Spider Mansion
18301 West Colfax Avenue
Golden, CO
Spider Mansion has been completely revamped from the mid-grade haunt I a few years back into one of Denver's best. The key to their success is the line spacing - they space the groups out almost too much, to the point where you are pretty well guaranteed a lengthy wait in line. Once you get inside, though, it's completely worth it, as the sense of isolation is much greater than in most haunts. The other thing they do very, very well here is misdirection. I can't even count the number of times I warily eyed one part of the room, waiting for someone to jump out, only to be assaulted from another direction. They have retained one gag from the old Spider Mansion, which features a character (Samara from The Ring a few years ago, Michael Myers this year) repeatedly and silently disappearing down a series of hallways It was the best thing about Spider Mansion before, and. . . well, it may still be the best part - but there's a lot more competition. If you don't mind waiting in line, or you want to spring for the VIP tickets, which also get you a brief ride in the back of a hearse, I very highly recommend this haunt.
9/10
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
2010 Haunt Reviews: House of the Headless Horseman
House of the Headless Horseman
66803 Hwy 285
Pine, CO
This haunt isn't really working at the level of most of the other, more professional haunts I've been to this year, but they do a lot with their limited resources. Sets are simple in design and concept, but feature a tremendous amount of detail, which I suppose sums up the haunt as a whole, it's unambitious, but very well executed, particularly by the actors, who really give it their all and know to to more than just jump out and scream. The only real complaint I have is the very beginning, where a somewhat bored-seeming man read the introductory legend to us from a sheet of paper. Didn't do much to set the mood, that's for sure. If you happen to be way out in the middle of nowhere (that is to say, Bailey, CO), there's no excuse not to visit.
6/10
66803 Hwy 285
Pine, CO
This haunt isn't really working at the level of most of the other, more professional haunts I've been to this year, but they do a lot with their limited resources. Sets are simple in design and concept, but feature a tremendous amount of detail, which I suppose sums up the haunt as a whole, it's unambitious, but very well executed, particularly by the actors, who really give it their all and know to to more than just jump out and scream. The only real complaint I have is the very beginning, where a somewhat bored-seeming man read the introductory legend to us from a sheet of paper. Didn't do much to set the mood, that's for sure. If you happen to be way out in the middle of nowhere (that is to say, Bailey, CO), there's no excuse not to visit.
6/10
2010 Haunt Reviews: The 13th Floor (with Blood Shed)
The 13th Floor (and Blood Shed)
4120 Brighton Blvd
Denver, CO
This haunt seems to be constantly praised by the national media, and I can't quite figure out why. I've attended both of the last two years (I missed the first year), and both times it was solid, but very underwhelming. To be fair, this year, a lot of the problem may have stemmed from some really atrocious spacing issues that I encountered. It's hard to be scared when you're seeing the scare reset itself as you walk in. I tried to hold back, in order to avoid this, but then the next group caught up to us. And then we ran into the group that was two ahead of us. It was a complete disaster. I'm not citing the spacing issues as an excuse, though, because it isn't really excusable – that's the sort of thing that needs to be accounted for in the design.
They do have some really neat effects that you don't see a lot of, largely dealing with the illusion of great height. There are also some really impressive large-scale animatronics. Given this, I'm going to give a split rating for the first time.
4 (my experience)/8 (my guess at what you'll experience, if you get lucky with the spacing)
4120 Brighton Blvd
Denver, CO
This haunt seems to be constantly praised by the national media, and I can't quite figure out why. I've attended both of the last two years (I missed the first year), and both times it was solid, but very underwhelming. To be fair, this year, a lot of the problem may have stemmed from some really atrocious spacing issues that I encountered. It's hard to be scared when you're seeing the scare reset itself as you walk in. I tried to hold back, in order to avoid this, but then the next group caught up to us. And then we ran into the group that was two ahead of us. It was a complete disaster. I'm not citing the spacing issues as an excuse, though, because it isn't really excusable – that's the sort of thing that needs to be accounted for in the design.
They do have some really neat effects that you don't see a lot of, largely dealing with the illusion of great height. There are also some really impressive large-scale animatronics. Given this, I'm going to give a split rating for the first time.
