HHN 23: An American Werewolf in London

[Lucky Planet]

this house is definitely the best house I have seen in years. Not saying that other houses are not great either. But this house transports you into the movie and makes you face the monster itself. I've never experienced anything like this. It both amazes me and scares the lights out of me.
I don't scare easily either, yet this things made me jump twice before. (which I never do)

I love this house and I am really glad i got to experience it. really really glad we got to see this

 

[floridakid]

Thought this was cool :smiley:

 

[Clive]

Thought this was cool :smiley:

I don't think it's correct, at all. I can think of many superior houses - best IP house, you could make an argument, I guess. But Roddy's support of the HHN team given the circumstances is definitely admirable & touching - I believe he was part of the movement to try and do AWIL back in 2008.

 

[floridakid]

I don't think it's correct, at all. I can think of many superior houses - best IP house, you could make an argument, I guess. But Roddy's support of the HHN team given the circumstances is definitely admirable & touching - I believe he was part of the movement to try and do AWIL back in 2008.

Agreed. But yes, I was more geeking at the fact that Roddy mentioned it given his situation.

 

[Shucker]

Fallow, what are some of the house you think are better? I want to see if there is a walk through of them on you tube.

 

[Clive]

Fallow, what are some of the house you think are better? I want to see if there is a walk through of them on you tube.

Quite a few of them are going to be tough to find... the houses that have stood out to me over the years I've attended (2008 on) include Dead Exposure, Body Collectors: Collections of the Past, Scary Tales 3, Dracula: Legacy of Blood, Frankenstein: Creation of the Damned, Catacombs, Winter's Night, Nightingales, Nevermore, In-Between, Gothic, and Dead End.

 

[Shucker]

Thanks for the list, hopefully I can check out a few of them. Gothic and Dead End last year were very cool. I think I personally would put AWIL over them, but they were still pretty awesome.

 

[TylerDurden]

Quite a few of them are going to be tough to find... the houses that have stood out to me over the years I've attended (2008 on) include Dead Exposure, Body Collectors: Collections of the Past, Scary Tales 3, Dracula: Legacy of Blood, Frankenstein: Creation of the Damned, Catacombs, Winter's Night, Nightingales, Nevermore, In-Between, Gothic, and Dead End.

You listed some great houses, but I think what puts AWiL over them is the fact that it connected with fans of the film. And it just so happens that people who love quirky movies like AWiL love HHN. If I hadn't seen the movie and it wasn't one of my favorite movies ever, then I wouldn't regard it so highly. But there's something about walking through an exact replica of one of your favorite films that's really cool.

Yet unlike other movie-house adaptations, AWiL followed the movie extremely closely, with impeccable attention to detail, while still managing to feature some innovative scares. Furthermore, no house in HHN's history (movie-based or original) has featured anything comparable to those wolf puppets--those are some of the most amazing things I've ever seen in a theme park attraction.

While you listed some very intense houses, AWiL wasn't really going for intensity I don't think (the fact that it features some good scares is an added bonus IMO). It wins in being a fantastic translation of a cult movie, and being innovative in a lot of its design.

 

[Drew]

Quite a few of them are going to be tough to find... the houses that have stood out to me over the years I've attended (2008 on) include Dead Exposure, Body Collectors: Collections of the Past, Scary Tales 3, Dracula: Legacy of Blood, Frankenstein: Creation of the Damned, Catacombs, Winter's Night, Nightingales, Nevermore, In-Between, Gothic, and Dead End.

Definitely some great houses. Only ones I'd add off the top of my head are the Hallow, and Psychoscareapy: Home for the Holidays.

 

[Clive]

You listed some great houses, but I think what puts AWiL over them is the fact that it connected with fans of the film. And it just so happens that people who love quirky movies like AWiL love HHN. If I hadn't seen the movie and it wasn't one of my favorite movies ever, then I wouldn't regard it so highly. But there's something about walking through an exact replica of one of your favorite films that's really cool.

Yet unlike other movie-house adaptations, AWiL followed the movie extremely closely, with impeccable attention to detail, while still managing to feature some innovative scares. Furthermore, no house in HHN's history (movie-based or original) has featured anything comparable to those wolf puppets--those are some of the most amazing things I've ever seen in a theme park attraction.

While you listed some very intense houses, AWiL wasn't really going for intensity I don't think (the fact that it features some good scares is an added bonus IMO). It wins in being a fantastic translation of a cult movie, and being innovative in a lot of its design.

American Werewolf in London, the film, is one of my favorites, to clarify, it's a fantastic horror comedy. I think peoples' love for the film is clouding their opinion of the house, however - it's definitely a (mostly) great recreation of the film. That doesn't mean it's the scariest house ever made, or even the best. With a few exceptions, AWIL isn't very scary. You could argue that's true to the film, but I'm judging AWIL as a haunted house, not a set recreation.

