Theme vs. No Theme

[DTH316]

I was gonna make a poll for this topic but then decided it's a bit more complex than that.

It's simply like this, do you prefer HHN to have a theme or no theme?

THEME: One unified idea spread across the park, giving the event a story revolving around most/all of the characters there from mazes, Terror Tram to the scarezones.

NO THEME: Random ideas spread across the park with no care to unification. Mazes, Terror Tram and scarezones aren't one cohesive idea, just a mixed bag.

THEMED YEARS: 2007, 2008, 2009

NON THEMED YEARS: 2006, 2010

This year? If 2010 showed us anything, not having a theme REALLY hurt the event. I thought last year was pretty weak in comparison to 2009 and even the repeat year of 2008. Maybe it was just a lack of creativity all around but I REALLY dug the entire feel of the themed years. It felt like the event had a story and each facet of each corner of the park was telling that story.

Let's talk about my favorite year:

In 2008, Freddy took over Universal Studios, creating a living nightmare and bringing your nightmares (Leatherface, Jason [again, like in FvJ hehe], Chucky and ofcourse himself) TO LIFE. This idea was represented throughout the park. You enter to Freddy at the statue and after that, your nightmare begins. All of the mazes are their own thing, obviously but at least they tried to make an effort as to why they were there. And it was the Terror Tram that explained everything. You see, to me, the Terror Tram is the best way to tell the story of what's going on at the event, as to why all the chaos is occurring. And through the video and the methods of storytelling through the walking portion of the maze, the theme really stuck. You just got what was going on (which is why I always made a point of doing Terror Tram first until last year). So the Terror Tram is basically one big nightmare after another and you go from the Killer Klowns, to Psycho and then the nightmare intensifies when you get to Camp Crystal Lake and then suddenly you're the victim of Leatherface and then you wake up. The nightmare is over. OR SO YOU THOUGHT. You find yourself now at the grand finale, Freddy has completely obliterated Elm Street and it was EPIC. Then you board your tram and go back to the upper lot, the story continues from there.

The idea of making the entire event a story is exciting. To me, that's what makes it different from Knotts because Knotts has always just been a mixed bag of ideas. The thought of Universal telling me a story while scaring me is very horror movie like and with that, I was living a horror movie and that's the most exciting thing ever. It all made sense and that's what stuck out to me.

Now let's talk about my least favorite year so far:

In 2010, we were spearheaded with a crapload of repeats. Jigsaw was no longer the main theme but neither was Jason or Freddy (or... was he? No... but he's the main advertising icon... oh wait, this is confusing... what's going on here?). And the HotC is only represented with their maze. And Chucky was randomly thrown on the Terror Tram. The Terror Tram itself had a story... but where was everything else that was at the event? "La Llorona? What's she doing there? Doesn't she also have a scarezone?... Okaaaaaay" It honestly just felt like a bunch of random ideas thrown together which is fine, in some theories but it made the event LESS epic. It didn't attempt to explain why anything else was there. Everything kinda just "is what it is" and that doesn't sit well with me. I was expecting Universal to keep the notch high and keep the storytelling element alive. Oh, and let's throw some random vampires in there! Give them a y instead of an i... it'll be cooler that way.

So what do you prefer? The event to tell a story? Or just random scares through the night?

I'm a story man and I always will be. And you'll probably never convince me of otherwise.

If Universal heads in the opposite direction, it'll just make it a no better version of Knotts... just a better version because they have quality going for it.

Personally, I don't get ACTUALLY get scared at these events anymore so it didn't bug me seeing the Pigs at the entrance, Pigs on the Tram, Pigs on the lower lot and Pigs in the maze in 09. Repetitive but it gave it a story and that's honestly what I care about the most and as long as that is in tact, I'm happy. It just made sense that if Jigsaw was taking over Universal Studios, he'd have mostly his minions doing his dirty work. From a storytelling standpoint, that's a scary concept. But if you just "don't get it" and you're mindlessly walking around from area to area, you're gonna be like "derrr, not the pigs again." But hey, different strokes.

Here's to hoping 2011 gets back on track and gets a theme and a damn good story. Let's go GHOSTFACE!!!!!!

[Trevler]

I haven't read you post yet, but you're dead wrong about 2006. 2006 was prob. the most unified theme of any year. Everything going on was a movie being shot by the Director. The 2006 website (and its still out there, if you want to look at it- it was prob. the best we've had) was explicitly clear about that.

[dante]

And plus theme years go over very well with the public...Look at 09 also one of the best years a central movie theme everything tied together because of the Universal Palace Theater...a theme just helps to feel a sense of togetherness and helps people put things together

[00nightcrawler]

Having a theme is better than having no theme, but I think it is hard to have a believable theme when most of our mazes are movie based rather than original. Its certainly possible, but a strong theme almost always requires being able to create all aspects of it (characters, scarezones, mazes), rather than having a preexisting movie series and trying to make other movie series fit with it.

