Scare Season Scare News Split Personality - King Morbius Midnight Syndicate - Carnival Arcane Home is Where the Haunt is The Science of Scare Part 2 and more...
The Secrets of Scarefest
City Scares
FOURTH FRIGHT FILLED ISSUE
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October 2011- January 2012
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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SCARE NEWS
8, 13 GUEST REVIEWS 14, 24 Carneskys Ghost Train, The Unknown Scream and Haunted Live/Extreme
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SPLIT PERSONALITY King Morbius
17,18 PRODUCT REVIEW
Carnival Arcane and The Dark Tower
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THE SECRESTS OF SCAREFEST
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HOME IS WHERE THE HAUNT IS
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SCARY FX
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BLACKPOOL TOWER DUNGEON
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EERIE EATERIES
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CITY SCARES
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DOMINIC MCCHESNEY
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THE SCIENCE OF SCARE
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ATTRACTION REVIEWS
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SCARE ATTRACTIONS
Adam Baylis talks to Scareworld The Fear Horror House Grotesque FX The latest dungeon creaks open Frankensteins
2.8 Hours Later
sudden impact entertainment
Part Two
scare attractions.co.uk cast their critical eye current listings
October 2011 - January 2012
This Issues Cover Image: King Morbius - Evil overlord of Scare Kingdom!
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From the Editor Fellow Haunters, Welcome to the fourth edition of Scareworld, Europe’s only dedicated scare entertainment publication, and our first birthday issue! You can now obtain Scareworld in three different ways either by subscribing free online, in WHSmiths alongside Haunted Magazine or by ordering a hardcopy via the website at www. scareworld.co.uk The scare season is now upon us, and news of exciting news scare attractions and scare entertainment events is arriving at AtmosFEAR! Towers every day. 2011 has been a great year for new attractions, and a not so great year for some who closed their doors including ‘Passage of Terror London’, and ‘London’s Deathtrap’. Inside this issue we take a look behind the screams at ‘Alton Towers Scarefest’ with Adam Baylis, meet King Morbius the tyrannical ruler of ‘Scare Kingdom Scream Park’ and learn more behind the science of scaring with Madelon Hoedt. Luci Teal, our new roving reporter reviews ‘Haunted Live & Xtreme’, David Bramwell-Norris visits ‘Pasaje Del Terror’ in Blackpool and Dominic McChesney gives us a glimpse into the life of a scare entertainment producer. We explore the zombie chase game ‘2.8 Hours Later’, and Sean Rouse tells us about his home haunt ‘The Fear Horror House’. ‘Carnesky’s Ghost Train’ is explored by Jane Willis as the seaside attraction undergoes a regeneration, and we reveal details about the brand new ‘Blackpool Tower Dungeon’. The Grotesque FX Studio tell us about their UK based special effects business. With news of Midnight Syndicate and Nox Arcana’s latest scare attraction CD releases and all the latest news and listings the Halloween 2011 edition of Scareworld is packed with everything enthusiasts and producers need to ensure they celebrate the scare season with a scream! Remember Scareworld is your magazine, tell your colleagues and friends - it’s free to subscribe online, and don’t forget to catch all the breaking scare entertainment news as it happens on the website at www.scareworld.co.uk Stay Scary! Jason Karl Editor
Editor: Jason Karl jason@scareworld.co.uk
Creative Director: Paul Howse paul@scareworld.co.uk Deputy Editor: Jane Willis jane@scareworld.co.uk Contributors in this issue: Adam Baylis Luci Teal
David Bramwell-Norris Drew Crow Star
Sean Rouse
Dominic McChesney Madelon Hoedt Jane Willis Kevin Sudds & Wayne Davis.
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Published 3 times a year by AtmosFEAR! Entertainment Group © Copyright Scareworld 2011. All material in this publication remains the copyright of Scareworld and no part of it may be re-produced without the written permission of the publishers. Materials not copyright to Scareworld are re-produced with permission and all rights are acknowledged. To get in touch or to advertise in Scareworld please email: info@scareworld.co.uk
October 2012 October20112011January - January 2012
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Halloween
Over in Ireland Farmaphobia offer five attractions for 2011. The Haunted House of Clonbrehan, Cirque du Lune Noir, Canyon of Carnage, House of Horrors and Intensity see www.farmaphobia.com
With Halloween almost upon us, news of returning seasonal haunts and new attractions is coming in thick and fast! here is a non exhaustive round up, and don’t forget to visit the website for breaking news as it happens at www.scareworld.co.uk
Haunted Spooktacular returns with various attractions see www.hauntedspooktacular.com Broadwitch Hauntfest in Kent returns with 5 attractions Spooky Castle, Containment, Terror Trailer Ride, The Vault and Field of Fear see www.spookycastle.co.uk
Scare News
The UK seasonal scream parks are getting ready for the scare season. Scare Kingdom Scream Park returns in Lancashire with six all new attractions - Voodoo Bayou, Day of the Dead, HMS Hell, Blood Bath II, Hocus Pocus and Fright Fair see www.scarekingdom.com Shocktoberfest Scream Park in Sussex once again offers The Haunted Hayride, The Cellar, Field of Screams, It’s Curtains Maze and Creepy Cottage. A sixth new attraction is being added for 2011 see www.halloweenattractions.co.uk Spooky World in Warrington announces two new attractions to add to its existing line up of Haunted Hayride and Field of Screams, adding Quarantine and The Disturbed see www.spookyworld.co.uk The Halloween Adventure Scream Park in Yorkshire offers three new attractions The Garden of Evil, Hades and The Dollhouse see www.thehalloweenadventure.co.uk
Freak Week at The Hop Farm in Kent offer 4 attractions The Slaughter House, Quarantine, Seance and Torture Cellar Live see www.hopfarmfreakweek.co.uk Scareshow at Church Farm on the Wirral announces The Haunted Hayride, The Creepy Cottage and Nightmare Circus attractions for 2011 see www.scareshow.com Over in the theme parks Alton Towers Scarefest returns once more with Terror of the Towers, The Boiler House, The Carnival of Screams, Scare Rooms and the new ZOMBIES! Scare Zone see www.altontowers.com Chessington’s Halloween Hocus Pocus returns for 2011 see www.chessington.com
Frightmare in Gloucestershire announces two new haunts named Cutthroat Pirate’s Haunted Hayride and The Gruesome Galleon see www.frightmare.co.uk Farmaggedon in Ormskirk returns with three haunts in the shape of Terror on the Farm, Insanity and Psychosis, with a new feature called Dead End see www.farmaggedon.co.uk Dr Fright’s Halloween Horror Nights brings four haunts back for 2011 with The Asylum, The Seance Experience, The Darkness 2 and Dr Fright’s Freakshow see www.drfrights.co.uk
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www.scareworld.co.uk Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool announces a one night special event named Vampire Beach which incorporates The Pasaje Del Terror see www.vampirebeach.co.uk Lightwater Valley becomes Frightwater Valley over Halloween with Dracula’s Labyrinth, Raptor Attack LIVE! and The Haunting of Skeleton Cove see www.lightwatervalley.co.uk Thorpe Park’s Fright Nights see’s a test laboratory themed haunt added to its existing scare attractions to celebrate its 10th birthday. The Curse, Se7en, The Asylum and Saw Alive all return this year see www.thorpepark.com Oakwood Scream Park Oakwood Horror House for www.oakwoodthemepark.co.uk
launches 2011 see
The UK’s permanent scare attractions all open over the scare season including all the UK based Dungeons see www.thedungeons.com, The London Tombs which announces The Human
Centipede as it’s Halloween crown see www.thelondonbridgeexperience.com, Carnesky’s Ghost Train in Blackpool see www.carneskysghosttrain.com and Warwick Castle becomes The Haunted Castle with a seasonal makeover see www.warwick-castle.com In Germany Terenzi Horror Nights returns once again see www.horror-nights.de, and Port Aventura Halloween in Spain offers several attractions including Europe’s largest scare maze see www.portaventura.co.uk. In France Disneyland Paris brings Terrorific Night back for 2011 see www.disneylandparis.co.uk Other temporary seasonal haunts this year include Scaresville in Norfolk see www.scaresville.co.uk, Dudley Canal Boat Horror in Birmingham see www.dudleycanalhorror.co.uk, Bunker 13 at The Magna Science Centre in Yorkshire see www.bunker13-live.co.uk, Hell’s Gate in Manchester see www.hells-gate.info, and En1gma in Ellesmere Port. Two home haunts have also been announced. The Fear Horror House in West Sussex see www.thefearhorrorhouse.co.uk and Scare Zone Northallerton search for details on Facebook. In other news, the UK’s first horror camping experience, Horror Camp Live, has been announced for early 2012 by AtmosFEAR! Entertainment Group. A brand new attraction is slated to open in Blackpool next year and Carnesky’s Ghost Train will return for the 2012 season following a record year and a total regeneration. Sinister Symphonies announced the launch of their second album, Phantasmagoria, in early 2012.
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Guest Review CARNESKYS GHOST TRAIN, BLACKPOOL By Jane Willis
Take a frightening fairground ride through a maze of darkened tunnels of Carnesky’s Ghost Train, in Blackpool, and you will encounter incredible live ‘ghosts’, creepy animatronics, spectacular magic illusions and moving stage sets! Following several earlier homes around the world, Carnesky’s Ghost Train is now permanently located in its true spiritual home in the heartland of the British seaside resort, situated opposite Sandcastle Waterpark, on the Golden Mile at South Promenade. Created by award-winning theatre producer Marisa Carnesky, the Ghost Train is part ride, part visual theatre and part scare attraction which cleverly combines contemporary attraction technology with age old theatrical illusions. It is based on a folklore tale which centres around the disappearance of a group of daughters who fled a wartorn town on a night train. But the train mysteriously disappeared and the daughters were never seen again. No one knows what happened to them but mystery and speculation surrounds their strange and sudden disappearance and in folklore the daughters boarded no ordinary train for it was a phantom train sent by spirits to deliver them from the terror of this world. It is this eerie happening that gives the ten-minute ride
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at Carnesky’s Ghost Train its frightful thrill as guests hurtle around deserted tunnels driven by a mourning mother, desperately seeking her long, lost daughters. Combining a strong narrative and live performer interaction, Carnesky’s Ghost Train delivers audiences a scary encounter that is experienced while seated on board a moving train carriage. Ghostly noises and spooky, special effects adds a full four dimensional encounter to the attraction. While travelling onboard the train thrill-seekers will come face-to-face with a hoard of creepy characters including Miss Nada, the disappeared bride, whose soul rose up into the train following her grizzly death after being strapped to a railway track in her wedding gown. Eva, the defected disappeared border guard, still wanders the carriages of Carnesky’s Ghost Train, along with Irina, the disappeared dancer, who was captured to entertain the King after boarding the train in search of a better life than her world of hunger and poverty. Kept as a prisoner to thrill the King and his drunken friends, Irina is now a prisoner on the disappeared night train. Katja the circus girl is another of those souls trapped inside the Ghost Train after being hidden inside a carriage by her dancing partner Bruju, a man she yearns to see again, although he has never returned. She now travels the night train with the other ghosts including Miss Role Dalton, a healing woman who was summoned to the tracks one fateful night after one of a pair of local twins, had somehow been beheaded and run over by a train. Strange though, it was a train on a track that hadn’t been used for 17 years. Natasha and Sabrina, the disappeared sisters, now travel the endless journey on board Carnesky’s Ghost Train. Finally, and perhaps the creepiest character inhabiting the train is Marja Carnesky, the mourning mother,
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www.scareworld.co.uk who endlessly rides the train in search of her missing daughters and fiercely recalls her tale for fear that it will be forgotten were she choose to stop. As Marja says: “We, the mothers, are the only witnesses of their mysterious disappearance. One day, when my words stop, they too will be forgotten. This is why I am telling you this story, so that all traces will not vanish, so that our daughters will continue to live in memory, so that some day one might find them and save them from their endless train.” As an Enjoy England quality assured visitor attraction, Carnesky’s Ghost Train has not only been given the seal of approval from a board of independent leisure seekers but has also attracted rave reviews on its facebook page. Take a look at what some of the funseekers have written.
