mystiquephreeq

I'm trying to not make any judgements about this house. The trailer isn't helping me though. I'm a big fan a Dracula, and have read many things about Vlad Tepes. It's probably a good thing that I won't see the movie before the house. The trailer makes him seem like a tragic hero instead of the psychopath that he was, and I find that very annoying. I shall go into this house looking forward to the scenery (which should be amazing) and how they portray the vampires and other monsters.

Thank you for making the Facebook one, Reaper!!! Putting it as my cover now!!

I have to chime in on this part, because you used two IPs as examples that were used at the event prior. Dracula (Untold or any other iteration of) is a well-known and well loved intellectual property that is a "founding father" of horror. You really can't get more fundamental and back to basics than Dracula. The houses he has been featured in have been well liked as well. 2005 Demon Cantina was well liked as well. It was an homage to FDtD. Allowing A&D to create a property they've already written a creative "love letter" to, isn't being complacent. It's understanding their passion. And letting A&D create their passions seems to work nicely (AWIL). While I love icons, I love them when they make sense. Shoehorning an icon into a year with a lot of IPs just doesn't work for me. That includes the overall theme and icon for 2007. It just didn't work for me. 08 and 09 are the only years where the overall theme and backstory worked for me because everything made sense to me. All the other years, the icons were just a face for the event. They didn't truly connect for me. (Disclaimer: I did not attend in 05 and I'm only using years I've attended to judge.) The heritage of HHN is bringing movies to life. Psycho, PUTs, Mummy, all the various "collage" houses. Allowing the event to grow and change, and accepting that "what the fans want isn't what the majority wants" is caring about the event. Without the massive appeal of IPs, the event can't keep growing. This is a business, and the first rule of business is to make money. Beyond that, as Jeramy pointed out, there is nothing new under the sun. Rehashing ideas, themes, monsters, etc...well that's kinda hard not to do. Ex: Everyone loves and uses 2008 has a huge original year, but how much of that year was truly "original"? Not much. Path of the Wicked, Fractured Tales, Asylum in Wonderland, Scary Tales - IPs (public domain IPs but still IPs) with A&D's horror twist. I can't say a full "original" horror twist, because others had done twisted fairy tales before. Interstellar Terror - A&D's homage to Event Horizon The Hallow - A&D's homage to a The Halloween Tree The Skoolhouse - A&D's homage to TrT. Bloody Mary - a well known urban legend/folklore with an original twist. (I really good original twist, but still a twist to a known concept.) American Gothic - a mixture of real life people and intellectual property. Streets of Bloods/Body Collectors - the entire look of The Gentlemen is taken from Buffy. Doomsday - an IP That leaves Dead Exposure and Creatures as purely original ideas. (Someone else may know of something they can be linked to). That's the other reason why I can't get annoyed by or bemoan the new direction the event has taken. I understand that originality is a vague concept that actually relies on reused and overused horror tropes and it all relies on the cycles of popularity.

Since it's official now, this is my most anticipated house ever!! Xenomorphs are my childhood monster that still scare me. I can't wait to see this house and I'm loving the fact that this appears to be an original take of the franchise.

Here's the other tweet from today: @HorrorNightsORL: This week has been all about churning out all the make-up designs for HHN 24!! Body casts!! http://t.co/FDwaYqgLu2 ^Totally going with chestburster make up for this one. Yep! That's what it is. (Please check all other logical possibilities here. Mysti shall not be swayed on this!)

Can't wait for puppets!!! These ones interest me: Males 6'1" - 7' with athletic builds = Predators? Males able to portray the age range of 50 - 65 = ???? Why the specific age range? Hmmm...

Looking forward to this house. Myers is so iconic and really deserves his time at HHN. I'll admit that I had never seen the movie until recently. (Thanks Vorhees!) I'm a slacker!!

Snakes!!!! I have zero fear of snakes (I use to breed corn snakes), but I think that is one element I'm really looking forward too!! I know a few people that will end up noping their way through any snake rooms. As a side note, everytime I read "I haven't seen this series", I feel old. I watched this movie as a teenager. It may be based on the "series", but it follows the movie and expands on it. I haven't seen the series either. I'm looking forward to it coming to Netflix! I think the biggest problem I will have is certain characters are so associated with particular actors for me. They are the ones I picture when I think of the movie. (Juliette Lewis, Cheech, Danny Trejo, Tom Savini...)

