CONTEST: Design a Character for Universal's Halloween Horror Nights

I know things have been quiet on this blog lately (although I do update the Facebook page from time to time), but I just heard about this contest and I wanted to share with all of you because it's pretty cool.

Basically, your task is to reimagine a classic Universal monster and submit your original character design - either a drawing or a written description - by 5:01 PM PST on July 1st. Starting July 2nd, the finalists will be up on the HHN Facebook page, where the contest will then be open to voting. The winner will see their monster come to life at a red carpet ceremony on opening night of Halloween Horror Nights 2013.

For more details, go here. Good luck! Break a fang!

Dead Inside? Redefining My Halloween Experience

This has been a hard post for me to write - clearly, since I've waited nearly a full month to write it. It all started when I went to the opening night of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights on September 21st. Haunted attractions (as I prefer to call them, to differentiate from locations that are rumored to be "actually" haunted) like these - and Universal's annual event in particular - have been a huge part of my Halloween experience for at least the last 5-10 years. Of course, I've been going to Knott's Scary Farm on and off since I was a little kid, around 7 years old, and while I always looked forward to it I was never devastated if I missed a year, and I never felt the need to seek out other haunts - Knott's easily filled my yearly quota for mazes and fog machines and actors in rubber masks.

Then I started this blog. At first I envisioned Spooky Little Girl as merely a place where I could talk about the horror movies I was currently watching and/or anticipating, and where I could point like-minded readers to noteworthy spooky events happening in the Los Angeles area. Then I discovered something interesting: There were SO MANY MORE haunted attractions in southern California than just Knott's and Universal. And as a journalist (of sorts), I could often get free passes to these events in order to review them on my blog!

The freaky floodgates opened and I started attending as many haunts as I could possibly fit into my schedule. Basically, I had little time for anything else - my weekends were packed between mid-September and the beginning of November. At first, I was in horror heaven. And then I started to feel a little lackadaisical about the whole thing; I was still excited, but it was hard not to feel like I was seeing the same things year after year. It was hard to ignore the fact that the "monsters" were just actors and the "mazes" were just painted plywood. I used to be incredibly jumpy - one of those people who screams at nearly every turn in the maze. Last year, I started to suspect that I was broken. Nothing scared me anymore. I had lost my scream. I was dead inside.

Last year, I told myself I would take a break from mazes and haunted attractions. At least for a little while.

Yet as the months rolled by and my beloved Halloween haunts started to loom on the horizon, I felt excited again. I couldn't wait to go to Universal and take a ride on the Walking Dead Terror Tram and revisit the La Llorona maze and experience the witch-themed scare zone. September 21st rolled around and Mr. Spooky and I happily headed out to the Valley for our annual dose of scares. Yet something curious happened. Something I had never fully experienced before.

We had just finished the Terror Tram and we paused on the walkway overlooking the backlot. I felt strangely empty. Not scared. Not intrigued. Not thrilled. Looking out at the sound stages and production offices, I felt an ineffable, powerful yearning to be a part of everything - to actually make films instead of just watching them or, at an even further remove, walking through mazes loosely based on them. I turned to Mr. Spooky and said these fateful words:

"I think I'm over haunts."

It was a weird, complicated feeling to finally confess this truth out loud. I felt relieved and sad and like I was finally growing up, but maybe I was a little depressed about growing up, but really I felt excited that I was finally ready to learn about things and maybe make some art instead of just experiencing things that interest me and scare me at a safe remove via an amusement park ride or maze.

I felt ready to experience Halloween in a new way - a way that doesn't involve having people in costumes jump out at me and startle me. Haunts have been such a focal point for me these past few years that the 31st has actually become an afterthought: Sometimes I don't even dress up on the day itself. More than once, Mr. Spooky and I have just stayed at home and watched scary movies instead of planning anything for our favorite night of the year. When people ask me what I have in store for Halloween, I've often felt confused: Halloween is beside the point, right? My objective was to go through as many mazes as possible!

