From: ag349@yfn.ysu.edu (David S. McMeans)
Subject: Frightening Halloween ideas wanted
Reply-To: ag349@yfn.ysu.edu (David S. McMeans)
Organization: St. Elizabeth Hospital, Youngstown, OH
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 17:25:42 GMT



Greetings,

  I've been assigned to oversee a 'room' in a community haunted house
this year, and I want to make it very frightening.  The problem is I have
only one room.  I don't have the entire 'house' to work with.  So, I'm
looking for good ideas.  I want to stay away from the typical monster-
jump-out-at-you-and-all-the-females-scream type approach as this works
usually only for the females.  Also, since I have only one room, I really
can't utilize suspense very well (which would be my best option).  If I
kept visitors in my room for 20 or 30 minutes the rest of the 'house'
would begin to complain, and besides we'd have terrible throughput.
So, if you just _happen_ to have any good ideas, or you've been dying to
design your own haunted house ever since you were a little kid and were
disappointed with what your community offered, then THIS is you opportunity.
  Just so you have an idea what I've got to work with, I have a long hall,
about 60 ft, that opens to a large chamber, maybe 60x40 ft.  I can make this
area as dark as I want, so that's not a problem.  I can get a smoke machine
if I want, and I also have a large movie screen (15x20 or so) at my disposal.
I also have, of course, lots of eager actors.
  I should also mention that the 'theme' of my room is Hell, so the more
hellish the better.  Note: the fire marshall won't allow open flames.
(I know, spoils the charm of Hell, doesn't it.)
  The rest of the 'house' can be a little hooky at times (I'm not in charge
of those areas), so I want my area to be exceptionally disturbing,
exceptionally real, and exceptionally unforgettable.
  Some ideas I'm toying with:
    *  the visitors turn a corner and stumble upon a prone body, sufficiently
       mutilated (as much as I can fake).  There's also a pile a fresh
       vomit near the head.  Smells like vomit too.  (I'm not sure how to
       do this one)
    *  the group is lead into a pitch black room, suddenly a curtain falls
       and a wall of entangled bodies is exposed (probably with a slow
       strobe light) perhaps some of the hapless figures are strung up, or
       on torture devices, etc.
    *  the group walks into a lightless room.  After a few moments they realize
       something is in one corner, something large.  It calls to them,
       and converses with them explaining that they are now in it's domain
       (hell), and invites them to partake of it's unique pleasures.  Then
       go on to display to previous two notions, or worse.  This would be
       to most difficult because the thing would _have_ to be realistic.
  Let me know your ideas.  I'll let everyone interested know how it all
turns out.  It would be best to send your ideas to me directly at

  david@array.fibg.wpafb.af.mil

Thanks in advance,

Yr humble net neighbor,

David S McMeans
-- 
David S McMeans
Youngstown Free-Net: ag349@yfn.ysu.edu
The Best Place To Reach Me: david@array.fibg.wpafb.af.mil
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