of concentrated energies of the living mind?

In the end, the “Philip” experiment came to an abrupt halt when one of the group members declared aloud, “we only made you up, you know”. All activity thereafter completely ceased. “Philip”, however, re-manifested “itself” later with another group.

“Philip”, seeming to be a manifestation of “the human mind”, opened up further studies correlating with the alternative school of thought that poltergeist activity could sometimes be the result of extreme stress – derivative of either the dead, or the living.

The Apparition arrived on home video this past Tuesday.

Related Topics:Ashley Greene Charles Experiment Closer To Death Ghosts Philip Experiment Seance The Apparition

John Marrone

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‘Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story’ Slashes into VHS from Lunchmeat!

Published

2 weeks ago

April 26, 2024

John Squires

The SCREAMBOX Original documentary Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story is now streaming on SCREAMBOX, and it’s next coming to VHS!

A limited edition of only 50 copies worldwide, the VHS copies of the Englund documentary will go up for grabs on Saturday, April 27 at 12pm EST on Lunchmeat’s official website.

Josh Schafer of Lunchmeat explains, “With so many of Englund’s works being seen and familiarized on videotape, it only felt right to offer fans and collectors the opportunity to experience this fantastic doc on VHS. We all know the Freddy movies just feel different on videocassette, and we wanted to bring that feel to this film for those who want it.”

“Since first donning a tattered fedora and a glove of eviscerating blades in 1984, Robert Englund has become a beloved horror icon. His portrayal of Freddy Krueger is without doubt a moment as visceral to the horror genre as Chaney’s werewolf or Karloff’s groundbreaking realization of Frankenstein’s monster. However, few realize the depths of Englund’s true power as a character actor away from the latex mask and iconic red and green sweater.

“A classically trained actor and director, Robert Englund has become one of the most revolutionary horror icons of our generation.. This unique and intimate portrait captures the man behind the glove and features interviews with Englund and his wife Nancy, Lin Shaye, Eli Roth, Tony Todd, Heather Langenkamp, and more.

“This is the quintessential documentary on the man who didn’t just bring Freddy Krueger to horrific and historic life on-screen and beyond, but has created a fantastic career as an elite actor and entertainer.”

Selling for $30, the VHS is presented in native widescreen format & duplicated in NTSC, housed in full-color slipcase and pressed on black videocassettes with silver foil face and side labels.

The VHS release is presented in partnership with Cineverse, Bloody Disgusting, and Screambox, in association with Dead Mouse Productions and Cult Screenings U.K.