Am I truly over haunted attractions for good? It's hard to say. Maybe in a year or two I'll feel like going to Knott's again, or I'll pine for the Haunted Hayride, or there will be a new haunt that tickles my fancy. I'm certainly not writing them off entirely. But I can say, with complete confidence, that I am over haunts for now.

So where does that leave me for the rest of this Halloween season? It is, after all, still my favorite time of year.

Tuesday is my birthday. I'm going to see an advance screening of Paranormal Activity 4. On the 20th, Mr. Spooky and I are heading to Vegas to tie the knot in a gothic garden wedding ceremony. Beyond that, I'm not entirely sure.

I want to see Sinister and V/H/S. I'm still looking forward to the Halloween rerelease at the end of the month. Of course, staying home and watching scary movies on TV will always be a great way to spend any given October night (Hot Tip: TCM is showing a slew of Hammer horror flicks on Wednesday!). But what else?

Here are a few more non-haunt-related Halloweenie activities I'm looking forward to as I start to redefine the holiday for myself:

• October 24 - Dead Men DO Tell Tales @ the Last Bookstore: An awesomely weird combo of sex ghost lecture/slideshow presentation, films by the Art of Bleeding and performances by Rosemary's Billygoat and a band that does sci-fi theremin music. Sex ghosts?!!
• October 25-31 - Monster Mansion @ the Magic Castle: If you or someone you know has a Magic Castle membership, you need to go the last week of October. Classic monsters will be roaming the halls, and guests are encouraged to come in costume! The Magic Castle is one of my favorite places in the entire world. I celebrated my birthday here last year and it truly was magical.
• October 27 & 28 - Victorian Halloween and Mourning Tours @ Heritage Square: Learn about the Spiritualist movement, Victorian funerary customs and mourning etiquette in a gorgeous period-authentic setting. I've always wanted to do this and have never been able to find the time...until now.
• End of October/beginning of November - Dia de los Muertos events: I would love to experience all of the cool Day of the Dead events offered around L.A. this time of year. Perhaps we'll actually make it out to the always-crazy-crowded Hollywood Forever event on October 27?!

More than anything else, I am finally learning the truth that lies in all those treacly Christmas specials: Halloween isn't something you can buy in a store. Halloween isn't something you can purchase a ticket to, or something you have to venture out to find.

Halloween, my spooky sisters and brothers, is in your heart.

Universal Halloween Horror Nights 2011 - Part II

I was crazy excited to go to Halloween Horror Nights this year, not only because it means that the BEST TIME OF THE YEAR has arrived, but also because I missed last year's HHN thanks to one super bitchy ruptured appendix. (Yes, that's right - my appendix decided to burst halfway through October last year, and the subsequent two weeks that I was forced to spend recovering in bed put a serious damper on all of my 2010 Halloween plans.) I was particularly excited for this year because there are six mazes in addition to the Terror Tram - all of them new, apart from the Rob Zombie maze, which I obviously missed last time around. If your Halloween activity funds are limited and you have to choose between Universal's HHN (the hotshot upstart) and Knott's Scary Farm (the venerable haunt institution), it usually comes down to quality vs. quantity - do you prefer to have your pick of a dozen or more mazes at Knott's, or would you rather enjoy the crazy high quality of the makeup and sets at Universal? But with six mazes plus the tram and five scare zones, Universal is making a genuine effort to "up their game," as it were, even further.

In Part I of my coverage of HHN this year, I explored the behind-the-scenes work that goes into making each blood-spattered rotting corpse look just so. But we all know you really came here for one thing: To find out how everything looks in action. To that end, here are my thoughts on each maze, ranked in order from favorite to least favorite:

