Dead Reckoning
Summary
This episode explores two distinct curiosities: the real-life story of Giorgio Rosa, who built an independent island nation in the Adriatic Sea to evade taxes, and the alleged curse surrounding the *Poltergeist* film franchise. The host details how Rosa’s "Rose Island" was destroyed by the Italian Navy after he declared sovereignty. He then examines the tragic deaths of cast members linked to the use of real human skeletons in the original movie, analyzing how these events fueled a persistent Hollywood myth.
Topics discussed
Intro and Grainger advertisement
Welcome to Aaron Menke's Cabinet of Curiosities
The construction of Rose Island by Giorgio Rosa
Rose Island's independence and destruction by the Italian Navy
Fidelity and LinkedIn advertisements
Hollywood tragedies and the Poltergeist curse origin
Cast member deaths and the psychology of the curse
Outro, book promotion, and Boost Mobile ad
Listen ad-free on Castria