In the end, veneer is all about appearances. It represents the unusual, the expensive, and often the unattainable, without letting us see what’s really beneath it all. And it’s just as true for people as it is for bookshelves; even places have a veneer. But few locations have such a dark past hidden beneath its glittering surface than [sic] the place that pumps out visions of our wildest dreams. It might seem like everything there is picture perfect, but if you look close enough the truth is more than a little frightening. So pack your bags, grab your coat, and put on your walking shoes, because I want to take you on a trip into the shadows behind the sunshine.  We’re going to Hollywood.

Beneath the glitz of America’s movie capital lies the Gothic, the ghoulish, and the ghostly, as host Aaron Mahnke endeavors to demonstrate in the latest episode of the Lore podcast. He shares a series of quick, Tinseltown-related stories, starting with the gloomy background of the iconic Hollywood(land) sign. Hauntings at landmark clubs, theaters, and hotels are addressed, as is one of the area’s grisliest bits of history: the “Black Dahlia” murder, a horrific crime that appears to have left behind a ghostly legacy. Mahnke wraps the episode up nicely by tracing the movements of a cursed ring that allegedly brought tragic misfortune to anyone who wore it, including screen legend Rudolph Valentino. All told, “All That Glitters” is a shining example of the dark lore that Mahnke mines better than anyone else in the world.