Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (HHN 2024)

[viking_wizard_eyes]

I've brought this up before

Do you guys really get scared in any house?

Doesn't matter. The event is Halloween Horror Nights, not Halloween Popular Franchise Nights.

It's probably a small number of people who actually get scared in any house, but that doesn't mean you should aim for material that isn't scary. That's self-defeating. It also makes for bad houses, and there is a track record.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Doesn't matter. The event is Halloween Horror Nights, not Halloween Popular Franchise Nights.

It's probably a small number of people who actually get scared in any house, but that doesn't mean you should aim for material that isn't scary. That's self-defeating. It also makes for bad houses, and there is a track record.

did you see the film?

Like you people are acting like this film is some colorful fun film

Sure it has jokes it like the OG ghost busters has some pretty scary looking monster designs along with the funny ones and scenes that were pretty tense

Also chucky maze was loved and it was all gags pretty rare on the scary part, so think you guys are forgetting not everything has to be super scary to be enjoyed

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

did you see the film?

Like you people are acting like this film is some colorful fun film

Sure it has jokes it like the OG ghost busters has some pretty scary looking monster designs along with the funny ones and scenes that were pretty tense

Also chucky maze was loved and it was all gags pretty rare on the scary part, so think you guys are forgetting not everything has to be super scary to be enjoyed

Scary is subjective. What one person finds scary, another person might find not to be scary. But there’s a big difference between material that *tries* to be scary, and material that *doesn’t* try to be scary. Chucky had gags, yes. But it was also violent, mean-spirited, and disturbing, like the hospital scene with the lady who had syringes all in her face.

You’re not gonna find anything like that in a Ghostbusters house because Ghostbusters isn’t trying to be scary, let alone violent or disturbing or mean-spirited. And when you try to bring something like that into a *horror* event, it doesn’t work. We’ve seen it before.

So I just completely disagree with you. Scary material — material that is *trying* to be scary — should be a prerequisite for HHN. Ghostbusters doesn’t meet that mark, no matter how enjoyable it is. Again, the event is Halloween Horror Nights, not Halloween Enjoyable IP Night.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Scary is subjective. What one person finds scary, another person might find not to be scary. But there’s a big difference between material that *tries* to be scary, and material that *doesn’t* try to be scary. Chucky had gags, yes. But it was also violent, mean-spirited, and disturbing, like the hospital scene with the lady who had syringes all in her face.

You’re not gonna find anything like that in a Ghostbusters house because Ghostbusters isn’t trying to be scary, let alone violent or disturbing or mean-spirited. And when you try to bring something like that into a *horror* event, it doesn’t work. We’ve seen it before.

So I just completely disagree with you. Scary material — material that is *trying* to be scary — should be a prerequisite for HHN. Ghostbusters doesn’t meet that mark, no matter how enjoyable it is. Again, the event is Halloween Horror Nights, not Halloween Enjoyable IP Night.

If it’s subjective then there is no argument

Ghost busters fits because someone can be scared of it

The new film has moments of horror and tense scenes and definitely monsters that would scary people face to face

It’s cool you don’t like it but if the house gets time similar to chucky I’d say we are splitting hairs and just arguing for the sake of arguing

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

If it’s subjective then there is no argument

Scariness is subjective. Whether or not something is *trying to be scary* is definitely not subjective. You could not faithfully argue that Ghostbusters is trying to scare people in the same way as Chucky. That would be obtuse.

Ghost busters fits because someone can be scared of it

So? Pogonophobia is the fear of beards, that doesn’t mean there should be a Duck Dynasty house at HHN.

The new film has moments of horror and tense scenes and definitely monsters that would scary people face to face

It’s cool you don’t like it but if the house gets time similar to chucky I’d say we are splitting hairs and just arguing for the sake of arguing

You can find moments of horror in just about anything. That doesn’t mean it’ll be a good house. If something only has “moments” of horror in it, that means you have to fabricate things in order to sustain the house. That’s exactly why I think Ghostbusters failed last time. It’s a comedy they tried to make into horror. It didn’t fit the franchise; it didn’t fit the event.

