Martian Child Screening Thursday, Nov 1 @ 7pm
UA Colorado Center, I-25 & Colorado Blvd.
Cast: John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Amanda Peet, Sophie Okonedo, Oliver Platt, and Bobby Coleman.
Martian Child is a romantic comedy starring John Cusack as a recently widowed science fiction writer who forms an unlikely family with a close friend (Amanda Peet) and a young boy he adopts that claims to be from Mars. The new couple ignores some sage parenting advice from the widower’s sister (Joan Cusack) and gets more than they bargained for when a series of strange occurrences lead them to believe that the child’s claim may be true. Based on an award-winning short story by sci-fi luminary David Gerrold, Martian Child is directed by Menno Meyjes and produced by David Kirschner, Corey Sienega and Ed Elbert.
Saw IV Monday Free Stuff to be given out at our haunted houses
Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) and his apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith) are dead.
Upon the news of Detective Kerry (Dina Meyer)'s murder, two seasoned FBI profilers, Agent Strahm (Scott Patterson) and Agent Perez (Athena Karkanis), arrive at the depleted police precinct and help veteran Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) sift through Jigsaw's latest grizzly game of victims and piece together the puzzle. However, when SWAT Commander Rigg (Lyriq Bent), the last officer untouched by Jigsaw, is suddenly abducted and thrust into the madman's harrowing game, the officer has but ninety minutes to overcome a series of interconnected traps... or face the deadly consequences.
Rigg's citywide pursuit leaves a wake of dead bodies, and Detective Hoffman and the FBI uncover long hidden clues that lead them back to Jigsaw's ex-wife Jill (Betsy Russell). The genesis of Jigsaw's evil is unveiled, exposing the puppet master's true intentions and the sinister plan for his past, present and future victims.
Saw IV opens today in theaters. To celebrate the movie, we'll be handing out free Saw IV suckers, posters and stickers to everyone that stops by our haunted houses on Monday. Come on down to The 13th Door & Curse of Slaughterhouse Gulch at I-225 & Parker or CarnEvil & Dead Before Dawn at Oxford & Santa Fe and take home some cool swag... and make sure you go out to see the movie this weekend.
Dan In Real Life Screening
October 24
DVD Features? Paramount would like to know
Larry Nemechek sent me an email today asking what kind of feature or subject you think would be good to put on an upcoming Star Trek DVD. Please pop on over to the Starland Message board and weigh-in with your ideas. Paramount's really interested in your opinons. Please let them know.
Reservation Road Screening Wednesday, Oct 24th @ 7pm
Cherry Creek 8, 1st & Steele, Denver
A tale of anger, revenge, and great courage, Reservation Road follows two fathers as their families and lives converge.
On a warm September evening, college professor Ethan Learner, his wife Grace, and their daughter Emma are attending a recital. Their 10-year-old son Josh is playing cello – beautifully, as usual. His younger sister looks up to him, and his parents are proud of their son. On the way home, they all stop at a gas station on Reservation Road. There, in one terrible instant, he is taken from them forever.
Dan In Real Life Starland Screening - Tuesday, October 23rd
Colorado Center Theater, I-25 & Colorado Blvd.
Comic sensations Steve Carell and Dane Cook along with Academy Award® winner Juliette Binoche star in this hilarious and touching comedy that centers around what happens when romance and family collide.
October 17th Tales from CarnEvil and Dead Before Dawn haunted houses in Denver
October 17
Word is getting out! CarnEvil & Dead Before Dawn
It's a really good feeling when you are working at a haunted house that is firing on all cylindars - and the great news is that it's really happening this year. We've been aggressively persuing (and getting) some of the best haunted house talent in Denver to take our haunts to the next level. Last night was almost too good - we had a few people that couldn't make it all the way through both haunted houses. We were scaring people left and right.
Pictured above are a couple of great examples. Jesse & Wes came back this year for some more CarnEvil and desided to give both haunts a try. Like most of the people that come up to the ticket counter, they wanted to know which haunted house was scarier. I responded with the only answer that works - "What scares you more, Killer Clowns or Killer Zombies?" The answer to the scariest question is totally subjective, I explained to them. "Come and see me after you see both and let me know which one you thought was the scariest."
