Ed & Lorraine Warren - Ghost Hunters

[dem bones]

Ed & Lorraine Warren with Robert David Chase - Ghost Hunters: True Stories From The World's Most Famous Demonologists (Futura, 1990)

Introduction

Case File #1: West Point
Case File #2: Murder Most Violent
Case File #3: Bigfoot
Case File #4: Jane Seymour
Case File #5: The Exorcism of a Teen Girl
Case File #6: Killer in the Mist
Case File #7: Demonic Infestation
Case File #8: The Unspeakable
Case File #9: The Darkness After
Case File #10: The Terrified Minister
Case File #11: Amityville
Case File #12: The Haunted Village
Case File #13: The Petrified Policewoman
Case File #14: The Poltergeist Explosion

Some Final Thoughts

Blurb:
In over three thousand investigations in the last forty years, Ed and Lorraine Warren have been helping people to understand, cope with and overcome terrifying experiences from the supernatural. Here, some of their Incredible encounters are detailed:

- A 16-year-old girl suffers repeated sexual attacks from one of the most feared types of demons, the incubus.
- The entire population of a village is driven from its homes by satanic forces.
- Frequent sightings of the legendary Bigfoot are reported by an impoverished hillside community.
- In a psychic vision, three men are identified as the murderers of a beautiful young woman.

GHOST HUNTERS offers concrete proof that the demonic underworld exists and is much closer to home than most of us realise. This collection of baffling and bloodcurdling cases will have you sleeping with the lights on.

"These down-to-earth and otherworldly snippets of 'demonic infestation' will interest ghost watchers everywhere" - Booklist

When in doubt call in the experts - and where better than 'world famous demonologist,' Lorraine Warren, who once had a psychic chat with a Bigfoot in Tennessee after a tip off from a reporter on the Elk-Valley Times? Evidently, Bigfeets are not as difficult to locate as M. E. Knerr would have us believe - Lorraine was only visiting on a day trip and still almost met one. Had it not been for some wacky student idiot with a bullhorn scaring the creature away, we might even have had a photo.

"Standing by a tree, taking a breath from two solid hours of hiking, Lorraine's mind suddenly offered her a picture of a curious creature. He did, in fact, appear to be a fusion of man and ape, a tall slope-shouldered animal with very long arms that were covered with almost shaggy hair. His face was flat with a protruding bony shelf above the eyes. Two things about him were especially disturbing - first, his eyes which shone with intelligence, compassion and fear. Secondly, his ability to project images telepathically into Lorraine's mind. No so-called dumb animal is able to accomplish such projections."

Psychic link established, the Sasquash communicated to Lorraine that he'd injured a foot, feared the humans wanted to kill him, was worried he wouldn't get back to his cave and see his mate, and that he liked human children because, like Lorraine, they don't have prejudice and he can explain himself to them. Bigfoot was just about to reveal himself in the flesh and allow Mrs. Warren to bandage his big foot when that damn fool college boy blew his stupid horn and ruined it!

Ed explains that the incident convinces him that that Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster are Tulpas, " ... creatures of black magic as practised throughout the world but most notably by monks in Tibet ... someone who is practising black magic projects such creatures and we 'see' them. This would also account for unidentified flying objects ... "

He is apparently perfectly serious when he states this.

Following on from 'Bigfoot' we find Jane Seymour!

Lorraine was introduced to her on the set of Houdini by a mutual friend. The trio visited a Yoghurt Bar, then on to a house in Malibu. Jane's part in the story ends there, but Lorraine had a terrible sensation that a murder had been committed in one of the rooms because she saw "a man with blood on his hands - probably the killer - washing his hands in the sink". Next day, Lorraine was on a plane and there was some turbulence so it all fits.

Q. How about Jane Seymour. Have you kept in touch?

Lorraine - No, though a few years later I met Jane and her little girl at Heathrow Airport. We had a nice chat and then went our separate ways.

Ed and Lorraine have their own site, but be sure to read The Dangers Of Ghosthunting before you commit to their theological society or go seeking out Bigfoot.

www.warrens.net/

[dem bones]

With Vault firmly established as the world's #1 masters of the paranormal, we can no longer continue to pretend that Ghost Hunters doesn't exist.

Murder Most Violent: "When he was sure she was dead, he pulled down her pants and entered her. When he was finished with her, the other two took their turn again."

Bigfoot, Jane Seymour and, now ... necrophilia.

Lorraine is addressing a college audience re her ghost-hunting exploits when she spots an older man, dressed in snap-brimmed hat and rain-dripping trench-coat, staring intently in her direction. After the lecture, the mystery man comes forward. As the flasher get-up suggests, he's a detective, Steinberg, requiring psychic assistance in solving a particularly horrible murder; Janice Baines was abducted from an all night convenience store, gang-raped, tortured with lit cigs, beaten to death, and buried in the woods.

