305 macintyre, lockport, IL
years: 2009-2012
Thanatophobilaland is one of the more unique yard displays that the Tourers have encountered, and it is one that we return to year after year, simply because it's always so interesting. "Thanatophobia", in case anyone is wondering, is a fear of death, so roughly, "Thanatophobialand" translates to "fear of death land" - an interesting name for a most interesting yard display.
The first thing one notices when approaching the display is that there is a hearse parked out front. It is one of several real hearses that populate the display. While hearses are often part of professional haunts, it's not often that you see one at a residential yard display, let alone more than one. This one detail sets Thanatophobialand apart from a number of other displays. The entire display encompasses the front and back yards as well as the garage, so there is a lot to look at. In the front yard, visitors are greeted by a large mausoleum, complete with creepy ghost, that proudly proclaims the name of the display. In addition to the mausoleum, there are many creative and interesting tombstones populating the front yard, and these are another point that sets Thanatophobialand apart from other displays. While many displays feature tombstones with funny or creative names, or names of fictional horror characters, Thanatophobialand focuses on tombstones featuring the names of real people from the horror genre. While there are many familiar names, such as Lon Chaney, Boris Karloff, and Alfred Hitchcock, Thanatophobia's tombstones also include names such as Al Lewis, Fred Gwynne (Grandpa and Herman Munster, respectively), Elizabeth Montgomery and Agnes Moorhead (Samantha and Endora from Bewitched), and even Heather O'Rourke, the little girl from Poltergeist. Along the side of the display is a large board giving some more details about each of the actors/actresses featured on the tombstones. The display continues around the back of the house, past another hearse and a "Spookers" waitress (an undead spin on the traditional "Hooters" waitress). The back yard features numerous props including torture and electrocution victims, mad scientists and more. Additionally, the garage is set up like a funeral parlor, complete with the dearly departed, mourners, and even an organist. A cleverly designed donation box waits for those who would like to help Thanatophobialand keep operating in future years, although donations are not required. Overall, Thanatophobialand is an excellent display that not only provides some of the typical Halloween setups, but also provides visitors with a bit of entertainment history and, perhaps, some educational content as well. It is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys visiting unique Halloween displays. Once you see it once, you'll want to keep coming back. We certainly do! |