Adam Robinson: “Carneskys Ghost Train is very different from any Ghost Train in the world got more depth illusion magic and scares and art all of that put together with a great combination. The storyline has had a great impact on me and the performers/actors are really great they do so well and they make the Ghost Train amazing it has made Blackpool a better place I would give thumbs up to this Great Ghost Train.” Alysha Jalysha Paige Holmes: “It was full of surprises and even though it wasn’t really, really scary, it was just the right amount. The effects are amazing and it really messes with your mind! You don’t know where you’re going to stop and who’s going to jump out at you next! Big thumbs up! I would recommend it to all!” Carnesky’s Ghost Train is a frightfully fun experience that will leave you screaming for more and is suitable for audiences of all ages although children under 14 years and 1.2m, must be accompanied by an adult. It opened for the season in July and is operational on select dates until November 6 inclusive. Visit the website at www.carneskysghosttrain.com for full details and ticket prices.
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Split Personality In this semi-regular Scareworld feature we talk to some of the greatest and scariest scare attraction icon characters, and the scareactors who portray them. In this issue we talk to King Morbius Blackscar, a.k.a Drew Crow Star. King Morbius Blackscar, Tyrannical Ruler of Scare Kingdom Scream Park SW: Firstly please introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little about what you do. King Morbius: I am the magnificently evil King Morbius Blackscar, a twisted soul with a heart of iron, and I command my undead minions to wreak havoc upon the mortals who dare enter my domain of Scare Kingdom Scream Park. SW: How did you get into the scare business? King Morbius: My mother died in childbirth. She was alive after giving birth to me, but I decided to kill her straight afterwards. I knew from that moment that the scare business was the one for me. SW: What do you enjoy most about your job? King Morbius: The blood mostly. SW: What other jobs have you had? King Morbius: I was once a nursery nurse, and I used to run a flower shop. Of course I didn’t you pathetic mortals!! Evil undead kings don’t have jobs. SW: What has been your most memorable scare? King Morbius: I once looked in the mirror. SW: What scares you? King Morbius: Jedward.
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SW: Which scare attractions have you visited, either in the UK or further afield? Which are your favourites and why? King Morbius: Scare Kingdom. That’s it. Why go anywhere else?? SW: Which two people, from fact or fiction, living or dead, would you invite to dinner, and why? King Morbius: Katie Price and Kerry Katona. I would enjoy serving them a plate of their own entrails whilst one of the glossy celebrity magazines took photos of it to accompany even more thrilling articles on these vacuous personalities for their latest issue. SW: What is your most annoying habit? King Morbius: Crying at romantic comedies. SW: What do you do in your spare time? King Morbius: Torture, disembowelling, doing crosswords. SW: How do you celebrate Halloween? King Morbius: I walk the length and breadth of Scare Kingdom – either physically or in spirit - and try to give heart attacks to as many people as I can.
SW: Tell us a deep dark secret about yourself! King Morbius: I collect Care Bears. SW: What is coming up next for you? King Morbius: Pipe. Slippers. A comfy chair. Oh, and an almighty apocalypse of blood and gore. And not forgetting Scare Kingdom from October 21st onwards! www.scarekingdom.com
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www.scareworld.co.uk Drew Crow Star, Scareactor, Film Maker and Musician SW: Firstly please introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little about what you do. Drew: My name is Drew Crow Star. I’m a musician, filmmaker, and occasional scareactor. SW: How did you get into the scare business? Drew: I had previously composed music for AtmosFEAR! Entertainment Group, and they had also seen the dark character performances I had started incorporating into my rock gigs. I’d like to think this is why I was offered the part of King Morbius Blackscar - but I suspect it might have been because I was the only fool deranged enough to shave off all his hair! SW: What do you enjoy most about your job? Drew: As far as the scareacting goes, I mostly enjoy playing the non-scripted characters that have the freedom to ad lib, because it allows you to be as twisted, cruel and totally insane as you like - and get away with it! Which is very liberating and a lot of fun. SW: What other jobs have you had? Drew: Van driver, night porter, picture framer, window cleaner, international photographer… it would be easier to tell you what jobs I haven’t done! SW: What has been your most memorable scare? Drew: I once went ghosthunting in a flat in a tower block in London, which turned rather sinister and resulted in me fleeing from it at great speed! I was undoubtedly followed home by something, as a number of very scary things subsequently happened. But that’s another story… SW: What scares you? Drew: Losing complete control. And Jedward. SW: Which scare attractions have you visited, either in the UK or further afield? Which are your favourites and why? Drew: I was fortunate enough to be Jason Karl’s guest at the celeb-filled opening night of the Castle Dungeon at Warwick - which impressed me greatly with the clever balance of horror and humour and the high quality of acting. I’ve also been to the London Dungeon more times than I can remember, but must confess to preferring it back in the days before scareacting, when it was nothing more than spookily lit creepy waxworks - which I personally found far scarier than any theatrics! SW: Which two people, from fact or fiction, living or dead, would you invite to dinner, and why? Drew: Either Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman or Audrey Tautou – as they are all beautiful, talented and sexy. I can’t chose. Can I have them all?? I would also invite daytime TV’s Jeremy Kyle, and enjoy watching him eat the poisoned meal I had lovingly prepared for him. Mickey Mouse would also be a good choice, as it would be totally trippy having a cartoon character over for dinner. Yes, that’s five people. But hey, I play by my own rules! SW: What is your most annoying habit? Drew: Laziness. I often think I’m too chilled-out for this fast-paced world. SW: What do you do in your spare time? Drew: Watch movies, play music, go walking, stare into space and think deep thoughts. SW: How do you celebrate Halloween? Drew: If I’m not scareacting, you’ll probably find me wandering through an old churchyard under a moonlight sky, or walking down a country lane in pitch darkness. I’ve always had a gothic heart! SW: What is coming up next for you? Drew: More music, more film, more performance art. Possibly more scareacting. And hopefully more time to fit it all in!
www.drewcrowstar.co.uk
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By Jane Willis It is always great to see young people with a passion for scare entertainment attempt to create a fright attraction they can call their own. That is why I jumped at the chance to take a trip to Chester, in the leafy UK county of Cheshire, to venture through the darkened passageways of The Unknown. Located inside an established laser tag centre, in Chester, the venue lent itself to being transformed into the Deva Asylum, in the Countess of Chester Hospital, a maze of smoke-filled corridors and passageways where deathly patients lurked around every corner.
Guest Review Daniella said: “Our main aim was to trial run the company’s resources finding what worked and what didn’t. What we needed to work on and what we excelled at, whilst hosting a relatively small attraction. We took our audience feedback on board and have added everything we needed to make a great scare attraction for this year’s ScareTech Halloween event Enigma.” For details about ScareTech’s new show, Enigma, or future scare ventures, visit the website at www.scaretech.co.uk
Performance wise I would have liked to have picked up a little more fright from some of the scare actors as several seemed to just labour on with the same ghostly mantra far too long and it wasn’t scary. For the performers who had clearly had more experience there was the reward of genuinely scaring our group of four hardened scare buffs and I must say that my personal favourite was the fear that a hospital in-patient was not going to stop as she descended down a large ramp. The bloody costumes of white gowns and doctors’ white coats were very unfanciful, but when you consider that this was supposed to be a hospital scene and the young organisers had just £100 to create the entire event, then the costumes were more than adequate for the attraction. One character, complete with gas mask, caused my party some confusion at first glance and I think a stronger narrative would have enhanced the fact that the setting was a quarantine situation. No scare attraction is quite complete without strobes and smoke and of the latter, there was ample, perhaps too much in parts as it got rather foggy in some areas. But all-in-all The Unknown was a good first effort for Cheshire fright company, ScareTech, making a 50 per cent profit for its owners Daniella Johnston, 19, and her friend, Kelvin Lloyd, both students at West Cheshire College where they are studying diplomas in theatrical theatre.
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Guest Review SCREAM!
By Jason Karl I remember the first time I visited The Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussaud’s in London at a very tender age in those days I had a strange fascination with all things scary and gory, and although terrified, I was compelled to seek out the experiences we now call ‘scare attractions’ in the UK. The Chamber of Horrors was part of the original waxworks museum opened in London by Tussaud herself in 1835. Over the years several incarnations saw the attraction change to incorporate scenes of horrific horror, bought to ‘life’ by the realistic figures of international renown. When Merlin Entertainments took control of The Tussaud’s Group attractions, Madame Tussaud’s included, their contemporary installation soon followed. Originally created and produced by scare master Lynton V Harris as ‘The Chamber Live’ in 2003, the attraction, now known simply as ‘Scream’, replaces the earlier Chamber of Horrors, although several historical characters continue to make an appearance in the attraction alongside the serial killers theme. I visited the attraction in early 2011 to see what exactly it entails, and I was impressed by the clever use of what is essentially a very small space. The design and theming are effective in placing guests in a cell block/lunatic asylum type environment. The excitement is created before you even enter the attraction itself, thanks to a creatively lit pre-show area which is suggestive of the content to follow, and offering guests the opportunity to bypass it if they wish. he throughput is very high, and therefore I didn’t really feel under threat at any point, as there were so many people piling through in what seemed like an almost continual fashion. Nevertheless this created a good camaraderie with our fellow guests as we made our way through the winding passages created of metallic mesh and ‘stone’ wall effects.
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www.scareworld.co.uk The lighting level is very low, and this allows the scareactors to have a greater impact on the audience when they lunge from the dark. Most of the ‘live’ characters seemed to be costumed in the same style which seemed unimaginative. Animatronic and static prop manikins dressed as famous killers from history added a greater level of narrative to the experience, and the carefully choreographed live ‘attacks’ were effective in catching us off guard. As an immersive environment Scream delivers on all levels - sound, lighting, scenic design and layout. As a live scare attraction the energetic performances were effective, and the scareactors knew how to use the spaces to maximise their impacts. On the downside, the almost continual throughput took the edge off the experience for me, but as all scare entertainment producers know, high throughput is essential in a successful scare attraction, and Merlin should know - they produce the best scare attractions in Britain! When your next in London, take a trip down Baker street to Madame Tussaud’s - itself a great attraction, and when it’s time to enter the scare attraction take a deep breath, squint your eyes and ... SCREAM! Visit http://www.madametussauds.com/London/PlanYourVisit/ Explore/Scream/Default.aspx for full details.
