Single and multi-day passes are available at www.MidsummerScream.org.

One of the highlights of Midsummer Scream is the Hall of Shadows, an immersive experience where local and regional haunted attraction creators come to scare guests.

There are panels galore including a presentation for the upcoming Disney’s Haunted Mansion film with the film crew and a special Saw presentation that discusses the past, present and future of the horror franchise. Additionally, Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights, Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest, and Thirteenth Floor Entertainment will be presenting.

Midsummer Scream will have special experiences for Saw and The Boogeyman on the show floor.

“This sixth year for Midsummer Scream is truly the best yet, as we showcase the full range of Halloween and horror—from the big screen to local haunts to the best of horror-themed games of all sort,” said David Markland, co-founder and executive director of Midsummer Scream. “There is going to be something to do literally every minute from the moment we open our doors at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 28.”

For the up-to-date schedule, you can download the Midsummer Scream app on iOS and Android at https://midsummerscream.org/midsummer-scream-app/.

Here are a few of the highlighted Midsummer Scream panels and experiences:

ALL THREE DAYS

• The Boogeyman Experience — Exclusively at Midsummer Scream, fans will immerse themselves in the world of The Boogeyman as they try to avoid the terrifying supernatural entity and escape with their lives. The first 50 brave attendees to walk through the experience each day will receive a limited-edition Boogeyman poster.
• Saw Experience — Midsummer Scream guests can explore the horrific, unnerving and unforgettable world of Saw in a special experience open all three days of the event.
• The Haunted Hearse — A fully immersive horror adventure for cellphones that seamlessly combines craft, fiber arts, analog/virtual technologies, and live performance to deliver a spooky art experience like no other.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ONLY

• Exorcistic: The Live Musical — A “blasphemous” rock musical parody that breaks the fourth wall and engages the audience, and features book, lyrics and music by two-time Ovation Award winner Michael Shaw Fisher. (8 p.m. – 10 p.m. on the Promenade Stage, plays all three evenings; note: 18+ only)

Friday, July 28

Midsummer Scream Hours 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

• Urban Death — The disturbed spirits and unfathomable monstrosities of Zombie Joe’s Underground’s cult-hit tableaux of madness, mayhem and diabolical horror await in their fun ‘n’ freaky performance. Note: Ages 16+. (7:20 p.m., Room 103BC)
• ‘Creepy’ Live Podcast — The Bloody Disgusting podcast from creator John Grilz goes live at Midsummer Scream, exploring the most famous and disturbing creepypastas and urban legends in the world. (7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Podcast Lounge)

Saturday, July 29

Midsummer Scream Hours 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Anaheim Halloween 100th Anniversary — See what’s in store for the centennial anniversary of the city of Anaheim’s Halloween Parade. (12 p.m., Promenade Stage)
• Thirteenth Floor Presentation — A preview of what haunt and Halloween fans have in store from some of the 13th Floor’s haunted attractions: LA Haunted Hayride, Delusion and Shaqtoberfest (12:30 p.m., Grand Ballroom)
• Return of the Living Drag — The frightening flock of fabulous performers led by horror icon Peaches Christ returns to slay you with a deadly dose of horror drag. (2 p.m., Grand Ballroom)
• Hot Haunts for 2023 — Midsummer Scream’s Rick West leads his annual discussion about the upcoming Halloween season with some of the community’s most talented and passionate haunters (2:30 p.m., Promenade Stage)
• ‘Saw X’ Presentation — An exploration of the past, future and legacy of Saw. Presented by Lionsgate. (3:30 p.m., Grand Ballroom)
• ‘Lost Boys’ & Vamp — The Lost Boys stars Jason Patric, Billy Wirth and Jamison Newlander join Vamp for a live recording of “Let’s Get Spooky” (4:30 p.m., Promenade Stage)
• Knott’s Scary Farm’s 50th — Speakers include Knott’s Scary Farm historian and show writer Ted Dougherty, attraction designer Jon Cooke, and Ken Parks, corporate director of creative development, Cedar Fair. (5 p.m., Grand Ballroom)
• Slumber Party: Midsummer Scream After Dark — An incredible after-hours party filled with games, contests, screenings, music, dancing and much more. Included with Gold Bat VIP admission; while supplies last, tickets may be purchased separately online or through the Midsummer Scream app.