Disagreed on the puppets. The THING puppets in 2007 appeared to be pretty spectacular before they were systematically destroyed over the weeks of the event. These guys are amazing, don't get me wrong, they're horrifyingly impressive... but they are an evolution of a concept that IMO hasn't been utilized enough. Happy to see them here. I don't think it makes this the best house ever.

Definitely some great houses. Only ones I'd add off the top of my head are the Hallow, and Psychoscareapy: Home for the Holidays.

The Hallow is definitely a great choice, loved the hall of masks, the headless horseman and Lord Samhain. I was only counting houses I've actually experienced (08 on), so if we go back further, based on fan agreement we'd need to include Screamhouse (1 and Resurrection), Body Collectors '05, Demon Cantina, RUN, Psychoscareapy (all but Echoes), Dreamwalkers, Dead Silence, The THING (2007), Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Ghost Town, Castle Vampyr, Hellgate...

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

American Werewolf was definitely one of the best and most Impressive at this years event. But I actually thought the most underrated was the 3D house. It really freaked me out a few times really good. And I thought the 3D and lighting effects were pretty great. Also big ups for the Johnny Cash music in the beginning, I loved the feeling of it with the death row aspect.

 

[Octobers Fade]

The lack of anything in the first three scenes was pretty lazy. Oh wait a pentagram was lit up.

 

[Clive]

The lack of anything in the first three scenes was pretty lazy. Oh wait a pentagram was lit up.

That hurt it for me, too. The second Nazi in the family room was almost always missing as well. Overall the house felt bare of actors, and the puppets were on many occasions too obvious (partially due to the damn conga line). Picadilly Circus scene was... weak.

 

[maxairmike]

See, I rather like the first few rooms being empty, as you start to kind of let down your guard when you hit that first scare and you're brought back to being on edge (well, at least for me). I'm surprised they haven't put any actors in the first room especially, but it doesn't really hurt the house's appeal for me. I've also never seen the movie, so it doesn't hold any appeal for me in that way. I just find it one heck of a tense house, and those wolf puppets...man those things are amazing!

 

[Lucky Planet]

You listed some great houses, but I think what puts AWiL over them is the fact that it connected with fans of the film. And it just so happens that people who love quirky movies like AWiL love HHN. If I hadn't seen the movie and it wasn't one of my favorite movies ever, then I wouldn't regard it so highly. But there's something about walking through an exact replica of one of your favorite films that's really cool.

Yet unlike other movie-house adaptations, AWiL followed the movie extremely closely, with impeccable attention to detail, while still managing to feature some innovative scares. Furthermore, no house in HHN's history (movie-based or original) has featured anything comparable to those wolf puppets--those are some of the most amazing things I've ever seen in a theme park attraction.

While you listed some very intense houses, AWiL wasn't really going for intensity I don't think (the fact that it features some good scares is an added bonus IMO). It wins in being a fantastic translation of a cult movie, and being innovative in a lot of its design.

Those are probably the best puppets used in a house, I don't recall seeing puppets that amazing in a house before. That along should give it the title of one of the best houses they have done. but even if you take the puppets away you still have one of the closest IP houses they have ever made.

 

[Shucker]

I would agree they could have done a little more with the Slaughtered Lamb. I was thinking something like what they did in the Evil Dead with the video going in the cabin. It also got me thinking how long it will be before we have Musion Eyeliner effect used in a house. I am sure the cost is too expensive now, but I would wager at some point in time it will be possible technically and financially.

 

[Lucky Planet]

I would agree they could have done a little more with the Slaughtered Lamb. I was thinking something like what they did in the Evil Dead with the video going in the cabin. It also got me thinking how long it will be before we have Musion Eyeliner effect used in a house. I am sure the cost is too expensive now, but I would wager at some point in time it will be possible technically and financially.

that is a good point.

honestly having an actor yelling at people in the Slaughtered Lamb room wouldn't really make the house better, I don't think is needed.

What they should have had is an actor playing David in the moors, before the attack

 

[Jakemeister]

You don't need an actor yelling at people, but a bar tender in the Slaughtered Lamb would be nice. I've seen them use bartenders before, and drunken bar patrons. Lite scaring, lots of added ambiance.

 

[Shucker]

That's a great idea, having the bartender or patrons telling us to get out like in the movie would have been cool and potentially bridged the gap between scenes. Still overall awesome house and one of the best overall in my books. But I love the movie so I am biased.

 

[Jakemeister]

That's a great idea, having the bartender or patrons telling us to get out like in the movie would have been cool and potentially bridged the gap between scenes. Still overall awesome house and one of the best overall in my books. But I love the movie so I am biased.

Exactly. Creatures, used a bar tender and drunk patron in the opening scene. Really set the mood but didn't go over the top.