The Haunted Report

Photos from the Steampunk Haunted Attraction

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:33:51 -0800

Was it scary? I don't know. Have any of you been? But I do know it's gorgeous. Enjoy the future of Haunted Attractions.....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoogal3/sets/72157622598780325/show/

HauntWorld and MapQuest Team Up

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:24:57 -0800

Why didn't HauntWorld go with Google? Mapquest seems a little 1990's to us. Just a thought.
They've teamed up with HauntWorld to provide a Haunted House search. Simply go to MapQuest.com and either type in a city or zoom in to a city. Click the ghost icon on the On Map Search Tool. Ghost icons will appear on the map indicating the location of Haunted Houses. Click on an icon for more information about a given Haunted House. (If you want more results, zoom out a little.)

Come meet me tonight!

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:48:06 -0800

Hey Gang!

Want to come meet me? Come on out to the Mohawk here in Austin, TX tonight. Come join me for the Austin, TX Blogger Meetup! I am happy to talk to any of you about any of things I blog about.

Why Hell Houses ususally suck - Anti-Gay Haunted House

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:10:15 -0800

"The Door Christian Center" owns and operates a fake Haunted House in Chandler, AZ just outside of Phoenix. This "church" portrays graphic deceptions of what they consider wrong in a campaign marketed in a way that borders fraud.

Hell houses are haunted attractions typically run by American, fundamentalist Christian churches. These fake haunted houses depict sin, the torments of the damned in Hell, and usually conclude with a depiction of heaven. They are almost always operated in the days preceding Halloween, in order to confuse unwilling patrons in to coming to the attractions. Hell Houses are not part of Halloween.

Special Halloween Episode! - Ghosthunting and Milkshakes

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:24:42 -0800

Central Texas Trio Pulls Back the Curtain on Paranormal Texas

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:21:36 -0800

Austin, TX - Central Texas Trio Pulls Back the Curtain on Paranormal Activity in Texas. The Ghosthunting team of Alexandra Parrish, David J. Neff and Aaron Bramley have been hunting ghosts for the last six months in Central Texas. Due to the recent rise in popularity of Ghosthunting this is not news in itself. But the twist is that they have the camera's rolling the whole time. And this is not your normal over the top Ghosthunting TV show. This one not only actually admits when they find nothing, they actually celebrate it. Welcome to the world of Ghosthunting and Milkshakes.

Ghosthunting and Milkshakes is the only Central Texas Paranormal TV Show. Combining scary locations, a game show attitude, with a dash of honesty and sarcasm along with a streak of authenticity, this show really sets itself apart from other Ghosthunting TV shows nationwide. Airing on Facebook, YouTube, iTunes and Time Warner Ch 16 Ghosthunting and Milkshakes reaches a wide audience of people nationwide. Do you like Ghost Hunting? Do you like Milkshakes? Well then this is the show for you. Ghosthunting and Milkshakes stars Alexandra Parrish, David J. Neff and Aaron Bramley. On they show they investigate supposed hauntings in Texas. At the end of every show they determine (based on the amount of evidence obtained) who will be the episodes victor. Will it be Alex, the Ghost-savvy believer? Or will it be David, our skeptic and non-believer? The loser will provide the winner with a victory milkshake from one of Austin's favorite venues which have included Amy's Ice Cream, Fry's Electronics and P. Terry's in past episodes.

In the first ever two part Halloween themed episode our team takes on Austin's Most Famous Haunted Location: The Driskill Hotel. Built in 1886 as the showplace of a cattle baron, The Driskill remains a landmark of legendary Texas hospitality. Located on Sixth Street in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas the luxurious, historic hotel is convenient to all that the city has to offer, including the Texas State Capitol, convention center, opera, symphony, fine dining, shopping, and Austin's 6th Street music scene. Is it really Haunted by the the spirit of a young girl bouncing a ball? The girl is believed to be the spirit of the daughter of a Senator who fell to her death down the hotel's grand staircase while chasing a ball. What about Jesse Driskill himself? His presence is supposedly accompanied by cigar smoke.

Tune in and find out the answer to these haunting questions along with quite a few other scary stories. Their ever growing audience is posting a ton of info on their Facebook and Twitter accounts as they wait. Won't you join them? I know we will as we help support these three Central Texans in their quest to pull back the curtain surrounding haunted Texas locations.

You can follow their adventures on their Blog at www.hauntedreport.com. On YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and on Time Warner Ch 16. For questions and interviews please contact David J. Neff at 512-789-5672 or ghosthunting@hauntedreport.com.

