In 2006 a low-budget horror movie called The Curse of Lizzie Borden was released. Even though it was awful, it was followed up two years later with a sequel, The Curse of Lizzie Borden 2: Prom Night. Because, naturally, a prom-themed horror movie was the only thing that could follow, right? (That’s a rhetorical question. There’s only one answer to that and it’s the opposite of “yes.”)
Well, the next installment in the Shock Docs series shares the same name as the 2006 and 2008 horror movies, unfortunately.
Except, instead of being about a girl who gets a job in the Lizzie Borden Museum and then goes on a killing rampage, Shock Docs: The Curse of Lizzie Borden attempts to resolve any negative energy that may still be lingering in, and on the grounds of, one of the most infamous murder houses in America.
Let’s take a look at what it’s about, including when and where you can watch it.
The Curse of Lizzie Borden Storyline
Paranormal investigator Dave Schrader assembles a team of paranormal experts to investigate whether a dark family curse led to the most infamous ax murders of all time. With new evidence that Lizzie Borden’s ghost resides in the murder house, they conduct a seance to unearth the truth and finally close the portal of evil forever.
The Curse of Lizzie Borden Release Date
The two-hour special premieres on discovery+ on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021.
The Curse
During a chat with Azure Hall, the communications director for US Ghost Adventures (who not only acquired the house earlier this year but also recently announced they’re hiring a paranormal investigator to conduct ghost tours and hunts of the house), she mentioned how children haunt the house.
Especially on the top floor, visitors often report experiences where they hear children laughing or feel like they’re being touched by small hands. It’s why many bring toys when investigating.
I found that curious and admitted that I don’t know a lot about the house’s history, except for the major parts of the Lizzie Borden case. But I knew she’d never married or had children, so where did the ghost kids come from?
Hall explained that before Lizzie’s family had lived there, one of her relatives had. The wife had killed her two children, who often played on the third floor, before taking her own life.
That’s where the idea of the curse comes from. Is there some force that compels those who live there to harm each other?
No tragedies have occurred at the site since the Lizzie Borden days. However, if any residual negative energy remains that might one day again cause problems, will Schrader and his team find a way to close that portal? And will it send all of the spirits with it, thus cleansing the house entirely?
Guess we’ll find out when The Curse of Lizzie Borden premieres.
For More Info
Visit discoveryplus.com.
Check-In
Do you think if a haunted place is cleansed of evil spirits, it also rids it of any good ones? Or do you think the process can be controlled?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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I think it’s possible for a cleansing to get rid of only negative spirits. I only say that because mediums on TV say things like, “Only goodness and light are welcome here,” and, “All dark energies must go.”
You raise a good point. They do say that. But is that real or just for TV? (To this day I’m suspish of psychics in general but especially the TV ones. I’m just not sold that mere humans can influence the other side at all. Receive messages from them maybe, but “help” them along their way? We can barely help our own selves most times. lol)
Still, you raise a valid point that I’d forgotten about. In general, there does seem to be a dissecting of good from evil so they very well could banish one and keep the other. Glad you pointed that out!
It was very real! I’m one of the investigators in that picture, and I live in the area of the Borden murder house. I’ve been researching the case for years, and am near and dear to the history involved. I do have to make a small correction on your historical information. The relatives you’re speaking of didn’t live in the home Andrew Borden later moved his family into where he and his second wife, Abby, were murdered. They lived in a house next door. The man was Andrew’s uncle, Lawdwick Borden. His wife, Eliza Darling Borden, drowned two of their three children in their cellar cistern and then went upstairs and sliced her own throat with her husband’s straight razor. It all occurred in their own home, which, like I say, was next door to the house the murders took place in killing Andrew and Abby Borden in 1892. Thank you so much for sharing and I hope you all enjoy the show! <3
Hi Ms. Joly! THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking the time to leave this very helpful comment! I will be creating an update post to clarify this info. discovery+ hooked me up with a screener so I’m really looking forward to watching. But now I’m even more excited because I’m so psyched someone from the show and with intimate knowledge of the house/case stopped by like this!
Hello Courtney! Actually, I should be thanking your for sharing about the show. Where I grew up, Lizzie Borden is someone we hear about as children. There’s that old rhyme, Lizzie Borden had an ax, She gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one, so she was always a figure shrouded in mystery for me. Why would someone just take an ax to their parents? I can’t explain it, but as a child, I knew, somehow, some way, I was connected to Lizzie and the case.
I grew up with a negative entity attachment that lasted for over 22 years until I finally gained freedom through my research into the paranormal. As a child, I was so afraid of that entity, I never would have dreamed, not even in a nightmare, that I would run a paranormal team and actually go LOOKING for spirits and entities! Once I had entered the paranormal field and formed my team, I knew I was right where I belonged! Helping people who have similar problems like I had as a child was definitely what I was meant to do. Setting foot in Lizzie’s house the first time years ago, well, I can’t explain how it felt. This case and I have been connected in ways I don’t think any of us can understand.