4 (my experience)/8 (my guess at what you'll experience, if you get lucky with the spacing)
2010 Haunt Reviews: Decimation
Decimation
I-25 and County Line Road
Centennial, CO
Decimation is another first-year haunt, and they're off to a strong start. It's a lot more brutal and rough than many of the others, featuring the most extreme gore of any haunt I've seen this year other than (maybe) City of the Dead. They still have some kinks to work out, and I hope that they find a better space (currently, it's in a mall building), but it's a solid experience as it stands, with a few surprising elements that I haven't come across before (there's a particularly interesting hallway, and a really cool costume effect right at the end). It's a little short, though. Recommended with some reservations, and I expect even better from them next year.
7/10
I-25 and County Line Road
Centennial, CO
Decimation is another first-year haunt, and they're off to a strong start. It's a lot more brutal and rough than many of the others, featuring the most extreme gore of any haunt I've seen this year other than (maybe) City of the Dead. They still have some kinks to work out, and I hope that they find a better space (currently, it's in a mall building), but it's a solid experience as it stands, with a few surprising elements that I haven't come across before (there's a particularly interesting hallway, and a really cool costume effect right at the end). It's a little short, though. Recommended with some reservations, and I expect even better from them next year.
7/10
2010 Haunt Reviews: The I Scream Factory
The I Scream Factory
3280 Brighton Blvd
Denver, CO
The I Scream Factory, a first-year haunt, has a lot of potential. They have a large, isolated space that could be used very effectively, and they have worked out the secret of creating a very disorienting atmosphere through the use of darkness and music. Unfortunately, they haven't done much to build on these assets, as most of the haunt is woefully underpopulated. In addition, their one somewhat novel idea, the multiple paths you can take at the end, is undermined by the fact that the split is controlled by a standard employee with a flashlight, which completely breaks the mood – you may as well be heading into an entirely separate haunt. All of that said, I do want to give credit to the acrobatic boy on the school bus, who was very creepy – but I certainly can't recommend the haunt.
3/10
3280 Brighton Blvd
Denver, CO
The I Scream Factory, a first-year haunt, has a lot of potential. They have a large, isolated space that could be used very effectively, and they have worked out the secret of creating a very disorienting atmosphere through the use of darkness and music. Unfortunately, they haven't done much to build on these assets, as most of the haunt is woefully underpopulated. In addition, their one somewhat novel idea, the multiple paths you can take at the end, is undermined by the fact that the split is controlled by a standard employee with a flashlight, which completely breaks the mood – you may as well be heading into an entirely separate haunt. All of that said, I do want to give credit to the acrobatic boy on the school bus, who was very creepy – but I certainly can't recommend the haunt.
3/10
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
22. Nomads
Nomads
John McTiernan, 1986
A young doctor (Lesley-Anne Down)receives the memories of a dead anthropologist (Pierce Brosnan), who spent the last week of his life investigating a family of evil, nomadic spirits.
Not great, but oddly memorable - and a breath of fresh air after the crap I've been wading through lately. Once you get past the opening scenes, Down is just terrible, and it's hard to believe that anyone though it was okay to let Brosnan try that French accent. Beyond that, the movie just reeks of the 80's, for better or worse. There's just something about it, though. The core idea is a strong one, and casting the evil spirits as a sort of modern(ish) counterculture merged the supernatural and the natural in an unsettling way. A couple of sequences (Brosnan's first pursuit of the nomads; his encounter with the nun) just creep the hell out of me. I'm not sure if I can really call it a success (although numerically, I'm rating it like one), but I came away somewhat pleased, and may revisit it in the future.
6.5/10
John McTiernan, 1986
A young doctor (Lesley-Anne Down)receives the memories of a dead anthropologist (Pierce Brosnan), who spent the last week of his life investigating a family of evil, nomadic spirits.
Not great, but oddly memorable - and a breath of fresh air after the crap I've been wading through lately. Once you get past the opening scenes, Down is just terrible, and it's hard to believe that anyone though it was okay to let Brosnan try that French accent. Beyond that, the movie just reeks of the 80's, for better or worse. There's just something about it, though. The core idea is a strong one, and casting the evil spirits as a sort of modern(ish) counterculture merged the supernatural and the natural in an unsettling way. A couple of sequences (Brosnan's first pursuit of the nomads; his encounter with the nun) just creep the hell out of me. I'm not sure if I can really call it a success (although numerically, I'm rating it like one), but I came away somewhat pleased, and may revisit it in the future.
