Questionable Scene

[screamshow]

Really its not as questionable as it is complete crap. The guy acting is bad and the action he takes makes no real sense because of it.

I thought his acting was pretty good actually.

[Warren Vanderdark]

I think that if you had a hundred different scenes in your haunt, that just by the Law of Averages, that there'd be at least ONE person who'd be offended/upset by one of those scenes. I'm reminded of last week, when after doing my opening introduction, one scared young woman looked at me with a slightly sad face and asked, "There aren't any scenes of suicide in there are there?". (For the record, unless you count one stuffed clown hanging from a noose, no) Was it a personal tragedy that fueled her fear? Who's to say? Granted, she didn't seem to be particularly bothered by the fact that she was about to enter a haunted morgue filled with reanimated corpses that were revived through bizarre medical experiments conducted by yours truly's character.

On the same token, we've had people that have seem worried about encountering clowns (we've got one this year), chainsaws (check) and even pigs (yep, we've got one!). I think depending on the individual's fears or phobias, you could have a scene filled with Smurfs and fuzzy bunnys and still send them off screaming into the night.

[screamshow]

I think that if you had a hundred different scenes in your haunt, that just by the Law of Averages, that there'd be at least ONE person who'd be offended/upset by one of those scenes. I'm reminded of last week, when after doing my opening introduction, one scared young woman looked at me with a slightly sad face and asked, "There aren't any scenes of suicide in there are there?". (For the record, unless you count one stuffed clown hanging from a noose, no) Was it a personal tragedy that fueled her fear? Who's to say? Granted, she didn't seem to be particularly bothered by the fact that she was about to enter a haunted morgue filled with reanimated corpses that were revived through bizarre medical experiments conducted by yours truly's character.

On the same token, we've had people that have seem worried about encountering clowns (we've got one this year), chainsaws (check) and even pigs (yep, we've got one!). I think depending on the individual's fears or phobias, you could have a scene filled with Smurfs and fuzzy bunnys and still send them off screaming into the night.

Teletubbies give me the heeby jeebies.

I don't think the question is suicide per se, even Disney's Haunted Mansion has a suicide in the first real room, at question here is the graphic demonstration of it.

[MMManiac]

True a haunted house is by difinition hauntd by ghosts but people these days seem to get off more on the blood and gore. Just look at all the horror movies coming out. Blood and sex sells.

Having a house where books move and lights turn on and off isnt scary anymore. Having a room where someone shoots themselves is.

As long as you post warnings about the graphic nature of the house I odnt their is a problem with during certain rooms.

Sean

[Jim Warfield]

Maybe a house where the October helper is late to do the scare, yet it happens anyway(from an empty area) scares people, especially the October helper!
I ocassionally have some very special helpers here who sometimes seem to be reading my mind and perform accordingly.....
"That book just moved!" ("Hmm? I wonder how that happened?")
Talking about something, then it happens........."Boy Jim, you really have this place totally tricked-out!"
If only they could hazard a guess as to just how tricky this house really is.

When the 14 year-olds get to be 25 and are bored with gore and chainsaws, they can come here, they don't have to run or be chased (and then fall down and get bunged-up) yet we still have a fun time just anticipating which object in the room will be doing the moving and it might just be their bowels!

[Haunted Castle]

Screamshow

SCREAMSHOW

(Compressed air shoots the blood and glop. It's no different than your typical exploding toilet gag. Just load it with red stuff instead of water.)

Still don't understand ? where can I buy the outfit they were using in doing this stunt, I'm not familar with the toilet gag thanks

[horrorfiend99]

Well I checked out the website for the Haunted Hoochie and all I can say is... I wanna go sooooo bad! This house looks absolutely amazing! This year they are even featuring a "simulated live demon birth"! How amazing is that?

I love "haunted houses" of all types (and please people, let's not get into semantics - the term "haunted house" within the industry clearly refers to a walk-through haunted attraction of almost any kind - not merely a traditional haunted house with floating books and old school spooks) but I must say I am a huge fan of gore and shocks. If said shocks are unimaginative and badly executed then they are of course worthless, but the Haunted Hoochie appears to be quite original and inventive in their noble quest to push the envelope.

If anything I think most guests have been desensitized to the graphic images inside our haunts (how many youngsters stroll through the mazes at Knott's Scary farm every year without batting an eye at scenes of extreme gore and horror) and Haunted Hoochie's attempt to actually gross people out and really see how far they can push the boundaries of bad taste to me is quite refreshing.

Also, the attitude (conveyed by the website at least) of this particular haunt, although graphic as all hell, seems quite tongue-in-cheek. The theme is not particularly dark and psychological - instead aiming for over-the-top splatter and gross-out gags, kind of like a Troma film. If indeed they achieve a balance between disturbing stuff and a fun atmosphere, I think they have something special indeed and are definitely paving the way for teh industry.

