F o o d t h e D e a d

Media Michael Bell has appeared as a vampire and folklore expert in the following nationally and internationally distributed media productions:
Newport Mecury October 2013 Here
Article in Kritikos, "American Vampires and the Ongoing Ambiguity of Death" in Kritikos: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal of Postmodern Cultural Sound, Text and Image, v. 10 (March 2013) : Here
Smithsonian Magazine article of October 2012 Here
The Week October 2012 Here
National Geographic Channel. Vampire Forensics. February 2010. Did vampires roam the earth in the time of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci? Historical records indicate that people thought so and even describe how to safely bury them. Now, more than 400 years later, a 16th-century mass grave is unearthed near Venice that includes a skeleton with a brick apparently inserted between the jaws of the skull. This appears to be evidence of a macabre ritual designed to "kill" a vampire and sparks a highly unusual forensic investigation. More Info Here
History Channel, MonsterQuest Series: Vampires in America. August 2008 To many, the vampire seems more a creation of fiction than fact. But for New Englanders in the 1700s vampires became all too real as families were turned upside down by a vampire scare that lasted more than a century. Bodies of those suspected of vampirism were exhumed and ancient curse-breaking rituals were performed on them. Was there any basis for their vampire fears? MonsterQuest uses the latest technology to analyze historic evidence of New England's vampires and uses medical science to investigate those who believe themselves to be vampires today. Is there a common element between the suspected vampires of America's past and present? And are any of them real? More Info Here
National Geographic Channel. Is It Real? Vampires. October 2006. Premiering Monday, October 23, 2006 at 8 p.m. ET /PT just in time for Halloween , Is it Real?: Vampires applies modern-day forensic science to explore the myths, sightings and viability of this centuries-old legend of vampires. How is it that a corpse can actually exhibit living characteristics? What is the true story behind the Dracula legend? And are there really bloodsuckers among us today or just fanged aficionado wanna-bes? Read Press Release Here
"Tales of the Living Dead," Brighton Films February of 2004 In February of 2004, Brighton Films spent about a week of on-location shooting for "Tales of the Living Dead," co-produced with National Geographic. For this film, my friend and colleague, Nick Bellantoni, the State Archaeologist for Connecticut, leads viewers through the amazing story of J.B.'s corpse, connecting this event to other instances of vampire exhumations in New England.
Granada Television. Incredible Stories: The Vampire Hunters. 2003. Granada Productions arrived in New England for extensive on-location filming for a half-hour documentary entitled "The Vampire Hunters," a well-made production that premiered on the Discovery Channel in Great Britain in the Fall of 2003. Produced by Tim Hopewell.
Mystery Hunters: New England Vampires. October 2002. 3rd Story Productions. Ghost & Vampire Legends of Rhode Island. 2002. "Ghost and Vampires Legends of Rhode Island" to the list and provide a link where it can be purchased. 3rd Story Productions. 2002. Producer/Writer/Editor Maria Patsias. Director/Videographer/Editor Scott C. Saracen. 3rd Story Productions.
The Learning Channel. Night Visitors. October 29, 2000.
Arts & Entertainment. Ancient Mysteries: Vampires. c. 1999
Discover Magazine Series. Bloodsuckers (show #402). September 30, 1998.
Arts & Entertainment. Unexplained: Vampires. May 10, 1998. The Unexplained: Vampire Myth Like other programs in A&E's The Unexplained series, Vampire Myth doesn't provide any final answer to the question, "Are these creatures for real?" It does, however, introduce viewers to a woman who sleeps in a coffin and a man who lives with his "blood donor" and frequents a vampire fetish club in, of all places, Beverly Hills. The hour-long video also offers literary and historical perspectives for our fascination with these denizens of the dark, examining Bram Stoker's Dracula and revealing the grisly details of the 15th-century reign of Vlad the Impaler, who liked to dine among his screaming victims. Although the narration warns of disturbing imagery, the clips of modern-day vampires sucking blood from the shoulders or arms of their donors (necks, apparently, are now passé) are actually fairly tame. For all of its fangs and fanfare, ultimately Vampire Myth lacks bite. --Larisa Lomacky Moore More Here
Connecticut Public Television. Vampires in New England. February 1996.
Discovery Channel. The Search for Dracula. February 1996.
Paramount Television. Sightings. October 30, 1995.
Fox. Encounters: New England Vampires. March 19, 1995.
Arts & Entertainment. Ancient Mysteries: Origin of Vampires. January 14, 1994. Episode 1, "Vampires" Synopsis: From corpses with pulses to graves where nothing will grow, span the world to unravel the culture of the undead, and examine incredible cases of real-life vampires. Original air date: January 14, 1994 Runtime: 49 minutes

Media

Michael Bell has appeared as a vampire and folklore expert in the

following nationally and internationally distributed media productions:

Newport Mecury October 2013 Here

Article in Kritikos, "American Vampires and the Ongoing Ambiguity of Death" in Kritikos: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal of Postmodern Cultural Sound, Text and Image, v. 10 (March 2013) : Here

Smithsonian Magazine article of October 2012 Here

The Week October 2012 Here

National Geographic Channel. Vampire Forensics. February 2010.