6.5/10
21. Crawlspace
Crawlspace
David Schmoeller, 1986
A creepy german doctor (Klaus Kinski) rents out rooms to young women, spies on them from the airducts, and eventually kills them.
Crawlspace has a horrendously sleazy premise - it's just too bad the movie doesn't live up to it. It has all of the narrative weaknesses that you'd expect from an exploitation movie with a premise like that - but almost none of the sex and violence. Honestly, I'm not sure how I stayed awake. What's left? Well, there are some interesting deathtraps (that only sort of come into play), and Kinski is always interesting to watch. So not much.
2.5/10
David Schmoeller, 1986
A creepy german doctor (Klaus Kinski) rents out rooms to young women, spies on them from the airducts, and eventually kills them.
Crawlspace has a horrendously sleazy premise - it's just too bad the movie doesn't live up to it. It has all of the narrative weaknesses that you'd expect from an exploitation movie with a premise like that - but almost none of the sex and violence. Honestly, I'm not sure how I stayed awake. What's left? Well, there are some interesting deathtraps (that only sort of come into play), and Kinski is always interesting to watch. So not much.
2.5/10
20. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Charles Barton, 1948
Only a pair of railroad baggage handlers can save the world from Dracula's evil plot to re-animate Frankenstein's monster.
This was my first and, I dare say, last Abbott and Costello movie. They turned out to be another one of those old comedy teams that just don't work for me. Even bringing Bela Lugosi back to his signature role wasn't enough to save the movie. Other than Lugosi, the only real enjoyment I got from it was the uncredited cameo appearance at the end (which I won't spoil).
3/10
Charles Barton, 1948
Only a pair of railroad baggage handlers can save the world from Dracula's evil plot to re-animate Frankenstein's monster.
This was my first and, I dare say, last Abbott and Costello movie. They turned out to be another one of those old comedy teams that just don't work for me. Even bringing Bela Lugosi back to his signature role wasn't enough to save the movie. Other than Lugosi, the only real enjoyment I got from it was the uncredited cameo appearance at the end (which I won't spoil).
3/10
19. Messiah of Evil
Messiah of Evil
Willard Huyck, 1973
A young woman comes to a quiet seaside town, looking for her father. She finds zombies. Or an evil cult. Or both. Something like that.
This was an odd one. After watching the whole thing, I'm still not sure what was going on - and I'm pretty sure the pre-credits sequence had nothing to do with anything. What it lacked in sense, though, it made up for in atmosphere, some fantastic art direction, and a couple of really solid setpieces. I think I'll need to see it again to really work out what I think about it, but for now, I'm a fan.
7.5/10
Willard Huyck, 1973
A young woman comes to a quiet seaside town, looking for her father. She finds zombies. Or an evil cult. Or both. Something like that.
This was an odd one. After watching the whole thing, I'm still not sure what was going on - and I'm pretty sure the pre-credits sequence had nothing to do with anything. What it lacked in sense, though, it made up for in atmosphere, some fantastic art direction, and a couple of really solid setpieces. I think I'll need to see it again to really work out what I think about it, but for now, I'm a fan.
7.5/10
Sunday, October 24, 2010
2010 Haunt Reviews: Field of Corpses
Field of Corpses
13251 West 64th Avenue
Arvada, CO
Each year, Field of Corpses manages to cram a bit more detail, a few more props, a couple more turns into their haunt. The sets themselves are nearly overwhelming with all the little bits and pieces. Despite this, Field of Corpses remains very much actor-driven, to the point that they even send you through with a guide. This is both a blessing and a curse, as on the one hand, it makes for a more unique experience, but on the other, the quality of that experience rests heavily on one actor. The first year I went, I had a fantastic guide, and it was one of the very best haunts. The second time, the guide didn't seem to really want to be there, and it was very disappointing. This year, my guide fell somewhere between the two extremes, as he was enthusiastic and got into the role, but also tried to rush us through much of the haunt. As a result, my experience was fairly middle of the road. If nothing else, Field of Corpses is worth a visit just to see what they've built - but it's important to note that you can never be sure how effective it will be on the whole.