1. La Llorona: Villa De Almas Perdidas: For some reason that I can't figure out (apart from the obvious link that he is a Mexican movie star and La Llorona is a legendary Mexican ghost story), Diego Luna served as the creative consultant on this maze. Well, I no longer care why or how he was recruited - all I know is that he did an awesome job and that this was my favorite maze of the night! La Llorona is a story more sad than scary, in which a lovestruck woman drowns her children to please a man and then is cast aside by him, but the maze manages to squeeze every last drop of terror out of the premise. From the candlelit adobe church facade to the lake where the children were drowned (and their lifeless bodies still float, face-down and motionless), this maze has both understated ghostly scares and classic funhouse "JUMP OUT ATCHA!" moments. Loved it, and hope there's a movie in the works!
2. Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses: In 3D ZombieVision: While Knott's usually offers 2 or 3 3D mazes each year, this is the only one I've ever experienced at Universal. (By the way, THANK YOU, Universal, for offering 3D glasses free of charge! Loved not having to rummage around for that extra dollar. Seriously.) As always, I am a sucker for all things Rob Zombie, and therefore I totally enjoyed this walk through the twisted Technicolor world he created in his first directorial effort. The 3D was a nice touch, and the Captain Spaulding stand-in was particularly inspired. (But what was up with Otis's wig?!) This wasn't excruciatingly scary - although I did jump and scream during an encounter with Dr. Satan - but I loved every second of it.
3. The Thing: Assimilation: I'm going to confess something: I'm not that familiar with The Thing. I love John Carpenter, but somehow I managed to avoid this movie until just over a month ago. I actually really dug it, even though it's basically Alien in Antarctica, but I'm no lifelong fan, so my opinion is pretty unbiased. And let me tell you, this maze rules! This was the longest line of the night for us by far, but I have to say it was worth it in the end. The frigid, snowy setting and the claustrophobic unpleasantness of being stuck in a room with a giant, bloodthirsty, shape-shifting alien make for a great maze, and the creature itself was huge and scary and constantly popping out where you'd least expect it. You may want to tackle this one toward the beginning of the night to avoid those outrageous lines later on.
4. Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare: The second maze of the night (along with La Llorona) that's not, to my knowledge, based on a film. Instead, this one is "a terrifying trip through Alice Cooper's twisted mind." From what I can tell, Alice Cooper's fears include spiders, snakes, sexy nurses and his own face, because nearly every actor in this maze has been made up to look like Alice himself. The theme for this one wasn't as focused - basically, just nightmarish scenarios set to Alice Cooper's music - but it was still a lot of fun. Warning: You will probably get his songs stuck in your head after this. I've had "Welcome to My Nightmare" in mine for five days now. Gahhhh!
5. The Wolfman: The Curse of Talbot Hall: I loved this maze, but I had to put it near the bottom of the list simply because it's the maze that takes place inside of Universal's year-round House of Horrors, and any HHN fan will tell you that they don't change the House of Horrors too drastically for the Halloween season. Basically, they take their standard House of Horrors, with its regular props and layout - which, don't get me wrong, is super fun and well-done and open all year round to boot - and integrate a character by throwing in a few more vampires or evil Chucky dolls (or, in this case, Wolfmans - Wolfmen?) than usual. Still, seriously, the House of Horrors rules and so does the Wolfman! It's always nice to include a nod to one of the classic Universal monsters at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, for this maze we had the incredible good fortune of being behind a very skittish boy in his early teens. If you ever get the chance to go through a maze with a 13-year-old male who screams like Ned Flanders, don't pass it up!
6. Eli Roth's Hostel: Hunting Season: Sorry dudes - I skipped this one. It was a combination of very long lines, the fact that it was almost 1 AM and the fact that, you know...I just don't care for this sort of thing. At the makeup demonstration, John Murdy said that year after year, fans want their horror and their mazes to be "more and more extreme." I am not one of those fans, but if you are, I'm sure this maze will be right up your alley. [Fair Warning: Prepare to have a gun pointed in your face. My friend who did walk through the maze was quite disturbed by this, so I figured I would pass the word along.]
   

In addition to the mazes, there's also a brand new theme for the Terror Tram this year: Scream 4 Your Life. I dig the Scream movies, although I have yet to see the 4th installment (out on DVD next week!), and the Terror Tram is the most unique "maze" experience that Universal has to offer, but it was essentially the same as in years past. I'm not complaining - in fact, I don't think I'll ever get tired of walking past the Psycho house and interacting with "Norman Bates" in person, because I'm just that big of a Hitchcock geek - but it lacked the thrill it had for me in 2008 and 2009. It was also crazy crowded this year; it felt like the entire population of the San Fernando Valley was trudging slowly across the backlot while the monsters stood by, unsure of how to pace their scares with such a huge glut of people to contend with. Despite these minor quibbles, the Terror Tram is still an absolute must, especially if you've never been to HHN, or haven't been in a while.