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www.scareworld.co.uk CARNIVAL ARCANE BY MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE
Product Showcase
Gothic horror soundtrack musicians Midnight Syndicate have just released their fourteenth studio album, Carnival Arcane. The new disc showcases the band’s spin on the popular dark carnival theme as it takes listeners to the Lancaster-Rigby Carnival, a turn-ofthe-century travelling circus with more than a few skeletons in its closet. The disc seeks to blend historical realism with its more fantastic elements. “I think we managed to merge historical accuracy with horrific fiction in a way that makes the atmosphere incredibly tangible,” said Gavin Goszka. “We spent a good amount of time researching the types of performers, events, and attractions that would have been present at carnivals around the turn of the century, and I think that had a huge impact on both the music and the sound effects.” “There’s also a big tip of the top hat to Ray Bradbury whose work inspired the more horrific elements that appear on the disc,” added Edward Douglas. The disc also features some of the band’s most involved sound design to date. “Having done this for almost fifteen years now, we really wanted to push the boundaries for this ‘imaginary soundtrack’ style we’ve created by further integrating the sound design with the music,” said Douglas. “This feels more like a ‘virtual movie’ than anything we’ve done before.” “You can practically smell the popcorn and Fairy Floss [cotton candy],” added Goszka. “We were also able to expand our instrument roster in ways that we’ve only touched on before, and I think that gives the album a character all its own.” To help create the atmosphere, the band called on a group of voiceover talent which includes Jason Carter (Baylon 5), Brian Van Camp, and Dennis Carter, Jr. from Midnight Syndicate Films’ The Dead Matter. “All of our actors were critical in creating the atmosphere on this particular disc,” said Douglas. The CD is available now through the band’s website, as well as iTunes and Amazon.com. Official Midnight Syndicate website: www.MidnightSyndicate.com Midnight Syndicate on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/MidnightSyndicate
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Product Review This Halloween season heralds the arrival of Nox Arcana’s 16th album, The Dark Tower, a sinister symphony based on the gothic anthology by Joseph Vargo, Tales from The Dark Tower, and its new sequel, Beyond the Dark Tower. No one is certain how long The Dark Tower has stood. It is said to have been built upon unholy ground, and thus cursed before even the first stone was set. It is believed to be a place of great evil, haunted by dark angels and spirits of the restless dead. Legends say the Tower was once the ancient fortress of the Dark Queen, Mara, and her infernal legions. Other tales tell of a warrior knight— once a man, but now an immortal creature of darkness—who stands vigil over the fallen queen’s tomb. Sorrow and damnation are said to befall those who venture there, yet the lure of the dark beckons mortals into the abyss, where their tragic fates intertwine, deep within the shadows of The Dark Tower.
THE DARK TOWER BY NOX ARCANA
from every corner of the globe. Vargo’s haunting images were actually the inspiration for writing Tales From The Dark Tower. Upon the insistence of fans and friends, Joseph set out to explain the mythology surrounding the characters in many of his popular paintings. The thirteen stories were outlined by Vargo himself, then each of the writers were given a work of art which they used as inspiration to create the interweaving tales. The result is a cohesive novel, which reads as individual short stories but also works together as a whole. The premiere book in the series was originally published in 2000 as a hardcover, leather-bound tome, and has since been reprinted several times in paperback format. The long-awaited sequel Beyond The Dark Tower is dripping with gothic atmosphere. The tragic tales of myth and forbidden lore chronicle a
sinister legacy as it unfolded in the forgotten past, and the curse that yet lurks within the shadow of The Dark Tower. The thirteen new stories shed light on long-buried secrets concerning the origins of the ominous tower and the Dark Queen, as several new sinister characters emerge from the shadows. Vargo keeps up an unearthly pace, having produced 18 music albums, as well as several other books, tarot cards, and hundreds of works of art. The Dark Tower marks Vargo’s 16th concept album in only 8 years as founder and lead composer for Nox Arcana. The new book and CD are slated for release in late-September. The Dark Tower series and Nox Arcana music CDs are available at: Amazon.co.uk, Kindle, iBooks and iTunes. Visit:http://www.monolithgraphics. com/tales.html or http://www.noxarcana.com/darktower.html for details.
Joseph Vargo has been bringing his gothic visions to life through art, music and literature for two decades. His paintings open a gateway to the darkside and dare the viewer to venture within, while his dramatic and haunting music evokes a vast range of emotions. His chilling, mist-shrouded world of forlorn ghosts, brooding vampires, living gargoyles and other creatures of the night have earned him an immense and loyal following, with fans reaching
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Alton Towers Scarefest 2011
Alton Towers Scarefest is widely regarded as the UK’s biggest and best Halloween entertainment event. For almost a decade the resort has produced themed entertainment in the form of scare attractions and midway entertainments park wide. Scareworld caught up with Adam Baylis who leads the creative team on Scarefest to find out how the event is put together, and what is in store for this year’s scare season. Scareworld - For those who may not have heard of Alton Towers Scarefest, what is it all about? Adam Baylis - Scarefest is the Alton Towers Resort’s yearly Halloween celebration and in 2011 it will run from 15th to the 31st October. It really is a great event, filled with Halloween excitement for both thrill seekers and families. We have scare mazes for the adults and shows, characters and quirky theming for the families. This year we are introducing two new attractions to our line-up: “ZOMBIES! Scare Zone” for scare seekers and “Franklyn’s Freaky Farm” for kids. Scareworld - How did you become involved with Scarefest and what is your role in it? Adam Baylis - I started at the Resort as a performer in 2007, but took up the role of Resort Performance Manager in mid-2008. That year I directed just the Family product offering. 2009 was the year that I started to direct and work with the team on the creative development of all the attractions, including the Scare Mazes. The main projects for 2009 were a re-invention of Terror of the Towers and The Boiler House – so, as you can imagine, it was a quite a jump into the deep end!
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Leading the creative planning means I work very closely with all of the other departments in Entertainment. These teams include Costume, Technical and Construction. I propose concepts/ themes/ideas and develop them with the members of the creative and production teams. I also gather all the brilliant ideas that the team put forwards and turn them into fully-developed and workable proposals. Nobody has a monopoly on great ideas – they can come from anyone and anywhere. It’s my job to make sure they are pulled together into a great concept and an even greater attraction! During the development I will plan routes on CAD, draw theming and set concepts, develop scripts and write creative briefs, all of which are brought to our production meetings. In those meetings the team and I will spend hours pulling the plans apart and discussing them in great detail. I will then go away and redevelop them, after which I’ll bring them to the next project meeting and we will go through the whole process again! You can’t be precious in this job, and you need to be prepared to listen to differing opinions and find a way through. After the attraction plans are complete, I will audition the actors and work closely with the operational managers on how we can deliver each attraction in a way that is efficient, cost-effective and consistent. Once the operational plans are complete, I’ll lead rehearsals and make sure the cast are trained and ready for the weeks ahead! Scareworld - When does the creative process begin, and what does it involve? Adam Baylis - The creative process for 2011 began whilst the 2010 event was still going on. During this time, every aspect of the event is studied and discussed. We debate what is working well and what new attractions could expand Scarefest in the
October 2011- January 2012
www.scareworld.co.uk Playland filled with spooky theming, Character meet ‘n’ greets, shows and interactive animal experiences. As I’ve said, the creative process involves much to-ing and froing. We will spend a few months brainstorming concepts, themes and ideas. We research what else is out there to see what we could bring to the Resort or do differently. Sometimes we will receive a brief which stipulates certain criteria that a new attraction must meet (target audience, capacity and footfall, volume driving etc.) or sometimes we will pitch new concepts to the business. It’s a very fluid process, but then I don’t think that creative development should follow a rigid path. To repeat myself again - good ideas can come from anyone, anywhere at anytime and you need to be flexible enough to incorporate those changes and developments – most of the time they make the end product stronger!
future. It’s best to start developing ideas for the next event whilst the existing one is still fresh in your mind – you see things more objectively. To help drive the creative process forwards, we spend a lot of time and effort on researching our attractions with guests. The feedback that our visitors provide is one of the most important things we base our decisions on. “Give the people what they want” may seem like a bit of an old catchphrase, but here it’s the words we live by. For example, in 2007 and 2008 the vast majority of our guests wanted more of a free flow scare experience in “Terror of the Towers”, so our 2009 and 2010 attraction delivered just that. In 2010 many of our family visitors asked for more on-park theming and a greater exposure to our four Scarefest costume characters, so in 2011 we will be introducing “Franklyn’s Freaky Farm” – a colourful Halloween
October 2011- January 2012
Once we are all signed-off on a particular concept, and have assembled mood boards, artist impressions, visual references etc. we will spend time ‘engineering’ that material into something that can be built. We use CAD heavily in our process and everything including the walls, lights, sound speakers, cables, e-stops, theming etc. is included on CAD. This allows us to debate, problem solve and change the layout and placement of attraction elements before a single day of building and rigging has begun – which is great because it prevents the problem of having to rebuild or rewire things further down the line. It allows us to fully question and contemplate the attraction, which usually ends in a much stronger result. Scareworld - How do you ensure a high throughput with a consistent production level? Adam Baylis - Throughput and capacity is everything in our attractions so before any creative work begins, we establish what our hourly and daily throughputs will be. As any scare attraction designer will tell you, it’s vital that you get your throughput right. If it’s too quick then the attraction can feel rushed and uninspiring (you also limit the amount of scares an actor can do before they have to reset for the next group). If it’s too slow, however, then you can rack up queues over four hours long! No matter how amazing your attraction is, if your guests are bored, cold and tired, they are going to be a tough audience!
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www.scareworld.co.uk We make sure our Entertainment Hosts (the hard-working folks who manage the queue’s, batching and safety briefings) record what the hourly throughputs are. It means we can build up a picture as to how many guests we are getting through the attraction and whether that figure is above, below or in-line with our targets. If it falls below, we will look into and resolve the challenges which are preventing us from achieving our throughput potential. Scareworld - How many scare actors do you employ each year? Adam Baylis - At Scarefest we employ over 100 Actors. Scareworld - What are this year’s attractions and their back stories? Terror of the Towers: What Lies Within For Centuries there have been rumours that a hidden evil lurks deep in the cellars of the Towers. Historical documents show that generations of previous residents and servants have disappeared for no apparent reason, whilst others have encountered strange and unearthly creatures stalking the corridors at night. The horror inside was supposedly so bad that the last owners of the house fled the house in terror, leaving it to fall into ruin and decay. For years the house lay silent, but recent restoration appears to have disturbed the forces inside.
Hoping to hide from the two serial killers until they are recaptured, guests take sanctuary inside an old boiler house, only to find that Elsie and Viktor are waiting... The Carnival of Screams A travelling funhouse has appeared under a cloud of mystery. Performing under the banner of “Mr. E Presents…” the twisted cast of the attraction entice visitors to enter their weird world of mayhem and magic. But who is the strange and mysterious “Mr. E” and what dark secrets is he hiding? Why do people go into the Carnival, but never come out the other side? Are the illusions and tricks found inside just for show? Or are they designed for a more menacing purpose? ZOMBIES! Scare Zone The United Kingdom has succumbed to the fallout of Nuclear War and a post-apocalyptic world is all that is left for a handful of survivors. But the nuclear fallout begins to mutate and affect some, turning them into dangerous animals that seek to feed off the flesh of others. Scare Rooms
Guests will take on the role of a group of intruders, breaking into the house in an attempt to uncover the terrible truth of what lies within.
