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PODCAST

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark

MagicalMystery.Media

Uncovering the strange histories and hidden truths behind film. NEW format! NEW show! NEW start! If you"re looking for our old conspiracy and paranormal episodes, please see the archives at MAGICAL MYSTERY RADIO: INANE RAMBLINGS FROM THE FRINGE. SHADOW PLAY: 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

tv & film film history

All Episodes

31:21

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS / Von Braun’s Warning / Project...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2025/03/20

Let's explore The War of the Worlds — the iconic novel by H.G. Wells and the countless interpretations, adaptations, and conspiracy theories it inspired. We discuss: The 2005 Spielberg movie and the 1953 George Pal version The long-forgotten SEQUEL published only a year after the original The 1938 Orson Welles "panic broadcast" Wernher von Braun’s alleged warning of a staged alien invasion Project Blue Beam And finally, we ask: What would a real alien invasion look like? The War of the Worlds

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31:31

THE CONJURING 2, Real Enfield Poltergeist, Hebron...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2025/03/14

Let's dissect The Conjuring 2 and the real-life case that inspired it—the infamous Enfield Poltergeist. Was it a genuine supernatural event or an elaborate hoax that spiraled out of control? Join me as I explore how this case became one of the most documented hauntings in history. Ed and Lorraine Warren: Paranormal Pioneers or Masters of Mythmaking? Before discussing the Enfield case, I take a brief detour to talk about the legendary (and controversial) ghost-hunting duo, Ed and Lorraine Warren—from

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39:01

EX MACHINA, AI Psychotic Break, Artificial Sentience,...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2025/02/28

Enter the eerie world of artificial intelligence—from the sleek and unsettling Ex Machina to real-life AI developments that feel ripped straight from science fiction. We’ll explore the rapid evolution of AI, the ethical dilemmas that come with it, and some unsettling cases of chatbots behaving… strangely. Are we on the verge of creating a sentient machine? And if we were, how would we know? Show Notes

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53:02

Werewolves! Ginger Snaps, Wolf Man, Modern Sightings,...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2025/02/15

Let's take a deep dive into the wild world of werewolves, from the cult classic Ginger Snaps to real-life sightings of “dog men,” to the brand-new Wolf Man film by Leigh Whannell. We’ll explore the folklore behind our moon-dappled friends, look at how pop culture molded them into the creatures we recognize today, and figure out what exactly makes a man-wolf tick. Show Notes

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09:36

Adam’s Notebook #4: IQ

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2024/11/01

Initial thoughts on Christopher Langan's claim to be the smartest man in the world.

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08:44

Adam's Notebook #3: AI Thoughts

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2024/10/21

Just had some ideas knocking around in my skull and wanted to share them as I walked home from the supermarket.

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05:47

Adam's Notebook #2: Greetings from the JFK...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2024/10/07

I was here so I had to post something!

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03:18

Hi, it's Adamski

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2024/10/02

That is all.

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02:10:41

MMM Classic: JFK, 9/11, Illuminati, Rich Man's Trick:...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2020/11/22

From August 2, 2017: We interview writer and historian Francis Richard Conolly, the filmmaker behind the explosive documentary and viral sensation, JFK to 9/11: Everything Is a Rich Man's Trick. Released in 2014, it has garnered rave reviews since its release and, probably more than a little consternation from the, "powers that be", as it explains and synthesizes a tremendous amount of information that the elite don't want you to be aware of, let alone understand. Clocking in at 3 1/2 hours,

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01:37:51

MMR Classic: Hollywood Ghost Stories

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2020/10/30

Happy Halloween! What was the real-life inspiration for THE EXORCIST? What really happened in AMITYVILLE? Was THE ENTITY a demon, spirit, or poltergeist? Who haunts the HOLLYWOOD SIGN? What silent stars STILL can't rest in peace? Adam and John chew on HOLLYWOOD GHOST STORIES (1986), a delicious slice of vintage 80s direct-to-video cheese.