When Lorraine initially struggles to establish a psychic link to the victim, Steinberg ungraciously cracks hurtful 'jokes' of an "I should have seen it coming" nature. Her professional pride stung, Lorraine refuses to concede defeat. One night of frantic automatic writing later, she is able to inform Detective Steinberg that the young mother was killed by three marijuana smoking, soiled-denim beer-monsters in urgent need of a good scrub and extensive dental treatment. An abrupt conclusion informs us that, thanks to Lorraine's evidence, the culprit's were duly apprehended, charged and convicted of murder.

From memory, Ghost Hunters most tasteless entry - on a number of levels - but stick around, you never know.

[cauldronbrewer]

Nov 18, 2020 17:59:14 GMT dem bones said:

With Vault firmly established as the world's #1 masters of the paranormal, we can no longer continue to pretend that Ghost Hunters doesn't exist.

Something to tide us over until latest Conjuring film finally hits the theaters! I have a soft spot for the old-fashioned cinematic adventures of the Warrens.

[ripper]

Is case 14 referring to the Enfield Poltergeist affair? If so, I remember seeing some photographs taken during the 'outbreak' in a book called Photographs of the Unknown. One showed a girl on a bed supposedly being levitated by the poltergeist, but to me it just looked like she was bouncing on the bed and the camera had caught her mid-bounce.

[Dr Strange]

Yes, although the Warrens seem to have had much less involvement in investigating the Enfield case than they claimed. They apparently turned up uninvited at the house, but were not allowed in. You are 100% right about the "levitations" too. This is one of many similar photographs that were presented at the time as evidence of "paranormal activity" -

[helrunar]

That photo is hilarious! I'd never heard of the Warrens until some horror film about the Mexican folk spirit La Llorona came out last year and a friend sent me a couple of links about the couple. I really don't read too much of this "absolutely guaranteed really and truly real paranormal" stuff because it just always seemed to be ridiculous fabricated b/s. But after seeing that picture, I now comprehend that I way underestimated the entertainment value of this type of thing.

The Warrens most notorious contribution to this sub-genre is some kind of haunted dolly named Annabelle. I've been told that the doll in real life is a banal little thing and she periodically gets stolen from some tourist-trap museum where she resides. But somehow she always finds her way home again... heh heh.

In the films I've been told the doll is terrifying. My favorite demonic doll film ever is a short one which was produced for the Rod Serling series Night Gallery in the early 70s. It was based on a story by Algernon Blackwood. The story wasn't all that noteworthy but the short film is fabulous. The doll is soooo creepy. Yikes!

H.

[dem bones]

The Haunted Village: "In the late 'thirties ... brave teenagers piled into their jalopies, big band music blaring from their radios, and went to the highest hill of Dudleytown and proceeded to make out.

Half of the thrill, as most of them realised, was the fact that it promised two great pleasures - sex and absolute terror."

The way the Warren's tell it, then as now, the abandoned New England village did not disappoint. Snout-faced creatures materialised from the mist. Something sent the brave football captain screaming into the night, leaving his gal fuming in the back seat. Another college kid was set upon by a clawed fiend as he relieved himself in the bushes. "Inhumanly cold hands suddenly touched girls in their most secret places."

All this was before the Warrens took to ridding America (and Enfield) of demonic infestation, so they can't tell for certain if the place was actually haunted back then. It might merely be a case of the kids reading more H.P. Lovecraft than was good for them. The same can't be said of today. The Warrens are adamant that, thanks to motorcycle gangs practising satanic rituals in the mountains, Dudleytown is now every bit as haunted as the jazz age swingers imagined it to be.

The Exorcism and the Teenage Girl: 'Cindy McBain', fifteen, buys a ouija board for $5 from Antiques Attic, the proprietor admitting relief to be rid of it. Nancy Balkan, "a very plump girl," warns her best friend that she is playing with evil forces when they both hear a "rasping noise" emanating from behind a Michael Jackson poster. Cindy is committed to a psychiatric hospital after attacking her parents. Somehow she smuggles in the ouija and continues to summon evil forces. Father Elemi, veteran exorcist, recognises s a case of demonic possession when he sees one - Cindy's symptoms include foaming at mouth, bellowing obscenities, eyeballs changing from blue to dark amber, fetid odors, etc. - and prepares for battle. Outcome possibly not what some of us might expect. Much is made of Cindy's loathing of hot-dogs, which may or may not have some bearing on the case. The Warrens participation is minimal; Father Elemi invites them along to watch him at work.

[andydecker]

Nov 19, 2020 18:50:46 GMT helrunar said:

In the films I've been told the doll is terrifying.

Not really. I thought it dull and by the numbers. But I have to confess that the whole Conjuring/Insidious/Annabelle universe is not my thing. Insofar I am biased.

