Man exploring French Catacombs attacked and dragged of by someone/something.

The Blair Witch Project is still one of my favorite movies.

Creepy Cool post, Osiris1953, Thanks!

Especially if you grab some stills, tilt them right side up, and use your imagination to search the images for the ethereal faces of the damned.

I see leering skulls and winged demons, wicked clowns and handsome ladies, grinning court jesters and evil eyes, reflecting the offending glare, just breaking the surface...small and large and overlapping...all jumbled together like their crumbling, rotten cast-off bones.






I like to imagine them as the disturbed spirits of the forgotten dead, cursed to wander the black of the catacombs for all eternity....along with their newest addition, the man who inadvertently filmed his own maddening descent into the everlasting darkness...

I don't know what to think of the video, the way they show the old recovered camera was a nice touch, but the little girl narrating just makes it look like a dodgy movie trailer.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was real and a guy did just freak out down there and run off into the darkness, why is that so hard to believe? I don't know if there is much else to the story, like if there is anything demonic actually down there though. Just some poor guy who lost his way and freaked out.

Either way I wouldn't set one foot into those tunnels, that's for sure.

Originally posted by motherofsquirrelkiller
2) The narration was just too much for anyone to take this film seriously. The voice was almost akin to the "Poltergeist" .... "Don't look at the light Carrol Anne!"

If this was to be taken seriously that commentary would NEVER be added.

i believe the narrator was zelda rubinstein of 'poltergeist'.

like i said before,and as i can see most of you agree, it was probably a case of panic (if this is genuine).

interesting to note that there is no sound?

Imagine being down there, on your own with a camera and then you get freaked out, would'nt you scream or atleast shout out a big OH S#$%?

Seems like the video shots where also quite paced, slowly walking at first, faster and faster and then a mad dash! If I had reason to be scared I would be cursing and running like hell....

sorry dont mean to spoil the halloween fun

If true can you imagine that happening and no one ever knowing what happened to you.

I would also like to here the rest of the story about that woman.

Ok here is the rest of the story.


The room had large number of machines and, even under the lights, the metal was grayish in color. Everything was made of this metal and even their clothing appeared to be metallic. I retained a sense of where I was, but the leader of the group indicated to the doctor that I should be treated.
They spoke perfect French, but with a strange accent. 'Your mind is disturbed because of your experience,' said the leader of the group. He was about five feet tall, muscular, with only his face visible under the helmet of the same gray metal. His face was more elongated, thinner, than those of the human beings I have met. It was gray in color, almost like the cast of old baking dough. We were taken individually into another vehicle that looked like a combination hospital and computer room. Another man, who seemed to be a physician, indicated I should lay back on a table made from the same grayish metal. He also spoke in French, indicating that the treatment would not hurt me. 'You will feel no pain,' he said. 'We have tried to erase memories from the mind but they are never totally gone. They will come forth through dreams, nightmares, and disguised thoughts. We are attaching you to a machine that provides you with information on why you were tortured by the animal men.'

'Can't you tell me,' I inquired.

'It would take many years of time, as you measure it,' he replied. The machines implant information in your mind without error. The data is not filtered through my mind, but remains purified.' After the treatment, I was taken to another section of the tunnels. Some of the men in metallic uniforms were sealing off the tunnels. The leader designated a man to lead me back to the surface world, and in another two hours, we were in the sewers of Paris. I was back on the streets in a short while. I must have looked very strange, walking barefoot through the streets in winter. A gendarme stopped me and I was taken into custody and, eventually, my family was contacted. I spent many weeks in a mental hospital and, today, I am in a sanitarium trying to recover from the experience ...

What was the message given to the young woman through the machine?
Many millions of years ago, she related, the earth was devoid of human life The 'starmen' selected our planet as a space laboratory, transplanting various types of people from different planets onto our earth. Homo sapiens became the dominant species as our aggressive, war-like characteristics drove the other species from us. Some of these species became extinct. Others vanished and even the 'starmen' don't know what occurred. They simply disappeared without a trace. As the human race continued to grow, some species were driven underground to the caverns for their survival. They adapted themselves to the life beneath the surface and, in time, they created the tunnels and cavern cities. There were tremendous problems related to biological mutations and the necessary evolution of the species to survive the environment of the inner earth. In time, the original colonists
degenerated into the brutal, horrible animal men. In ancient times, these degenerates preyed upon surface humanity through raids on outlying areas. Ancient stories of strange appearances of unusual animals, werewolves, and men-beasts are memories of battles between our ancestors and the animal
men.

