FRIGHTMARE

7759 S. Harlem Ave., Burbank, IL  |  $12/$10 with coupon 
www.frightmarehauntedhouse.com

Set Design: 2/5
Actors: 2/5
Scare Factor: 1/5
VALUE: 1/5
Length: 5 min (1/5)
 
​CHAINSAWS: 2/5

We've been going to Frightmare for many years, and it's been a staple of Halloween season in Burbank for over 20 years now. Each year is different than the year before, and it can be hit or miss depending on the theme of the haunt and how much effort is put into it. We have been there when it's been excellent, and we've been there when it's been average. Unfortunately this year was probably the worst year since we started visiting, with uninspired sets, few actors, and the shortest length that we've seen so far.
 
The style of the haunt will be familiar to anyone who has ever visited a carnival or county fair back in the 70's or 80's. It's a prefabricated backdrop in the parking lot of a fun center. The old school prefab portion has been augmented with added sections where the main part of the haunt takes place. The walls of the haunt are always painted in neon paint, usually with scenes that match the theme for the year, which for this year was a backwoods shack type theme.Inside there are a few rooms with scenes connected by decorated corridors. Colors and designs are garish, and sets are usually minimal, with a few animatronic props and some static set pieces such as wooden fences or small cabin outlines. 


​COMMENTARY
The haunt mostly caters to younger people, and the actors inside are also of the younger variety. Costuming is mostly non-existent, with most actors simply wearing rubber masks and street clothes, although a couple sometimes do have some minimal costumes. Scares are also minimal - the actors mostly just jump out and try to startle visitors, sometimes following them for a short distance. There is no other type of acting here.

While Frightmare has been enjoyable for us in the past, and for a couple of years had a horror movie theme that was really good, with characters like Jason, Michael Myers, Leatherface, Ghost Face, and Freddy Kreuger, for the past few years it has been more generic, and this year's version was the least inspired we've seen. Although we'd never think of Frightmare as scary, it does have the potential to be entertaining, even if only in a nostalgic sort of way, but this year's version really felt like a quick money grab, as it was only five minutes long for a cost of $12 (without the $2 off coupon found on Frightmare's web site). It's simply not worth the time and it's definitely not worth the money. The theme was minimal, with some sections being just blank black walls when they are usually at least decorated in neon paintings, the actors were sparse, with perhaps six in the entire haunt, and only one or two made any kind of extra effort in terms of trying to scare.