 

[Jerroddragon]

then please don’t go in the house, let the line be smaller

I won’t be surprised if this is my favorite maze like the former
So I’m Bally with this sorry it’s causing some of you pain, thoughts and prayers

 

[Spookies n' Stuff]

It’s a comedy they tried to make into horror. It didn’t fit the franchise; it didn’t fit the event.

Ghostbusters as a movie itself is a comedy yes, but stuff like the library ghost and the demon dogs are scary moments in an otherwise funny movie, and thats most of what the house focused itself on. It's not like the house was full of recreations of Ray and Venkman talking about second mortgages, it's a funny movie about ghosts with some spooky atmosphere in places and creatures that lends itself to an attraction.

Taking issue with Ghostbusters is like taking issue with Beetlejuice or Killer Klowns, they're all funny movies about supernatural things with a handful of creepy imagery and moments that fit the halloween party atmosphere of the event. You can want something grittier personally, heck this is currently the maze I'm the least interested in, but claiming its objectively unfitting for the event is just kinda wrong.

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

Ghostbusters as a movie itself is a comedy yes, but stuff like the library ghost and the demon dogs are scary moments in an otherwise funny movie, and thats most of what the house focused itself on. It's not like the house was full of recreations of Ray and Venkman talking about second mortgages, it's a funny movie about ghosts with some spooky atmosphere in places and creatures that lends itself to an attraction.

Taking issue with Ghostbusters is like taking issue with Beetlejuice or Killer Klowns, they're all funny movies about supernatural things with a handful of creepy imagery and moments that fit the halloween party atmosphere of the event. You can want something grittier personally, heck this is currently the maze I'm the least interested in, but claiming it’s objectively unfitting for the event is just kinda wrong.

It’s not even about “grittiness” though, it’s 100% about tone, intent, and execution. Poltergeist isn’t a gritty movie, but thematically, it fits — and that’s a movie with plenty of humor and levity. The difference with Ghostbusters is it’s a farcical comedy; even those scenes you mention have a slapstick aspect to them. HHN took that material, adjusted the default settings and tried to make it scary. In my opinion, it failed, and I think it will fail again.

And that is just my opinion — I’m definitely not trying to be “objective” about that aspect. However, Ghostbusters is still objectively *not* trying to scare its audience in the same way as a horror film, despite having supernatural subject matter. I’m sorry, saying otherwise is just categorically incorrect. They’re summer popcorn movies for families.

Also I didn’t experience Beetlejuice so I can’t have an opinion, but I was skeptical of it for similar reasons. KKFOS — as much as we look at it today as a hokey, so-bad-it’s-good thing, the filmmakers were 100% trying to make a scary horror film, which I think is evident in the material (and the house) despite few if any people finding it scary. That’s the difference I’m talking about.

 

[DTH]

I'll skip over the "what's horror" debate, as I've treaded that territory one too many times. Needless to say, according to my own personal tastes, I've never been wrong lol. Sadly, I've come to find my anticipation list is almost fairly close to my favorites of the year list. I think the only times I've been a bit off is Dracula Untold and Face Off, which were both unexpectedly great -- but even then, mid-tier for the year they were in (2014 was pretty dang good).

I kinda wish this was in a soundstage -- scratch that, sounds like a waste -- I wish it was swapped with A Quiet Place's location. I feel the cold aspect would work better in a building instead of a tent. Speaking of swapping, Weeknd should switch with whatever Universal monster maze we're getting -- they actually filmed those movies in SS12, it would be as full circle as it gets.

 

[JunoSynth]

KKFOS — as much as we look at it today as a hokey, so-bad-it’s-good thing, the filmmakers were 100% trying to make a scary horror film, which I think is evident in the material (and the house) despite few if any people finding it scary. That’s the difference I’m talking about.

