As we’ve rounded the coroner, um, corner crossing the halfway to Halloween marker, it’s only appropriate to focus on fiendishly fun fear finds of this deliciously dark season. As we creep towards spooky-boo season 2018, please join ITM for a look back at found frights from years past.
For this first installment, we turn to Warner Bros. Studios. Their “Horror Made Here: Festival of Frights” Halloween event bestowed nightmares with experiences based on current and past horror film franchises.
“As night falls on Southern California, residents and visitors find themselves looking over their shoulders as the Warner Bros. Studio Lot turns up the Halloween fright in Los Angeles with the Horror Made Here Halloween event. Held only on weekends leading up to Halloween, this haunted tour takes guests on a frightful excursion through the scariest of all haunted house attractions in Los Angeles: the Neibolt House. Guests can also experience several haunted mazes and walk through haunted Hollywood sets from movies such as “IT,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and more. Horror Made Here is the destination for Los Angeles Halloween fun. Our backlot in Burbank is the perfect setting for friends to enjoy a festive celebration with all the frights and scare zones you could ever want. Whether you want to explore haunted houses or enjoy the Halloween themed gathering area with food trucks and drinks, we are the place for a fun-filled, frightful evening this Halloween season.” Horror Made Here website
Relative newcomer to the Halloween eerie events crowd, Warner Brothers Burbank California location celebrated its second spooky season in 2017. Transforming their backlot into a ghoulishly grand gala, the studio scared up screams with walk through frightmares, fiendish food, behind the scene specials and historic haunts. Studio tours, VR immersions, and makeup demos delivered additional excitement.
Monstrous Mazes
Haunted houses are a staple of the season. Warner Brothers tapped fear film frights from “IT,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” and “The Conjuring” as part of the 2017 chills. Popular Los Angeles “Where IT Lives” experience was reconstructed for the event:
Back Lot Boos
Already known for their backlot tour, WB amped up adrenaline for a nightmarish after dark delight. Taking fans “behind the lens,” the tour included spooky scenes from “Pretty Little Liars” (Radley Sanitorium), “Gremlins,” and “True Blood.” Terrifying tour stops also featured a peek into the past with visits to the sets of “House of Wax” and “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.”
Creepy Costumes
Sneak into Stage 48 for a deep dive into several sinister cinema creations. Props, costumes, and scripts from famous fear films prove a perfect creepy companion for the film based boo bash.
“At Stage 48: Script to Screen, guests got to see an up-close look at the original costumes and hand props that created some of the scariest moments in the horror genre, including Pennywise’s and the Losers costumes from “IT,” The Annabelle doll, and costumes worn by the demon Bathsheba in “The Conjuring,” plus an array of eerie pieces and collections that are too twisted to mention.”
-WB Studio Tour website
Though only two years old, Warner Brothers’ exciting entry into the realm of Halloween happenings seems to serve screams for years to come (the event will return for 2018). By focusing on fear fueled films, Festival of Frights finds its footing in the growing creepy cool crowd of October offerings.
Last year the cost for Horror Made Here: Festival of Fright was $69 per person (food and beverage extra). Warner Bros. Studio Tour is located at 3400 W. Riverside Dr. in Burbank California.
Source and images: Horror Made Here, ITM YouTube page, YouTube