On the other hand I loved the IMHO underrated  Dead Silence from the same writer/director James Wan. While it undeniably was a bit of a SAW clone from the overall structure and even had Donnie Wahlberg in his usual role, the villainess was truly creepy.

[Swampirella]

Nov 19, 2020 18:12:22 GMT Dr Strange said:

Yes, although the Warrens seem to have had much less involvement in investigating the Enfield case than they claimed. They apparently turned up uninvited at the house, but were not allowed in. You are 100% right about the "levitations" too. This is one of many similar photographs that were presented at the time as evidence of "paranormal activity" -

I've seen that photo too & always thought it looked like she'd been bouncing on the bed, not levitating. Did anybody see "The Enfield Haunting" mini-series from 2015? I enjoyed it, whatever others may have thought of it.

[Swampirella]

Nov 19, 2020 18:50:46 GMT helrunar said:

In the films I've been told the doll is terrifying. My favorite demonic doll film ever is a short one which was produced for the Rod Serling series Night Gallery in the early 70s. It was based on a story by Algernon Blackwood. The story wasn't all that noteworthy but the short film is fabulous. The doll is soooo creepy. Yikes!

H.

I should check that episode out, Steve. I'm not big on haunted dolls but the Trilogy of Terror (1975) segment starring Karen Black being terrorized by the warrior doll is pretty frightening, as many would agree. 

[Jojo Lapin X]

Nov 19, 2020 19:29:29 GMT andydecker said:

On the other hand I loved the IMHO underrated  Dead Silence from the same writer/director James Wan. While it undeniably was a bit of a SAW clone from the overall structure and even had Donnie Wahlberg in his usual role, the villainess was truly creepy.

Is DEAD SILENCE not obviously inspired by TOURIST TRAP, David Schmoeller's 1979 film? This only occurred to me recently.

[Jojo Lapin X]

Nov 19, 2020 19:59:01 GMT Swampirella said:

the Trilogy of Terror (1975) segment starring Karen Black being terrorized by the warrior doll is pretty frightening, as many would agree.

Yes, Karen Black is frightening.

[helrunar]

Have you seen Trilogy of Terror recently, Miss Scarlett? Two marvelous (and somewhat well-heeled) friends of mine rented a local rep theatre early last February and had a party that was focused on a screening of the original movie. The final segment was well filmed but I thought the homicidal doll was hilarious. Of course, back seeing it as a teen, I was riveted to the TV--it was pretty extreme viewing at the time. And the next day, everybody at high school was talking about it.

The first two segments are wonderful showcases for Karen Black. She wears a really outrageous wig that is worthy of note in act 2, but I thought her performance in act 1 (a seldom discussed tale) was quite exceptional with a delicious payoff.

I never saw any of the "Chucky" films but that seems to have redefined (and perhaps put a very final period upon) the whole killer doll shtick.

cheers, Hel

[Swampirella]

Nov 19, 2020 20:14:13 GMT helrunar said:

Have you seen Trilogy of Terror recently, Miss Scarlett? Two marvelous (and somewhat well-heeled) friends of mine rented a local rep theatre early last February and had a party that was focused on a screening of the original movie. The final segment was well filmed but I thought the homicidal doll was hilarious. Of course, back seeing it as a teen, I was riveted to the TV--it was pretty extreme viewing at the time. And the next day, everybody at high school was talking about it.

The first two segments are wonderful showcases for Karen Black. She wears a really outrageous wig that is worthy of note in act 2, but I thought her performance in act 1 (a seldom discussed tale) was quite exceptional with a delicious payoff.

I probably saw Trilogy when it was shown on tv, although have no memory of it. For the time as you say, the doll sequence was very extreme. I watched it on Youtube last year or the previous one; I must watch it again. Actually the whole movie now you've got me intrigued. It's on Youtube & I'll have some time tomorrow evening so looking forward to it. I'm envious of the kind of friends you have

[bluetomb]

Nov 19, 2020 20:03:47 GMT Jojo Lapin X said:

Nov 19, 2020 19:29:29 GMT andydecker said:

On the other hand I loved the IMHO underrated  Dead Silence from the same writer/director James Wan. While it undeniably was a bit of a SAW clone from the overall structure and even had Donnie Wahlberg in his usual role, the villainess was truly creepy.

Is DEAD SILENCE not obviously inspired by TOURIST TRAP, David Schmoeller's 1979 film? This only occurred to me recently.

There's kinship there I would say, but not too strong a link in plot. And stylistically, someone who has seen both more recently than I would be better placed to comment, but Dead Silence seemed to me more post-X-Files supernatural investigation style, a lot more 90's. 

The 2005 film House of Wax is very obviously inspired by Tourist Trap however.