This is incorrect. 1:24 - The directors themselves cite Looney Tunes, Marx Bros and Mad Magazine as part of their influence for the movie. They definitely were not going for a scary horror film but a comedy Horror film. It's also acknowledged a few seconds earlier as Comedy Horror.

I've been reading through your arguments and a lot of them were just subjective opinions on why GB shouldn't be there so I'm not really convinced. Sounds like you just don't like GB as a HHN house. Which is fine, you have your own tastes. But I believe it has every right to be there due to the fact that it's a comedy Horror house like Beetlejuice and KKFOS.

Your argument that it's Halloween Horror nights and not Enjoyable IP night might may have held some weight years ago but times have changed since then. Comedy horror houses are now part of HHN so that style of movie fits right into the event currently. A more precise description of the current event would be Halloween Horror/ Comedy Horror Nights.

 

[chris.g]

We never got Beetlejuice. KKFOS was also arguably, actually scary compared to the glorified zone > house Orlando got. Ghostbusters doesn’t belong in Hollywood imo.

 

[pumpkinbot343]

With this and 2010 Elm Street, This is the End, Hollywood sure has some weird ideas for houses.

 

[Spookies n' Stuff]

We never got Beetlejuice. KKFOS was also arguably, actually scary compared to the glorified zone > house Orlando got. Ghostbusters doesn’t belong in Hollywood imo.

imo its an execution thing, I think ghostbusters can be made scary, its just a question of how the house is designed. I think the major hurdle here isn't the source materials roots in comedy but rather the fact that outside of the AWiL puppets, they havent really gotten a hold of how to actually do effective scares with big animatronics or cumbersome suits. The rumor of this being in the H lot location also doesnt give me a lot of confidence given you'd kinda hope for a bit more scale to the sets than those tents allow, but who knows.

Either way i'd bet good money you can expect a bajillion of said animatronics/puppets/cumbersome suits having water effects to simulate getting blasted with ice or slime.

 

[chris.g]

Got to say - it’s hilarious how even in speculation the hate for this IP wasn’t this straight forward lol.

 

[Lc.]

I never did Krampus but this with the ice/snow enivorments, comedy, and cooky mon...ghosts, it may feel similar to that in vein. I think that would be cool to experience

 

[JunoSynth]

We never got Beetlejuice. KKFOS was also arguably, actually scary compared to the glorified zone > house Orlando got. Ghostbusters doesn’t belong in Hollywood imo.

I stand corrected on Beetlejuice. I looked at the History of Hollywood and it definitely has a more serious tone when it comes to the houses. However now that KKFOS and GB has already been there it still seems like they want to start including Comedy Horror with a stronger focus on the horror part. I wouldn't be surprised if an original comedy horror house appears eventually.

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

This is incorrect. 1:24 - The directors themselves cite Looney Tunes, Marx Bros and Mad Magazine as part of their influence for the movie. They definitely were not going for a scary horror film but a comedy Horror film. It's also acknowledged a few seconds earlier as Comedy Horror.

This interview is from three months ago. KKFOS remains relevant because modern audiences find it funny, so of course the Chiodos Brothers lean into that. (It's the same reason why Tommy Wisaeu calls The Room a comedy now.) But we're almost 40 years after the fact. The archival press and interviews are different. It was a midnight movie made by L.A. punks, not a PG summer blockbuster.

Also, a horror movie having comedic influences is extremely common. In fact, it's rare find a horror movie made in the last 50 years that doesn't have some kind of comedic touch, even if it's extremely subtle. The final sequence from Trick R Treat is basically Looney Tunes; the first Evil Dead is a Three Stooges homage. But to say either of those movies -- to say nothing of KKFOS -- are comedies in the same way that Ghostbusters is a comedy is just categorically false. You're comparing apples to oranges.

I've been reading through your arguments and a lot of them were just subjective opinions on why GB shouldn't be there so I'm not really convinced. Sounds like you just don't like GB as a HHN house. Which is fine, you have your own tastes. But I believe it has every right to be there due to the fact that it's a comedy Horror house like Beetlejuice and KKFOS.