7/10
13251 West 64th Avenue
Arvada, CO
Each year, Field of Corpses manages to cram a bit more detail, a few more props, a couple more turns into their haunt. The sets themselves are nearly overwhelming with all the little bits and pieces. Despite this, Field of Corpses remains very much actor-driven, to the point that they even send you through with a guide. This is both a blessing and a curse, as on the one hand, it makes for a more unique experience, but on the other, the quality of that experience rests heavily on one actor. The first year I went, I had a fantastic guide, and it was one of the very best haunts. The second time, the guide didn't seem to really want to be there, and it was very disappointing. This year, my guide fell somewhere between the two extremes, as he was enthusiastic and got into the role, but also tried to rush us through much of the haunt. As a result, my experience was fairly middle of the road. If nothing else, Field of Corpses is worth a visit just to see what they've built - but it's important to note that you can never be sure how effective it will be on the whole.
7/10
18. Carrie
Carrie
Brian De Palma, 1976
A tormented teen develops telekinetic powers and uses them to take revenge.
Well, it's not the masterpiece it is often made out to be, but it's not too bad, either. The lengthy prom sequence, and much of what follows, is actually pretty good - which is pretty surprising, given the awkward and tone-deaf hour that precedes it. Carrie's mother, who serves as the cause of most of the events of the movie, is written and played so broadly that calling her a cartoon character would be a gross understatement (Apparently, Piper Laurie thought the movie was a comedy, based on the way her character was written). The last half hour goes a long way toward redeeming, though. Just not long enough, really.
4.5/10
Brian De Palma, 1976
A tormented teen develops telekinetic powers and uses them to take revenge.
Well, it's not the masterpiece it is often made out to be, but it's not too bad, either. The lengthy prom sequence, and much of what follows, is actually pretty good - which is pretty surprising, given the awkward and tone-deaf hour that precedes it. Carrie's mother, who serves as the cause of most of the events of the movie, is written and played so broadly that calling her a cartoon character would be a gross understatement (Apparently, Piper Laurie thought the movie was a comedy, based on the way her character was written). The last half hour goes a long way toward redeeming, though. Just not long enough, really.
4.5/10
17. Triangle
Triangle
Christopher Smith, 2010
After their yacht is capsized in a storm, a small group of people find themselves trapped on an abandoned steamship - with a killer.
This was an interesting one. If you go into it expecting the basic stalk-and-kill implied by my one-line synopsis above, you're either going to be very disappointed or very happy - but either way, it won't be what you expected. I won't go into any further detail on that point; it's probably better just to see for yourself. The only reason I don't rate it higher is the excess of cheap CGI (probably unavoidable, under the circumstances) and some very clunky dialogue, particularly anytime exposition comes into play. Still, this is basically the sort of gem you're always hoping for when you dig through the mountains of direct-to-video dreck out there. Because of that, I would definitely give it a higher recommendation than my numerical rating would suggest.
7.5/10
Christopher Smith, 2010
After their yacht is capsized in a storm, a small group of people find themselves trapped on an abandoned steamship - with a killer.
This was an interesting one. If you go into it expecting the basic stalk-and-kill implied by my one-line synopsis above, you're either going to be very disappointed or very happy - but either way, it won't be what you expected. I won't go into any further detail on that point; it's probably better just to see for yourself. The only reason I don't rate it higher is the excess of cheap CGI (probably unavoidable, under the circumstances) and some very clunky dialogue, particularly anytime exposition comes into play. Still, this is basically the sort of gem you're always hoping for when you dig through the mountains of direct-to-video dreck out there. Because of that, I would definitely give it a higher recommendation than my numerical rating would suggest.
7.5/10
16. Paranormal Activity
Paranormal Activity
Oren Peli, 2009
A young couple is terrorized by a demon, and catches it all on tape.
Not the scariest movie of all time, as some would have you believe, nor an utter travesty, as its detractors would claim, Paranormal Activity is a small, unambitious, but mostly successful movie that managed to put me just enough on edge that the slower segments weren't boring. I can't say that the conceit of shooting the whole movie with cameras held by the characters really added anything to it for me, but it didn't really hurt it. Despite the fact that many consider this to be a plotless, arcless thrill ride, I've actually found that the characters and their reactions to things have stuck with me more than anything else.
7.5/10
Oren Peli, 2009
A young couple is terrorized by a demon, and catches it all on tape.
Not the scariest movie of all time, as some would have you believe, nor an utter travesty, as its detractors would claim, Paranormal Activity is a small, unambitious, but mostly successful movie that managed to put me just enough on edge that the slower segments weren't boring. I can't say that the conceit of shooting the whole movie with cameras held by the characters really added anything to it for me, but it didn't really hurt it. Despite the fact that many consider this to be a plotless, arcless thrill ride, I've actually found that the characters and their reactions to things have stuck with me more than anything else.
