Happy Halloween!!!
Last night I, Sue Blair, and her brother, David, went to a couple rural haunted houses. The first one we went to was pretty good. It was Darksyde Acres in Jonesville, just south of Hanover (Geoff will like this as Hanover figures in nicely to the evening later on). This place was pretty big with Zombieland playing on a projector against a large screen as you pull in. It cost $20 for three haunted houses (although it felt like we only went into two separate ones). The walk through was pretty sweet for the moderate amount of effects done. Most everything looked like it was cheaply done compared to other haunted houses I've been to but this was all done to brilliant effect. The zombie stripper on a pole was a definite stand out. I won't give away the best part of that, though.
After exiting the haunted houses, they had large bonfires set up and a band setting up. The band was obviously local amateurs and pretty badly trying to blend metal and ska. This would be the first detraction. Across from the stage area was a Zombie Shoot. This was cool. Some kid in Zombie mask and clothing runs around a target shooting gallery while you shoot paint balls at him. I pegged him in the throat! The kid was really cool about it. Said it was the best shot he had taken throughout the whole run. All in all a pretty good time.
There were some problems, though. The major detraction was the lack of signs on the main roads pointing you to the place. It took us a little too long to find the place and we had to stop and ask for directions. One other problem was the TV's they had set up to watch as you went along the line into the haunted house. All of them were running the DVD menu screens. A couple of cheap computers with VLC looping videos would be better. Lastly the band was horrible. I'm betting they had to let them play because of some relation. I get that. What I would do is spend a little money and get three other more high quality bands and then let this band open up. I would also get a proper PA and a decent sound guy. This bass players tone was so bright bouncing off the metal barns it hurt.
As we were leaving we asked the kind lady raffling off a hearse where we could get a burger and a beer. She sent us to Hanover. The place she sent us was the likely the only bar in Hanover and the place was one of those places where everything is simple and everyone knows everyone else. We were definitely given looks after coming in, but no one abused us. The burgers were ok, the fries better, and the beer weak. The crowd was definitely a who's who of all those tragic figures that end up stuck in small town bars for one reason or another. Bad karaoke to bad music over 22oz Bud Lights. Awesome! We even got accosted by the town drunk. It was definitely an experience I'll never forget.
The second haunted house was in Napoleon and called The Corpse Barn. This place was even more difficult to find. We honestly passed it three times before David saw the sign. We mentioned it to the lady who led us into the barn and she said their were zoning issues with signs that prevented them from really advertising. Weird. Anyhow, the drive up to the barn was almost scarier than the barn itself. Single lane drive with plenty of dark houses. Creepy. The barn itself was pretty small but they did pretty good with what they had. This was a family affair with kids in costume helping with the scares. They even had some stuff happening from underneath us that was genuinely frightening.
All said and done we had a good time. Darksyde I would definitely do again.