I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, I'm just sharing my perspective. I'm not pushing back against anyone's belief that Ghostbusters belongs at HHN. I'll admit to not being a Ghostbusters fan, but also, I'm not a gamer, and I was down on TLOU coming to HHN, but it ended up being in my top three houses. So I'm not the type to let my biases get in the way. I'm just explaining why I don't think Ghostbusters is a good fit for this event, and I'm doing so in a fair way, to be frank.

Your argument that it's Halloween Horror nights and not Enjoyable IP night might may have held some weight years ago but times have changed since then. Comedy horror houses are now part of HHN so that style of movie fits right into the event currently. A more precise description of the current event would be Halloween Horror/ Comedy Horror Nights.

I mean, this isn't true at all lol. You're cherry-picking a few examples among hundreds. There's no trend.

And for the record, I love horror-comedy, and the right ones fit great at HHN. Like Freaky, the Blumhouse movie that came with Black Phone, or Cabin in the Woods. They fit. Shaun of the Dead? Evil Dead 2? Sign me up for those white whale houses. I don't think Ghostbusters fits in the same way as those properties, for reasons that I've already laid out -- the main one being the fact that the Ghostbusters movies are comedies made for children and their families. None of the movies I mentioned here are. They're not the same.

 

[JunoSynth]

This interview is from three months ago. KKFOS remains relevant because modern audiences find it funny, so of course the Chiodos Brothers lean into that. (It's the same reason why Tommy Wisaeu calls The Room a comedy now.) But we're almost 40 years after the fact. The archival press and interviews are different. It was a midnight movie made by L.A. punks, not a PG summer blockbuster.

lol That sounds pretty convenient that your claim that they were going for a scary horror film is now somewhere in the archives. I cited my source from the directors themselves that your statement is incorrect. Where is yours to back up your claim?

Also, a horror movie having comedic influences is extremely common. In fact, it's rare find a horror movie made in the last 50 years that doesn't have some kind of comedic touch, even if it's extremely subtle. The final sequence from Trick R Treat is basically Looney Tunes; the first Evil Dead is a Three Stooges homage. But to say either of those movies -- to say nothing of KKFOS -- are comedies in the same way that Ghostbusters is a comedy is just categorically false. You're comparing apples to oranges.

This is irrelevant to your previous claim above.

I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, I'm just sharing my perspective. I'm not pushing back against anyone's belief that Ghostbusters belongs at HHN. I'll admit to not being a Ghostbusters fan, but also, I'm not a gamer, and I was down on TLOU coming to HHN, but it ended up being in my top three houses.

You’re not? You are directly quoting, responding and debating people here (including me) on why it shouldn't be at the event. If you are not trying to convince us then why are you repeatedly responding directly to us? Your behavior falls under the definition of a debate which is trying to convince someone to agree with your perspective with counterarguments. If you were just sharing your perspective then you would not directly respond/quote posters with consistant counterarguments. You would just make a statement and that’s it.

So I'm not the type to let my biases get in the way. I'm just explaining why I don't think Ghostbusters is a good fit for this event, and I'm doing so in a fair way, to be frank.

I disagree that you are not letting your biases get in the way of your arguments. Statements like "It also makes for bad houses" or "it didn’t fit the event" are bias statements and not factual.

I mean, this isn't true at all lol. You're cherry-picking a few examples among hundreds. There's no trend.

You got me here. Looks like there is only what 3 Comedy Horror style houses now? So I have to agree that there probably is not a trend yet like Orlando, but we may be in the initial stages of one.

And for the record, I love horror-comedy, and the right ones fit great at HHN. Like Freaky, the Blumhouse movie that came with Black Phone, or Cabin in the Woods. They fit. Shaun of the Dead? Evil Dead 2? Sign me up for those white whale houses.

That's awesome! I do too! And I enjoy those movies too!

