Hyperrealistic gore and phobia-inducing scenes. A cacophony of strobe lights and fog. Scarers at every vulnerable moment. Haunted houses are no strangers to pushing the limit.
Well-known haunted house attractions in Southern California include “Knotts Scary Farm” and “Hollywood Horror Nights” at Universal Studios; both of which steer away from the light-hearted spooky fun you may have experienced as a kid. Instead, they offer a high – yet ultimately manageable – amount of horror that will encourage a scare out of their willing participants.
But when does this effort to ‘get a good scare’ go too far? When do the lines blur between Halloween horror and harm?
Likely fueled by the consistent popularity of horror films, specifically the often unhinged slasher subgenre, modern haunted houses contain more immersive storytelling with heightened special effects, psychological fear, and exploration of deeper, darker themes.
The 17th Door Haunt Experience is all too familiar with this side of storytelling. Located in Buena Park, California, this haunted house of 10 years regards itself as “Orange County’s most intense, most terrifying and most fun haunted attraction.”
When I first heard of this attraction from my classmates, stunned and disturbed were words that swarmed through my mind. Fun was not one of them.
Unlike most spooky attractions, The 17th Door requires a signed waiver upon entry, with those under 18 years old required to obtain a parental or legal guardian signature.
This document warns the public that the attraction can induce extreme danger and risk and may result in death, amongst personal injury. While this serves to caution people against the extreme possibilities, should this be taken lightly?
Guests are also informed of potential exposure to “electrical shock… insects… water inhalation… claustrophobia…touching from staff… suffocation” when walking through this haunted house.
The said “insects” are roaches and spiders, of which the actors place on the guests according to Isaac Ramirez and Nathan Von Urff (12) who recently made it through to the end of the haunted house. The spiders were placed on them and they had to kiss them, Ramirez recounts.
In the past, this attraction contained an electric chair which has been ridden off. Presently, tasers remain an active part of the experience.
“They tased you a lot more, it was a lot more torturous. They had electric chairs. This girl next to me was crying in agony,” said Ramirez, when reflecting on his experience walking through the house before the electric chair was discontinued.
Ultimately, the 17th Door is divided into different rooms that incorporate different scare tactics.
“There’s the roach room, the barber shop, the tumbler room (which actually turns 360 degrees), the meat locker, the boiler room, the wind tunnel (with 100-plus mile-per-hour winds), the ball room and more,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
There is a safe word – “mercy” – that guests can say if a room becomes overwhelming and they feel extreme discomfort.
“You can always scream the safe word ‘Mercy’ to either have the actor back off, leave the room, bypass a room…or leave the haunt entirely.”
There are 3 rooms, however, that guests will not be able “mercy” out of.
What is also worth noting is how the 17th Door’s official website lists the following as trigger warnings for themes: “rape, abuse, PTSD.”
Playing with these dark, real-world themes to create unsettling scenes for entertainment purposes, the 17th Door builds a disturbing and intense environment rooted in trauma.
While one may suggest that haunted houses encourage fear within a controlled environment, concern with haunted houses is not out of proportion considering how their extremes can distort youth’s perceptions of fear and harm as sources of entertainment. There is no issue with having fun during the Halloween season, as long as it is ethical.
