Sometimes the truth is scarier than fiction. In Amazon’s new anthology Lore, narrator Aaron Mahnke traces the real-life roots of our most terrifying myths and legends.
Produced by horror gurus and featuring familiar faces like Kristin Bauer van Straten (True Blood), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) and Holland Roden (Teen Wolf), Amazon’s latest series explores the chilling reality behind everything from haunted dolls to haunted houses. If that isn't enough to convince you to watch, here are six reasons why you should binge the bone-chilling new show, which is available to watch right now.
1. Lore has been impressing listeners for years.
Based on the award-winning horror podcast, Lore is a small screen adaptation that examines the very human origins behind tales of the occult and supernatural. The series takes a deep dive into how some of our most frightening legends came to be, tracing tales of werewolves, vampires, changelings, and how this “lore” travelled across time, cultures, and continents.
“I think Lore really is about superstition and folklore and mythology, generally derived from stories that frighten you,” Lore’s executive producer Gale Ann Hurd told The Lineup. “I think we live in a scary world. It’s an explanation for something that people can't explain.”
2. The first six episodes expand on the most popular episodes of the podcast.
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A man being offered a "tonic" in Lore's "They Made A Tonic" episode.
Photo Credit: Amazon Prime Video
The first season expands on the most popular episodes of the podcast, promising delightful terror for newcomers and Lore obsessives alike. The stories include the infamous haunted figurine Robert the Doll; the father of the "icepick lobotomy", Dr. Walter Freeman; early Irish folklore about changelings; the bloody tonics of New England in the 1800s; the terrifying results of the 19th century American spiritualist movement; and a less than beastly murderer in a 14th century German town.
3. The series expertly mixes mediums to illustrate the chilling origins of real-life horror stories.
Lore's mixed media production style is refreshing and compelling. Instead of relying solely on historical footage or portraying the narrative through reenactments, Lore combines animation, archival footage, voiceover acting, and dramatizations to explore the dark chapters of our past.
“It’s scripted scenes cut from a movie, essentially, broken up with animation and found footage, and my voice is in there as the narrator, kind of weaving the pieces together and explaining why we're moving from point A to point B,” creator Aaron Mahnke told The Lineup.
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4. Lore delivers as much information as it does terror.
The series tackles tales from different time periods and different places. Sometimes there’s more dramatization than archival footage, more narration than animation. Lore straddles the line between creepy and downright horrifying by not relying too heavily on any one medium, instead carefully connecting its very human subjects to Mahnke’s extensive research.
“I can tell you the story, but if you understood these three things that happened in the 1850s ... that informed this event, if you understood those first, then when I tell you the story, it makes so much more sense,” Manke said. “It becomes so much more powerful.”
5. If you’re looking for a show that easily explains “pure evil,” Lore isn’t it.
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Holland Roden as Bridget Cleary and Cathal Pendred as Michael Cleary in Lore's "Black Stockings" episode.
Photo Credit: Amazon Prime Video
Mahnke’s approach is both creative and anthropological, taking viewers on a journey into the psyche of very human monsters and their victims. Consequently, you shouldn't expect a simple answer as to why humans do the dark things they do.
“We certainly have stories of people that it's easy to look at [and see evil],” Mahnke said. “[But] I'm not an expert in this, so I can't say whether there is pure evil or not. I like to believe that everybody has hope of redemption in some form.”
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6. The series appeals to horror fans of all interests.
The show tackles a broad spectrum of frightful folklore, making it very easy to find an episode, issue, or character that appeals to your particular interests.
“I think that everyone has different interests,” Hurd told The Lineup. “Some people are absolutely fascinated by vampires, so I think 'They Made a Tonic' will resonate with them. Other people are interested in what backstories were for women in other times and how they were treated, so I think 'Black Stockings' will resonate with them. You know how barbaric medicine [could be and] that is an element of 'Echoes.' I think there's a little bit of something for everyone.”
Featured still from "Lore" via Amazon Prime Studios