The "Scare Zones" this year were pretty straightforward: Scream (i.e., Ghostface Killers with knives), Freakz, Klownz (with chainsaws), Reapers (with chainsaws) and Zombieville. I loved Zombieville, which recreates a town overrun by - you guessed it - the undead, and Freakz, which has that "dark carnival" vibe that I dig so much, the most.

Overall, Universal's Halloween Horror Nights continues to reign supreme when it comes to seasonal scares in southern California. HHN has the best mazes, the best makeup and the most talented actors. When it comes to scaring the shit out of people, they're still the ones to beat.

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary passes to review this event.

Universal Halloween Horror Nights 2011 - Part I

Halloween is here! Yeah, it's still September, but Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights opened for business last Friday, and that means the season is officially upon us. Before I get into my review of this year's offerings, I wanted to do a quick recap of the very cool fx makeup demonstration I was invited to attend at the beginning of September.

After a quick intro by HHN creative director John Murdy, we were ushered into a room filled with costumes, prosthetic devices, wigs, false teeth and several live actors being transformed into hideous ghouls by nimble-fingered makeup artists. It was fun to witness the painstaking process of turning otherwise pleasant and attractive people into terrifying creatures or extraordinarily unfortunate victims. All makeup is custom-created for Universal, which makes the work of the makeup artists absolutely invaluable. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day (photography credit goes to Mr. Spooky):

Eww! I believe both of these were for the Hostel maze.

Now this dude is definitely from the Hostel maze - a maze which features "props cast from Eli Roth's personal collection of original Hostel movie props."

Dr. Satan on the right, scary horse-faced lady in the middle. She made a couple of appearances in the La Llorona maze. Very creepy!

Everything is custom-made by hand, right down to the false teeth!

Poor Brain Surgery Jerry, getting prepped for the House of 1000 Corpses maze.

La Llorona in progress.

And finally, an actor being transformed into Alice Cooper for his "Welcome to My Nightmare" maze. P.S. I love the makeup artist's hair and glasses!

"But Spoooooky," I hear you pleading, "how were the mazes?!" Okay, seriously. Calm down. I'm getting to that...but not in this post. Horror fans love sequels, right? So stick around for Part II!

Universal's Halloween Horror Nights 2009

Oh, Knott's...you know I love you. You'll always hold a special place in my heart - you were my first, after all. But when it comes to southern California amusement-parks-turned-haunted-attractions, you've got some serious competition from Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.

Admittedly, I'm a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to HHN. Apart from one lone year of attendance some 15+ years ago, which I remembered as vaguely disappointing, last year was my first HHN experience, and to say that I was blown away would be an understatement. First of all, when compared to other haunts in the area, Universal is absolutely terrifying. Granted, they have fewer mazes than Knott's - only 4, plus the amazing Terror Tram (and 6 scare zones) - but what they lack in quantity they more than make up in quality.

What is it about Universal's take on the Halloween season that makes it stand out from the crowd? Part of it is the setting: The Psycho house, the Bates Motel, a plane crash set from War of the Worlds and the park's House of Horrors attraction are all used to maximum effect. Part of it is the attention to detail; the mazes here are immersive and all-encompassing, tantalizing (and terrifying) every sense. Part of it is the caliber of actors they hire at the park. Is it because these "scareactors" are Hollywood hopefuls or simply because Universal has higher standards? Either way, every last chainsaw-wielding maniac in the park seems admirably committed to staying in character. And, finally, part of it is the fact that Universal has the luxury of creating mazes that evoke specific horror movies, which gives the proceedings a unique thrill. I don't know about you, but seeing Norman Bates and Michael Myers in the flesh is a little bit like a celebrity sighting for me. I practically want to ask for their autographs.

