Prompt Cast
The Evolution and Controversies of Haunted House Attractions
TLDR Haunted house attractions have a long history, evolving from scare shows to incorporating special effects. They can be expensive to set up and safety is a major concern, with extreme haunted houses subjecting participants to intense and interactive experiences.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
This podcast episode is about haunted house attractions and how they are popular and profitable in the United States.
04:54
Haunted house attractions have a long history, dating back to ancient Egypt and the Greeks and Romans, and have evolved from scare shows during the dark ages to incorporating special effects during the Renaissance and Victorian era.
10:01
Dark rides, which were small buildings with painted black walls and special effects like popping skeletons or strobe lights, were the direct predecessors of haunted houses, which became popular due to the crumbling old houses in the 1800s and the influence of traveling freak shows.
14:34
Haunted houses in the United States were popularized by the J.C.'s in the 70s, and private companies started to profit from them in the 90s.
19:16
Haunted house attractions can have various themes, ranging from classic horror movies to serial killers or vampires and monsters.
24:21
Haunted house attractions can be expensive to set up, with costs ranging from $15 to $25 per square foot for decorations and special effects, and safety is a major concern due to a tragic fire incident in 1984 at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.
28:55
Safety is a major concern in haunted house attractions, as accidents can happen and people can get injured, such as an employee in 2011 who accidentally hung herself but survived with some brain damage.
33:21
Extreme haunted houses are so intense and interactive that they are often referred to as assault experiences, with one example being McKamey Manor in San Diego where participants are subjected to horrifying and physically demanding situations for up to seven hours.
37:49
Extreme haunted houses like McKamey Manor in San Diego subject participants to physically abusive and psychologically intense experiences, with no safe word and a requirement to stay until the end.
42:40
Hellhouses, which originated in the Dark Ages of Christianity and are now run by churches, aim to scare people into following a strict moral code and often include rooms depicting controversial topics such as abortion and homosexuality.
47:33
Haunted House attractions often have a designated spot where they take a photo of people's scared reactions, which has been a popular and funny tradition since 2011.
Categories:
Society & Culture
