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That Time a Grandma was Arrested After Killing and Eating 14 People

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It’s been 7 years since we first reported on the strange and unsettling case of Tamara Samsonova, the so-called “Granny Ripper” whose unusual story of serial murder and possible cannibalism shocked the world.

The case shot to international infamy after it was reported that the then 68-year-old Samsonova was caught on CCTV camera footage carrying the pieces of a corpse in plastic bags around a pond where she attempted to dispose of the remains. It would later be revealed that the body was that of Valentina Nikolaevna Ulanova, a friend for whom she also acted as caretaker.

She would later say of Ulanova’s murder:

 “I came home and put the whole pack of Phenazepam – 50 pills – into her Olivier salad. I woke up at 2AM and she was lying on the floor. So I started cutting her into pieces.”

Samsonova was captured on CCTV carrying out plastic bags later identified as those holding the dismembered body parts of Ulanova.

During the investigation into Samsonova’s activities, the police would further find evidence that would reportedly connect her to a total of 14 murders including that of a former tenant named Volodya. Samsonova reportedly wrote in her diary that she killed the man after an argument. She dismembered him as well, and disposed of his body in the same location she would later use for Ulanova’s remains.

Tamara Samsonova

The woman’s trial was quite sensational. It was revealed that she had a history of mental illness, and her behavior during seemed to underline this as she was observed blowing kisses to the judge and reporters during the trial while giggling.

CNN reported her saying:

“I’m haunted by a maniac upstairs who forced me to kill,” and later on, “I have nowhere else to live. I am a very old person, and I put the whole matter to rest deliberately. I have thought 77 times about it and then decided that I must be in prison. I will die there and the state will probably bury me.’

At another point in the trial, she admitted that she had been waiting ten years for the police to arrive on her doorstep to arrest her.

She was eventually given a battery of psychological tests when it was determined that she was a danger to others and herself. Samsonova was remanded to a state-run mental health facility where she still resides to this day.

On the surface, it was an open and shut case, but there were elements to Samsonova’s story that remain puzzles even now.

Image of Samsonova’s Diary

For starters, her diary not only recounted her crimes but also seemed to hint that she used specific murders for what she believed were dark magic rituals. Moreover, it was discovered that pages were missing from the diary and some of them, at least, were found with the body parts of Volodya, one of her earliest-known victims. These seemingly occult connections found her branded “Baba Yaga” in the Russian media, a reference to the powerful sometimes dark figure from Slavic folklore.

Then, there was the matter of her missing husband. Tamara married Alexi Samsonova in 1971. In 2005, she reported him missing. His body has never been found and he has been declared dead. He is not mentioned by name in her diary so it’s difficult to know if Alexi was one of her victims, but it seems likely given everything else that was discovered.

No matter the cause and the details, something about Tamara Samsonova captured the attention and imagination of the world. She has been the subject of numerous podcasts including episodes of Luminary, We Saw the Devil, and Killer Personality to name just a few. She’s also found herself the subject of a few intrepid true-crime YouTubers, some of which I’ll link below.

For me personally, I think there is a part of all of us that deems the elderly harmless. We expect that they cannot or will not do anything to hurt us. They are our grandparents or the kindly people down the street who always smile and wave as you go by. Outwardly, that’s who Samsonova was, and it shook the world audience when they realized that she was not only a brutal killer but that she seemingly did not begin killing until she was in her late 50s.

And that disturbs us most of all. Take a look at those videos below and let us know what you think of the case of Tamara Samsonova in the comments.

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Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role

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Brad Dourif has been doing movies for nearly 50 years. Now it seems he is walking away from the industry at 74 to enjoy his golden years. Except, there is a caveat.

Recently, digital entertainment publication JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols talked to some of the Chucky television series cast members. During the interview, Dourif made an announcement.

“Dourif said that he’s retired from acting,” says Nichols. “The only reason he came back for the show was because of his daughter Fiona and he considers Chucky creator Don Mancini to be family. But for non-Chucky stuff, he considers himself retired.”

Dourif has voiced the possessed doll since 1988 (minus the 2019 reboot). The original movie “Child’s Play” has become such a cult classic it’s at the top of some people’s best chillers of all time. Chucky himself is ingrained in pop culture history much like Frankenstein or Jason Voorhees.

While Dourif may be known for his famous voiceover, he is also an Oscar-nominated actor for his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Another famous horror role is The Gemini Killer in William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist III. And who can forget Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager?

The good news is that Don Mancini is already pitching a concept for season four of Chucky which might also include a feature-length movie with a series tie-in. So, Although Dourif says he is retiring from the industry, ironically he is Chucky’s friend till the end.

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film
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Movies

Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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