The Origins of Halloween
After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
History Hit
4.7 • 2.1K Ratings
🗓️ 16 October 2023
⏱️ 35 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
From its prehistoric origins until today, Halloween has always had the Shiver of Terror running through it. First as a pagan festival of Winter-the-Bringer-of-Death. Then as a Catholic holy day dedicated to lost Souls in purgatory. Now as a celebration of horrifyingly bad fancy dress!
Maddy and Anthony speak to the one-and-only Professor Ronald Hutton, a national treasure who is the author of too many wonderful books to list here. His latest is Queens of the Wild: Pagan Goddesses in Christian Europe.
Producer is Stuart Beckwith. Edited by Tom Delargy. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long
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Transcript
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| 0:29.7 | This episode is sponsored by Warner Brothers and Salem's Lot, the spine-tingling new horror film from the legendary Stephen King. |
| 0:41.0 | It is so exciting, it is that time of year it is spooky season. |
| 0:44.9 | Oh it's just the best time of year. No surprise that we love this time of year of course. |
| 0:51.1 | There is no better fit for this season than a good horror film. |
| 0:54.3 | Salem's Lot is one of Stephen King's favourite stories I'm sure you've heard of it and it's |
| 0:59.1 | adapted from the 1975 best-selling novel. Salem's lot follows an author who returns to his hometown in Maine. |
| 1:06.5 | But things are not as they should be. The place is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire. |
| 1:14.0 | Of course it is. |
| 1:15.1 | Why wouldn't it be? |
| 1:15.8 | The place is called Salem. |
| 1:17.6 | Salem's lot is the latest adaptation of Stephen King's bestseller, |
| 1:20.7 | from the creators of the record-breaking horror franchise The Conjuring Universe. |
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