Sunday, July 30

Midsummer Scream Hours 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Winchester Mystery House 100th Anniversary — One of the world’s most haunted places celebrates its 100th anniversary. Walter Magnuson, executive director, will lead an exploration of the Winchester House’s centennial milestone. (12 p.m., Grand Ballroom)
• Happy Haunts Materialize! Behind the Scenes of Disney’s Haunted Mansion — This special apparition from regions beyond by The Walt Disney Studios will include Jonathan Eirich, producer, and Phillip Bartell, editor, hosted by Lauren and Trevor Shand and Leone D’Antonio from The Boo Crew Podcast. (1:30 p.m., Grand Ballroom)
• Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest — Sharing nightmarish plans for the upcoming 30th anniversary season of Fright Fest. Sit down and hold on tight: It’s going to be a wild ride! (2:30 p.m., Promenade Stage)
• The Boulet Brothers and the Supermonsters of Dragula! — For the first time on stage, The Boulet Brothers, hosts and creators of Shudder and AMC’s hit drag/horror reality competition show “The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula,” moderate a panel featuring several of the show’s winners together on stage. (3 p.m., Grand Ballroom)
• Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights — Get a look behind the screams of Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights when Creative Director/Executive Producer John Murdy returns to Midsummer Scream to share the creative process of bringing your darkest nightmares to life. (4:30 p.m., Grand Ballroom)

The post What Panels and Experiences to Expect for Midsummer Scream 2023 appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

Thankfully, the movie makes good use of the ride’s elements and creates a more profound film than you realize. Haunted Mansion uses the theme of grief and pain to provide the movie with plenty of emotion and heart. In between, the film features a lot of lighthearted, dark, and sinister fun—a combination that would’ve made ride art directors Claude Coats and Marc Davis proud. Although Haunted Mansion is not a terrifying film, this is something to consider before taking young kids. There are scary-looking ghosts, a few good frights, and twisted moments. So while kids will be alternately laughing their heads off and fearfully covering their eyes, the adults will have their share of fun too.

Haunted Mansion is a hatbox-fresh comedy horror that slings Amblin’s heart, B-movie scares, and plenty of CGI on the screen.

Unfortunately, the movie features a lot of CGI usage. While some of it works, many of these sequences yank you away from the immersion that Justin Simien and his art crew created in this world. There is no seamless mix of practical and visual effects. The action scenes, in particular, can be hit-and-miss. The CGI usage makes the sequences feel clumsy and hurts the movie. 

To get hung up on that stuff misses what Haunted Mansion has to offer. The film is cast extraordinarily well, with believable relationships and good camaraderie. Lakeith Stanfield seems to be in touch with the film’s heartfelt and campy potential. The sugary-sweet relationship between Rosario Dawson and Chase Dillon is warm and winning. At the same time, Owen Wilson takes a thankless role and gives it a lot of heart. Tiffany Haddish and Danny DeVito added just the right amount of fun and energy to the proceedings. 

Overall, Haunted Mansion is a hatbox-fresh comedy horror that slings Amblin’s heart, B-movie scares, and plenty of CGI on the screen. The film is better than you think it will be and lives up to the nostalgic glory that fans of the classic ride will want. It concentrates on its target demographic without forgetting the non-ride goers in the crowd.

Rating: 3.5/5 atoms

Haunted Mansion hits theaters on July 28th.

The post Haunted Mansion Review: 999 Happy Laughs and Scares appeared first on Nerd Reactor.