Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf S3 Ep1: Communion -- Part One
Jun 13, 2025
01:02:48
Imagine being greeted in the dead of night by a small alien creature, running toward your bed. This disturbing experience set author Whitley Strieber on a dark and devastating path that culminated in the publishing of 1987’s Communion. Strieber’s life changed on the night of December 26, 1985 – and he has spent the last forty years trying to sort out exactly what happened.
When Richard Hatem first stumbled upon the book Communion, he refused to pick it up. But after two years of post-USC Film School misery, he suddenly found dark solace within the story of Strieber and his strange encounters. As Richard struggles to find his writing voice, the story of Strieber’s frightening journey begins to resonate in strange ways. And when Richard and his best friend Matt Reeves start working on the script that will one day become the Steven Segal movie Under Siege 2: Dark Territory – he learns that sometimes, friendship, humor and terrifying books can be the key to everything.
Join Richard as he navigates the rough waters of screenwriting, alien abduction – and tries to figure out how to make the great film Die Hard even greater (as if that were possible).
NOTES & LINKS
Sign up for Patreon at the “Obsessed Fan” level by June 30, you’ll receive a SIGNED AND INSCRIBED printed copy of your favorite RHPB episode! Join here!
https://patreon.com/RichardHatem?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
Buy Communion here!
https://bookshop.org/p/books/communion/18948208?ean=9798986205502&next=t
“Heidi’s Frogen Yozurt” was a real thing! (But sadly, not anymore -- they’ve all been sold and no locations exists, even in Los Angeles). BUT -- check out this article on the company’s founder Heidi Miller. She sounds like a great person!
https://www.donatelifefloat.org/si/participants/pages/2020-heidi-miller.html
“Blockbuster Video” was a real thing! (But sadly, not anymore -- they’ve all been sold and only ONE LOCATION STILL EXISTS!). BUT -- check it out here and maybe go visit if you’re ever in Bend, Oregon!
https://bendblockbuster.com/about/
When Richard Hatem first stumbled upon the book Communion, he refused to pick it up. But after two years of post-USC Film School misery, he suddenly found dark solace within the story of Strieber and his strange encounters. As Richard struggles to find his writing voice, the story of Strieber’s frightening journey begins to resonate in strange ways. And when Richard and his best friend Matt Reeves start working on the script that will one day become the Steven Segal movie Under Siege 2: Dark Territory – he learns that sometimes, friendship, humor and terrifying books can be the key to everything.
Join Richard as he navigates the rough waters of screenwriting, alien abduction – and tries to figure out how to make the great film Die Hard even greater (as if that were possible).
NOTES & LINKS
Sign up for Patreon at the “Obsessed Fan” level by June 30, you’ll receive a SIGNED AND INSCRIBED printed copy of your favorite RHPB episode! Join here!
https://patreon.com/RichardHatem?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
Buy Communion here!
https://bookshop.org/p/books/communion/18948208?ean=9798986205502&next=t
“Heidi’s Frogen Yozurt” was a real thing! (But sadly, not anymore -- they’ve all been sold and no locations exists, even in Los Angeles). BUT -- check out this article on the company’s founder Heidi Miller. She sounds like a great person!
https://www.donatelifefloat.org/si/participants/pages/2020-heidi-miller.html
“Blockbuster Video” was a real thing! (But sadly, not anymore -- they’ve all been sold and only ONE LOCATION STILL EXISTS!). BUT -- check it out here and maybe go visit if you’re ever in Bend, Oregon!
https://bendblockbuster.com/about/