The History Channel has gathered up a bunch of episodes from a few of their years' old series, and boxed them together under the title, Haunted Histories Collection. Featuring episodes from their The Unexplained, Haunted History, and In Search of History, all of the documentaries contained in Haunted Histories Collection have been previously released on DVD. Whether or not you'll want to purchase the five-disc boxed set Haunted Histories Collection depends on whether or not you're a fan of these basic, introductory looks at subjects like the Salem witch trials, poltergeists, vampires, and Halloween.

Episodes included in the Haunted Histories Collection are: 1997's Hauntings, from The Unexplained series; 1997's Poltergeist, also from The Unexplained series; 1997's The Haunted History of Halloween, from the Haunted History series; 1998's Salem Witch Trials, from the In Search of History series; and the stand-alone doc, Vampire Secrets, from 2006. All of the docs are fairly short (no more than 50 minutes except for Vampire Secrets, which runs for 100 minutes), so if you're looking for in-depth examinations of these subjects, the Haunted Histories Collection won't be for you.

The first two docs - Hauntings and Poltergeist - are the least effective films in the collection. Done on the cheap, featuring mostly talking-heads interviews and badly-shot recreations, these episodes of The Unexplained play very much like the similarly-formatted (but differently themed) Rescue 911 and Unsolved Mysteries. A supposedly true story of supernatural activity is introduced, the principles involved speak about it, and then experts are brought in to either support the claim or debunk it. They're quite dull, and particularly useless as anything other than mildly diverting timepassers.

The Haunted History of Halloween, which use to show up on A&E and The History Channel every fall, features narration by Harry Smith, discussing the historic origins of Halloween. Anyone familiar with the subject certainly won't find anything new here, but you may be put off by the documentary's slip into obvious Christianity-bashing, while giving paganism a blind pass (a self-described pagan calls up "the horned one" in prayer, while Harry Smith speaks of "innocent" New Ageism practices).

The Salem Witch Trials doc is a little more balanced, with experts looking at possible theories of why the young girls of Massachusetts Bay Colony accused innocent women and men of witchcraft. It's a lively documentary, nicely illustrated with plenty of interesting engravings and paintings, and most welcome is a different narrator (Harry Smith's patently fake "news anchor" intonations drive me mad). But again, it's fairly short for such a large subject, and really only scratches the surface of a complicated historical event.

And finally, Vampire Secrets clocks in at twice the length of the other docs here in the Haunted Histories Collection, and the added time is most welcome, with the filmmakers having plenty of opportunities to discuss various aspect of vampire culture throughout the ages, and the ever-evolving aspects of the cult as we move into the 21st century. There were a few elements of the myth discussed that I wasn't aware of (in particular, the role-playing game that most new converts to modern "vampirism" play), and with the doc's inclusion of plenty of clips from vampire movies included, Vampire Secrets turned out to be an informative, entertaining look at the subject.

Here are the 5 documentaries included in The History Channel's five-disc boxed set, Haunted Histories Collection, as described on their hardshell cases:

Hauntings
Unexplained noises, objects flying across the room, and frightening messages scrawled on the walls. Are these mysterious occurrences the work of spirits from the other world, or are they merely horrifying tricks of the mind? In this chilling program, meet several families who claim their homes have been the site of some very mysterious and terrifying activity. Find out how these people have dealt with these disturbances - and learn of one case in which a family has spent years unsuccessfully trying to get away from the spirits they say haunt their everyday lives. Interviews with psychologists, parapsychologists, and so-called "ghostbusters" offer up varying explanations for the strange happenings, while video footage of seances and photographs of supposed energy and even ghost-like countenances highlight the lengths people have gone to in order to solve the puzzle of these hauntings.

Poltergeist
The name invokes images of vengeful spirits and brings to mind some of the most memorable horror movies ever. But what is a poltergeist - is it a demon, a ghost, or perhaps the manifestation of the psychic energy of a living person? Poltergeist investigates four distinct cases of paranormal incidents in which there is undeniable, physical evidence that something happened: the actual world was affected. But by what? Dramatic reenactments and chilling interviews with victims illuminate the terrifying encounters, exposing minute details. Listen as psychics and scientists grapple with the strange phenomena and journey to the sites where poltergeists are said to have appeared, from a Kentucky honky-tonk to ancient British universities.

The Haunted History of Halloween
Every October 31st, pint-sized ghouls and goblins wander through neighborhoods knocking on doors and asking for treats...little do they know they're actually carrying out an ancient tradition dating back thousands of years. Join Harry Smith as he leads this 3,000-year expedition through the history of the characteristically pagan holiday of Halloween. Discover how the "trick-or-treat" custom originated during the harvest festivals in ancient Ireland when food and sweets were used to coax the dead into remaining in the spirit world. Learn how Christianity tried to co-opt the celebration by turning it into All Saints Day, but how the underlying - and sometimes controversial - dark elements of the holiday have survived.

Salem Witch Trials
For the incoming Puritan settlers, 17th-century New England was a place filled with fear and uncertainty. It was an environment that - coupled with a backdrop of religious extremism - bred an anxiety so intense it ultimately turned deadly. As a result of the 1692 Salem witch trials, 19 men and women were hanged and one man was "pressed" to death following the untenable accusations made by several young girls from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. When the hysteria finally subsided and new community leaders came into power, apologies were made and in 1711 legislation was passed that offered some financial restitution to the families of the victims. This program provides a comprehensive account of the actual events and examines the possible causes behind this highly notorious and puzzlingly complex period in early American history.

Vampire Secrets
At the mention of the word "vampire," images of bloody fangs, dark capes, and a man with a hideous, spooky laugh immediately come to mind. These conventional images, born from countless vampire films over the years, are most commonly associated with Irish writer Bram Stoker and his iconic 1897 novel Dracula. However, despite the popularity and influence of this celebrated nineteenth-century tome, the vampire myth dates back more than 1,000 years, long before Stoker ever put pen to paper. In this fascinating journey through time, we uncover the ancient folkloric origins of blood-craving creatures from beyond the grave. Learn how the vampire myth is strongly rooted in Eastern European lore, but how it has also played a prominent role in the ancient cultures of Greece and China.

The DVD:

The Video:
As with most early History Channel offerings on DVD, there are compression issues (lots of jaggies) when you step up to a big monitor. Otherwise, the video is generally sharp and clear, with good color.

The Audio:
The Dolby Digital English 2.0 stereo mix accurately reflects the original broadcast presentation. There are no subtitles or close-captioning options.

The Extras:
There are no extras for the Haunted Histories Collection.

Final Thoughts:
First, if you already have some or all of these titles on DVD, there's no need to double dip; there are no additional extras. I suppose for a student or someone totally new to these subjects, the Haunted Histories Collection would be an okay rental for getting a generalized introduction. But anyone looking for something in-depth should go elsewhere. These are entertaining docs, but light. Rent individual titles from the Haunted Histories Collection first, before deciding to buy the whole set.