By the way, the idea about the abortion/miscarriage cannibal thing sounds really awesome. At the risk of offending some I would definitely consider putting such a scene in a haunt. Great creativity!

[DeadAcres]

you are the past ....we are the future

We just put up a link to this discussion on our message board...our fans will get a kick out of it..if you have any time you should read all our myspace comments or check out our website...see for yourselves how popular this attraction really is..soon there will be little hoochies poppin up all over the U.S.
There will always be a place for kiddy haunts..but we are not one of them..my favorite part of this discussion is using the darkness and netherworld as examples of great entertainment..this is very true...are ya aware that the owner of netherworld is quoted in hauntworld as saying the hooch is the best hes even seen..and i am sure you are aware of who puts out hauntworlds top 13..We have learned much from both of these men and their haunts..but we throw alittle gore into the mix also...This is entertainment..and we take it very seriously.. painted wall panels and cheesy set ups do not cut it anymore..our customers demand more..we took gore out for 2 years..people complained about it and the numbers fell..now their back..I am not sayng its for every demographic..but it sure works well in our demographic..
The fact is the Hoochie is 365 degrees of realism..from the time you get out of your car...everywhere ya look is some of the most awesome detail in this business..with over 100 animations and 100 actors..comic relief and some of the best illusions and intensity found anywhere..we have visitors from around the world..we have a great hotel package if you would like to experience it for your self...We sell vip packages which are a great value...once you see the lines you will understand......

[horrorfiend99]

As I said above, I would absolutely LOVE to come to your attraction - it looks to be totally top-notch! Unfortunately it is too late in teh season for me to venture out that way since I have many obligations during the rest of the month. Perhaps next year!

Keep up the great work and keep pushing the limits! Everything I've heard and seen just makes me want to come more! It doesn't matter if what you're doing is gory or not really, in the end you are doing something original, and THAT is the future of this business.

For too long this industry has skated along on "standards" that are basically repeated again and again ad nauseum (i.e. Hell-o-vator, chainsaw gag, store-bought animatronic electric chair guy, rotating tunnel, etc.). Although these effects are not always bad, they definitely aren't original. In my opinion, originality is the most important aspect of horror, since almost every genre cliche has been done to death (pun semi-intended). With the inclusion of in-your-face chainsaw vivisections and live demon births, I believe you (Dead Acres) are bringing us (the public) things seldom seen in a live walk-through attraction.

I actually hope more haunters start taking your lead - I know I will! My pointy of view is that if you're not bringing your proverbial A game and coming through with something original you are just wasting everyone's time and money (especially your own). Not only that, but "safe" horror is just not that impressive anymore. Sorry fans of spooky atmosphere, floating books and things that go bump in the night, but I can experience that walking through my grandma's semi-spooky house or any local cemetery. Haunted attractions need to step it up in this day and age - pushing limits in terms of shock, humor, design and yes, good taste.

Horror by nature is not a "safe" genre - it revels in disturbing the mind, assaulting the senses and making the viewer/guest squirm. The folks over at Dead Acres seem to have a firm grasp on this concept (as well as their chainsaws and shotguns) and for that, I commend them!

Bravo!

Hail horror!

[Ghost River Duck]

We just put up a link to this discussion on our message board...our fans will get a kick out of it..if you have any time you should read all our myspace comments or check out our website...see for yourselves how popular this attraction really is..soon there will be little hoochies poppin up all over the U.S.
There will always be a place for kiddy haunts..but we are not one of them..my favorite part of this discussion is using the darkness and netherworld as examples of great entertainment..this is very true...are ya aware that the owner of netherworld is quoted in hauntworld as saying the hooch is the best hes even seen..and i am sure you are aware of who puts out hauntworlds top 13..We have learned much from both of these men and their haunts..but we throw alittle gore into the mix also...This is entertainment..and we take it very seriously.. painted wall panels and cheesy set ups do not cut it anymore..our customers demand more..we took gore out for 2 years..people complained about it and the numbers fell..now their back..I am not sayng its for every demographic..but it sure works well in our demographic..
The fact is the Hoochie is 365 degrees of realism..from the time you get out of your car...everywhere ya look is some of the most awesome detail in this business..with over 100 animations and 100 actors..comic relief and some of the best illusions and intensity found anywhere..we have visitors from around the world..we have a great hotel package if you would like to experience it for your self...We sell vip packages which are a great value...once you see the lines you will understand......

Brother, I don't know that anyone on here has criticized your use of gore. Frankly I like a little gore. The question was, and I'm paraphrasing, Is it inappropriate to show a suicide in a haunt? So far i think the answer has been a strong, sesoundingmaybe :grin: . My point has been that it's not particularly clever and is sure to alienate some of your costumer base. Then why do it? If you are trying to shock them from the time they get out of the car til they get back in then you are probably accomplishing that. My goal is to entertain then. WE scare most of them but we entertain all of them. And 97%+ have a GREAT time. I look at that bit and it jsut doesn't look like fun to me.