"SCREAM 2009" Premieres Tuesday, October 27 At 10 PM, ET/PT On Spike TV

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:33:26 -0800

Two vampire sagas thrived at night at "SCREAM 2009," the first and only event honoring the best in fantasy, sci-fi, comics and horror. "Twilight" sunk its teeth into four trophies, including best Fantasy Movie, with Breakout Performance winner Taylor Lautner on hand to unveil world premiere footage from the forthcoming "Twilight Saga: New Moon." Not to be outdone, HBO smash hit "True Blood" garnered four awards, with series creator Alan Ball and cast members Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgård, Sam Trammell and Rutina Wesley in attendance to accept their honors. The star-studded event was held at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and premieres on Spike TV on Tuesday, October 27 (10:00 PM - Midnight, ET/PT).

One of the night's highlights featured an on stage legend meeting an on screen icon, as Keith Richards was presented the SCREAM Rock Immortal award by Johnny Depp at Spike TV's "SCREAM 2009." The living legend, Rolling Stones guitarist and songwriter was greeted by a standing ovation before receiving his introduction to immortality from Depp, who famously patterned his Academy Award-nominated turn as Captain Jack Sparrow in "The Pirates of the Caribbean" movie trilogy after Richards.

Also on hand was Megan Fox, star of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," which captured five awards, including one for Fox's female lead performance. She accepted the award and reaffirmed her dedication to the franchise's continued success.

Legendary creator of some of the most famous comic book franchises in history, including Spider-Man, Iron Man and the X-Men, Stan Lee left the audience with mouths agape as the 86-year-old visionary arrived on stage via a giant spider to accept the Comic-Con Icon award from Peter Parker himself, Tobey Maguire.

A franchise that is certain to live long and prosper, the JJ Abrams reboot of "Star Trek" led the way with six honors, including the night's most prestigious, The Ultimate Scream, accepted by the original Captain Kirk, William Shatner.

The cast of the "Big Bang Theory" introduced a tribute to one of the decade's most influential science fiction series, "Battlestar Galactica." A moving cast reunion for a farewell tribute took place, featuring Edward James Olmos, Tricia Helfer, Grace Park, James Callis, Kate Vernon, Katee Sackhoff, Michael Trucco, Tahmoh Penikett and executive producer David Eick. Olmos led the crowd in a rousing rendition of "So Say We All" after thanking the passionate "Battlestar Galactica" fanbase for its support over the years.

Spike TV also debuted world premiere and exclusive never-before-seen footage from highly anticipated theatrical releases, including the upcoming Martin Scorsese directed "Shutter Island," which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tim Burton's "Alice In Wonderland" starring Johnny Depp, and the upcoming "Star Trek" sequel. Also presented was an extensive preview of the forthcoming ABC series, "V."

The fourth annual "SCREAM" event featured appearances by the industry's biggest stars including Jessica Alba, Kate Bosworth, Jennifer Carpenter, Eliza Dushku, Harrison Ford, Megan Fox, Morgan Freeman, Jackie Earle Haley, Hugh Jackman, Justin Long, Sam Raimi, John C. Reilly, Christina Ricci, Eli Roth, Liv Tyler and Elijah Wood, among many others.

"For one night only, The Greek Theatre became 'The Geek Theatre' as thousands of ravenous fans came together to celebrate their heroes and the films, TV shows and comics they love," said "SCREAM 2009" co-executive producer Michael Levitt.

For a complete list of winners and to view exclusive red carpet and backstage coverage of this year's "SCREAM," visit scream.spike.com.

Drunken Cop Hates Chainsaw Guy...news at 11

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:57:29 -0800

ESSEX, Md. - A Baltimore city police officer delivered the fright of a lifetime to a haunted house employee, pulling a gun on the chain-saw-wielding man at the end of his act, authorities said Monday.

Sgt. Eric Janik, 37, was charged with assault and reckless endangerment for pointing his service handgun at the worker, who was dressed as Leatherface, the killer from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," Baltimore County police said.

13 Real Haunted Houses

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:59:26 -0800

Check out this real article on 13 Haunted House in the US.

Throw a stone anywhere in Great Britain and you'll hit a haunted house. But there are plenty in every corner of the U.S., too. That's why for the 24th of our 31 specials for the 31 days of Halloween we're hitting the road to visit houses in our own backyards that have ghost stories attached to them. The tours and the official Web sites may not say too much about the specters seen in the houses, but the legends persist.

http://scifiwire.com/2009/10/13-real-haunted-houses-in.php

Nation's Best Haunted House Launches Two New Attractions and Teams Up with Non-profits to Give Back

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:32:11 -0800

(Austin, TX) - This Halloween season, The Mansion of Terror is opening two new Haunted House Attractions at its North Austin location. By also teaming up with local Non-profits, the Austin institution will help spread the word about volunteering and giving back to the community in Central Texas. The Mansion of Terror Haunted House is back with a vengeance for it's sixth season in Central Texas and is currently rated #1 in the country by Lionsgate Films (SAW, GAMER, A HAUNTING) and was selected as a Top 8 Haunted House in the US by The Travel Channel.