When they came back, I asked them which one was the scariest... They both disagreed. Then I asked them for a review - they both loved it. Wes, I think he's the guy on the right, said that although he's a seasoned haunt goer, the Zombies managed to surprise him and scare him a couple of times when he didn't suspect it. They both left congratulating us on another great year.
The second photo here is from the gang from Scout Troop 377. Some of them are brandishing the face masks they were given (to protect them from the Zombie Virus) in the photo. They were one of the fun groups that went through last night.
Hey, if you've got a group that's looking for something to do - come on over and I'll hook you up with a great activity. At Red & Jerry's we have two incredible haunted houses, lots of games, food, and fun. It's conveniently located inside the Red & Jerry's Entertainment Complex at Oxford & Santa Fe. Mention you read my blog and I'll take your picture for the website.
Tales from CarnEvil and Dead Before Dawn haunted houses in Denver
October 15
Rendition Screening Monday, October 15th
Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Peter Sarsgaard with Alan Arkin and Meryl Streep head an all-star ensemble cast in Rendition, a compelling thriller from Academy Award-winning director Gavin Hood.
Isabella El-Ibrahimi is the American wife of Egyptian-born chemical engineer Anwar El-Ibrahimi who disappears on a flight from south Africa to Washington. Isabella desperately tries to track her husband down, while a CIA analyst at a secret detention facility outside the U.S. is forced to question his assignment as he becomes party to the man’s unorthodox interrogation.
Tales from CarnEvil and Dead Before Dawn haunted houses in Denver
October 9
Talking Sculls Making the dead talk is today's agenda
For several years we have been going to the big halloween industry convention in Chicago. In the past few years the haunted house aspect of the convention has grown quite a bit. We always go to promote the spinning tunnels we sell to other haunts and amusement parks all over the world (details at feeltheeffect.com). Often we'll find some great ideas and props at the show - including one we purchased for two of our haunted houses this year... a talking skull from Skulltronixs!
Today, I'm heading (post pun alert) over to Slaughterhouse, where I installed the first one and I'm going to program a second skull that I hope to install over at Dead Before Dawn before Friday. The skulls come with canned programs, but unfortunately, they are way too long for the timing we need in the coming weeks. It looks like I'll have to edit the programs a bit to make them a bit snappier.
The one we installed over at Slaughterhouse is mounted on a full skeleton body in a torture cage. Unfortunately, we are having a bit of a problem with people going up and sticking their fingers in the skull's mouth. We'll probably have to put him behind a cage so he doesn't get messed with.
The one I'm putting in over at Dead Before Dawn will run the same program (rules of the house) - but since the room I'm putting him is a lot smaller than the one at Slaughterhouse, I'll have to mount the head in a box or something. The trick will be making a column to conceal the computer that runs the whole show inside of his stand. That's what's on today's schedule.
If anyone is interested in a particular aspect about the haunt, please just ask. You can email me directly at shwalker@starland.com and I'll be sure to answer your questions here of on the Message Board. Now it's time to go over to the haunt and build some stuff.
I hope to scare you soon, Stephen Walker
Tales from CarnEvil and Dead Before Dawn haunted houses in Denver
October 8
Monday Blues CarnEvil & Dead Before Dawn Haunted Houses I-225 & Parker and Oxford & Santa Fe
Last year about this time I was getting to relax. This year we are making tweaks and improvements to some of our newer effects to get the maximum scares out of them. It's an ongoing process and one that I find very interesting.
Yesterday we were supposed to celebrate Dave's birthday. I got a cake at the grocery store (he hates grocery store cakes) and we were so busy we didn't get to eat it. Dave is probably our most fanatic haunt spook. He ordered this expensive clown mask this year and he was so obsessed with getting it that he reminded me of when I had first ordered stuff through the mail when I was like 14 years old. Anyway, Dave's mask finally came in and it's incredible. You should really check out their masks at spfxmasks.com.