7.5/10
2010 Haunt Reviews: Haunted Field of Screams
Haunted Field of Screams
104th and Riverdale
Thornton, CO
Haunted Field of Screams is a solid but unspectacular haunt, larger than most and populated with a small army of actors, but featuring a bit too much repetition and generally unimpressive makeup and costumes. The basic structure is a walk through a cornfield, with periodic trips through various small buildings. The focus of the haunt is on the cornfield itself, as one would expect - after all, it provides a sort of production value that you can't easily recreate. Unfortunately, it's the most repetitive and dull portion - someone steps out of the corn, maybe yells or growls a bit, rinse and repeat. The varied environments inside the buildings allow for a little more variety, so it would have been nice to see more of that. Still, if you have a thing about corn, or you're a jumpy sort to begin with, you'll definitely get your money's worth out of this one.
7/10
104th and Riverdale
Thornton, CO
Haunted Field of Screams is a solid but unspectacular haunt, larger than most and populated with a small army of actors, but featuring a bit too much repetition and generally unimpressive makeup and costumes. The basic structure is a walk through a cornfield, with periodic trips through various small buildings. The focus of the haunt is on the cornfield itself, as one would expect - after all, it provides a sort of production value that you can't easily recreate. Unfortunately, it's the most repetitive and dull portion - someone steps out of the corn, maybe yells or growls a bit, rinse and repeat. The varied environments inside the buildings allow for a little more variety, so it would have been nice to see more of that. Still, if you have a thing about corn, or you're a jumpy sort to begin with, you'll definitely get your money's worth out of this one.
7/10
Friday, October 22, 2010
2010 Haunt Reviews: City of the Dead
City of the Dead
7007 e. 88th Ave
Henderson, CO
City of the Dead is much the same as it was last year - but that's generally a good thing, because they really nailed it last year. Unfortunately, there have been several small changes for the worse, which prevent me from rating it quite as highly as I did before. First, they eliminated most of the pre-haunt area. I really enjoyed the sort of undead carnival atmosphere last year, and it really set the tone for the haunt itself. Second, this year's Judge was not nearly as effective as lasts. Most importantly, though, they redesigned the layout just enough so that you no longer get that first, mind-blowing look at the entirety of the City. Like I said, though, these are little things, and there's still so much that they do well. The actors are all very aggressive and do a great job of sticking to their characters. The sets and makeup are across-the-board fantastic, probably the best in town. It was all so effective and realistic that my haunting partner very nearly had to bail out halfway through because she just couldn't take it. It's not a haunt for the faint of heart (as with last year, it's by far the most disgusting haunt I've seen), but if you're looking a little rougher, you probably won't do better than this.
9/10
7007 e. 88th Ave
Henderson, CO
City of the Dead is much the same as it was last year - but that's generally a good thing, because they really nailed it last year. Unfortunately, there have been several small changes for the worse, which prevent me from rating it quite as highly as I did before. First, they eliminated most of the pre-haunt area. I really enjoyed the sort of undead carnival atmosphere last year, and it really set the tone for the haunt itself. Second, this year's Judge was not nearly as effective as lasts. Most importantly, though, they redesigned the layout just enough so that you no longer get that first, mind-blowing look at the entirety of the City. Like I said, though, these are little things, and there's still so much that they do well. The actors are all very aggressive and do a great job of sticking to their characters. The sets and makeup are across-the-board fantastic, probably the best in town. It was all so effective and realistic that my haunting partner very nearly had to bail out halfway through because she just couldn't take it. It's not a haunt for the faint of heart (as with last year, it's by far the most disgusting haunt I've seen), but if you're looking a little rougher, you probably won't do better than this.
9/10
2010 Haunt Reviews: Primitive Fear
Primitive Fear
5155 East 64th Ave
Commerce City, CO
In addition to renovating the 13th Street Manor, the good people at Hauntplex have also recreated their signature haunt, Primitive Fear. The results are not quite as impressive, but it's still a massive step up from what had become a reliable, but boring old standby. Primitive Fear now features a much more cohesive setting - essentially, a network of underground tunnels - and, to my eye, a much improved level of detail. There is a hallway of shrouded corpses very early on that is legitimately breathtaking, and the old sewer tunnels have been redressed and reoriented in a much more satisfying way. I cannot emphasize enough how pleased I am with how Hauntplex has stepped up its game, and I hope they can keep it up.
