Occupying a former chapel in a seedy Pigalle alley, Paris’ Théâtre du Grand-Guignol first welcomed audiences to witness its unflinchingly horrific and naturalistic stage plays in 1897. During the next 65 years of gruesome performances, the ‘Theatre of Death’ developed a distinct brand of drama so sadistic yet brilliant, it captivated the world well beyond its final bow. Today the theater’s name remains synonymous with macabre plots, and its legacy–from the modern horror genre to tabloid journalism, the true-crime phenomenon and beyond–continues to have a profound impact on popular culture worldwide.