If anyone is interested in a particular aspect about the haunt, please just ask. You can email me directly at shwalker@starland.com and I'll be sure to answer your questions here of on the Message Board. Now it's time to go over to the haunt and build some stuff.
until tomorrow, Stephen.
Tales from CarnEvil and Dead Before Dawn haunted houses in Denver
October 7
Face Masks? CarnEvil & Dead Before Dawn Haunted Houses I-225 & Parker and Oxford & Santa Fe
Blue or Pink? That was the question I get to ask a million times. As part of our Zombie haunt - Dead Before Dawn, we are handing out blue and pink face masks. You should see the look on people's faces when I hand them out. Like - what is this for?
The face masks are admittedly a bit of a gimick, but a fun one. The idea is that somehow the masks might actually protect you from the Zombie virus when you encounter a Zombie. The sight of 100's of people lining up with masks on is a real sight. I promise, I'll take a picture to post here tomorrow.
If anyone is interested in a particular aspect about the haunt, please just ask. You can email me directly at shwalker@starland.com and I'll be sure to answer your questions here of on the Message Board. Now it's time to go over to the haunt and fix some stuff.
Face you (pun intended) tomorrow, Stephen.
Denver Haunted House Blog
October 6
Whew, what a night! CarnEvil & Dead Before Dawn Drama I-225 & Parker and Oxford & Santa Fe
Last night was the premiere of Dead Before Dawn - the Zombie murderer's house (as opposed to the Killer Clowns at CarnEvil). Let's just say that things were interesting.
One of the scares is from a Zombie in a coffin that you have to crawl over. Well, he sure got an eyeful last night from the victorious Mullen cheerleaders that went through the house. Now all the young male actors are begging for that role!
The opening for Dead Before Dawn starts with our big "Scooby Doo" effect that we created for the 25th Hour haunted house a couple of years ago. Everyone stands on a turntable and the whole room turns around to reveal the haunted house. It's a great starter for our Zombie house and serves as the decontamination chamber where the actor clears you to start on your adventure. The effect is controlled by a set of limit switches that have it turn one direction for one group and the other for the next. Last night one of the switches malfunctioned and the turntable started spinning out of control. Luckily, it has an override switch that the actor can use manually and now (as least until it's repaired) the return rotation has to be done manually between groups. I'm sorry if this story is too boring, but this is the sort of thing that causes havoc at the haunted house.
If anyone is interested in a particular aspect about the haunt, please just ask. You can email me directly at shwalker@starland.com and I'll be sure to answer your questions here of on the Message Board. Now it's time to go over to the haunt and fix some stuff.
Talk to you tomorrow, Stephen.
The Kingdom - Starland Movie Club Screening
October 5
Denver Haunted House Season Starts Today! 13th Door, Curse of Slaughterhouse Gulch, CarnEvil & Dead Before Dawn
I-225 & Parker and Oxford & Santa Fe
In case you haven't noticed, there haven't been a lot of updates here lately. That's because I've been spending every waking moment at the haunted houses trying to get them done for tonight's big opening. I really wanted to give you a blow by blow account of the building process, but because we've been putting in 18 hour days and I needed sleep - I haven't made the time. That is all about to change. My intent is to keep you on top of everything that happens this season. The spills, chills and excitement of living scared.
First off, let me tell you - trying to build four haunted houses in two months is insane! Since May we've had to clear out and pack up three haunted houses (May-July) and then unpack and build four haunted houses (Aug-Sept). What started out as a 10:30am - 6:00pm routine has turned into a 7:00am - 3:00am routine at times. Actually getting the haunts open and running this year will be a relief.
Oops, it's time to head on over and finish the last two scares over at Dead Before Dawn in time for them to be painted for tonight. If you want to talk, just come on over to Red & Jerry's. I'm Stephen Walker, the guy at the ticket booth... the guy that looks seriously sleep deprived.
Martian Child
Saw IV Monday 
DVD Features? 
Dan In Real Life 
Rendition 
Talking Sculls 
Monday Blues