What started as local American October fun has become a multimillion dollar industry. We are talking about scare parks, popularly known now as haunts. With the exception of Tobe Hooper’s immortal classic, “The Funhouse,” it is shocking that horror producers have taken this long to start putting out films that take place in these sensational scary settings. Below are a few of the most recent films that have capitalized on the haunt culture.
The Houses October Built (2014)
A group of friends set out on the ultimate scare park adventure seeking to find the Oz of haunts. As they film their experiences at the mainstream scream parks, things appear to be a bit off. Hiring convicted felons, tales of scare actors dying in the parks, and stories of actual human body parts being used as props are all legends of lore that the group get let in on. While interviewing actors and fans of the parks, it is recommended that the group seek out Blue Skeleton, a traveling scare park that provides the ultimate October experience. On the road to Louisiana to find the elusive haunt cult, all involved get tangled up with locals, have their equipment stolen, and get filmed sleeping in their RV by an unknown assailant. Eventually the thrill seekers realize that they have not found the ultimate scare park, it has found them.
Bobby Roe knocks it out of the scare park with his directorial debut. “The Houses October Built” will forever be known as the film that set the tone for modern haunt films. Just when found footage films appeared to wear thin, Roe brings back the format with fantastic fright and deadly detail. The editing of the film is award winning quality. Each actor brings a realistic quality to the film that is second to none in the found footage sub-genre, and their impending doom will have the viewer on edge thru the last half hour of the film. “The Houses October Built” is played out in two acts, very similar to the fantastic “Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.” The first act is full of mainstream scares and enough comedic interludes to pull the audience into the setting. Roe flips the script and with incredibly timed pacing, cuts off the cheap thrills and puts his actors in real life peril. The vague line between real and unreal will keeps the viewer guessing while sweating out the intensity with perspiration. “The Houses October Built” is what everyone in the horror nation craves, a fun thrill ride set in a fantastic fright setting. An ending that does no justice to the entire piece is the only fatal flaw from keeping this film from a near perfect score.
Scream Score: 9.1/10
HELLFEST (2018)
A man known as “The Other” kills a young woman and leaves her hanging at a scare park to blend in with the other props. Such begins the legend encompassing this modern haunt film. Natalie returns to her home town to reunite with an old friend and travel to Hellfest on Halloween night. After experiencing a scene from the park that is all too real. Natalie’s anxiety kicks into high gear and “The Other” pegs her and her group of friends for this years stalking. As it becomes evident that a killer is on the loose in the massive park, with no one able to tell who is friend or foe. Natalie and her scream squad attempt to escape “The Other” thru the malevolent maze.
“Hellfest” operated on modestly large budget of five million dollars and shame goes to the fright fans for not coming out in mass to enjoy the theatrical release which only grossed around eighteen million. Produced by big players Gale Hurd and Tucker Tooley and directed by Gregory Plotkin, (editor on Happy Death Day and Get Out) this scream park thrill ride checks all the boxes. Nothing special from any of the performances, except a fantastic cameo by the man Tony Todd himself, and nor did there need to be. As per films in these settings, the park steals the show. Plotkin shows off his editing mastery by keeping the pace moving thru one fantastic set piece to another. Original kills, a simple yet fun plot, and an ending that is one of the most original finales in modern horror film make “Hellfest” a must see before heading out before or after your trip to the local haunt.
Scream Score: 8.4/10
HAUNT (2019)
Harper thinks she is being stalked by a man all night while out with friends on Halloween night. The group decides to leave the club they are at and head out in search for a scary scream park haunt. Excited at first, the creepy and isolated haunt has the group thrilled with the attraction until one of them is injured during a set piece. Eventually they all come to terms that this is no extreme haunt and attempt to escape quickly. Harper’s stalker from earlier shows up along with a cult of sideshow slashers and a torturous game of cat and mouse plays thru the rest of the film.
The horror nation always appears to be split on genre legend Eli Roth’s directed films. There is no denying his talent as a producer though, “Haunt” joins a nice list of great horror films produced by the icon, including “2001 Maniacs,” “Clown,” and “The Last Exorcism.” “Haunt” slightly suffers from a slower pace than other scare park films and the performers almost make this outing one to turn off in the first half hour. Once we all arrive at the desolate destination however, the fun really begins. Once again in films of this variety, the set pieces steal the show. Some of the most gruesome injuries will have the hardest horror hound barking for more. What sets “Haunt” apart from the pack is the crew behind the carnage. Director/Writer team Scott Beck and Bryan Woods create a carnival of creeps that are very original, unique, and terrifying.
Scream Score: 8.2/10
This October check out these three scare park sensations before you make your haunted reservations!