HAUNT HUNTERS
“We’re not experts. We’re enthusiasts!”
exclaims Mr Haunt, making sure to draw the distinction. “We focus less on the technical,
behind-the-scenes aspect of Haunts, and more on the actual experience of going
through the Haunts.” Mr Haunt states,
“We need more people doing reviews of Haunted Attractions. This is one of the best ways to support the
scene. Other topics, like Sports for
example, have hundreds of reviewers.
Haunts have very few.” Mr Haunt
offers, “It is also important to note that we are not Paranormal
Investigators.”
The Haunt Hunters bring decades of experience to the table,
having gone to hundreds of Haunted Attractions all over the world. “We separate the haunted attractions into
different sub-categories,” Mr Haunt continues, “Each year, we give out awards
for best Haunted House, Haunted Hayride, Theme Park, and Home Décor. And, new
for 2015, we’ve added a Haunted Trail category.” Mr Haunt couldn’t be more excited for the
2015 season. “We’ve developed a
proprietary rating system, with a 100 point scale” Mr Haunt added. The Haunt Hunters rank each haunted
attraction on the following criteria:
1.
Website/Marketing/Hype
|
2.
Access/Signage/Parking/Wait time/Management/Organization/Security/Weather
considerations/Cost/VIP options
|
3. Extras
(Entertainment during wait time/Food/Vending/Things to do)
|
4. Makeup
|
5. Wardrobe
|
6. Acting
|
7.
Effects/Sets/Layout
|
8. Length
|
9. Innovation
|
10. Overall
atmosphere/Scariness/Theme
|
The Haunt Hunters are led by Mr Haunt himself, whose extensive
biography appears separately in these pages. The Haunt Hunters include local
legends Doktor John, Johnny Halloween, Crazy Mike, and George. Other Haunt Hunters include Bubba Pazuzu, and
Weird NJ’s own Chuck and Mike Pizzuta.
We are often joined by special guests from the entertainment industry
and beyond. The Haunt Hunters can be found on your smart-phone at www.HauntHuntersApp.com.
DOKTOR JOHN
A life-long fan of classic Universal and Hammer horror films,
Doktor John‘s interest dates back to the 1950’s, with his devotion to
late-night TV host Zacherley. An early
subscriber since the first edition of Famous Monsters of Filmland, Dok read and
re-read the original Frankenstein and Dracula novels, plus every available
review and criticism of cinematic horror from the silent era of Lon Chaney, Sr,
through the sci-fi “psychotronic” disaster-pieces of the 1950’s and 1960’s. In the early 1990’s, at an age when most
middle-age, middle-class doctors were studying golfing journals and shopping
for second homes in Myrtle Beach or the Hamptons, Doktor John was drawn into
the Gothic Rock music scene, first as an Executive Producer and then as a band
manager/promoter, partnering with Mr Haunt.
Now deeply engaged in the Gothic
subculture scene, Doktor John is a recognized and familiar attendee and
chronicler of Goth, Steampunk, and horror-themed events not only here in the
States but in such places as Germany, Poland, and Italy. Doktor John lives in a gothic cathedral of his
own design, surrounded by his curated collection of oddities from across the
globe. Dok can currently be found as a
Docent at The Morbid Anatomy Museum in NYC.
His reports, which are published in the Aquarian Arts Weekly on these
and related subjects, can be accessed on his comprehensive website, www.doktorjohn.com, where abundant photographs,
astute reporting, and critical reviews are to be found.
JOHNNY HALLOWEEN
Johnny Halloween's earliest
memories are of watching classic Universal monster movies on New York's
"Cinema 13." Growing up, he
regularly attended horror and sci-fi conventions up and down the East Coast --
long before the "Comic-Cons" of today became popular and trendy. He has been published twice in FANGORIA
magazine, he was a key member of the Usenet alt.horror group back in its '90s
heyday, and he has sat down with horror luminaries including Christopher Lee,
Clive Barker, Zacherley, Ray Harryhausen, and David Prowse. Johnny Halloween brings a lifelong love of
monsters, Halloween, and haunted attractions to the Haunt Hunters team.
Crazy
Mike
Crazy Mike has been Mr Haunt’s trusty
sidekick for many years. It’s hard to put
into words the unique brand of crazy that is Crazy Mike.
Let’s just say that one year for Halloween, he donned a brown jumpsuit
and pinned a bunch of little yellow balloons to it. -- He was shit with corn in
it.
George
George is Mr Haunt’s constant companion. He is not easy to please. Accompanying Mr Haunt to hundreds of events,
George helps him interview unsuspecting victims, violating people's personal
space, and rendering his constant, disapproving opinions. George has even taken a turn becoming
"zombified" by up-and-coming Hollywood make-up artist, Alyssa
Vandall.