Did vampires roam the earth in the time of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci? Historical records indicate that people thought so and even describe how to safely bury them. Now, more than 400 years later, a 16th-century mass grave is unearthed near Venice that includes a skeleton with a brick apparently inserted between the jaws of the skull. This appears to be evidence of a macabre ritual designed to "kill" a vampire and sparks a highly unusual forensic investigation.

More Info Here

History Channel, MonsterQuest Series: Vampires in America. August 2008

To many, the vampire seems more a creation of fiction than fact. But for New Englanders in the 1700s vampires became all too real as families were turned upside down by a vampire scare that lasted more than a century. Bodies of those suspected of vampirism were exhumed and ancient curse-breaking rituals were performed on them. Was there any basis for their vampire fears? MonsterQuest uses the latest technology to analyze historic evidence of New England's vampires and uses medical science to investigate those who believe themselves to be vampires today. Is there a common element between the suspected vampires of America's past and present? And are any of them real?

More Info Here

National Geographic Channel. Is It Real? Vampires. October 2006.

Premiering Monday, October 23, 2006 at 8 p.m. ET /PT just in time for Halloween , Is it Real?: Vampires applies modern-day forensic science to explore the myths, sightings and viability of this centuries-old legend of vampires. How is it that a corpse can actually exhibit living characteristics? What is the true story behind the Dracula legend? And are there really bloodsuckers among us today or just fanged aficionado wanna-bes?

Read Press Release Here

"Tales of the Living Dead," Brighton Films February of 2004

In February of 2004, Brighton Films spent about a week of on-location shooting for "Tales of the Living Dead," co-produced with National Geographic. For this film, my friend and colleague, Nick Bellantoni, the State Archaeologist for Connecticut, leads viewers through the amazing story of J.B.'s corpse, connecting this event to other instances of vampire exhumations in New England.

Granada Television. Incredible Stories: The Vampire Hunters. 2003.

Granada Productions arrived in New England for extensive on-location filming for a half-hour documentary entitled "The Vampire Hunters," a well-made production that premiered on the Discovery Channel in Great Britain in the Fall of 2003. Produced by Tim Hopewell.

Mystery Hunters: New England Vampires. October 2002.

3rd Story Productions. Ghost & Vampire Legends of Rhode Island. 2002.
"Ghost and Vampires Legends of Rhode Island" to the list and provide a link where it can be purchased. 3rd Story Productions. 2002. Producer/Writer/Editor Maria Patsias. Director/Videographer/Editor Scott C. Saracen. 3rd Story Productions.

The Learning Channel. Night Visitors. October 29, 2000.

Arts & Entertainment. Ancient Mysteries: Vampires. c. 1999

Discover Magazine Series. Bloodsuckers (show #402). September 30, 1998.

Arts & Entertainment. Unexplained: Vampires. May 10, 1998.

The Unexplained: Vampire Myth
Like other programs in A&E's The Unexplained series, Vampire Myth doesn't provide any final answer to the question, "Are these creatures for real?" It does, however, introduce viewers to a woman who sleeps in a coffin and a man who lives with his "blood donor" and frequents a vampire fetish club in, of all places, Beverly Hills. The hour-long video also offers literary and historical perspectives for our fascination with these denizens of the dark, examining Bram Stoker's Dracula and revealing the grisly details of the 15th-century reign of Vlad the Impaler, who liked to dine among his screaming victims. Although the narration warns of disturbing imagery, the clips of modern-day vampires sucking blood from the shoulders or arms of their donors (necks, apparently, are now passé) are actually fairly tame. For all of its fangs and fanfare, ultimately Vampire Myth lacks bite. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

More Here

Connecticut Public Television. Vampires in New England. February 1996.

Discovery Channel. The Search for Dracula. February 1996.

Paramount Television. Sightings. October 30, 1995.

Fox. Encounters: New England Vampires. March 19, 1995.

Arts & Entertainment. Ancient Mysteries: Origin of Vampires. January 14, 1994.

Episode 1, "Vampires"
Synopsis: From corpses with pulses to graves where nothing will grow, span the world to unravel the culture of the undead, and examine incredible cases of real-life vampires.
Original air date: January 14, 1994
Runtime: 49 minutes

Web Interviews

cyrilmagazine.com

ghostvillage.com

believermag.com

quahog.org

seacoastnh.com