In the 1920’s a strange curse fell upon one particular wing of the Alton Towers Hotel. Bricked up and forgotten, it is only recently that this abandoned wing has been rediscovered. Now bookings have re-opened giving guests the chance to stay in the oldest wing of the hotel; a wing which has been forgotten for nearly a century. What lost secrets will be revealed? What sinister past does the hotel hide? What awaits those who check-in to Room 13?
The Boiler House
Franklyn’s Freaky Farm
Viktor and Elsie Hamble, a psychopathic brother and sister duo, have escaped from a high-security institute and are at large in the countryside. Their strange and torturous methods have been widely regarded as some of the most gruesome murders in history. Bullied and abused because of their physical appearance since they were children, they have taken to wearing masks to hide their face. Childlike and insane, the “Hamble Twins” like to play twisted games of ‘cat and mouse’ with their prey – chasing and teasing their victims.
Franklyn, Patch, Skelvin and Phil have taken over Old MacDonald’s Farm and turned it into a colourful Playland for families to enjoy. Complete with live stage shows, interactive spooky stories, character meet and greets and animal interactive experiences, Franklyn’s Freaky Farm is guaranteed to get younger guests in the Scarefest mood!
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www.scareworld.co.uk Scareworld would like to thank Adam Baylis for taking part in this feature at a particularly busy time of year and for sharing with Scareworld some of the secrets of Scarefest 2011, we look forward to visiting on October 15th/16th! Photographic copyrights (c) Alton Towers Resort/Merlin Entertainments and (c) Sarah Ivens Photography http:// www.flickr.com/photos/ivensphotography/ Please note that access to ‘The Carnival of Screams’ and ‘The Boiler House’ requires an additional charge. All information is correct at time of printing but may be subject to change. Please visit www.altontowers.com/ events for the latest information on attractions, prices and ticket information.
Scareworld - Where are the attractions based on the resort this year? Adam Baylis - All of our Scare Attractions except the Scare Rooms will be based on the Theme Park for 2011 and there are several key reasons as to why. Firstly, research has told us that many of our guests either weren’t aware that “The Boiler House” and “Carnival of Screams” existed, or that they don’t wish to travel to the Resort Hotels to access them. By moving them on-park, not only are we responding to this valued feedback, we are also able to extend the operational hours of these attractions – meaning far more can have the opportunity to experience them. The move of these two mazes onto park also gives the added benefit that, for 2011, the Theme Park will have more to offer for Halloween than ever, as Carnival and Boiler will sit alongside Terror of the Towers, ZOMBIES! Scare Zone and Franklyn’s Freaky farm! The Resort Hotels won’t miss out on the Scarefest action. Alton Towers Hotel will be transformed into the “Witches Haunt-Inn” and the Splash Landings Hotel will become “Patch’s Pumpkin Pad.” Each hotel will have its own unique theming and shows, characters and activities will keep all entertained in the afternoon and evenings. In 2011 we introduced “Ringo’s Kids Club” at the Splash Landings Hotel. During Scarefest the Kids Club Crew Members will offer a great variety of Halloween activities, games and shows that will keep our young guests occupied from mid-afternoon all the way up to 11pm! Likewise, our fabulous in-house band “A-BAND-ON-SHIP” will perform spooktacular Scarefest shows in the Alton Towers Hotel until late in the evening. Of-course, those who are looking for a complete Halloween experience can always book into one the ‘Scare Rooms’ at the Alton Towers Hotel… just don’t expect to get much sleep if you do!
October 2011- January 2012
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Guest Review HAUNTED LIVE AND XTREME BY LUCI TEAL
Haunted Live & Xtreme was a 4 night temporary scare attraction hosted at a real haunted house in York over the bank holiday weekend in August 2011. Scareworld sent Luci Teal to experience the fear... As dusk fell I approached the 700 year old building which now plays centre stage on the previously bustling street. Being set in an already established haunted house this attraction promises to have a good atmosphere from the start. It tells the tale of local man Sir Thomas Vanderbelt who was a respected Blacksmith but when night crept in he practiced in alchemy and dark magic. It looked to be fairly busy with a ghoul outside being hounded by a group. No question flustered him, his creepy demeanour was present at all times. With my stamp on my hand it looked to be safety in numbers as I headed down the green alley. A group ahead were invited in, after counting them through, the door closed - leaving myself and my companion in the dark alone.
Our surroundings were littered with eye balls, skulls and spiders – deliberate or not they definitely were enough to set the scene and send shivers down your spine. I was relieved to be joined by 3 more people, again it was safety in numbers as the door swung open and we were invited to take a seat in the waiting room. After a quick safety brief we were set to the mercy of the story ahead of us, ushered into the next dark room, the door shut behind us – there was no escape! As my eyes became accustomed to the dark I took a seat on the bench. My imagination suddenly got the better of me and I stretched out my legs in case something nasty were to grab them. The gentleman next to me must have been reading my mind as he made an uncomfortable comment about someone being under the chair. A booming voice from nowhere assured us there was nothing under the sofa as we jumped up and came face to face with our first guide. Setting the scene and starting the story beautifully with uncomfortable closeness and unhinged ravings, he left you with a wonderful curiosity coupled with the lack of ability of move your feet, what a brilliant talent! I expected to be able to mull the first part over with a quick chat to the people around me, but there was no time for chatter - we were confronted straight away by our next character. Nina. She took us to her master, which showed a refreshing scene of characters interacting. You don’t see this much in a scare mazes, as usually your senses are bombarded with loud noises on every turn. The master indeed is a pro, he splits us up and makes us sit in dark corners helpless only to watch the scene unfurl in front of us. When he tired playing with us he sent us to the mercy of our next room.
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October 2011- January 2012
www.scareworld.co.uk Loud noises, no vision and a creepy manifestation chanting incantations – we didn’t know whether it is to save our souls – or his. We watched as he chanted and paced the room, directing our attention to masks that slowly appeared as our eyes grew accustomed to the gloom. The next room was a weird sensation, going from the very dull lighting into strobes accompanied by mirrors. With our fearless leader refusing to take another step, we stood and tried to work out the strange objects around us. This was very atmospheric room, simple and well executed, would loved to have seen a longer experience in this with more space. The creature from the other room appeared and pointed us to a door which had been completely invisible to us before. Greeted with a screech, the next scene unveiled before us. Dinner! But this however, was no dinner at the Ritz! We were invited to sit down and eat, but before us is what I can only imagine to be the victims of The Master – or perhaps the last guests to pass through the house.
Our host? - Pretty Polly – her name is ripe with irony, she told of the tale of her faded looks and Masters love. The bangs outside increased and screams could be heard. I’m not sure if these were sound effects or other scared visitors, whichever it was, it definitely added to the terrifying tale being told. Polly drew closer making the feeling even more uncomfortable as the realisation dawned that perhaps we will become the next course. I left this room with a genuine jump, heart pounding and thankful to see our rescuer. We fled upstairs but fell victim to a trap. We ended up right in the middle of The Masters – Thomas Vanderbet’s séance. The music in this room was very good - slight, not too loud but it built tension amazingly well. The Master very much has us trapped with the aid of his minion as he continued with his incantations and eyed up his next victim.
October 2011- January 2012
Our rescuer banged through again. We clawed past each other, avoiding eye contact as we were lead downstairs and out into the cold night air. The tension was kept high throughout and I particularly loved the fact that you had no time to let your guard down, or have a word with other guests to try and defuse the tension. The atmosphere was different in each room, with a good balance between loud noises to confuse the senses, acted and interactive scenes and good use of music to build the feeling of impending doom. A fantastic addition to an already popular attraction, if albeit for a short while. I look forward to more tales of horror and woe to follow.
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Section Title
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October 2011- January 2012
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Want to be a Scareactor?
Scream School is an independent scareactor talent development and training programme. Our intensive one day course offers scare students the opportunity to learn the fundamental skills required to begin a career as a successful and effective scareactor.
dates, times and locations of forthcoming courses can be found on the website. Our Mentors can also bring the course to your attraction or project, contact us for further details of how to hire Scream School.
The course also includes an introduction to the scare entertainment industry, the principles of the psychology of fear, basic makeup techniques and advice on which companies and attractions regularly seek to book scareactors for paid work.
Part of
Scream School courses run throughout the year and
enrol today at
screamschool.co.uk
October 2011- January 2012
or call 0845
519 4271 27
www.scareworld.co.uk
Home is where The Haunt Is THE FEAR HORROR HOUSE The date is 1813. An aged woman lives in an old English tavern. But this woman is not the sweet old lady of fairy tales but a twisted and sinister old woman who has been found guilty of poisoning the villagers and casting evil spells on them. Thirteen days later she is burnt at the stake for her evil wrongdoings and her remains buried under the tavern she once called home. Some 13 years after her death, when time has moved on and memories have faded, the tavern is transformed into the Prince Albert pub, a place where locals can enjoy merriment with friends, but not for long.....
Now, three years on, Sean is about to embark on his most ambitious project to date after being crowned Best Charity Event 2011 and winning funding from the Youth Opportunities Fund to help create The Fear Horror House, located at the nearby Prince Albert pub in Crawley. He said: “This year we were able to move location as we won Best Charity Event 2011 so we have totally raised the bar and are creating two days of pure scare entertainment. “The scare attraction itself will last 15-20 minutes and is a walk-though attraction with a narrative. We have included many special effects in the attraction such as air cannons, fire and many more, although I don’t want to give the game away too much! But we have come up with a new way off scaring the customers which we call the Poison Illusion. “There are going to be 15-plus scare actors inside the haunt all dressed up accordingly to the room they have been assigned to and no masks will be used.
For the ghostly essence of the evil old witch woman still poisons the air at the Prince Albert and her angry spirit lurks to spread fear and unrest to all 13 rooms of the building.
“There will be two opening times, 12pm until 5pm and 6pm until 10pm in the evening, and although we plan to stay open for longer for any latecomers, the ticket shed will shut at 10pm.
Some people say 13 is the unluckiest number, is it yours? That is the question haunt creator, Sean Rouse, dares you to discover this Halloween at The Fear Horror House.
“The day-time will be for children and they have to help the witch find her magic wand, with some
Located in Copthorne, in Crawley, West Sussex, England, it is a venture Sean has been aiming to get off the ground for a long time since establishing a home horror haunt in garden of his home in Crawley, four years ago, when he was just 12-years-old. “The attraction started off as a very small home haunt in an average sized garden to raise money for St Catherine’s Hospice in Crawley and to entertain the locals,” said Sean, now aged 16. “I designed a floor plan, sorted out the set and props and got together a group of scare actors. Although we only had about £100 we created an event that locals loved and it just started from there and grew and grew each year, as well as the cost!” Year-on-year Sean added new and scary features to his grizzly home haunt, so much so that locals affectionately referred to it as,“the scary people’s house”.
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www.scareworld.co.uk friendly ghouls inside to help them on their travels, in return for finding the wand they will get some sweet treats, age range from 5 to 11 year olds.
During your travels you will be followed by unfriendly locals and witch hunters who are set to give you the fright of your life.