Eventually, mankind developed weaponry to defend themselves. The men-beasts were pushed back under the ground. They now prowl only at night and they're very careful to avoid detection by humans. The wars, the atomic age, and evolution of the animal-men, has created the problem today. The animal-men are a great threat to human survival. The animal-men have evolved into a deadly species, more crafty and extremely cunning. The constant tests of nuclear weapons have destroyed, or cracked, many of the great tunnels. Whole cavern cities have been wiped out by these tests. The animal-men are growing stronger. They've become the heirs to advanced weaponry, airships, and electromagnetic weaponry The animal-men are on the march to conquer the entire planet, including the surface world.

Who were the men in metallic uniforms?

They are what we would call a biological team from the far reaches of space. During a routine check of the earth, they learned of the mutations that had occurred among the animal-men. They brought back their instruments and established several 'breeding stations,' notably under the oceans and seas.
They plan to observe the war between the animal-men and the armies of our surface nations.

Will they save us from these demonic creatures?

Our salvation will come through our own efforts. The 'starmen' are observers of the battle between the species on this planet. They have no plans to disturb the functions of natural selection by committing their weaponry to either species.

According to this theory, we didn't evolve from the apes. Is that correct?

To the contrary, the apes evolved downward from us as a degenerated species of early homo sapiens. It is as if the surface world produced a similar group of animal-men.

Should we believe this story?

The lady approached our representatives in Paris last year, seeking more data on the hollow earth. She believed the Hollow Earth Society might provide more information to put her terrible experience into some sort of understanding. Unfortunately, we do not have the funds to maintain a library except at our headquarters. Our man in Paris checked her history and background in great detail. She disappeared for about four months, at the time indicated. He checked the elevator at the office building where her kidnapping allegedly took place. The shaft ended at the basement but - strangely enough - there were signs of fresh masonry construction at the bottom of the elevator shaft. We asked for permission to test the shaft for a possible proof of her story. The building owners refused to allow tests of any type.

Originally posted by 2believeor0
interesting to note that there is no sound?

Imagine being down there, on your own with a camera and then you get freaked out, would'nt you scream or atleast shout out a big OH S#$%?

Seems like the video shots where also quite paced, slowly walking at first, faster and faster and then a mad dash! If I had reason to be scared I would be cursing and running like hell....

sorry dont mean to spoil the halloween fun

There actually was sound on the tape that they found. :3 I think most of it has been narrated over in this video, but they even talk about it. You can hear the changes in his breathing as he gets more and more panicked, and I distinctly recall hearing the thud as the camera was dropped, as well as his footsteps running away from it.

Also, I don't know about anyone else, but usually I don't actually scream in fright unless it's a sudden, "jump-out-at-you-from-nowhere" kind of fright. The kind of terror you would feel in the Catacombs seems like it would be different: that slowly building sense of "something's-not-right" dread in the pit of your stomach. It increases slowly, in levels, until there's nothing left but complete, mad terror overwhelming your conscious sense of self. That kind of terror doesn't strike me as the sort that would inspire a scream.

It could be argued that whatever scared him enough to drop the camera might have been enough of a trigger to incite a scream, but the way I see it, he was already beyond all sense and reason by that point, already running with no idea of where he was going to, and couldn't really be scared too much more. He probably wasn't paying enough attention to hold onto the camera, and happened to drop it at no specific point and for no specific reason. If he was being chased, he probably already knew it, and if he was just running from nothing and terrifying himself, what else could he see to make him scream?

I am not sure that there are creatures in the catacombs. There are actually quite a few people that go down there.

Here is a link to an article that talks about people who are illegally renovating the catacombs.
Underground ‘terrorists’ with a mission to save city’s neglected heritage

By day, Lazar Kunstmann is a typically avant-garde Parisian, an urbane, well-spoken video film editor who hangs out in the fashionable Latin Quarter. By night he inhabits a strange and secret world with its base in the tunnels beneath the French capital – the world of the urban explorers.

Mr Kunstmann belongs to les UX, a clandestine network that is on a mission to discover and exploit the city’s neglected underworld. The urban explorers put on film shows in underground galleries, restore medieval crypts and break into monuments after dark to organise plays and readings. In the eyes of their supporters, they are the white knights of modern culture, renovating forgotten buildings and staging artistic events beyond the reach of a stifling civil service.

DocMoreau

reply to post by DocMoreau


Thanks, Doc!

Interesting article, I love this quote:

We could go down in legal history as the first people ever to be prosecuted for repairing a clock,” said Mr Kunstmann.

[edit on 20-10-2007 by goosdawg]

I really wish that woman wouldn't do voice-overs >_< Poltergeists too tongue in cheek for me to take her seriously! Although I do adore that film...

As for the footage, I see no reason for it not to be genuine. As many people have said, I know if I was stuck in a pitch black claustraphobic tunnel full of bones and strange paintings I'd start to freak out.

