OVERALL CONCEPT FOR “HAUNTED HOLLYWOOD” EXHIBIT 2005

The finest collection of  Horror, Sci-fi and Fantasy Film Artifacts comes to life in a one-of-a-kind interactive exhibit that not only is the most unique haunted house attraction that’s ever been assembled, but also is the most valuable collection of screen used artifacts ever seen.  Appealing to film fans both young and old, this show is a virtual walk-through history of Hollywood Horror.

Television director Rich Correll has spent 35 years gathering what historians now call the definitive film prop collection.  Featuring over 1300 masks and effects heads,  70 full size screen-used figures, numerous props and a “paper collection” that is the third largest in the world, this exhibit, valued at over three million dollars, covers every aspect of science fiction, horror and fantasy from the beginning of the film industry to the present.

Correll has taken the finest pieces from the collection and featured them in a high-tech, interactive, thrill-a-minute, walk-through attraction.  Pneumatic effects, sound, lighting, and even 3-D are used to create this ultimate horror film museum.  The screams (and laughs) are plentiful as visitors once again get a chance to say hello to their favorite screen nightmares.

All of the artifacts are depicted in realistic sets, along with individual soundtracks, lighting effects, original one-sheet posters, and labels explaining each character’s place in movie history.

Full “walk through” time, depending on how long individuals take to read the labels and history of each piece, could run 15 to 25 minutes. Haunted Hollywood is designed so that visitors are capable of bypassing slower traffic, allowing them to experience the exhibit at their own pace.

1.We start by walking through the center of LON CHANEY SR.’S  MAKE-UP ROOM.  On the left is seated a full-size figure of Chaney Sr. made from his own life-cast.  He sits by his make-up kit and several busts of notable characters from some of his silent films.  On the right stand 3 full-size figures of the Phantom of the Opera (1924), the Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), and “the Man in the Beaver Hat” from London After Midnight (1927). An AIR CANNON fires at the Phantom’s feet, sending us running toward the next exhibit.

 

2.We pass into a GRAVEYARD SET.  Standing in the fog is the infamous figure of Nosferatu (1922), followed by the screen’s most famous vampire, Bela Lugosi, in Dracula (1931). We enter a MAUSOLEUM where full size figures of other “Draculas” hide in the shadows…Christopher Lee, Horror of Dracula (1957),  and Gary Oldman, Bram Stocker’s Dracula (1992).  Even Barbara Steele, Black Sunday (1961), and Carol Borland, Mark of the Vampire (1935), show off their teeth in this exhibit.  But that’s not all.  PNEUMATIC CORPSES start to fly out of coffins, reaching for us as the “room of the dead” comes to life.

 

3.Next, we pass through a corridor of HANGING BODY BAGS…one of the most “disturbing” parts of the journey.  Not only do we have to weave our way through these disgusting remains, but without warning, several of them will “kick” and “squirm around” in their bloody bags.

 

4.Now we enter the FRANKENSTEIN LAB SET.  Right out of the original movie, this laboratory crackles with all kinds of ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.  Standing at 6’11’’, we see the full size figure of  Boris Karloff from Frankenstein (1931).  Also present are Basil Rathbone from Son of Frankenstein (1939), and Elsa Lanchester from Bride of Frankenstein (1935).  The Monster, as portrayed by Christopher Lee in Curse of Frankenstein (1957), is also there, along with Robert Deniro’s full body costume from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994).  Even Glenn Strange from Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) and Peter Boyle from Young Frankenstein (1975) are looming in the darkness.  An operating table covered only in “body parts” suddenly comes alive when one of the BLOODY APPENDAGES lunges out at us.   Our screams far surpass the screams from the set’s soundtrack.

