Cinema's Annual EP/Opening Review (Mild Spoilers)

[CinemaOfTheDead]

So I believe I wrote many event reviews in the past maybe for most or all years since like the years of 09 and 2010 so I feel a small obligation to write my thoughts even if my head is a jumble mess because how amazing most houses and some parts of the event that I'm still very confused about and hopefully it gets better over time or that I can adjust to it. Yet I'll try my best to share my opinion as much as I can for the wandering eyes and fellow hhn fans to see what they can't miss. Yet I don't know if I can post all my elongated opinions all at once and sadly I only missed one crucial part of the event: Bill and Ted (which of course making it top priority to see it tonight) so I will Edit this post or add along this thread.

About Spoilers: I posted this as having mild spoilers but I may use more spoilers to further describe my thought of a particular house or zone but i will use spoiler tags like so

if you reveal any further spoilers make sure you have done the event or really want to know about a particular detail and won't be angry if something is revealed

as for the mild spoilers it would be really simple small ones nothing that would fully describe a particular scene of the house or a detail more along the lines of why I believe why this house/scarezone/show/previous incarnation may be better or worse than the others in event. If you want very limited to no spoilers I have often put my top houses and zones near the end of the topic.

Before the rankings of zones and houses, their are very few things I would like to state about the event itself.

Employee Preview is a rehearsal: There was many things missing and aren't fully completed so have I done the event entirely their would be effects and props I have yet not seen like

in Monster and Mayhem none of the Jack's have their wigs so they all came out with their normal hair wearing Jack attire that whole night or in AWIL that the first werewolf which attacks David wasn't present in my run through

Also scareactors has to grow into their roles in order to achieve their full potential so my thoughts can change time after time. Also these are my first thoughts on either my first run or my second or third walkthrough a particular house so I may not see all the details just yet.

Opening Moment/Opening Scareamony: The opening of this year alike the two previous years before it starts right before people allow in through the gate and it isn't long but like the one before it made my blood curling. The moment is

few representing scareactors from every scarezone form in front of the park this also includes the Chainsaw Drill Teams as Jack makes a speech on the intercom which I couldn't hear due to fellow guests yelling but sadly he wasn't present.

But actually felt last year's might be better incomparison but it's still leaves the impact and I just wish I can experience it from Stay and Scream.

The Event's Overall Music: You may be asking out of everything in the event why do I dedicate a section of it to just the music in-between the houses and zones? But because of it truly may being distracting and pulling me away from the feel of the event every time I have to move to a different cluster of houses. So why was it distracting was it too loud? was I getting too old? I wish that was the case. Too much synth or too repetitive? Maybe repetitive but probably not the case. Then what is it? A huge chunk of it is dedicated to dubstep. You may think it's like a remix of classic horror music or themes being they have Freddy, Jason, Insidious, TWD, and classic monsters themes and soundtrack they can compile of but nope it's truly "party" style of dubstep while splicing in Jack the Clown saying "It's me Jack." Their are few parts of it changing to a carnival style music but then cuts back to dubstep and in year's past we get horror soundtrack themes or somewhere alike but yes this very much threw me off as much as when TWD theme kept being over played in 2013. So it truly ruins the feel and hope we get use to it or that you are dubstep fan or it changes real soon.

Now to the Scarezones.

Scary Tales: Scream Punk: The concept sounding great I had some hopes to see goreful steampunk versions of classics like the 2008 scarezones but it felt more of Fractured Tales taste but not as varied as the Fractured Tales, not many scareactors and not much area they can spread themselves in. Some characters are interesting to look at but the scares are lacking but I don't blame the actors I actually blame the lighting as this zone is very bright and I don't understand why as for the actors it's hard to sneak up on the guests when the sun seems to be out. The characters are mostly based on Disney Fairy Tales

Pinocchio and Belle being my favorite looking ones

than more anything else and the few that aren't seemed that one of them has been recycled before. The only atmosphere other than the lighting and the projected gears is that

there's only one prop in the middle of the zone which was shown in the media preview and even though it's a huge prop

it's easily the worst looking scarezone of the year but the actors and the look themselves may be the only reason to watch this scarezone. This is ranked #4 on the scarezone list

Psychoscarepy Unleashed: The best scarezone hands down not only theirs amazing effects like the burning gazebo but theirs mini shows in the small stages showing the insanity of the inmates. The maniacs are already doing their best on the streets almost every scareactor has a different look to them. You can see there are many small details showing the party side and yet the insanity side of a town going into chaos like

windows casting shadows of the inmates killing and taking over New York.

The music that is blasting is halloween music classics

like Purple People Eater and Witch Doctor spliced in with the Psychoscarepy's theme of It's a Summer Place.

so for me it's actually an amazing halloween block party that I would love spending time in. Of course this is ranked #1 on the scarezone list.

Icons-HHN: Even though I adore the characters and it's a great photo op. The characters surrounding it aren't really broad along the years and brought sorta low tear icons as the scareactors like

the Fear latern spirits, La Llorana...with a chainsaw... I don't know why either it's not like they have an Icon who's weapon is a chainsaw... No I didn't see him, the Inquitius from HHN 22 and even the Usher's cohorts? The other Ushers who isn't

The Usher.

So they left off many characters that I thought should be present in 25th anniversary aren't here and gave us not much to work with. Also will love to point out that someone in my group told me that the music in this zone is from Lord of The Rings movies. Also only saw Usher's kill and it wasn't much impressed by it and hope the other icons are more iconic. Yes pun included. It's dark and foggy but no scares as yet to be have. Ranked #5 on this list.

All Night DIE-In: Double Feature: The characters all look very much like their movie counterpart it's like a photo op but they are actually trying as they aren't stuck on a stage and has full range. Both casts seem amazing for scares and literally laughed when Chucky scared a huge group. The projection was kinda of hard to see but from what I hear a really good montage. Sadly there isn't

Freddy or a Jason

around but there are some new additions that I loved seeing and the zone itself was fantastic to see. Ranked #3 on the list.

Evil's Roots: Probably the best scarezone that ever resided in only Central Park (meaning not included Schoolhouse) it has a little bit of everything in the zone in classic halloween style. The claustrophobia actually works well with the zone so much fog and amazing lighting causes great scares. The look of every character is really amazing and if only they had one or two different halloween type character i would truly enjoy this zone and put it maybe even higher than it is right now. 
Also it's amazing seeing

Samhain from the Hallow

returned for this zone. Ranked #2 on the scarezone list.

That's my honest opinions of the zones I will post an update for the houses. Needing to get ready for today's opening night. I may post today or tomorrow but check back, I would love to know what you think of the review thus far and any creative suggestions will be helpful and be heard.

[Guest kiwisoup]

Thanks for the review. I always appreciate people taking the time to give insight into the event...but dang...that was really hard to read.

[AbeLinkedIn]

I concur that Psychoscareapy will likely be the stand out scare zone if only because of the interactivity of the scareactors. I watched a bit of the video that was shared by one of the theme park magazines (Attractions I think) and it looked like a lot of fun, and the set up of a Fall Festival gone mad keeps in the tradition of Shadybrook (Harkens back to Home for the Holidays). 

Also, that gazebo on fire effect is top notch and it adds to the chaos. 

[CinemaOfTheDead]

Thanks for the review. I always appreciate people taking the time to give insight into the event...but dang...that was really hard to read.

Yea I believe i overdid the spoiler tag and I was more accustomed to the older highlight the spoiler type than this new one, it does make it really clunky when I was reading it on the topic. I may try to nix the whole mild spoilers and actually just have the spoilers on full blast. Plus writing right between naps didn't really help either.