Eight non-profit organizations will receive a percentage of the proceeds from their designated night as a donation from The Mansion of Terror. The organizations will also have a chance to fundraise and recruit volunteers at the Haunted House.

Haunted House CEO Norm Glenn explains, "With the economy where it is, why pay 16.00 for two hours of so-so entertainment at a movie theatre? Instead pay only $15.00 for up to two hours of live, interactive entertainment." When asked about helping out Central Texas non-profits he goes on to explain that "I really thought that when the going gets tough is when we need to help out non-profits and the people they serve the most, that's what led to our Non-profit Nights".

"Our Haunted House Attraction has a group think mentality. All of the actors, builders and crew are involved in the process" says, general manager, Andy Baker. Baker goes on to say "We employ over 70 Central Texans throughout the whole year who do their part to shape the look and feel of the Haunted Attractions. From finding 10 foot steel cages on Craigslist to building and sculpting our own props, our Haunted Houses are shaped by Central Texas itself."

When visitors this year enter the Mansion of Terror they are faced with two options. One of those is Death Asylum: Zombie Carnage. Death Asylum features a truly twisted take on an insane asylum that is overrun with patients who have turned into Zombies. Complete with claustrophobic passageways, mazes, padded rooms, larger than life undead creatures and more.

The Mansion of Terror is Central Texas' only interactive Haunted House where visitors have to solve a puzzle to make their way through.

The second attraction this year is called Blood Frenzy II: Reign of Blood. Blood Frenzy II lets you explore the decaying farmhouse of Austin's own serial killer, Jon Eric Springwood. Over 99 Central Texas men and women have lost their lives to Jon Eric Springwood over the last 15 years. His final victim will lose her life and visitors must endure her painful last moments.

Springwood's bedrooms, his kitchen, his barn and his bathroom are all bloody reminders of what has happened here over the years. Will you make it out? Not without being baptized in blood. The same people who enjoy "Inglorious Bastards", "Saw", "Hostel" and other such films are going to find that Blood Frenzy II takes the idea to a new, interactive level.

The Mansion of Terror is also planning on teaming up with eight local non-profits for "Non-profit Nights" during October.

September 25th - Best Friends Animal Society

October 1st - Lights. Camera. Help.

October 2nd - Capital Area Food Bank
October 9^th - Goodwill Industries

October 10^th - Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas

October 16th - Carinos Foundation
October 23rd - Planet Cancer

November 13^th - SCARE for a CURE

###

The Mansion of Terror and it's two Haunted House open to the public on Sept 18th at a cost of $20.00 for visiting both Haunted Houses. There is also a $2.00 off coupon available all local Birds Barbershops, Alamo Drafthouses, Goodwill and Halloween Express locations. For more information visit us on the Web at www.mansionofterror.com or call our information hotline at 512-670-8452 Also be sure to add us on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, FriendFeed and MySpace.

Control the Scares with your iPhone

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:59:09 -0800

Tickets on Sale for Scare for a Cure!

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:10:46 -0800

Tickets are now available for SCARE for a CURE's Blood Ritual, a thrilling interactive haunt in Texas. Join a team of paranormal researchers and explore the mysteries and horrors of Dunstan Castle. Experience a twisted tale of demons, blood-lust, and a vampire's quest for world domination. Who has the courage and wits to save humanity, or end up as a snack at the vampires' victory party?

The brave souls who dare enter may guarantee their admission by securely purchasing tickets online at http://www.scareforacure.org. Because of the limited number of tickets available along with the length and intensity of the experience, timed and dated tickets are recommended. Tickets are available at the web site with limited availability at the door of the haunt which takes place at 7400 Coldwater Canyon Dr.

SCARE for a CURE offers three levels of scary experience for Blood Ritual: Regular admission, Red-level and Green-level tickets. SCARE for a CURE's haunted house is not recommended for children under 12. All performances (October 23-25 and 28-31) offer all experience levels for both the bravest and the faintest of heart.

Regular admission priced at $20.00 per person provides amazing thrills and chills in a 30-40 minute fear-filled adventure. Guests are admitted in groups of 4-6 guests at a time, and should come prepared to crawl and get messy.

Red-level tickets which are available for $25.00 per person are for fearless individuals who wish to more actively participate in their haunted adventure. This intense experience is more physically challenging fun for individuals who want to be taken to the extreme. Red-level participants should dress appropriately and be prepared to crawl, run, and be "bloodied".

