Are you shocked to learn the author of /Film's three Halloween Horror Nights articles this year is a haunted attraction addict? Invite me to your Halloween mazes, hayrides, docked ocean liners, and Shaqtoberfests. I crave haunt season entertainment. Even better, I crave "Haunt Season Horror" movies. Is that trademarked? Can I coin that terminology?
Haunt Season Horror titles must take place in a Horror Nights-like maze or immersive experience, turning seasonal amusements into slaughterhouse backdrops. Marquee examples would be "Hell Fest," your corporate-branded Six Flags Fright Fest take, or "The Houses October Built," which ventures into the less moderated realm of do-it-yourself haunts. These films prey upon the rational fears of patrons who attend these pop-up "Scarehouses," stripping away the safety of regulated horror experiences. What happens when a killer infiltrates a place where commercial terror is purchased at a premium? It's the ultimate Halloween treat.
Unfortunately, there's a shallow pool of options to bob for, with many poison apples amongst the sweeter treats. My perfect trifecta would be "Hell Fest," "Hell House LLC," and "The Houses October Built," with "The Funhouse Massacre" on standby. You have a supernatural found-footage banger, another found-footage creepshow hinging on spoiled attraction tropes, and then a studio slasher decked out in the holiday spirit. These features indulge horror fans and exploit Halloween's headlining celebrations for relatable scares, proficient in understanding the "possible" risks of attending haunts that fall into the wrong hands (search "McKamey Manor" or watch "Haunters: The Art of the Scare" for the closest real-life instance)...