“During the evening, not only will the attraction itself get transformed into a living nightmare, but the grounds of the pub will be lit up with moving lights and spooky props. “Also, at 9pm, there will be a flash mob of street dancing zombies to entrain the crowd, so I’m not only focusing on the inside of the haunt but the outside as well, to make it just as scary. “It is an amateur production but we do, however, set out to create a professional and affordable attraction as we have very high standards. Sean is confident that this year’s Halloween horror haunt will be just as scary and as entertaining as his previous scare attractions which, he claims, have given chilling thrills to thousands of people and raised an equably sizeable sum for the Crawley hospice charity. “Over all the years, since I created the event, over 1,000 people have walked through my haunts and that was without any advertising. “In all that time not one of the groups that went in have ever come out without saying how good it was. “We have also raised more than £1,000 for St Catherine’s Hospice during the time it’s been at my house.” Having achieved eight GCSEs at school including three A-passes in English, media and drama, Sean is now studying A-levels in media and drama at sixth form college but hopes to make a career in the scare entertainment business in the future. He said: “Although I have never worked for any other scare attraction company, I am very much looking forward to what the future has in-store for me and would love to stay on the scare industry side of things, be it creating my own scare attraction each year or working creating haunts.
The Fear Horror House is located at the Prince Albert pub, Copthorne Bank, Copthorne, Crawley, West Sussex, England, and will operate on October 28 and 29 inclusive. Tickets are £4 on the door or £4.80 (inclusive of a booking fee) via the website www.thefearhorrorhouse.co.uk
“Although I wouldn’t officially say I’m in the scare business yet this year could be the making of a whole new scare park!” So step into the unknown and be submerged back to 1813 at The Fear Horror House where, upon your arrival, you will meet the witch who will try and poison you before you step into the real terror.
October 2011- January 2012
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Scary FX GROTESQUE FX What started out as a childhood hobby has turned into a successful business venture for Steve Hollins, owner of Grotesque FX Studio, located in Cornwall in the UK. Rarely a day goes by when Steve is not asked to design and craft some bizarre FX creation for a scare entertainment attraction, party or theatrical group. It is a raw talent that Steve has developed since his youth after his parents bought him a Dick Smith special makeup effects kit as a Christmas present when he was just seven-years-old. But despite his passion for the job, creating macabre masks and models was not his first career choice, spending many years working from his garage painting the body work of classic American Muscle vehicles and tuning V8 engines. “I’d also do a bit of drag racing on weekends,” said Steve, 47, whose business premises is based at Robin Hill, Polstrong in Camborne, on the south west coast. “After several years working on cars, business went slow and I decided to do my hobby for a living instead.” His decision to turn his hobby into a money-making business venture, however, was not a move hailed by all his close family and friends, with many telling him the idea would be a dead-end road. “Everybody said that I wouldn’t do any good at that so that was my green light to prove them wrong,” he said, determined to make his critics eat their words! Now, 15 years on, with a reputable track record for making monstrous masks, body effects and even life sized puppets and dummy bodies, Steve has never looked back. Although masks and props remain the bread and butter of his business, he has been commissioned to make a several bizarre FX designs including a fake body structure for the David Halls 2008 film, The Initiation, a project he worked on with friend, Jess Parke and his wife, Janine.
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“We had to make a false body for an actor who would lie on a table with his legs under. He would have his chest cut open and his internals pulled out and his heart was eaten,” Steve explained. “I’ve done work for Cradle of Filth, the UK heavy metal band, and had to make a large puppet for someone to wear and operate as well as two gargoyle costumes. “I’m currently working on a strange creature found in the sea and I’ve been commissioned to make an electric chair for a wedding party next year. “But I’ve worked on many short films from zombies to medieval and sci-fi and some even won at the Cornwall film festival.” Working for clients in the film business has now inspired Steve to explore a long-standing interest in film-making which he has been keen to develop for many years. He said: “Later in 2012 I’m working on a Jason and the Argonauts type film and some of it will be filmed here in Cornwall as well as Wales and Scotland. “I’ve started on the armour, it’s made from cold cast bronze, and there will be some monsters of course. “But as film work is not regular work, I make masks and props for haunted attractions theatres and parties. These are my biggest sellers.” But his all-time favourite FX piece is one he has been working on for many years, his own creepy, alien costume. “It’s something I’ve always wanted, my very own alien. I’ve been working on it for several years now and it’s coming along, but it’s a slow leisure project as I can only work on it in my spare time.” So as well as proving those early critics wrong Steve has built a solid business on the back of his determination to create unique and quality FX designs that are delivered on-time and to the client’s personal specifications. And with no formal mask or model making training it is an achievement that has been self-taught with only a personal belief that he could actually make a living in the FX industry.
October 2011- January 2012
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“All you need in this business is belief in your work and a burning desire to make your dreams come true. “It also takes other people to believe in you and trust you can deliver results. You never stop learning as there are new materials coming out all the time to make the job better. “And at Grotesque FX Studio we will create anything from your wildest dreams and breathe life into your personal and original creation. No matter how bizarre or horrific that creation might be. “I get a lot of job satisfaction when I scare the hell out of someone with one of my creations. It makes me feel I’ve done a good job. “I’ve had no training at all just read books and had very good friends to help such as Tom Savini, Dick Smith, Stan Winston and Rob Bottin, thank you guys! If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be in this business.”
October 2011- January 2012
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Pasaje Del Terror PASAJE DEL TERROR, BLACKPOOL, NORTH WEST UK. By David Bramwell Norris
Twelve years into its residence in a conveniently located position just outside the entrance to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the Pasaje Del Terror has shown enough resilience to describe itself as an institution and is one of the most successful yearround scare attractions in the country. Indeed, given Merlin’s targeting of family groups, and coemphasis on the historical at its Dungeon venues, one could argue for the Pasaje’s status as the most successful near-yearround pure-scare venue in the nation. Having not visited the Pasaje for a couple of years, I began my visit by making a tour of the attraction, and what follows represents a cold review: The Pasaje is a six minute long experience encompassing a series of scenes that balance; jump scares, film characters and detailed sets. The tour begins with the entrance into a “Funeral Factory” and descent into the basement of a large casino building. While you don’t technically enter the “Passage” itself for another minute or so, this is the most effective part of the entire attraction – the isolation and relative quiet that is so difficult for scare attractions to emulate in any marquee setting can be recreated very effectively due to the architecture,combined with a well judged sound system and set. The 30-second safety-come-threat introduction in which functional information has to be balanced with an increase of tension – this is a tricky task and the skill of the performer on each day can have a major rolling effect onto effectiveness of the overall attraction. To gain entrance to the passage, each group has to head down more stairs and a pre-ordained leader knocks on the door. This lovely piece of interaction leads to a scene in a macabre monastery and a run-in with a monk. This set is terrific, perfectly eerie with lovely detail in the fixtures and a brief but effective script. Sadly one can not always tell this is the case as a long running preference of the Pasaje management has been to make things dark…..very dark. Dark to the sometime detriment of the experience.
Further sets, including a Zombie-inhabited graveyard and a visit to Freddie Krueger’s boiler room are equally impressive and lovingly recreated. The maintenance at Pasaje is constant and so there is a real dedication to keeping the sets in ship-shape condition. Freddie is just one of a few proprietary film characters that Pasaje have paid to put into this and other attractions. Visitors also take in the bedroom scene from The Exorcist and enter Dracula’s lair among others. Without going into detail, 6 of the 11 characters inside the Pasaje itself are rooted in existing material. The reasoning for this is sound – in an attraction where there is so little time and where the majority of visitors are not repeat scare-attraction goers, it’s a real benefit to use stories that people already know when you don’t have time to tell one yourself. And the quick fix nature of the attraction is the root of any response a visitor may have to it – a high throughput, a limited space, a dedication to low group numbers and a non continuous style mean that the Pasaje works its scare factor on primarily jump-scares – which repeat scare attraction visitors may or may not like - and therefore putting demands on performers to know when to strike as much as how to strike. Sometimes this goes a little wrong and the experience is not as good but mostly the performers have built up a considerable skill of knowing exactly the right moment to strike and where for each group – frequently from different places and at different moments. In summary the Pasaje remains an excellent scare attraction, with its well themed sets and use of location and sound its greatest assets. For the seasoned scare attraction visitor the use of proprietary characters, overemphasis on jump scares and overall length may irritate; but all of these elements are driven by the factors that have kept the place in business and thriving for over 12 years. Many thanks to the staff of the Pasaje Del Terror for their time and hospitality during my visit.
Darkness is incredibly effective, particularly so when you have something to cover up – but Pasaje doesn’t have anything to cover up; the detail is excellent and why bother with props when you can’t see them?
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www.scareworld.co.uk
Blackpool Tower Dungeon The project has involved a team roughly 100-strong, from project manager James McLoughlin and colleagues, to the theming team from Merlin’s Studios North based at Alton Towers and Blackpoolbased main contractor Tyson Construction along with Blackpool Council executives.
For generations the UK seaside resort of Blackpool has long been regarded as one of the best places in the country for family entertainment. A reputation that has been cemented further with the opening of the Blackpool Tower Dungeon, one of Merlin Entertainment Group’s most famous scare attraction brands. Under the creative leadership of Merlin Entertainments Group, the town’s famous landmark gave rise to the opening of Blackpool Tower Dungeon, on Thursday, September 1, bringing the resort’s most blood-curdling history vividly back to life! The chilling new attraction, located in the bowels of the Tower, unleashed dramatic re-enactments of Lancashire’s dark and horrid history from 1000 years, a fright that attracted dozens of courageous scare-seekers to cross the threshold. Work on developing scary sets for everything from Cromwell’s persecution of Royalists to gruesome torture and the infamous Pendle witch trials has progressed steadily since May when Merlin Entertainments’ Blackpool chief, Iain Hawkins, launched a 100-day media campaign heralding the launch of the resort’s newest, creepy entertainment creation Dungeon bosses pledge that the Blackpool Tower Dungeon will be “one of the top things to do in Blackpool” providing a fabulous day trip for the whole family offering educational, entertaining and seriously scary fun! Housed below the 518ft tall tower, it includes ten fun and interactive, actor-led shows, to tell the tales of 1000 years of Blackpool’s most gruesome and funny history.
But one of the most challenging aspects for creative director Ailsa has been tracking down accurate records of some of the older events like the passage of Vikings through the area, the history of local smugglers and the impact of bubonic plague on Fylde villages in the 14th and 17th Centuries. “Because Blackpool and many other surrounding towns have grown up in relatively recent times, records from centuries past – where they exist at all – are very thin on the ground,” said Ailsa. “Happily we have enough general knowledge about the episodes we are focussing on to be able to develop compelling, nerveshredding storylines with a measure of theatrical license.” As an interactive visitor attraction, audiences are likely to find themselves participants in many of the fun, yet dark events that unfold in the dungeon. Ailsa said: “They will enjoy a few laughs along the way, but it will definitely be nervous laughter.” She added that the trademark Dungeon ‘torture chamber’ is expected to be even more frightening at the Blackpool Tower Dungeon than at any of its sister attractions. It has been designed as a unique circular chamber in which visitors are likely to be unnerved not only by the devilish devices demonstrated, but by the deliberate disorientation, leaving them struggling to find an exit route. The opening of the Blackpool Tower Dungeon coincided with the unveiling of the Blackpool Tower Eye, both part of a £20m regeneration plan for the Tower and Promenade developed by Blackpool Council in partnership with Merlin.
Adults and children aged eight to 16 can be sentenced to death on the ‘heart-stopping’ Extremis drop ride and prepare to scream from the rafters; escape the mirror maze or horrors; discover the torture instruments of forgotten times and step inside the hilarious scene of the old Blackpool court system where audiences can win trial against the high judge. “The Dungeon is very much an interactive experience,” said creative director Ailsa Easton. “It transports visitors back in time and plunges them into a series of scary situations.”