For those not wanting the full-fledged SCARE adventure, a Green-level status is available with regular admission at the gate. Green-level groups will have a static experience similar to regular groups but toned down as much as possible, with less interaction and lower intensity.

SCARE for a CURE is an Austin-based charitable organization benefitting local cancer-related charities, "one SCREAM at a time!" Each year we produce Austin's only extreme, full contact, interactive haunted adventure that is guaranteed to chill the depths of your soul. Guests can expect a full contact adventure as they are guided through. No two groups have the same experience, as the decisions and actions of each group affect the outcome.

For more information, visit the SCARE for a CURE web site at http://www.scareforacure.org or contact media@scareforacure.org

Frank Beddor Marathon

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:58:39 -0800

Hey Gang,
The folks over at Automatic Pictures Publishing were nice enough to send us "Hatter M: Mad with Wonder Vol II" and "The Looking Glass Wars: Arch Enemy" by Frank Beddor. Let me tell you these are some really cool books and graphic novels. I read them both in a weekend. Frank has a great style of writing and from the looks of things he is the Jack White of the book world, with graphic novels, novels, films and trading cards all in his arsenal. Each book is set in a world where Alice in Wonderland is a real alternate reality to ours. But the person who wrote Alice in Wonderland got it all wrong form the spelling of Alice's name (Alyss) to who the Mad Hatter really was (a sect of royal body guards) .

I enjoyed the graphic novel a lot better than the book but was pretty lost jumping in at book two. My only negative would be that towards the end of the books Frank shoves a lot in. Trying to sell you on book 3 as well as the novels, the audio books, a iphone app and the trading cards. It's like a shamwow commerical at the end of a great book. All in all check it out. Not exactly horror, but a great dark alternate world.

So have any of you read all the books or graphic novels? What did you think?

Is Steampunk Scary?

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:49:29 -0800

What do you think? Is Steampunk scary? From our firends at io9.com:

Pittsburgh's ScareHouse has broken away from the usual zombies, mummies, and werewolves to bring thrill seekers steampunk-flavored scares, with mutants, rebel scientists, gunfire, and of course, plenty of gas masks.

This year, one of the ScareHouse's three Halloween "haunts" is Rampage, an attraction powered by steampunk concepts and design. Guests witness an uprising in a clockwork facility, where scholars and workers have long been oppressed by the wicked DieRector. They'll travel amidst the facility's grisly experiments, encounter mutants aplenty, and try to avoid getting caught in the crossfire between the rebels and the DieRector's militant forces. The ScareHouse's creative director Scott Simmons says that visually, Rampage borrows from Alien and Serenity in addition to more steampunky influences like Bioshock, and describes it as "much more aggressive and hard-hitting that anything we had done before."

Guinness Book of World Records Names Cutting Edge Haunted House, a Fort Worth, Texas Venue, the 'World's Largest Haunted House'

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:30:51 -0800

FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Guinness World Records recently declared Cutting Edge Haunted House of Fort Worth, Texas to be the "World's Largest Haunted House." The new Guinness World Record holder is now officially recognized as the longest walk-through haunted house in the world.

A Guinness World Records judge measured the distance of the horrifying haunted house from end to end and validated it as the longest walk-through haunted house on record. Todd James received the Guinness World Records certificate and chainsaws cut the ribbons that started the zombie celebration party in the haunted house's demented interior. For more information, please visit http://screams.eventnewscenter.com

"We are extremely excited that Cutting Edge Haunted House has received this honor from Guinness World Records and we are looking forward to treating our visitors to the most terrifying experience of their lives this Halloween," said Cutting Edge Haunted House CEO Todd James.

Cutting Edge Haunted House offers a unique setting for thrill seekers who are searching for a high-quality Halloween event. The haunted house is located in an abandoned meat-packing plant built in 1908. "Our downtown Fort Worth location is perfect for the most spectacular haunted house ever," James said. "The old meat-packing plant in downtown Fort Worth is a great home for the fantastic special effects that our loyal customers have come to expect."

It takes visitors an average of 55 minutes to explore Cutting Edge Haunted House. The walk-through is replete with frighteningly-realistic props. This year Cutting Edge Haunted House will feature amazing scares, including: Life size T-Rex Animation, Crazed Clowns, Giant Alligators, Texas Chainsaw Massacre Set, and lots of Spiders & Snakes.

Cutting Edge Haunted House has established a reputation for being one of the best haunted houses in the nation.

Now the new Guinness World Record has helped to solidify Cutting Edge Haunted House's standing as one of the country's best and largest haunted houses.

A copy of the Guinness Book of World Records page featuring Cutting Edge Haunted House is available at http://screams.eventnewscenter.com/contents/details/564-awards--quotes. For more information about the world's largest haunted house, please visit www.cuttingedgehauntedhouse.com