Thread: Where's the line?

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I stumbled across this article today:

Haunted Attractions UK - Asylum Hill: The Review

I've read about the "Dead Acres" Haunted house on various sites (which has caused quite a debate), and now after reading this article, I wanted to know what everyone thought. Where should the line be drawn in what can and cannot be done in haunted houses? When I read about Dead Acres (Haunted Hoochie) on hauntworld, I realized that customers are so jaded by movies nowadays that some of the old "boos" just don't work anymore. Although I wouldn't go as far as they do... if it works for them, then more power to them. But i don't know about this article.... What do you think?

I do think that attraction would be insanely scary if I was separated from my friends. I am they type to use a group as protection. I think they would be able to get away with everything they did with their "pilot-haunt" if they made everyone sign a waiver first that stated exactly what they were getting into - but because they obviously aren't going to have all the same "graphically natured" rooms then I think the haunt was really innovative in the sense that they separate people and have them all do their own thing.

Personally, if I went through a haunt that portrayed sexual assault of women or men, I would find the closest group that provides support to victims sexual assault and organize the biggest protest possible to shut the place down. It's not just in bad taste, it perpetuates an attitude of acceptance. Acting out rape scenes crosses the line in my book.

Interesting concept. I've never been a big fan of haunted house type things. They've just never been very scary to me. I mean, c'mon. If you KNOW that you can't even be TOUCHED... I don't know. What's really the scariest thing that you've every seen in a "Haunted House"?
I've always thought that 'scary' isn't so much in what you can see but what you CAN'T see.
Then again, Halloween has never been for me about blood and gore and zombies and stuff like that.
Not being a woman I can't say just how terrifying sexual threats can be but I do know why there are reasons that you just don't DO that kind of stuff....
But on the other side of that I can't imagine being afraid of that.... The actress coming at ME might just end up running out of the house screaming, herself.

I'm going to have to think on this a bit more. If all Halloween means, anymore is just who can shock you more than the next guy, then the whole thing is getting lost.

I think the idea of separating the group is great, but the "back room" sounds like the worst thing I have heard of in our industry. The ultimate goal of a haunt is to be entertained and that would not be entertaining for anyone. It seems like they couldn't create safe fear so they just went completely over the line in a cheap attempt to "scare" their patrons

Originally Posted by Madame Turlock

Personally, if I went through a haunt that portrayed sexual assault of women or men, I would find the closest group that provides support to victims sexual assault and organize the biggest protest possible to shut the place down. It's not just in bad taste, it perpetuates an attitude of acceptance. Acting out rape scenes crosses the line in my book.

That's very good, MTurlock... "it perpetuates an attitude of acceptance."

Not being a woman I can't say just how terrifying sexual threats can be but I do know why there are reasons that you just don't DO that kind of stuff....
But on the other side of that I can't imagine being afraid of that....

OEJ there are so many woman who have been traumatized by acts of violence and have emotional scars that run deep. I worked in social services for a number of years and witnessed the damage done to women who experience unbelievable violence in their lives. If confronted with this scenario, that you wouldn't expect to be a part of a haunt attraction, it could trigger an emotional reaction as if they are being raped or assaulted again. It would feel very real to them and no woman (or man) should have to experience that again. Hopefully this post will help people understand the long-term impact of acts of violence.

MT, I was JUST thinking that very exact thing in between these last two posts. I agree with you whole-heartedly.

"If all Halloween means, anymore is just who can shock you more than the next guy, then the whole thing is getting lost."

Very well said! I can't agree with you more on the back room idea. Maybe that's why that haunt only ran one night? You'd think some sort of legal troubles would have appeared immediatly.

As much as I support almost anything im gonna have to say this one definitly crossed some dangerous lines.