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Eerie Eateries FRANKENSTIENS Edingburgh & Glasgow
Renovating a former church into a themed horror party venue proved to be a blessing in disguise for the brains behind Scottish pub venue, Frankenstein. Located in the hub of Edinburgh’s night life, in the UK, the themed party venue took more than a decade to restore and now boasts a unique business where the resident DJs take pride of place in the pulpit and preach a somewhat different message to the masses. The transformation of the church building has been a labour of love for the family-run owners and it is evident that a lot of time, effort and passion went into restoring the building while maintaining many original features including the pulpit, the high vaulted ceiling and viewing gantry. Bespoke 17th century German gothic features have been incorporated alongside many original memorabilia from the Frankenstein books and movies. Surely The most impressive and unique part of the pub is the imposing steel structure that supports the mechanics for its monster show, which wouldn’t look out of place at an amusement park. It incorporates animatronics, lights, sound and smoke for a theatrical event that really turns heads. The area that was formerly the crypt is now home to the kitchen where Scottish chefs produce simple, flavoursome, comforting dishes – all homemade – ranging from the local classic of Haggis and neeps and tatties [potatoes and turnip, mashed with butter and pepper], to lasagne,
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succulent rib-eye 8oz beef burger to Frankenstein’s famous Monster Sundae. The classic cocktail menu also includes the best-selling Dr Frankenstein and The Bride which are both visually impressive and very tasty!! Frankenstein’s assistant manager, John McCausland, said: “Opening at noon, the venue is very family friendly during the day – although we need to conduct a quick survey among any young children before we put on the monster show! “If that doesn’t scare the children then we can point out our certificate from the ghost hunters that visited us last year and found evidence of paranormal activity.” In the evening the venue is transformed into a famous party menu with the tunes cranked and the disco lights working overtime. Other entertainment includes our resident DJ’s, live music, free Fringe festival performances from The Rocky Horror Picture Show - currently celebrating its tenth and most successful year - murder mystery nights and karaoke evenings.
Mr McCausland added: “Having been in the industry for a decade and a half, I joined Frankenstein in February, and I can comfortably say that it is the most unique place I have ever worked. Fun and very creepy.”
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Live actors and scary rides
Britain’s most horrible history
Shows and exciting special effects
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City Scares The hunt is on for volunteers to take part in a cult zombie chase game which is coming to Leeds this September. Zombie gore fest, 2.8 Hours Later, is to be unleashed on the West Yorkshire city over the weekend of September 22, 2011, threatening to turn hundreds of its usually mild mannered residents into the bloodthirsty creatures of the un-dead. In preparation for the invasion, the game’s creators, SlingShot, are now calling for volunteers willing to be turned in to zombies for the weekend. Selected volunteers will be sent to zombie bootcamp to be trained how to lurk, groan and chase convincingly – and safely. 2.8 Hours Later is a thrilling night time chase game devised by Bristol game creators, SlingShot. Played across an inner city backdrop, it sees multiple secret locations transformed into zombie film sets and populated by a cast of survivors, some good, some not so good. Players are sent forth in waves after dark to outwit and outrun zombies as they race from one location to the next, hunting for clues to the whereabouts of Resistance HQ. Using their mobiles, they are also able to call or text in to get game updates and safety information. The game was premiered last year at Bristol’s igfest 3, the world’s largest pervasive games festival which was a sell-out success. At this year’s festival in May 1,000 tickets were sold in a second outing. Igfest is an annual pervasive games festival which takes place in Bristol. Although there are seven other such festivals hosted in New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin, Sao Paulo, Pittsburgh and Krems, Bristol’s igfest festival,
backed by the Arts Council England, Watershed and Bristol City Council, remains the largest. Now 2.8 Hours Later has been described as “completely fantastic and bonkers” by games review site, Beefjack. com, and is gaining a cult following, with hundreds of fans following the game via Facebook and signed up to its mailing list. Now, thanks to the support of Art in Unusual Spaces, Leeds City Council and Leeds’ LSx Festival of Technology, the game is coming to West Yorkshire, in what will be the first stage of a planned UK-wide tour. “We’re really excited to be able to tour 2.8 Hours Later, and it’s all down to the enthusiasm of the people of Leeds,” says Simon Evans, who along with Simon Johnson founded Bristol-based games production company, SlingShot, in 2008. “We’ve had a terrific response whenever we’ve played this game as people just love zombies and they love being scared out of their wits. Being able to actively take part means players can get completely immersed in the action, which is a very different experience to just watching something on a screen,” he said. Leeds LSx Festival of Technology is helping to support the Leeds event. The LSx Festival of Technology is a series of monthly and annual events showcasing the people, projects and places at the bleeding edge of emerging ideas in tech. Bringing thought leaders to the city and also showcasting Leeds’ own technology and innovation scene, LSx is largely oriented around a programme of regular meetups, conferences, symposiums and an annual Spring festival. LSx founder, Imran Ali, said: “The notion of large scale urban gaming has always been something I’ve wanted to experiment with, so I knew we had to bring 2.8 Hours Later to Leeds!
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“‘Cities as platforms’ is one of LSx’s core philosophies and we very much see Leeds as an experimental ‘beta’ city. “By hosting 2.8 Hours Later in September, we’re planning to subvert and ‘hack’ Leeds’ landmarks, residents, institutions, media and infrastructure so players can use an entire city to experience and tell some (hopefully) terrifying and fun stories!” In addition to the zombie hordes, volunteers are also being sought as marshalls, actors for zombie set pieces, and checkpoint managers. For further information or to volunteer, please call 0117 930 4516 or email zombies@slingshoteffect.co.uk.
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2.8 Hours Later will be taking place in Leeds from 22-24th September from 7pm. Tickets are £25 and £22 concessions and are available now from the website: http://2.8hourslater.com/ SlingShot, an award-winning Bristol-based games developer and consultancy, is currently in talks with other city leaders about further tour dates with updates to be posted on the game’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/2.8HoursLater
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Dominic McChesney When talking to ‘outsiders’ about the scare entertainment industry, one of my biggest beefs is this belief that it’s all too easy to be considered ‘real’ theatre. Get a few actors, slap a bit of makeup and ketchup on their faces, dress them in bloody sheets, stick them in a darkened dark room, rattling a few chains, shouting “boo!” then hey presto, you have a scare attraction! Thankfully die-hard fans and industry pros alike know that it takes a lot more than that to create an experience that will leave thrill-seekers screaming for more. One of these is Dominic McChesney, 42, director of live attractions worldwide with The Sudden Impact! Entertainment Company, headed by acclaimed CEO Lynton V Harris, the brains behind some of the most popular and memorable scare attractions the world-over. Since the first sell-out interactive spectacular, Madison SCARE Garden, at New York’s Madison Square Garden, during the 1996 to 1999 seasons, Sudden Impact!’s expertise at creating large-scale, interactive live fright fests, has exploded. The creation of The Fright House, a 65,000 square foot Extreme Scream Park, in Washington, followed, then Nightmares – Xtreme Scream Park, a stadium show in Philadelphia. In partnership with Universal Studios, Sudden Impact! created a tour of scare attractions based on block-buster movies including The Mummy LIVE!; The Mummy Returns LIVE!; The Scorpion King LIVE!; Lara Croft: Tomb Raider LIVE!; the Van Helsing Experience LIVE! And most recently, Prison Break LIVE!, based on the hit Fox TV show. It is a success that is based on a determination to create high-end interactive adventures with branded quality, regardless of location and square footage of the experience. Dominic explains: “We treat our shows exactly as if they were Broadway or West End productions. Choreography, vocal technique and discipline are all essential tools that I use when training or directing a production. Lynton V Harris shares this discipline, and I believe this is why we have been successful world-wide.”
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www.scareworld.co.uk But being involved in creating some of the world’s best known scare entertainment attractions on a global scale is perhaps the last thing Dominic envisaged for his 20-year career when he clinched his first scare actor role over a decade ago, in Terror in the Towers, the first scare attraction produced at UK theme park, Alton Towers, and created by Sudden Impact!. By the time the season came to a close, Dominic was hooked. “I loved the concept of such close interaction with the audience and the challenges the performance created,” he said. He enjoyed a few more scare thrills as an actor with Sudden Impact! before being promoted to show captain and later, show manager. Over time his role expanded and he was handed the task of running Lynton’s exclusive Scare School ™ programme. Now he spends much of his time travelling the world as a director for many of Sudden Impact!’s scare shows as well as overseeing the company’s international attractions. It was a far cry from his performance work prior to joining Sudden Impact! when he worked for 12 years in the theatre, TV and film industry, touring in musical theatre, with a short spell as a ballet dancer and for four years in the theme park industry. But this vast and varied performance experience coupled with three-years drama training at The Academy Of Live And Recorded Arts, London, is something Dominic still draws upon today when casting actors for Sudden Impact! scare shows.
“It is interesting that when we are casting, some of the people who think they are “scary” are usually not what we are looking for and yet some of our most successful scarers are timid types who jump at the slam of the door. “I am a big believer that people who scare easily sometimes have a distinct advantage over the horror addict who thinks that they understand it all because they like the genre. “The timid actor more often than not understands the psychology behind fear a lot more. I should add that I hate horror movies but I’m one hell of a good scarer and I’ve had people swear at me in fright on four continents in about 10 different languages. Wonderful stuff! ”We do many TV interviews around the world so my training and experience in film and TV has also come in very useful in this respect too. “I work exclusively for The Sudden Impact! But with them I have been fortunate to travel the globe and have been part of attractions in the UK, USA and Hawaii, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.
“But Warwick Ghosts ALIVE!, at Warwick Castle, holds a special place in my heart. Everything about it was a wonderful memory. I was part of the original cast when Lynton developed it on site. The first year we had two smoke machines and a soundtrack, but the structure of the show was perfect. “The scares were designed, choreographed, consistent and timed exactly to the script so the discipline needed by the actors was intense. We added set elements and further FX over the years but the layout stayed the same throughout. I did six of the seven years and got to work with some fantastic and very talented people. “I’m extremely lucky to have a profession that never ceases to inspire and motivate me. I learn something new every day and work with wonderful, talented people all over the world. “The joy of bringing entertainment to an audience is a rare gift that should not be taken lightly.”
“Our shows are both original, and Hollywood branded while others we create for specific venues are directly linked to the attraction location such as Nightmares – Xtreme Scream Park, Philadelphia or RUMAH HANTU in 3DX and HORRORWOOD at the Lynton V Harris Scream Park, Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia.
“The actors have to have, or learn, a good command of their theatrical skills. We start everyone off at the ground level even if they are Sudden Impact! show veterans. Each show is completely different although they may utilise some of the same skills. “An actor in scare attractions needs to have a strict sense of theatrical discipline and understanding. Patience and stamina are very important too. It is not enough for someone to think “I can scare people because I love horror movies.”