 

5.Then we arrive at the EGYPTIAN SET featuring both the old and new versions of The Mummy, (1932) - (1999).  The wrapped, wilted figure of Boris  Karloff as Im-Ho-Tep stands braced against a sarcophagus wall.  This full size figure was also created from Karloff’s own life-cast.  No sooner have we wiped the dust off ourselves, that we notice the new version, half way through its mummy-to-man transformation and surrounded by all its sacred COCKROACHES.  Another SARCOPHAGUS flies open as a third MUMMY lunges toward us. It’s not over yet: the exit leads us through a maze of ancient COBWEBS.

 

6.Onto the WEREWOLF SET.  It starts with what looks like part of a bedroom, where a full figure of Lon Chaney Jr. sits in a large armchair.  Right before our very eyes, Chaney transforms from the character of Lawrence Talbot, into the Wolfman (1941).  As we continue on, we pass Henry Hull from Werewolf of London (1935), Michael Landon from I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957), several heads from An American Werewolf in London (1981), and two full size werewolves from The Howling (1981).  Out of the floor of the room pop up two more PNEUMATIC WOLFMEN, snapping at our feet.

7.The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954) SET is next.  Here, we pass by a glass case filled with original molds and costume pieces from this cult classic, as well as a full size statue of “The Creature”  from the studio’s original molds.

8.Now we enter the room featuring the CAVALCADE OF 1950’s SCI-FI HITS.  Some of the most recognizable and campy creatures from ‘50s horror films live here.  We see the Metaluna Mutant from This Island Earth (1956), The Colossus of New York (1958), both Vampira and Tor Johnson from Plan 9 from Outer Space (1956), a Saucer man from Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957), the Monster on the Campus (1958), the creature from I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957), and even James Arness himself in full costume and make-up from The Thing (1951).

As we continue our “’50s tour”, we come to a narrow HALLWAY of original VINTAGE 50’S MOVIE POSTERS hung on either side.  What we don’t realize is that behind several of them are the same monsters depicted in the posters. These posters have been designed to “fall,” allowing the monsters to lunge at us.

9.We cross under a “666” sign and into the POSSESSED ROOM.  It looks like a nursery that’s been home to some very nasty children.  In the center sits the effects dummy from The Exorcist (1973).  The bed starts to shake and bounce off the ground as the creature starts to turn its head 360 degrees.  We also see a full size figure of Pumpkinhead (1988), Pinhead from Hellraiser (1987), and two different “Chucky” dolls from Child’s Play 2 (1990) and Bride of Chucky (1998). Damien from The Omen (1976) is there, too.  On the floor our eyes are drawn to two Gremlins (1984) and four Critters (1986), making lunch out of a loose body part.  Best of all, as we stare at the items on the floor, a giant 8 foot wing span BAT flies out of the ceiling and stops a foot in front of our faces.  A guaranteed scream-getter.

10. Next up, the ALIEN SET.  In what looks like a foreboding, deserted space station, we’re greeted by the 9 foot “Host Alien” from Independence Day (1996) that pneumatically swings its 12 TENTACLES.  This, followed by a blast of a CO2 cloud, makes everyone a bit nervous to continue.  But we do, and come face to face with one of the collection’s most amazing pieces…the giant 16 foot “Queen Alien” from Aliens (1986).  Just seeing this amazing screen-used film prop alone is worth the price of admission.  But more warrior aliens from Alien 3 (1992) and Alien 4 (1997) are still lurking in the shadows, as is Sil from Species (1995).  The disgusting “Spider Head” from The Thing (1982) is also there.  A  pneumatic alien “Face Hugger” looks safe enough in its glass case environment, until it jumps at us.  For comic relief, there are even 5 original aliens from Mars Attacks (1998).

11.Now we come to one of the most amazing exhibits ever displayed- the HALL OF HEADS.  Here, over 1300 masks and effects heads line two sides of a 40 foot hallway…top to bottom.  Probably the largest and finest collection of its kind, this incredible walk-through represents every facet of horror, leaving us both terrified and awestruck.  Of course, letting no opportunity for a good scare go by, some of these heads aren’t just displays- but “fly” off the wall, taking us all by surprise.

