Southern California Halloween activities

If you've waited until now to start thinking about a frightening Halloween activity for the weekend, you've come to the right place. Here are my favorites, listed in no particular order.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios

Year after year they have highly-themed, quality mazes as well as some scare areas around the usual Universal Studios park. The backlot area is particularly scary since it does seem like a free-for-all in the woods, and crazed killers lurk everywhere. Tickets are $59 at the gate. Here's last year's review.

Knott's Scary Farm Haunt in Buena Park

Read my Knott's Haunt review for details. Tickets are $46.00 at the gate. It's an old standby that won't disappoint, and this year had several great mazes.

Night of the Living Dead / Zombie Love at the Maverick Theater in Fullerton

I was lucky enough to attend both this year - Night of the Living Dead gets better every year, and I couldn't recommend it more. Each year they add a little something to the show that makes it different and better than the previous year. But let me say that if Scott Johnson ever stops playing Ben, it won't be the same for me. I now trust him - and only him - with my zombie-killing needs. Read my review for Zombie Love over at Spooky Little Girl's blog. It was also entertaining, though nothing can compare to NOTLD, and I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like musicals. Tickets for both shows are most likely already sold out, but it never hurts to call and ask.

The Olde Towne Music Hall in El Segundo

I went to their showing of Dracula and loved it. The Mighty Wurlitzer is front-and-center in the theater; before the movie we heard everything from traditional, carousel-style organ music to a cover of the Beatles. It's a treat, and a glimpse at a simpler time. Every Halloween weekend they show the original silent Phantom of the Opera, and the organ is played as the score to the movie. Personally, I never need to see anything Phantom ever again, but if I hadn't seen it recently, I'd go just for the live music. It's a cheap evening too - tickets are $8 and concessions are about $2 each.

The Dia de los Muertos event at Hollywood Forever Cemetery

I understand that it gets crazy-busy, so if you can manage the horde, you'll love the altars, the Day of the Dead processional, and beautiful costumes. Tickets are $10, parking is non-existent. It's an L.A. tradition, so maybe the chaos is worth it.

Old Towne Haunt in Pasadena

When I visited, it was great - truly scary. The Old Towne Haunt doesn't have the same quantity of mazes as a theme park haunt, but they make up for it by scaring the crap out of you for the 15-20 minutes that you're there. They find clever ways to breathe new life into their mazes, and the scare-actors are usually pretty dedicated. Tickets are $14, and there's a front-of-line pass for $19.

Zombie Joe's theater in North Hollywood

Currently showing Attack of the Rotting Corpses. I haven't seen this particular show, but I like the small theater, and the I-could-die-here vibe that I got when the doors were closed and the lights went out. There's artwork on display in the lobby, and concessions are cheap. Tickets are $15.

There are also lots of lovingly-crafted home haunts - and there are even probably a few in your neighborhood - but it takes some looking to find them. If you want to stick close to home and you don't want to pay a lot of money, I recommend searching your city's website, and these sites:

Alley Cat Scratch - they meticulously list haunts from Burbank to San Juan Capistrano. I'm sure you can find something on that site that is in your neck of the woods.

HauntedHouse.com - they also have a list of many of the smaller attractions. Use the top navigation if you're not in CA.

If you don't like my suggestions, here are a few reviews from my friend Spooky Little Girl:

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride in Griffith Park; tickets are $25-$60

Reign of Terror in Thousand Oaks; tickets are $13-$20

Or if you just want to stay home and watch a scary/corny movie, don't forget about Elvira on Saturday night, and your Netflix subscription. Netflix Instant has some great movies, with my personal favorites being the old-school monster movies, and the campy classics.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space - a campy tradition. With terrifying clowns.

Dracula A.D. 1972 - a bizarre spin on Dracula that focuses on a group of beatnik kids in England in the 70s.

The Munsters: Season 1 - If you want to make Halloween a light, family affair, you can't go wrong with the Munsters.

Them! - my personal all-time favorite creature feature. It's a classic B-movie that does tend toward hokey-dom, but I think it holds up surprisingly well.