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Madelon Hoedt is a Ph.D. student and parttime lecturer at the Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Industries at the University of Glamorgan (UK). She has been researching scare attractions and other forms of horror performance for a number of years, focusing on audience response and perception, and has published several articles on these and related topics. If you wish to contact her, please send an email to the following address: m.e.hoedt@gmail.com. After discussing the differences between scare attractions and other horror entertainments, such as books and films, in my previous contribution, it will be worthwhile to delve deeper into the reasons for the enjoyment of the genre. It remains a fascinating question: why do people like horror, and why are they drawn to such graphic imagery? The pleasure that is found in scare attractions might seem even more contradictory: not only is it strange to enjoy watching a maniac with a chainsaw mowing down innocent teenagers, but to put yourself at the mercy of that same maniac? Does that sound like a good way to spend an afternoon? Given the success of the industry, it is obvious that for many people, it does. The academic world has offered us three primary theories to explain the pleasures derived from the horror genre: the theory of the fantastic, the cognitive theory, and Freud’s ideas on psychoanalysis.
re The Science ofSca
Part TWO
nature of the event. After this hesitation passes, according to Todorov, we will make one of two decisions: At the story’s end, the reader makes a decision [...]; he opts for one solution or the other, and thereby emerges from the fantastic. If he decides that the laws of reality remain intact and permit an explanation of the phenomena described, we say that the work belongs to another genre: the uncanny. If, on the contrary, he decides that new laws of nature must be entertained to account for the phenomena, we enter the genre of the marvelous. (1975:41)
It is this idea of hesitation that makes it difficult to use Todorov’s theory when discussing scare attractions. In the words of Hills, taken from his book The Pleasures of Horror, “... audiences are presumed to derive pleasure from the resolution (or, indeed, nonresolution) of very specific narrative puzzles.” (2005: 33) Audience emotion is left out of the equation, as Todorov relies on a rational approach to the horrifying subject matter. As stated by Hills, it makes sense to consider the possibility that audiences do not always cognitively ‘master’ or intellectually ‘resolve’ a text. Instead, they may be ‘mastered’ by a The first theory that we will focus on is the text, that is, allowing themselves to be open to concept of the fantastic, put forward by Tzvetan the knowing, game-playing manipulations of Todorov in his book The Fantastic (1975), an aesthetic artefact. (2005:44) as a ‘structural analysis of a literary genre.’ He defines the fantastic as “...that hesitation experienced by a person who knows only the laws of nature, confronting an apparently supernatural event.” (1975:25) The audience encounters an event that is seemingly out of the ordinary, outside of the laws of nature, and hesitates while make up their minds about the
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This possibility of being ‘mastered by the aesthetic artefact’ seems to be extremely likely for scare attractions, as we are dealing with the direct and intense experience of a live event. Todorov requires an audience which is able to sit back, calmly observe the action and, when the narrative ends, to make rational decision on how they wish to explain the situations described in the story. Obviously, in the context of a scare attraction, it is impossible for the patrons to sit back and consider the options as they are chased through a dark room by any number of frightening creatures. Like Todorov, the cognitive theorists put equal importance on this concept of ‘aesthetic distance’, of being able to remove oneself from the action and to passively observe the situation. Hills provides a concise list of the aspects of horror that cognitive theorists have put forward as the elements that influence the pleasures derived from the genre: -
fascination and curiosity at impossible, monstrous beings;
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disclosure plots that resemble the ‘proofs’ of philosophy;
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concerns with power/control; and
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evaluations of morality/creativity. (2005: 23)
The first and second idea on the list have been described by Noel Carroll in his book The Philosophy of Horror. He puts forward a theory based on curiosity and fascination: firstly, according to Carroll, there is an element of morbid curiosity present in horror, of something (or someone) who is so
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ugly, so revolting, that we simply cannot look away. Carroll states that spectators become fascinated with the horrible appearance of the monster and, as a result, are unable to stop watching the film or put down the book. Carroll’s second point is closely related to Todorov’s work, describing a situation where, in order to be able to witness the ending of a story, one is inclined to ignore the scary or gory aspects of the narrative, or at least tolerate them for the sake of the plot, to find out ‘who did it’ or who will survive. Yet, like Todorov, Carroll’s views rely heavily on the existence of a full narrative, a storyline with beginning, middle and end and moments of disclosure. It is this aspect that presents the same ‘narrative puzzles’ which Todorov wants us to solve, and which are so often absent in scare attractions: many venues use a theme, rather than a fully scripted story, and do not allow us to rest and ‘master’ the situation. The third point on Hills’ list, the ‘concerns of power and control’, is described in the essay “Power, horror and ambivalence” (2001) by Daniel Shaw: “Much of the pleasure that we take in [horror films] is derived from two sources: 1) Identifying with the horrifying force, and vicariously enjoying the havoc that it wreaks; and 2) Sharing in the triumph that the human protagonists usually achieve over that force.” (2001: n.pag.) For Shaw, the idea of possessing such destructive power, either on the side of the monster or the protagonists, draws people in: “This is why I propose that we see the horrific force as an embodiment of awesome power, attractive and pleasurable in itself [...]” (2001: n.pag.) Finally, the ‘evaluations of morality/creativity’ focus on the ability to appreciate the craftsmanship of director or author, to take the horror in stride in order to admire the work of art. Yet both of these points, the argument of power and of
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admiration, requires an audience to make use of the aesthetic distance, to take a step back and appreciate the skill of the filmmakers and designers. Once again, we can ask whether this is really possible when you are in a scare attraction: is an audience able to admire the craft of the makeup artist who worked his magic on the horde of zombies that is running after them? We scare our tour groups, we chase them from room to room, we want them to come out screaming. Even Carroll himself realises the problems: “One supposes that fascination would be too great a luxury to endure, if one, against all odds, were to encounter a horrific monster in “real life”.” (1990:189) Lastly, Hills addresses psychoanalyst theory and considers Freud and his ideas of the uncanny, defined as a fear of what is strange, unknown, or of the familiar becoming strange and alien. According to Freud, many of the fears originating from the uncanny are repressed, and when this happens, it leads to a contamination of the unconscious and psychological turmoil. By allowing for a ‘return of the repressed’, a controlled experience of the repressed emotions, a feeling of relief, of catharsis, can occur. Thus cleansed from any unnatural emotions or urges, a person can once again return to the existing order. Yet this feeling of relief after the evil has been vanquished seems at odds with the now familiar trend of keeping an audience in suspense, of showing them a monster that is not defeated (consider the slashers, such as Michael Myers, who keep coming back for more). How can our fear be lightened if we know the monster is still out there?
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In addition, Freud’s original essay, published in 1919, has strong sexual connotations, discussing issues of castration, among other things. As a result, many supporters of psychoanalysis have put forward rather excessive theories about the horror genre, such as the idea that all horror narratives are rooted in incest, discussing endless phallic symbols in well-known films. At the same time, the sexual side of Freud’s argument is often connected to ‘rituals’ of coming of age, focusing on the popularity of the genre with teenagers and people in their twenties, especially males. For them, horror provides a means to prove they are brave enough to enjoy the latest terrifying event, only to later say that they were not scared at all. Despite the problems with Freud’s views, the idea of catharsis is an interesting one; many designers have commented on the importance of the adrenaline rush and Nightmare director Timothy Haskell lists the “pathos of a good scream” as one of the reasons for people to visit his attraction. Furthermore, the citation from Freud that I used in my last contribution, still rings true: We – or our primitive forebears – once regarded [the uncanny of real experience] as real possibilities; we were convinced that they really happened. Today we no longer believe in [the secret injurious powers and the return of the dead], having surmounted such modes of thought. Yet we do not feel entirely secure in these new convictions; the old ones live on in us, on the look-out for confirmation. (online resource, n.pag.)
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As I said last time, sometimes we want to believe in the boogeyman, we want to be challenged and scared out of our wits. We want, for a short time, to make ourselves believe these things could really happen, to be chased and run out of the venue, screaming our head off and to experience the ‘pathos of a good scream.’
If we take stock of all three theories, it seems that Freud’s idea of catharsis is the best fit in the case of scare attractions: the adrenaline rush allows for a release of (perhaps repressed) emotions, leaving patrons exhausted and giddy. The ideas of Carroll and Todorov rely too much on narrative, rely too much on the ability of a spectator to intellectually resolve the text: both authors expect the audience to take a step back, take a long, hard look, have a good think about what they have encountered and then make up their mind. Their ‘narrative puzzles’ demand an audience to engage with a text rationally, rather than focusing on the raw emotion of a scare attraction. At the same time, we might ask ourselves, does it not seem too easy to stick to Freud and the adrenaline rush? We can introduce an audience in an unknown environment filled with unknown elements (animatronics and actors), preferably a dark space and have things jump out at the visitors. We can take a familiar place and transform it into something otherworldly, something menacing, by adding lighting and scenery.
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Yet why not challenge ourselves? It seems difficult to achieve aesthetic distance in a scare attraction, to allow an audience the time to explore and to admire your work. More and more designers are experimenting with elements of this: one example is Nightmare: Vampires (2009), for which Timothy Haskell created a complete Museum of Vampire Artifacts. At night, the rooms were dark and filled with horrible creatures, creating a truly terrifying attraction. However, because of the amount of detail that went into the attraction, Haskell decided to open the Museum during the day, as well, with the lights on, so patrons could really appreciate his work. It does result in aesthetic distance, yes, but might there be a way to integrate experiments such as these into the attraction itself? Can we find ways to create a more elaborate narrative, to give the audience a role? Can we create an experience that still pleases patrons, but pushes the boundaries of the industry? To sum up, can we perhaps learn something from Carroll and Todorov and create an experience for our visitors that is even more innovative, even more engaging, and, perhaps most important of all, even more terrifying?
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Once again Kevin and Wayne and their team have been out and about in search of a scare. Scareworld are pleased to have some of thier latest reviews here for you. Dont forget for latest news and reviews on all the scariest goings on to check out thier site at www.scareattractions.co.uk. The first half of the show works really well with a great build up of tension and a real sense of trepidation about what is going to happen. I was slightly disappointed that there wasn’t more “fire” in the room around us
London Dungeons: Bloody Mary You have to hand it to the Dungeons attractions for constantly evolving and keeping their shows fresh. Each year brings new additions to the line up or tweaks to existing shows. This year sees a makeover of the original Fire of London exhibit to introduce Bloody Mary: Killer Queen! Mary Tudor, the daughter of Henry VIII was one of England’s most feared rulers and was nicknamed Bloody Mary after she ruthlessly burned 3,000 Protestants as heretics. The new show invites guests into Mary’s private chapel where the embittered Queen decides that we too are heretics. As one poor soul is strapped to a stake above a funeral pyre, judgement is made and all hell breaks loose. The attraction uses a number of different effects to show the ritual burning of the chosen one and as the attraction plunges into darkness, the watching guests are in for a surprise.
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but all in all the show works really well. Where it is slightly let down, is as we leave the scene and face off to see Mary’s “fiery wrath”. This part of the attraction leads through the “burning” streets scene from the original Great Fire of London set and is a slightly anticlimactic walk after the build up of tension. Although saying that, I was leading the group and jumped out my skin as I rounded one corner and a very loud sound effect scared me! Bloody Mary: Killer Queen is a huge improvement over the very stale Great Fire section and finally relieves the perceived “dead spot” in the attraction. Interestingly it appears that the Great Fire story has moved to earlier in the show where it’s educational element fits in better. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see that as part of our tour.