Here are my detailed reviews of the mazes, ranked in order from best to worst, according to my personal preference:

1. Terror Tram: Live or Die! Last year, the Terror Tram was loosely Freddy Krueger-themed; this year, the host/primary antagonist is "Billy, Jigsaw's messenger of doom from the Saw horror film franchise." [Full disclosure: Despite the fact that I absolutely love horror, I can't stand the Saw movies - I find them completely uninteresting.] Obviously, last year's Terror Tram was better. That being said, holy @#$!, the Terror Tram is awesome! This is the best maze/haunted ride I've experienced to date, bar none. Lots of scares, a creative use of the Universal backlot's natural terrain, and yes, the opportunity to see the Bates Motel and the Psycho house up close and personal. It warms the cockles of my heart - until I run away screaming, of course. Oh, and it lasts a good 15-20 minutes. Honestly, if this were the only attraction that Halloween Horror Nights offered, I would still want to go.
2. Halloween: The Life and Crimes of Michael Myers: OMG OMG A HALLOWEEN MAZE!! My anticipation level for this maze was off the charts. As I remarked to my boyfriend in line, "I'm so happy right now. How often do you get to see your favorite movie of all time in maze form?!" The maze begins when you cross the threshold of the Myers house, but the fun begins before that: Michael's murder of his sister plays out in silhouette on one of the home's upstairs windows. Once inside, you feel instantly transported to 1978 Midwestern suburbia. (Is that The Thing I spy playing on the television?! That is, of course, the movie playing on TV on Halloween night in the original film.) You wind your way past little Michael standing over the body of his sister, Michael's bedroom door (plastered with photos of clowns and "KEEP OUT" scratched into the woodwork in a nod to Rob Zombie's reimagined version), a creepy kitchen, etc. There is a very convincing Dr. Loomis warning you not to enter Smith's Grove, the asylum from which Michael escapes. You'll see Lynda strangled by ghost Michael, wearing Bob's glasses. They even remembered Halloween III: Season of the Witch, also known as "the Halloween without Michael Myers." Brilliant! If you're a fan of the series, this maze is a must. You won't be disappointed.
3. Chucky's Funhouse: Okay, I feel the need to clarify something here: I'm not a fan of Chucky or the Child's Play movies - but especially Chucky. Last year, his role at HHN was to hurl insults at the crowd very, very loudly; this year, he gets his own maze. Luckily for him, it's housed inside of the House of Horrors, a year-round attraction that Universal jazzes up for the holiday. (Last year it paid tribute to classic monsters, which is far preferable...but I digress!) The House of Horrors is inherently spooky and an effective setting for a maze. Thus, Chucky's Funhouse scared me silly. Fortunately, like the Saw-themed Terror Tram, you can certainly enjoy this maze even if you don't enjoy its namesake. Watch out for the line, though - that's where Chucky gets his big opportunity to, you know...hurl insults at the crowd very, very loudly. Ha ha?
   
4. My Bloody Valentine: Be Mine 4 Ever: Despite the cheesy name, this is a very cool maze. The movie on which it's based is a fun but forgettable little trifle, but the mine setting really works. Watch out for that pickaxe!
   
5. Saw: Game Over: I've already made my feelings about Saw abundantly clear, so it should come as no surprise that the Saw maze (not the same as the Terror Tram, mind you!) was my least favorite of the night. Still, it was a lot more fun than watching one of the 4,527 Saw movies - but when set against the other mazes, this one pales in comparison. Oh, and the whole thing smells terrible. Yes, I know it's intentional, but ugh!

In addition to the mazes, there are a few really cool scare zones. My favorites were "Freakz," featuring demented carnival escapees including one spectacular stilt performer, and a positively inspired tribute to Shaun of the Dead, which has a real-life Shaun brandishing a cricket bat and leading Zombie Ed around on a kiddie harness. Brilliant!

If you only visit one Halloween theme park attraction this year, make it Halloween Horror Nights. It is truly as close to actually being in a scary movie as one could hope to get - and I, for one, can't wait to see which horror movies they'll bring to life next year.