12.LOBBY CARD HEAVEN is next. It’s another narrow hallway lined on both sides with over 3000 lobby cards encompassing the complete range of the history of Horror and Sci-fi Movies from 1911 through 2002.  A simply mind boggling display.

 

13.On to the ROGUES’ GALLERY.  Here, another group of full size figures from notable horror movies stand alongside glass cases featuring props from their films.  Terminator 2 (1991) is there with original endoskeleton parts. A Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), and Batman Forever (1995) display has props and costumes from those films.  The huge Predator (1988) shows off its armor and other pieces from that series.  Robocop (1986), Beetlejuice (1988), Army of Darkness (1993), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932), Salem’s Lot (1984),  X- Files (1998), Blade (2000), The Dawn of the Dead (1978), The House of Wax (1952), Jeepers Creepers (2001), The Elephant Man (1980), Star Trek 3 (1984), The Invisible Man (1932), Dick Tracy (1990), Lord of the Rings (2001), Planet of the Apes (1968 - 2001), and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) are there to name a few, as well as a full StarWars (1977- 2003) display featuring Darth Vader, C3PO, Boba Fett, Storm Troopers and Darth Maul.

 

14.The next stop is probably the most frightening: The MADMEN SET. Here, some of the screen’s weirdest psychos reside.  We cautiously pace through a musty old basement by statues (or are they?) of Jack Nicholson from The Shining (1980), Jason from the Friday the 13^th series (1980- 1990), and Michael Meyers from the Halloween series (1978- 2001).  Norman Bates is there too, Psycho (1961), seated in his dead mother’s rocking chair, as she lies at his feet.  Of course, we can’t forget Freddy Krueger, who stands next to a display case featuring various versions of his make-up and several “razor-gloves” from the Nightmare on Elm Street series (1984- 1993).

 

Lastly, we see the most famous madman of all, in the most familiar set.  We’re standing across from a glass-encased, stone-lined JAIL CELL.  We’ve come face to face with Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs (1991).  He is wearing a straight jacket and the movie’s famous “muzzle-mask”. As we move in for a better look, a BODY falls out of the ceiling and SNAPS to a stop revealing a noose around its neck.  Just another inmate that Lector drove to suicide.  Our only escape is through a dark doorway marked…

15.HANNIBAL’S MIND OF MADNESS.  We’ve now entered an exhibit that only the most depraved mind could have imagined… and one of the wildest walk-throughs ever.  Completely in 3-D, this horrifying interactive exhibit features a:

1.CLOWN ROOM, where various clowns, a giant jack-in-the-box, clown shoes and circus props all come to life and chase after us.

2.SKELETON ROOM, where 3-D skeletons of all shapes and sizes float past and over our heads, freaking us out.

3.SPIDER WEB ROOM, where blasts of CO2, 3-D webs, and giant spiders torment even our bravest patrons.  Aracnophobes beware…

4.BLOODY KITCHEN, where someone with a strange taste in cuisine has left body parts not only in the pots and pans, but all over the floor and walls. A loud bloody CUISINART springs to life.

5.BRICK WALL CORRIDOR, where several victims have been walled- up to the “last brick”, and only their eyes are left to peer through the darkness.  Watch out though; behind loose bricks may be clutching hands.

6.FAMILY PLOT, where Hannibal’s garden is growing all kinds of weird plants.  The “fertilizer” he uses is quite unorthodox, made up of various grizzly innards.  One of the bodies is not “resting in peace” so well as it springs out of the moldy ground at our faces.

7.GOTHIC CHAMBER, one of the most amazing 3-D exhibits ever.  We find ourselves walking down the middle of a room where the walls and ceiling rock, propelling 3-D corpses over and around us as various bony hands grab at our feet.  Unbelievable!

16.THE LAST STRAW.  So we got through okay, right?  Wrong.  Just as we start to catch our breath and head for the final exit, Leatherface, from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), runs after us with his famous SCREECHING CHAINSAW.  We leave the same way we came in…terrified, but having a great time and ready to get in line again.

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