This show, and having David Schrader and the specialists, Sam Baltrusis and Chris Fleming, he brought in to help with this case helped not only me, but I like to think we helped Lizzie, too! I can hardly wait to see the show, but I admit, some parts of it will probably be very hard for me to watch. I’ve been in the field for a very long time and this, was one of the hardest cases I’ve ever been involved in. But, like I say, I think Lizzie and I were meant to be brought together for all of our sakes!
My team, Whaling City Ghosts has been together since 2004. With stomping grounds like the Bridgewater Triangle to investigate in, we never run out of cases to explore. One thing I know is this investigation in the Borden Murder House will be one that none of us ever forget!
Thanks so much for your article and kind words! I look forward to hearing how you liked the show after it airs on September 10th on Discovery+! <3
Okay, this comment is amazing. I’m also going to send you an email asking if you’d like to do a Zoom call for the vlog/podcast. But I’ll be sure to include this too when I write up an update post AND vlog about this. It’s crazy inspiring and I can’t THANK YOU enough again for taking the time to share your story.
This is Bs. Dave Schroeder work with “supposedly'” hanz holder’s files. He usually works with Cindy Kaza & they have investigated this home together. He is trying to make $$$. Obviously the Holzer files will NOT come back cuz they exploited an real person & he is trying (terribly) to be relevant.
The show aired and they did show quite a lot of what actually happened. I asked Dave Schrader to come and help me, he’s not local. Because of that he doesn’t have access to the house like I have over the years. And, well, you see, I’m kind of a paranormal mutt, or that’s what I call myself, I do have psychic skills, but they range and are quite unpredictable. I’m also a total ghost magnet! I record a LOT of EVP, and they almost always say my name and ask for help. For me, no matter what a person has done in life, whether they were mean, or kind, or hacked their parents to death, I believe every spirit should have the chance to cross over and let the universe work it out. So, for me, the little weird psychic egg, I couldn’t just let the case go. I had to find a way to “fix” things for Lizzie. I also hated the entity in the house and wanted to win the fight. So yes, I called in help. They didn’t show everything, much of the investigation was horrible, frightening and intense (and no, we didn’t sleep much that week, LOL) but I really do believe that Lizzie got some peace, along with Eliza and her children. And well, the A named nasty monster, I really feel as if, when it was all said and done, the entity got kicked out….well, unless someone goes there and calls his name….
I would be honored to do an interview with you! Waiting on the network to give me permission! Hugs to everyone, thank you all! <3
Hey Krysty! I’m not going to lie…I have always thought well of Dave but was a little disappointed where they went with this Shock Docs. You are certainly not alone. I’ve been shocked to see a lot of folks on socials already calling BS to the curse/demon angle on this…and that was before they even saw the special. I’m very curious what the response will be once they watch it. IF they watch it, that is. Sure do appreciate you weighing in!
Hey Luann!
It’s very admirable that you feel a calling to help spirits. And love how you describe yourself (“paranormal mutt,” “little weird psychic egg”)! If the network grants permission that’d be great!
Hello Luann-I watched this program and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was interesting, informative, thought provoking, eerie and frightening. I was impressed and thought it was very well done in the way it was filmed and presented. The story and theory was presented matter-of-factly and seriously. Dave Schrader and Chris Fleming are both top notch investigators and are competent and professional in their approach to the paranormal. You did an amazing job as well and your personal expertise in the Lizzie Borden story was invaluable to the investigation and program. The other gentlemen certainly significantly added to the investigation as well. The talented actress who portrayed Lizzie Borden in the reenactments did an amazing job accentuating the story narration, especially with no dialogue.
You should be proud of the fantastic job you played in putting this production together and assisting to help Lizzie Borden and others.
I am sorry you have to deal with the negativity and criticism from some but please don’t let it discourage you in your work. Your knowledge, empathy, professionalism and talents are needed and encouraged.
I look forward to seeing more of you and your continuing work in the paranormal universe.
Thank you for this great documentary.
Hello Luann-I neglected to ask you my one question regarding this program.
You mentioned that much of this investigation was horrible, frightening and intense and not shown in the documentary.
Is there any hope of ever seeing those incidents as extra footage clips anywhere, perhaps on your website?
I would love to be able to watch those moments.
Thank You.
Thank you for all your kind words! I don’t know if the network will ever share the footage they didn’t use for the show. I wish we could have kept the footage too. I swear I saw things when I watched the documentary and I can only pause to look at it, I can’t actually review it the way I would data captured at a regular investigation with my team. A little frustrating to say the least!
A show wants to take the footage and put it together in such a way they can tell the story from start to finish the best they can. For investigators, we want to see all the footage for evidentiary purposes, so it’s two totally different scenarios. I was able to keep all of my EVP recordings, so I will share the best ones on my Facebook page when the whim hits me. Some were quite remarkable!