An interesting review at Dreadcentral that confirms what I was wondering back when I first posted the trailer:
Haunters: The Art of the Scare isn’t really about the joy of crafting haunted houses and embracing the spirit of Halloween; it’s main focus is to ask if some of these attractions are now too extreme. Seeing the film at Fantastic Fest which is filled to the brim with passionate, good-natured horror fans, some of the subjects in Jon Schnitzer’s documentary don’t reflect that love of horror and don’t appear to care whom they harm in the process. Although there are some positive examples documented in Haunters, don’t expect a film that delves into what scares us on a fundamental level. This is more of an exploration into how some haunts can bring out the darker side of human nature.
Click below for the review...
11 comments:
Want to see this.
"he hand selects applicants to be physically abused while he videotapes them for his YouTube channel." i blame the participants too, NOT, just this dude.
EVERYTHING IS a fetish to SOMEONE. & when something reaches fetish level it's NEVER good, because, it consumes them. i know a dude who is obsessed with feet & once when he had a party (in the summer) he actually drenched the dirt (which turned to mud) in front of the house's entrance, in hopes the ladies would have to take their shoes off before entering the house. i mean ok man, have your fetish, BUT..must you trick people to come along for YOUR ride. Yuck!!
idk..i try to be like, let people do their own thing. i don't like people being called nerds, geeks or whatnot (in a mean way) for just liking something, but, this is FETISHISM at it's worst!!!! SICK!!!
i can't condone certain horror movies either. like "Martyrs" for example. yes, let's take beautiful, little girls & torture the fuck outta them, break them down both physically & mentally, totally exploit them. AND after ALL that..there's insult to injury, the ending IS SO stupid & SO intellectually absent. & now the director says, "oh maybe, i went a little too far". HAHAHAHHAHA!!! Thanks for the TORTURE PORN Loser.
i am disappointed that the word douchebag was used in this article. i always think of Fishtown & places like that, whenever i hear the word. i mean seriously, walk thru Fishtown, K&A...& you'll hear the word like 40 times within 30 mins. & i LOVE when people talk salty but, that word....brrrrrrr.
I really don't care to see anything else about McKamey Manor, so I guess we could just fast forward to the Haunted Overload segments??
And girl6, you totally cracked me up with "I know a dude who is obsessed with feet..."
Hhhmmmmm....I guess what I consider the "Art of a Scare" is a totally different animal. Ghosties and ghoulies and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night. (That's the art of the scare for me!)
Yeah..I think one leaves you with neat memories and actually improves one's life and is a form of appreciating art, and the other is a blip on the radar that enhances nothing.
Just my opinion.
Was really hoping this was all about getting to know haunted attraction owners and their motivations and the mountains of work required to make something like Haunted Overload.
Like we went years ago to H.O. and i'll truly never forget it. The smells, the atmosphere, the ENERGY of Eric Lowther. Pure artistic passion...and being a part of it.
Getting shoved and screamed at in the dark... I just don't get it.
yeah Highbury that guy is a real trip & so calculating. he invited WAY more ladies than dudes & even hooked up a hose, so the ladies could rinse. omg.
i honestly worry about the poor souls that want/need to be scared like this, because, it's "self-harm" & that's a very serious matter. i mean, being on the delivering end isn't healthy either. that's also self harm. you're hurting yourself as well. fetishes are never harmless. they hurt everyone involved.
NOT what I expected...based on the review. Was really looking forward to it and I'm sure to see it if only for the brilliant Eric Lowther. I'm actually pretty sick of hearing about Russ McKamey, this was called "Haunters", not "Torturers" after all. Congratulations Russ, you've managed to squirrel your "interrogation tent" act into minor relevance once again.
I was hoping for something like "The American Scream" on steroids. Doesn't sound much like that. For as often as haunters...even pro haunters...ask me about the organic, Rot look...I would think that something that focused on the very nuanced art of this craft would appeal to so many more.
I think Russ and "foot guy" should get together and open Torture Fetish Foot Massage and get out of the haunting business.
If you'd like a genuine documentary about Haunters and the love of the craft, check out "The American Scream", a documentary that follows three home haunters as they set up their annual display. It focuses more on personal interviews; what Halloween means to them; and the passion it takes to create something they're proud of, sharing it with the community while expecting nothing in return. A MUST WATCH for any home haunter or Halloween fanatic.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/vQMkrdzD3xM
Absolutely.
Huge fan of that documentary.
"The American Scream" is a great film about haunters. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I would love it if someone would revisit that idea, and make another film about home haunters. I appreciate the "for profit" haunts out there, but my heart is with those kind souls that transform their homes for the thrill of that special October night. And trust me, those kind souls are fertilizing the crop of future haunters. That is how I got started, with that one house, that had all the jack'o lanterns and the creepy music and the lady of the house dressed as a witch. I can close my eyes and be that child again, with the plastic mask and treat pail, out of breath and laughing and a little scared, but all the while breathing deeply, all those October smells...that is how this home haunter was born...
I knew it. I knew this would give too much attention to McKamey Manor and other shit like it. Was looking forward to this giving attention to ACTUAL haunts and haunters, not that garbage. Won't be watching it.
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