Besides being more realistic, I think this location choice had to due with space and layout. From things I've read (either articles or tweets), they will be using almost all of NY. I'm getting the impression this zone will be about the size of Deadtropolis (from about Twister to Louie's if I recall correctly). NY streets are relatively straight, so it safer to maneuver the bikes. There is also the fact that a zone that has the potential to become a photo op (Face Off) makes more sense on Hollywood Blvd. I've been wondering how much space this zone will truly take up. If my Deadtropolis guess is correct, I kinda hope they'll allow scareactors into the side street in front of Finn's. (Where Boris' office is).

Found one video: http://youtu.be/yWeEgq_UKwU My thoughts were something in between this little show and a big show like Robosaurus would be a nice element to this street. The bikes could also be used in a show like this.

Last year near the tank in NY, there was a "show". The scareactor would get attacked by the zombies.

My thoughts: If we lost Geishas, it's due to budget and space. Both caused by the inclusion of the motorcycles. The bikes don't just need room to move, but they also need gas. Gasoline is expensive. While I would love an original zone, I am thrilled the bikes are back. I'm interested to see how they will work with the crowds, but I loved them when I saw them in 06 and 07. I'm willing to give up an original zone, if it means A&D can try this idea again.

I think JackTHEREAPER made a very important point. This scarezone will most likely be huge. The only way I see the bikes being feasible is if this zone encompasses the same amount of space as Deadropolis including the portion that was dedicated to Robosaurus. Not sure if this should be here or spec but: As anyone considered a mini street show? Something that is in between last year's "tank show" and 06 Robosaurus? Maybe a Mad Max kinda thing (for those who remember the Mad Max street shows)? Just a thought.

Quite possibly. And then there is this: @HorrorNightsORL: By foot and by motorcycle.... The Purge: Anarchy is coming.. #HHN24 #UniversalHHN The return of the bikes may have created the need for the zone to be larger.

@HorrorNightsORL: By foot and by motorcycle.... The Purge: Anarchy is coming.. #HHN24 #UniversalHHN ^This!!! This makes the zone awesome!!

AvP will be last because it's the announcement I want.

From Cassilda: Who am I? PT 7 It looks like she's decoding her clues for us.

Just a little update on permits: Two new permits have been filed. Both are FIR permits (Fire permits. These are permits usually for Fire safety). Here are the descriptions. This one is for Tent 1: "Case Description: Add (02) sprinklers under temporary obstruction (room ceiling) over 48" wide." This one is for B79 (Parade): "Case Description: Add (10) sprinklers under temporary obstruction (room ceiling) over 48" wide."

From Cassilda: Clue 14 PT 2

Hmmm... From Cassi: Who am I? PT 6

It may be the fact that I can only see these images via my phone, but why is it a clown arm? I see a flannel type shirt and the arm appears to have tattoos on it.

Weighing in on everything: I am very amused by the fact that universal has had a "leak" by a media/PR partner for the 4th? (Could be 3rd, I thought something leaked in 12, but can't remember what) year. I also feel for A&D. They must be headdesking right now. I've only partially come to terms with FDtD. Part of me still whispers 9 houses, another part whispers we got synergy wrong!, and the final part keeps saying just accept the lose of the boogeyman house. I enjoyed the FDtD movie, and I didn't get to see Demon Cantina, so this maze is somewhat anticipated by me. Regarding the clown maze being 3D: Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't it be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to do 3D effectively in the Disaster! Queue? It's the one house that always has natural light effect it.

Unless we are getting a shared IP announced tonight. The pic makes me think of a chestburster.

There's no permit for TWD either yet, unless they hid it very, very well. I've looked at all the permits pulled for this year (and all the ones pulled after November last year). I can't find a permit for SS25.

Don't get your hopes up. There's a reason I called that thought delusional! It is most likely very, very delusional. But! I can't help thinking it, and if I'm going to think it, I might as well post it. I'd kick myself if it did occur and I didn't voice my thoughts.