8/10
5155 East 64th Ave
Commerce City, CO
In addition to renovating the 13th Street Manor, the good people at Hauntplex have also recreated their signature haunt, Primitive Fear. The results are not quite as impressive, but it's still a massive step up from what had become a reliable, but boring old standby. Primitive Fear now features a much more cohesive setting - essentially, a network of underground tunnels - and, to my eye, a much improved level of detail. There is a hallway of shrouded corpses very early on that is legitimately breathtaking, and the old sewer tunnels have been redressed and reoriented in a much more satisfying way. I cannot emphasize enough how pleased I am with how Hauntplex has stepped up its game, and I hope they can keep it up.
8/10
2010 Haunt Reviews: The 13th Street Manor
The 13th Street Manor
5155 East 64th Ave
Commerce City, CO
I first visited the 13th Street Manor four or five years ago, when it was brand new. The early advertising and buzz indicated that it would take place entirely within a single mansion full of secret passages. This turned out to be true - at least, for a little while, right at the beginning of the haunt. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. This year, however, the 13th Street Manor has been completely remade from the ground up, and I'm thrilled to report that it makes good on the promise made so many years ago. There are few things I love more than architectural horror - secret passages, spaces that shouldn't be able to exist - and this haunt makes good use of the concept. They have moving staircases, passages inside of fireplaces, a maze of doors, and plenty more, all built into a very convincing mansion framework. The actors play things a little different in this haunt than in most - there's not much jumping out of shadows and making loud noises to be had. Instead, they play the creepy harassment card, oftentimes trapping you in a room and refusing to show the secret exit until they think you've had enough. It's all fantastically done - my only concern is that, on a weekend where there are more people attending, certain aspects of the haunt (particularly the maze of doors) could cause spacing problems and ruin much of the effect. Still, based solely on my (mid-week) experience, I have to say that this is easily my favorite haunt so far, and probably still will be once the smoke has cleared.
10/10
5155 East 64th Ave
Commerce City, CO
I first visited the 13th Street Manor four or five years ago, when it was brand new. The early advertising and buzz indicated that it would take place entirely within a single mansion full of secret passages. This turned out to be true - at least, for a little while, right at the beginning of the haunt. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. This year, however, the 13th Street Manor has been completely remade from the ground up, and I'm thrilled to report that it makes good on the promise made so many years ago. There are few things I love more than architectural horror - secret passages, spaces that shouldn't be able to exist - and this haunt makes good use of the concept. They have moving staircases, passages inside of fireplaces, a maze of doors, and plenty more, all built into a very convincing mansion framework. The actors play things a little different in this haunt than in most - there's not much jumping out of shadows and making loud noises to be had. Instead, they play the creepy harassment card, oftentimes trapping you in a room and refusing to show the secret exit until they think you've had enough. It's all fantastically done - my only concern is that, on a weekend where there are more people attending, certain aspects of the haunt (particularly the maze of doors) could cause spacing problems and ruin much of the effect. Still, based solely on my (mid-week) experience, I have to say that this is easily my favorite haunt so far, and probably still will be once the smoke has cleared.
10/10
2010 Haunt Reviews: Bloodlust: The Homecoming and The Suffering
Elitch Gardens Fright Fest
2000 Elitch Circle
Denver, CO 80204
The Suffering
The Suffering is basically a redress of brutal planet, only a little less so (some of the budget seems to have been shifted to the second haunt). It was, in a word, underwhelming. As with any haunt, there were a couple of good scares, but the timing of the animatronics was off, and the sets themselves pretty much just amounted to wooden corridors with some paint. I do have to give credit to the actor who pretended to be animatronic, and to the surprise hidden inside the air-cushion tunnel, but for the most part, the design and implementation of this haunt just seemed lazy.
4/10
Bloodlust: The Homecoming
This haunt, on the other hand, was a little more like it. It is built into the locker room building for the water park, so transforming it into a ravaged high school wasn't too much of a stretch. As a result, the whole thing felt much more real than The Suffering. The actors seemed to be a bit more on their game as well. It wasn't anything special, but definitely the superior of the two haunts and worth visiting.
