Scare Attractions

[Clint Hollow]

Beamed in from the States, Scare Attractions are beginning to take off over here. Essentially they are site-specific, walk-through pieces where effects and actors try to shit you up.

http://www.pasajedelterror.co.uk/ at the Trocadero

http://www.thelondonbridgeexperience.com/

http://www.londonsdeathtrap.com/ County Hall, Westminster - London

and Tom Spindler's stuff, which sounds deeply creepy -

http://hauntedattractions.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=586&Itemid=34

When done well these kinds of attractions render most modern horror films obsolete. For a decent guide to this kind of thing, check out http://www.hauntedattractions.co.uk/

Anyone a fan?

[variant]

I went to Terror On Church Street in Florida years ago and it was ace. Even went back a couple of years later with a different group of people and it was still great. I've since learned that it closed down though...I'm guessing because of the cost of all the actors/make-up costumes etc. They also had Freddie Kruger, Jason, Hannibal Lector and Norman Bates in there (among others) so maybe these weren't licensed correctly.

Anyway - yes, I liked that one at least. What are the UK ones like?

[The Boston Crab]

These were popular when I first went to China but seemed to have died out. I remember taking groups of my students out and they loved it. Really intense as you're very much an active participant, unlike with ghost train/movie. The only thing I'd be concerned about is someone involuntarily lashing out when they're grabbed by the ankles. Maybe you're not allowed to grab people in this country.

[Marvin]

It varies, a lot of these have caught on at theme parks in recent years and most are 'no touching' both ways, but Thorpe Park and a lot of independant ones warn you that the actors will touch you (and they do). My brother has been an actor in these at Thorpe Park and Alton Towers previously, as well as designing his own one last year so I've been to a few.