Like I said, Drug Abuse, Suicide, Religious References, Dead Babies, Satanic Rituals, and Rape just aren't my bag of bones. They are all gimmicks and the problem with a gimmick is you have to come up with a better one next time or they are going to be disappointed. It sounds like you've got a great show though and should be proud of it. But as far as put that scene the way it was filmed in my show, I'll pass brother.

[horrorfiend99]

Sorry, buddy. I think you are totally wrong.

"Torture, Drug Abuse, Suicide, Religious References, Dead Babies, Satanic Rituals, and Rape" are not gimmicks - they are horrific acts and/or images. Gimmicks (for haunts at least) are the things I have listed in my last post such as rotating tunnels, polka-dot rooms and cheesy animatronics.

If you take some time to look at the Dead Acres website (and it's multitude of crazy pictures) you will find that nothing pictured there is gimmicky. I definitely have not seen any of the effects they show or talk about in any haunt I have been to.

Are you saying that it's gimmicky to include these graphic and shocking scenes because you feel that it's a cheap scare? How is a animated pop gag or an air cannon or some kind of story line about how the house got haunted any less cheap? The former is definitely more original.

As I said before, horror is about shock. Perhaps these things you mentioned are "not your bag" but to say that they are gimmicky is an insult to Dead Acres and your intelligence.

[horrorfiend99]

Let us also remember that the haunt in question is not some preachy Hell House thing put together by nutsy christian propagandists, it is a tongue-in-cheek over-the-top splatter house experience.

When discussing use of graphic imagery in a haunt, the overall tone of the haunt is definitely important.

[Ghost River Duck]

Sorry, buddy. I think you are totally wrong.



Are you saying that it's gimmicky to include these graphic and shocking scenes because you feel that it's a cheap scare?

As I said before, horror is about shock. Perhaps these things you mentioned are "not your bag" but to say that they are gimmicky is an insult to Dead Acres and your intelligence.

I'm saying it's not exactly original. William Shakespeare did suicide back in the Renaissance period. The first time I ever saw it was about 1992 at the Upper Cleveland County Rescue Squad Haunted House. I wasn't impressed with it then either. It's not scary. It's just... well... sad.

And just to clear this up, Porn is about shock. Horror is about scares. And haunted houses are bout scaring and being scared just for the fun of it. I could very well be wrong but to me there is nothing fun about a guy putting a shotgun in his mouth and pulling the trigger.

And NO i didn't insult his show. I've never seen his show. But it looks great in the pictures.

[horrorfiend99]

Porn is about sex.

Horror is about many things, a lot of them are not always fun. Shock, or some sort of visceral reaction is the heart and soul of horror as a genre. Webster defines horror as such:

1 a: painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay <astonishment giving place to horror on the faces of the people about me — H. G. Wells> b: intense aversion or repugnance
2 a: the quality of inspiring horror : repulsive, horrible, or dismal quality or character <contemplating the horror of their lives — Liam O'Flaherty> b: something that inspires horror
3plural : a state of extreme depression or apprehension

None of that sounds like it has much to do with fun to me.

That said, fans of the genre (and in turn, haunted attractions) find joy in things that would normally be considered completely horrific. There is absolutely nothing "fun" about most of the material included in most haunted houses. Murder, ravenous monsters, possession, etc. would not be considered fun if they were real - even by the most hardened horror buff - but in the context of a maze or movie, these unsettling things become fun due to the controlled nature of the venue.

The suicide scene in question could certainly be considered fun in an "oh my god! did you just see that!?" sort of way. I mentioned Troma films in an earlier post on this thread, and if you have never seen one, they are chock full of extreme gore, rapes, drug use, abortions, brutal murder of babies and the elderly, copious nudity and sex, giant ravenous penis monsters and other morally questionable material and yet these films are totally fun and totally hilarious! It's the same principal applied to slasher films and the like - audiences actually cheer when the "heroes" are slaughtered, waiting for each murder to be wilder and more over-the-top than the last! The same thing clearly applies to haunts.

As I said, taken out of context, the shotgun suicide may just seem like a cheap shock tactic and in bad taste, just as the idea of a naked woman masturbating in a steam room to a photo of a child's crushed head may seem totally disturbing if you've never seen The Toxic Avenger. But put both those scenes in context and they fit perfectly into their respective shows.

Basically I just think it's a shame that haunters tend to play it safe. Horror is about taking risks and pushing limits in one way or another. I think I'll boil this down to a Tobe Hooper metaphore. Poltergeist is a pretty good movie, but Texas Chainsaw Massacre is 100% more effective. Plain and simple.

[horrorfiend99]

also, I'd like to know what kind of scenes or gags you would consider NOT gimmicky. I'm not trying to be a dick. I really am curious! >=)