6/10
Of course, you can't get into the haunts without buying a ticket to Fright Fest, and getting access to the entirety of Elitch Gardens for the night. The whole place is seasonally decorated, with fog machines, gravestones, and red-tinted water. They also have several actors roaming the park to provide scares. I've always found something magical about amusement parks after dark, and during Fright Fest, it's just that much better. Even with underwhelming haunts, Fright Fest as a whole is a terrific experience.
Fright Fest
9/10
2000 Elitch Circle
Denver, CO 80204
The Suffering
The Suffering is basically a redress of brutal planet, only a little less so (some of the budget seems to have been shifted to the second haunt). It was, in a word, underwhelming. As with any haunt, there were a couple of good scares, but the timing of the animatronics was off, and the sets themselves pretty much just amounted to wooden corridors with some paint. I do have to give credit to the actor who pretended to be animatronic, and to the surprise hidden inside the air-cushion tunnel, but for the most part, the design and implementation of this haunt just seemed lazy.
4/10
Bloodlust: The Homecoming
This haunt, on the other hand, was a little more like it. It is built into the locker room building for the water park, so transforming it into a ravaged high school wasn't too much of a stretch. As a result, the whole thing felt much more real than The Suffering. The actors seemed to be a bit more on their game as well. It wasn't anything special, but definitely the superior of the two haunts and worth visiting.
6/10
Of course, you can't get into the haunts without buying a ticket to Fright Fest, and getting access to the entirety of Elitch Gardens for the night. The whole place is seasonally decorated, with fog machines, gravestones, and red-tinted water. They also have several actors roaming the park to provide scares. I've always found something magical about amusement parks after dark, and during Fright Fest, it's just that much better. Even with underwhelming haunts, Fright Fest as a whole is a terrific experience.
Fright Fest
9/10
Sunday, October 17, 2010
15. Drag Me to Hell
Drag Me to Hell
Sam Raimi, 2009
A loan officer (Alison Lohman) is cursed by a gypsy woman, and has only three days to find a way to avoid being DRAGGED TO HELL.
There was a lot of hype surrounding this movie - it was, after all, a return of one of the greats (Raimi) to the genre he got his start in. What we got, though, was a decidedly mixed bag. There were some wonderfully gooey parts, and the seance in particular was terrifically effective and reminiscent of old-school Raimi. On the other hand, there was a preponderance of cheap-looking CGI (the eye-popping when the anvil falls on the old lady is probably the worst of it), and there was some odd moralizing going on, where the movie seemed to indicate that Lohman's character deserved the curse, which is just stupid. It's a decent way to pass the time, but it's no Evil Dead.
6/10
Sam Raimi, 2009
A loan officer (Alison Lohman) is cursed by a gypsy woman, and has only three days to find a way to avoid being DRAGGED TO HELL.
There was a lot of hype surrounding this movie - it was, after all, a return of one of the greats (Raimi) to the genre he got his start in. What we got, though, was a decidedly mixed bag. There were some wonderfully gooey parts, and the seance in particular was terrifically effective and reminiscent of old-school Raimi. On the other hand, there was a preponderance of cheap-looking CGI (the eye-popping when the anvil falls on the old lady is probably the worst of it), and there was some odd moralizing going on, where the movie seemed to indicate that Lohman's character deserved the curse, which is just stupid. It's a decent way to pass the time, but it's no Evil Dead.
6/10
14. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Yoshiaki Kawajiri, 2000
A half-vampire, half-human is hired to rescue a young woman from the vampire who kidnapped her. But does she want to be rescued?
Let me break this into pros and cons.
Pros: There's some real inventiveness to some of the monster designs. The aesthetic of merging gothic horror (castles, etc) with post-apocalyptic sci-fi (robot or cyborg horses, tanks) is appealing, if underutilized.
Cons: Every single damn thing about this movie that I didn't mention above.
1/10
Yoshiaki Kawajiri, 2000
A half-vampire, half-human is hired to rescue a young woman from the vampire who kidnapped her. But does she want to be rescued?
Let me break this into pros and cons.
Pros: There's some real inventiveness to some of the monster designs. The aesthetic of merging gothic horror (castles, etc) with post-apocalyptic sci-fi (robot or cyborg horses, tanks) is appealing, if underutilized.
Cons: Every single damn thing about this movie that I didn't mention above.
1/10
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