Local spooky-ish stuff to do

It's springtime so there are very few entertainment options for spooky lovers like me (and you), but there are a few things worth mentioning.

Last week I attended a performance of The Miracle of Mary Mack's Baby at STAGEStheater in Fullerton.



Imagine if you will, a small west Texas town, it's a normal Friday night, M*A*S*H* playing on the T.V. Out of the dark, Texas sky falls to Earth a silver vessel, lands on the front lawn, steaming from what appears to be entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Up in the sky, a series of brilliant, shiny lights, pulsing in an almost hypnotic manner to a rhythmic, otherworldly beat. From the vessel emerges your child that went missing 6 months earlier...or is it?

Mary Mack is a hilariously weird, and highly entertaining popcorn play. It's exciting to discover a place like STAGEStheater because I know I'll be back. Some of the upcoming shows are Steel Dragnolias (a drag re-imagining of Steel Magnolias) and an entire evening of Twilight Zone episodes acted out on stage. Hopefully they'll be as entertaining as Mary Mack and the other townies from West Texas! Oh, and tickets range from $15-$18, and they charge $1-$2 for refreshments. It's a wallet-friendly evening out.


Most recently, I attended Dr. Cerberus at South Coast Repertory.



Expecting it to be another weird horror-themed performance, I was surprised to find that it was a thoughtful and somewhat painful to watch play about a young closeted boy growing up in Washington DC. The horror aspects were never fully worked into the plot as I had expected, but it was laugh out loud funny in some parts, and emotionally moving in others. I expected horror and got an awkward adolescent, but I loved it. If you're a fan of '80s family sitcoms, B-movie show hosts, gay issues, family issues, and the ignored and overweight geeks of the world, I think you'll like Dr. Cerberus. There were enough classic monster/horror movie references to know that the playwright, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, is "one of us".


If you want a monthly spooky fix, why not check out GHOULA? The Ghost Hunters of Urban Los Angeles. I haven't attended a meeting yet (curse you, traffic), but I will someday. The co-founder of the group wrote a book called Disneyland After Dark. You know I'm a fan of the House of Mouse, so I hope to get my hands on a copy soon!



Oh, and speaking of Disneyland, Halloweentown is going to be hosting a new art exhibit this summer - A Tribute to the Haunted Mansion. I can't wait! I'll be there with my checkbook (hopefully)!

Last night I dreamt...

I have always wanted to make the trip to Zombie Joe's in North Hollywood, and this weekend I finally got the chance. Urban Death: Once Upon A Nightmare is a series of nightmares that you've had, heard of, or seen in books and movies. Some are humorous, some are gross, and some are downright scary. The unpolished theater added to my panic level - the bare walls and no-frills lighting left me wondering if I was sitting in the lair of some maniac theater owner who likes to skin people and wear them as coats (I like to let my imagination run wild). Fortunately, no bodily harm was done (to me), but I have made a resolution to never to absent-mindedly undress while a madman waits in my closet.



Over the course of an hour, no words are spoken, but each cast member gets his or her moment in the blood-covered spotlight. There are nightmares for everyone packed into to the show. For me, the most poignant moment in the show was when a woman walked out dressed as an older lady in her finest clothes - a hat, a sensible dress, and a fox stole. She stood stoically at first, but sadness soon overcame her and she gently comforted herself by petting her dead accessory. As I said earlier, I like to let my imagination go, so I pictured myself in her place and thought of the saddest thing possible. Voila! My worst nightmare. Thanks, Zombie Joes...I think.



In addition to the nightmare scenarios, I also appreciated their ingenuity. With just a few props, some simple lighting, and some bare-bones costuming, they manage to put on a whole show that feels different every few minutes.

In short, the show is a fun-yet-spooky experience. I support horror-themed theater in all forms, and if you do too, I think it's worth a trip to see Once Upon A Nightmare. Call Zombie Joe's to make your reservation ahead of time. The show has been extended through March 6th.

ZJU (Zombie Joe Underground?)
4850 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 202-4120