Imagine dying lost and alone down there, no one being able to find you - until one day you simple become another pile of bones, indistinguisable from the rest.... *shudders*

I dont know what intrests me more the story or the catacombs therselves. I would love to go and ghost hunt there. anyway here is a site with infomation on the catacombs and pictures, a bit of a virtual tour. Have a peek.

french catacombs

Thanks for all the posts. Whoever mentioned that it reminded them of Neverwhere kudos. That really is an awesome movie. The narrator is in fact the lady from Poltergeist, and she could be telling me the direction to the closest bathroom and I would be scared, she just has a creepy voice. Don't let that take away from the video though. I believe it is in fact a real video, just don't know if he was actually being pursued by anything anymore. Oh well, it is certainly an interesting and fun watch, and I think we can all agree on that based what I've read from the posts.

This is pretty freaky, I for one would never go down there on my own.

How common is it for people to go missing down there? Do the police normally come across (recently deceased) bodies? Is their a special police or fire/rescue unit that can attempt to look for someone down there?

The voice over is indeed the little Lady from Poltergiest. I love her character (favorite quote: "I AM addressing the living..." lol).
This show was done for the original series "Scariest Places" Believe it premiered on USA network (??) and was later shown on "ABC Family" during Halloween week.
Is it authentic? Kind of doubtful. Leaving your only light source, etc. Just feels way too "Blair Witch" to me...

Very cool ghost story (and it is the season)! Thanks for sharing it... Real or not, it was worth the read.

It didhave some interesting overtones of the old Richard Shaver mysteries. The Tero and the Dero, the only thing really missing there was the "Mantong" language. Shaver stuff was an interesting bit when I was a young lad, and I don't know that anyone ever really disenfranchised it.

Thanks again to the original poster for the thread.

I did a little searching and "dug up" some info on our OP's video.

This particular sequence was part of the second episode, first season of "The Scariest Places on Earth," a program on the paranormal hosted by Linda Blair of "The Exorcist" and narrated by Zelda Rubinstein, who played Tangina Barrons in the Poltergeist movies.
Source | TV.com | "The Scariest Places on Earth"



My favorite 'Tangina' quote from 'Poltergeist'

Tangina: Help me tie this around my waist.
Diane: What do you think you're doing?
Tangina: I'm going in after her.
Diane: She won't come to you. Let me go.
Tangina: You've never done this before.
Diane: Neither have you.
[pause]
Tangina: You're right. You go.

Source | IMDb | Quotes for Tangina Barrons

Anyway, here's some details about the episode that includes our thread video, from TVGuide.com:

A visit to a former Philadelphia penitentiary that is reported to house demons; an investigation into the legendary Jersey Devil; a trip to the Paris catacombs where many people have allegedly disappeared. Also: an update on the Olson family who are locked in a haunted English castle. Linda Blair is the host.

Source | TVGuide.com




Personal aside/off topic:

True story: Way back in the day, when "The Exorcist" was first released starring Linda Blair as Regan, the girl possessed by the demon, I was dating a girl from my highschool that could have been her absolute double.

Everywhere we went, people would get exited and come up and ask her if she was the girl from "The Exorcist."

It used to annoy my girlfriend no end as she had to constantly fend off these mistaken starstruck interlopers who just couldn't/wouldn't believe that she wasn't Linda Blair.

She really did look just like her.

Unfortunately, as I found out later, the similarities didn't end there; she may have looked like Linda Blair, but, I swear, like the character Regan;

She! Was! Possessed! By! The! Devil!!!

She was, without a doubt, the most psycho chick I've ever dated.

And she was my FIRST girlfriend...

There were many times when I would have been happy to lose her in the catacombs of Paris.

Fortunately, for me, she eventually moved to Alaska. And I never saw her again...

(If you're reading this "E," I hope you got it together and things worked out for you up there...)

End of personal aside/off-topic subject...




At any rate, if you're interested in watching this particular episode of "The Scariest Places on Earth," you're in luck!

According to TVGuide.com, ABCFamily is going to host a twelve episode marathon of this very program on October 27th, beginning at 8:00am.

The particular episode which includes "our" video will air at 12:00pm.

Source | TVGuide.com

(Check your local listings for time and details)

That is really an interesting read about those sub-terrainian, urban Parisian explorer groups! The wonderful part is that they are doing the restorations. Without payment or for a monetary gain.

It's too bad that everyone's interest and work down there has the possibility of getting arrested only because there is the possibility of a terrorist threat! The world above is decaying, yet these people are underground ... changing the decay into something new and useful. The irony of it all!

www.tedthecaver.com...

Read that! The end of the story sounds sort of the same.
Hope it helps.

reply to post by motherofsquirrelkiller


That really is very interesting stuff.... I hope they continue their work.