An article concerning Halloween Horror Nights: Carnival of Carnage written by Dewayne Bevil on the Orlando Sentinel:
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Freddy Krueger, Leatherface and Jason will hit Universal[]
Three icons of the scary-movie industry have been invited to this year's Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios, which begins a new reign of terror tonight.
Leatherface, Jason and Freddy Krueger are the infamous guests. It's the first time the film characters have been "reproduced in a live environment," says Jim Timon, senior vice president for entertainment at Universal Orlando. New Line, which owns the threesome, and Universal began talking about this teaming two years ago.
As a result, three of the eight houses at the event are devoted to these modern classics.
"You'll definitely feel like you're at 1428 Elm Street," says Michael Roddy, manager of show development, of the Freddy Krueger house. Universal presents Freddy's surreal dream world, including a sleep clinic, a steamy boiler room, a gallery of his creative kills, and a hallway where you can't tell what's Freddy and what's merely one of his many, many reflections.
It's disorienting even with the house lights on, let alone with theatrical lighting, "scare actors" and frightened visitors in tow.
Leatherface's house features chain saws, and the Jason-based place is on the empty grounds of Camp Crystal Lake.
Two houses are based on Universal films, John Carpenter's The Thing and Dead Silence, which debuted this summer. Meanwhile, "Vampyr: Blood Bath" is set at an industrial nightclub (beware of flying vampires), and "Psychoscareapy: Home for the Holidays" mixes Halloween with Christmas.
At the holidays house, asylum inmates have worked a violent path through a neighborhood's houses and backyards. It's bloody and shockingly detailed. Santa doesn't look so jolly.
"This is above and beyond anything we've ever attempted before," Timon says. The eight houses and four stage shows are the most in the 17-year history of the event.
Universal has incorporated famous fiends, but Universal's home-grown Jack -- a maniacal clown extraordinaire -- has his own house and stage show.
"Jack's Funhouse in Clown-O-Vision" is a clown-heavy trip through Jack's twisted mind, Roddy says. That's territory familiar to Roddy, who created Jack for Halloween Horror Nights in 2000.
Let's blame a focus group for Jack's existence. Roddy was listening to people defending an irrational fear of clowns. The concept once only in his mind now wanders the streets of Universal Studios. In fact, he's taken over.
"He's my Frankenstein," Roddy says.
Jack's show, located on the Hollywood Stage near Mel's Drive-In, recruits six "volunteers" from the crowd for gory carnival games.
"People can come see Jack do his thing for pretty much the first time," Roddy says.
Jack, it turns out, likes to end lives "in violent and unbelievable ways," Timon says. A wood-chipper is mentioned.
A tribute to The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a new event for Horror Nights. There's audience participation, but visitors need not bring their own toast.
"This is taking it to a new level," Roddy says. "It's like Frankenfurter being shot out of a cannon." On other stages, expect "Freak Show" (including a person who swallows a billiard ball and is known as the regurgitator) and local favorite "Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure." This pop-culture spoof is back for its 16th edition.