Edited July 1, 2011 by 00nightcrawler

[HorrorNights93]

First off i like to agree with Trevler. 2006 did have a theme and my best icon, the director. it was a central theme dealing with a psycho director bringing his crazy thoughts to life at universal.I also think that the TT video was the most gruesome theyve had. What i LOVED most about this year was it was ALL ORIGINAL. No movie based concepts. Second i also agree with nightcrawler. Even though our themes have been played off well..its more to it than just taking a big icon and throwing in minor icons to accompany it. Thats why orlando is successful every year. They create an original icon and connect it with other icons who also have a scary backstory. Now thats what makes a good theme. Luckily Murdy has been pulling off our themes pretty well but there will come a time when we think "hey that makes no sense and how do these icons even relate" Murdy better start getting creative and original before we run out of good movie properties to use . Now my thoughts on the theme vs. no theme concept. I'll definately be a Theme type of guy as long as HHN is around and like DTH said i probably wont be reconvinced either. DTH broke down 2010(a no theme year) very well. It wasnt just only the repeats but there was no background story to it. I like having a Major icon that tells a scary story within other icons as well. 2010 was just so UNORGANIZED and made no sense. Just to re cap what DTH said, La llorona...vampyres..two slashers..a crazy family and jigsaw ????? in what way do these all fit in with each other?? NOT AT ALLbesides the fact there all related in horror.! its as if murdy was just tryna put alot of scary ideas into the theme park...bad choice.. in that case he could of just took the big 3 and through in michael to make it the big 4 and another icon.

Lets take one of my favorite years 2009; "You'll Just Wish It Were A Movie" Main icon:jigsaw Ok so the only thing i had against this year was the overload of jigsaw Two sz,maze etc.and even though MBV wasnt bad i wish they would of chosen a better icon to use... other than that it was a really good year. What stood out most was the theme. Im glad they chose jigsaw for the fact hes probably one of the smartest killers in the horror industry and could talk lol. The way MBV,chucky,michael tied in with the theme was because he brung 3 scary movies to life and made people think " i just wish it were a movie" lol if anyone is getting what im tryna say i just kinda confused myself 0.o Basically what im saying is without a theme we really dont have much of a structured event because everything is just randomly scattered all over the place..or should i say repeated lol

[DTH316]

OOOOOOPS, did NOT mean to put 2006 there. I was going to put "did not attend" 2006 under the "no theme" area and I guess my mind bunched them together. But I do remember all of the elements that have been spoken of.

[dante]

.....wait are you talking about hollywood ???

[Trevler]

Yes. This is the Hollywood forum.

[HorrorNights93]

its funny because i was mad about the fact of repeats and 2010 being our worst year IMO that i forgot we even had no theme that year.i just figured it was " What Fear Fears Most " but i forgot about the other elements that make up a theme 0.o

[Hhnh86987]

I would like a theme but spread it out more. Like a few years before with saw you had pigs in tt scarezon and a maze and in the entrence of the park towards the end of hhn. I think that themes add a nice touch to the event.

Oh yeah and what exactly was the theme last year anyone know? I know it was what fear fears most but I read sd omething about.a story to it also but it wasn't bery clear.

[DTH316]

There was no theme last year, and whoever says there was one was full of shit! lmao

Basically just a bunch of scary ideas thrown together.

[HorrorNights93]

DTH is right "what fear fears most" was just our slogan and if anyone else tells you otherwise like DTH said " their full of shit" lol Im really hoping Murdy continues the theme tradition this year at this years event.

[DTH316]

I'd like to revive this thread in hopes that 2012 is a THEMED all around year as oppose to '10 and '11. PLEEEEASSSEEE!!!

[Kreepshowtosh]

I'm sorry to break it to you guys but there will never ever be a theme for Hollywood's event anytime soon. As popular as it is right now, there will not be one anymore. And before you ask, "Well, how do you know?" I known, ever since 2011, Hollywood is going the opposite direction. This year 2013 is not gonna have a theme, and there will be no theme at all just like the past 4 years now. So there you go.

[DTH316]

Weeeeell, idk, last year had a theme. An okay one that was small, but still a theme.

Maniac klownz were on a killing spree during Horror Nights and their victims were coming back to life, while the dead from Atlanta have also migrated to Hollywood and onto the backlot. That's what I got from the opening scaramony anyway.

[Mr.HHN]

Well don't y'all worry when Mr.HHN is creative director we'll have a theme and an icon.

[Freak]

Well don't y'all worry when Mr.HHN is creative director we'll have a theme and an icon.

What if park management/marketing wouldn't feel it was necessary and would not allow it?

[Kreepshowtosh]

Weeeeell, idk, last year had a theme. An okay one that was small, but still a theme.

Maniac klownz were on a killing spree during Horror Nights and their victims were coming back to life, while the dead from Atlanta have also migrated to Hollywood and onto the backlot. That's what I got from the opening scaramony anyway.

No, it didn't. If had a theme, then there should've been a coherent story. Klownz and the zombies both at Hollywood, they don't make any sense besides the fact they're both horror, that's it. There was no rhyme or reason why they were both there..