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WWW.SCAREATTRACTIONS.CO.UK The rest of the Dungeon remains pretty much the same with their unique mix of gruesome history mixed with a good splattering of blood drenched humour. It was nice to see that the extended Bedlam introduced at last years witches event has been kept as this strobe lit pathway provides a very intense disorienting scare in the midst of all the horrible history! One final mention has to go to the wonderful Extremis. I’ve probably now ridden this dozens of times but it gets me EVERY time. Scarily, this time there were just three of us strapped in to the drop tower in the dark and as the bottom fell out of our worlds it was hard to tell which one of us screamed loudest! Bloody Mary: Killer queen will be burning guests daily.
Before you venture through the darkened corridors, visitors are ushered into a small cinema and treated to a short pre-show. The 3D film is themed around a guest visiting the attraction and Jack The Ripper. Which doesn’t really work, primarily as lying behind the walls was an attraction that had nothing to do with Jack the Ripper! However, it did create an eerie atmosphere and some of the audience did enjoy it.
Once the film has finished we were then ushered into the queue line for the actual attraction. Now, the trouble here is that with such a large number in the cinema it creates a long queue and if you happen to be at the back, well, apart from hearing what is happening the other side of the wall, it really does leave you feel a bit flat.
As with all Pasaje’s though there is a fun and scary journey to be had. Once inside you are treated to elaborate sets, great action and lots of tension. The scenes are really a repeat of what you would find at the other attractions, but mixed up in order and with a few extra surprises.
What we enjoyed here was the blend of the rooms from wide-open spaces, compact corridors, high ceilings and elevation changes. The use of masks didn’t seem so apparent here, but maybe we closed our eyes if anyone got near! Pasaje Del Terror - London London’s Pasaje del Terror has been open for just over a year now and whilst in London recently we finally got the opportunity to visit.
It ends in an all too predictable style, but still had us tumbling into the basement area, feeling thankful that the designers had made provision for a bar…
London’s Pasaje del Terror has been open for just over a year now and whilst in London recently we finally got the opportunity to visit.
The concept of the Pasaje is so well established that in some ways the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” rule applies. Sharing more than a few scenes with its older Blackpool brother, there is a slight sense of familiarity as you journey through, although to be fair a lot of the London visitors may never have visited Blackpool’s atraction.
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Scare Listings CURRENT EUROPEAN SCARE ATTRACTION ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS
Sunken Village of the DAMNED, Buccaneer Bay Newquay, Cornwall www.buccaneer-bay.co.uk
YEAR ROUND SCARE ATTRACTIONS
The Stratford Ripper Experience, Stratford-Upon-Avon Warwickshire, England www.stratfordripper.co.uk
The London Dungeon, London London, England www.thedungeons.com Attractions: The Crypt Labyrinth of Lost Souls Plague Great fire of London Surgery: Blood and Guts Torture Judgement Bedlam Traitor: Boat Ride to Hell Sweeney Todd Jack the Ripper Vengeance Bloody Mary Extremis: Drop ride to Doom Scream, Madame Tussaud’s London, England www.madametussauds.com The London Tombs, The London Bridge Experience London, England www.thelondonbridgeexperience.com The Ghostbus Tours, London London, England www.theghostbustours.com Haunted Crypt, Pleasure Beach Resort Lancashire, England www.pleasurebeachresort.com Carnesky’s Ghost Train, Blackpool Lancashire, England www.carneskysghosttrain.co.uk Pasaje Del Terror, Blackpool Lancashire, England www.pasajedelterror.com
The Haunted House, Dickens World Kent, England www.dickensworld.co.uk Dracula Experience, Whitby Yorkshire, England www.draculaexperience.co.uk SAW Alive, Thorpe Park Surrey, England www.thorpepark.com The York Dungeon, York York, Yorkshire www.thedungeons.com Attractions: Torture Chamber The Great Plague Labyrinth of the Lost Judgement of Sinners Dick Turpin Ghosts of York Bloody Vikings Guy Fawkes Witches Burned Alive Gladiators of York The Castle Dungeon at Warwick Castle, Warwick Castle Warwickshire, England www.warwick-castle.co.uk Terror Tower, Scarborough Yorkshire, England www.terrortower.co.uk Ghost Dinner Kent’s Cavern, Devon www.kents-cavern.co.uk
Buccaneer Bay, Newquay Newquay, Cornwall www.buccaneer-bay.co.uk
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www.scareworld.co.uk
The Edinburgh Dungeon, Edinburgh Edinburgh www.thedungeons.com Attractions: Judgement of Sinners Torture The Save of Sawney Bean Burke and Hare Mary King’s Ghost William Wallace Extremis: Drop ride to Doom Labyrinth of Lost Souls The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, Blackpool Blackpool, Lancashire www.thedungeons.com Attractions: Elevator to Hell Dark Chapel Plague Torture Judgement of Sinners Labyrinth of Lost Souls Vikings of the North Skippool Smugglers Pendle Witches Extremis: Drop Ride to Doom. The Amsterdam Dungeon, Amsterdam Amsterdam, Holland www.thedungeons.com Attractions: Elevator to Hell Torture: The Bloody inquisition VOC: The Botavia Rembrandt’s Secret Spanish Inquisition Meynes Cornelis Labyrinth of the Lost Plague Reaper: Drop Ride to Doom The Hamburg Dungeon, Hamburg Hamburg, Germany www.thedungeons.com Attractions: Torture Chamber The Inquisition Labyrinth of the Lost Plague Ghosts Flood of 1717 Extremis: Drop Ride to Doom Tibidabo, Barcelona www.tibidabo.cat El Viejo Del Caseron
October 2011- January 2012
Parque De Attraciones, Madrid www.parquedeatracciones.es La Maldicion de la Momia Terra Mitica, Benidorm www.terramiticapark.com Pasaje Del Terror Tivoli World, Malaga www.tivoli.es Krueger Hotel, Tibidabo Barcelona, Spain www.tibidabo.es The Bram Stoker Dracula Experience, Dublin Dublin, Ireland www.thebramstokerdraculaexperience.com SCREAM! Madame Tussauds, Amsterdam, Holland www.madamtussauds.nl STAGED SCARES The Woman in Black, Fortune Theatre London, England www.thewomaninblack.com Circus of Horrors, Touring the UK www.circusofhorrors.co.uk SCARE DINING The Creaky Cauldron, Stratford Upon Avon Warwickshire, England www.seekthemagic.org Attractions: The Stratford Ripper Experience The Jekyll & Hyde Experiment The Halloween Imagiscarium of Dr Thaddeus Bombay The Hellfire Club, Manchester Manchester, England www.thehellfire.co.uk The House of Magic, London London, England www.houseofmagic.co.uk
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www.scareworld.co.uk
Scare Listings SCARE DINING (cont.) Frankenstein, Edinburgh Edinburgh, Scotland www.frankenstein-pub.co.uk Frankenstein, Glasgow Glasgow, Scotland www.frankenstein-pub.co.uk HALLOWEEN ATTRACTIONS 2011
Scare Kingdom Scream Park Hawkshaw Farm Park, Lancashire, England www.scarekingdom.com Scarefest Alton Towers, Staffordshire, England www.altontowers.com Fright Nights Thorpe Park, Surrey, England www.thorpepark.com The Halloween Adventure Yorkshire, England www.thehalloweenadventure.co.uk Farmageddon Lancashire, England www.farmaggedon.co.uk Dr Fright’s Halloween Horror Nights Northampton, England www.drfrights.co.uk Spooky World Apple Jacks Farm, Warrington, England www.spookyworld.co.uk/ Tulley’s Shocktoberfest Scream Park West Sussex, England www.halloweenattractions.co.uk Frightmare Over Farm, Gloucestershire, England www.frightmare.co.uk
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Fright Fantastic Essex www.adventureisland.co.uk The Haunted Castle Warwick Castle, Warwickshire www.warwick-castle.co.uk Halloween Hocus Pocus Chessington World of Adventures, Surrey www.chessington.com Frightwater Valley Lightwater Valley Theme Park, Yorkshire www.lightwatervalley.co.uk Scaresville Kentwell Hall, Suffolk www.kentwell.co.uk/scaresville Halloween Howl Millets Farm Centre, Oxfordshire www.milletsfarmcentre.com Halloween Spooktacular Shugborough Hall Estate, Staffordshire www.shugborough.org.uk Halloween Ghost Train Swindon & Cricklade Railway, Wiltshire www.swindon-cricklade-railway.org Halloween Ghost Train Kirklees Light Railway, Yorkshire www.kirkleeslightrailway.com Hallowscream York Maze, Yorkshire www.yorkmaze.com Hell’s Gate Houldsworth Mill, Manchester Search Facebook for details Halloween Ghosts & Ghouls Vintage Bus Museum, Isle of Wight www.isleoffright.com Scareshow Church Farm, Wirral www.churchfarm.org.uk Halloween Spooktacular Thurleigh Farm Centre, Bedfordshire www.thurleighfarmcentre.co.uk
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Halloween Festival Redhouse Farm, Cheshire www.redhousefarm.co.uk The Spooky Spectacular Sacrewell Farm & Country Centre, Cambridgeshire www.sacrewell.org.uk Ghost Trains Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, Cumbria www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk Halloween Festival The Big Sheep, Devon www.thebigsheep.co.uk Broadwitch Haunt Fest Broadditch Farm, Kent www.spookycastle.co.uk Perilous Pirates Bournemouth, Dorset www.perilouspirates.com Castle Point Scarefest Canvey Island, Essex www.castlepointghosttours.co.uk En1gma Ellesmere Port, Cheshire www.scaretech.co.uk Vampire Beach Pleasure Beach Resort, Blackpool www.vampirebeach.co.uk Halloween Fear & Fun Rare Breeds Centre, Kent www.rarebreeds.org.uk Ghost Train Exbury Steam Railway & Gardens, Hampshire www.exbury.co.uk Tram of Terror Seaton Tramway, Devon www.tram.co.uk
Freak Week Hop Farm, Kent www.hopfarmfreakweek.co.uk Dudley Canal Horror Dudley, Birmingham www.dudleycanalhorror.co.uk Farmaphobia Causey Farm, County Meath, Ireland www.farmaphobia.com Haunted Spooktacular Grove Open Farm & Gardens, County Meath, Ireland www.grovegardensandopenfarm.com Terrorific Night Disneyland Paris, Paris, France www.disneylandparis.co.uk Halloween Fright Nights Walibi World, Biddinghuizen, Holland www.walibiworldhalloween.nl Phobia Mirabilandia, Ravenna, Italy www.mirabilandia.it/ The Horror House Movieland Studios, Verona, Itlay www.movieland.it Inferis Gardaland, Lake Garda, Italy www.gardaland.it Halloween Horror Fest Movie Park, Bottrop-Kirchhellen www.movieparkgermany.de Terenzi Horror Nights Europa Park, Rust www.horror-nights.de/ Halloween at Port Aventura Salou, Spain www.portaventura.com
Hallowscream Crealy Adventure Park, Devon www.hallowscream.co.uk
HALLOWEEN HOME HAUNTS
Halloween Horrors Babbacombe Model Village, Devon www.babbacombemodelvillage.co.uk
Scare Zone Northallerton, Yorkshire Search on Facebook
Bunker 13 Magna Science Centre, Yorkshire www.bunker13-live.co.uk
The Fear Horror House Copthorne, West Sussex www.thefearhorrorhouse.co.uk
October 2011- January 2012
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Coming 2012 Website live late 2011 52
October 2011- January 2012