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02:32:36

Politics and PedoGate II: The Epstein/Maxwell Affair...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2020/09/18

John tortures Adamski with another political "What's the Word" segment before taking a deep dive into the Jeffrey Epstein/Ghislaine Maxwell scandal - and emerging with the disheartening revelation that there is really is nothing new under the sun.

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01:11:11

Cancel Everything, NOTHING LASTS FOREVER |148|

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2020/08/04

We discuss cancel culture, the masons, breakaway civilizations, secret moon colonies... and one fascinating, mythical "lost" film from the 80s that ties it all together!

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01:22:54

CALLING ALL EARTHLINGS: Aliens, TIme Travel,...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2020/06/17

We review the documentary CALLING ALL EARTHLINGS. And then we do it one better by actually covering the material that should have been in the movie. This is the story of George Van Tassel, eccentric, contactee, engineer... genius? Did Van Tassel channel messages from our alien brothers and sisters and use the information to construct a time machine? Join us and find out!

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01:32:22

Walking with Tall Whites: The Charles James Hall...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2020/05/14

Is an advanced race of tall, albino-like extraterrestrials from Arcturus living on the Nevada test range? Has our government struck a deal with the aliens to obtain advanced military technology? Take a deep dive with us as we chronicle this fascinating, seemingly implausible story from one man who claims it's all true!

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01:16:55

Fury of the Demon, Operation Lune, Cursed Films, The...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2020/04/18

We discuss several recent "documentaries" occupying the twilight zone between fantasy and reality. Are these films omens? Augurs of a dark future? Are we moving into a new dark age of superstition? Is the consensus reality of post-enlightenment reason vanishing in a post-modern haze of news and subjective reality? And why are the French f*cking with us? Oh, and John gets a visit from an owl.

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01:09:04

Coronapocalypse Now! |144|

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2020/03/26

COVID-19. Coronavirus. What else is there to talk about? It's end of the world as we know it, and we feel mostly pretty okay.

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01:39:31

Weirdest Inventions, Mad Mike RIP, Dunning-Kruger...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2020/02/26

The WEIRDEST inventions of all time. John revises his predictions for the upcoming year. When you're too stupid to know you're stupid... "Mad Mike" Hughes - why the words "homemade" and "rocket" should never appear together in the same sentence (except maybe this one). John and Adam discuss 80s horror (plus War of the Worlds). Breaking: Man throws snowball at this friend and hits him in the face!

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01:32:24

Simpsons Predict Kobe & Coronavirus?, Bermuda...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2020/02/06

Thirty years of Simpsons predictions: Did the venerable animated series really forecast Kobe's helicopter crash, the coronavirus epidemic, and Disney's acquisition of Fox (not to mention a bunch of other stuff)? The Cotopaxi went missing in the Bermuda Triangle nearly a century ago. Now it's been found. You know it as the ship the aliens dropped in the desert in Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind. What's the REAL story? The US government declares that releasing any further information

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01:33:00

Star Wars, The Matrix, Impeachment, Real Pied Piper,...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2019/12/21

Adam talks Star Wars (again). John talks politics (again). But really he's talking conspiracy, because what is politics but conspiracy? Right? Did you know the Pied Piper legend was based on fact? Seriously, it was. Check it out. John and Adam review their lame and boring predictions from last year, and make new lame and boring predictions for the coming year. Well, there is one fairly bold prediction... Listen and find out what it is! Happy Whatever!

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01:37:50

Shaver Mystery, Moon-Eyed People, Green Children,...

Shadow Play: The Stories We Tell in the Dark ·

2019/11/28

Welcome to our 100% turkey- and pilgrim-free Thanksgiving special! John and Adam return to the Hollow Earth to discuss oddly compelling stories of lost civilizations and strange peoples. Who were the Green Children? The Moon-Eyed People? Could these have been our starfaring ancestors, now lost to memory? Is the Hollow Earth just a product of the fertile imaginations of pulp adventure writers? Happy Turkey Day!

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181 results

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