I don't think Ghostbusters fits in the same way as those properties, for reasons that I've already laid out -- the main one being the fact that the Ghostbusters movies are comedies made for children and their families. None of the movies I mentioned here are. They're not the same.

I can respect that. You bring up a good point here that there are not really many any other movies meant for children and families at the event.

But Universal had GB and KKFOS there previously so it's too late now. This alone offers good support on why it should be there again. Also. Ever since ST came on the scene there has been a huge increase of kids attending the event at Orlando. If Hollywood is the same then this is more reason to include these type of houses. If it brings in more kids then it makes financial sense for them to start including houses based on spooky movies meant for children and families.

I will say this. Like a lot of other debates I've seen it just comes down to ones perspective so I dont think anyone is right or wrong here.

 

[sonoma15]

Very excited for this house. I hope they do Garakka well and hope there are a lot of cold air effects throughout the house, also it'll be cool if they do more scenes in the firehouse since it was featured so heavily in the movie.

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

lol That sounds pretty convenient that your claim that they were going for a scary horror film is now somewhere in the archives. I cited my source from the directors themselves that your statement is incorrect. Where is yours to back up your claim?

I mean, there's nothing "convenient" about it -- it's reality. In 1988, the movie was marketed and promoted as a horror movie. If you're only going to believe things that were printed in the 21st century, here's a quote: "I was trying to think of the most frightening image I could imagine. And for me it was traveling down a lonely mountain road and behind me a car would appear. And as it's passing me, it would be a clown staring at me. And that's as silly as the inception of "Killer Klowns" was." Frightening image. Not comedic image. And before you say "look, they called the movie silly," no they didn't. They called the inception silly.

The origin story of the 1988 cult classic, 'Killer Klowns from Outer Space'

The filmmakers and the film's composer talk about how their low-budget horror movie went from box office bust to cult classic.

laist.com

This is irrelevant to your previous claim above.

It's not. Hundreds and hundreds of horror movies are inspired by comedy, so KKFOS being inspired by Looney Tunes and Mad Magazine doesn't change anything I'm saying. And if we'e talking influences, Ghostbusters falls closer to the Abbot and Costello monster movie lineage, which were for mainstream audiences and not intended to scare anyone. KKFOS does not belong in this lineage. I feel like this, again, is patently clear.

You’re not? You are directly quoting, responding and debating people here (including me) on why it shouldn't be at the event. If you are not trying to convince us then why are you repeatedly responding directly to us? Your behavior falls under the definition of a debate which is trying to convince someone to agree with your perspective with counterarguments. If you were just sharing your perspective then you would not directly respond/quote posters with consistant counterarguments. You would just make a statement and that’s it.

I disagree that you are not letting your biases get in the way of your arguments. Statements like "It also makes for bad houses" or "it didn’t fit the event" are bias statements and not factual.

Nope! I'm not. Responding to people when they say something to you is called a conversation lol. I don't care if you disagree with me, and I'm not out here trying to change your mind about anything. I'm just responding to you. This is a message board.

Also, I would assume the "in my opinion" part of those statements would be easily inferred, but I guess not. So to clarify, in my opinion, Ghostbusters makes for a bad house, and it doesn't fit the event. I can give you more reasons why I feel that way, but I think I've made myself clear there. If this Ghostbuster house blows me away, then I'll eat crow. I've done it before.

You got me here. Looks like there is only what 3 Comedy Horror style houses now? So I have to agree that there probably is not a trend yet like Orlando, but we may be in the initial stages of one.

I'm not trying to "get you" anywhere, lol. Feels like you came into this with your guard up but I promise you, it's not that serious.

I will say this. Like a lot of other debates I've seen it just comes down to ones perspective so I dont think anyone is right or wrong here.

Listen, like I said, I'm not trying to "debate" anyone in the traditional sense. I have a different view, and I'm offering it up, but I'm not attempting to dissuade anyone from how they feel. Of course I think my perspective is "right," but so does literally everyone else in the world. So again, it's not that serious. Enjoy the Ghostbusters. Run and be free.