Haunted house attractions are known for eliciting screams, whether from laughter or terror—but these experiences are only temporary. The fright of the night fades away as the attraction concludes, ready to return another day to provide more thrills for those who seek them.
What if the horror never truly disappears? The Houses October Built explores that idea. This 2014 found footage film takes a similar approach to the Hell House LLC series. It follows a group of friends from Ohio who plan to visit some of America's scariest haunted house attractions leading up to Halloween. They also intend to document their experiences and interview actors and employees who work at these attractions. As they delve deeper, they uncover disturbing revelations about the operations behind the scenes, including the neglect of background checks, hiring convicted felons and unstable individuals as actors, using real body parts as props, and performing dangerous stunts for shock value.
The main attraction they want to visit is called the "Blue Skeleton," known for using real torture methods as part of its scare tactics. As the group grows weary of the typical scares, they begin to heckle the actors, filming their antics and being disruptive. Their behavior becomes so intense that a clown and a young actress from an earlier haunted house follow them all the way to their RV, which is a hundred miles away. Despite encountering terrifying and escalating pranks and confrontations from disgruntled actors, the group eventually finds a connection that leads them to the Blue Skeleton. But will it provide them with the scare they are seeking?
From the very beginning of the film, it's clear that things will not end well. The Houses October Built employs classic found footage techniques, such as grainy visuals and shaky camera work. One scene is depicted from a first-person perspective, and it sends chills down my spine. After watching it, I seriously reconsidered the idea of sleeping anywhere other than my own home. The movie also incorporates elements "based on a true story," particularly regarding the Blue Skeleton haunted attraction crew, which is reminiscent of the real-life McKamey Manor. This "torturer" haunted house attraction, located in Summertown, Tennessee, requires guests to sign a liability waiver that details the disturbing ways they may be subjected to various forms of physical, sexual, and psychological torture.
What really stands out in this movie is its slow and methodical buildup of suspense. The banter among the group of friends and their outrageous behavior at the haunted houses can be irritating at times, but isn’t that part of the point? Their antics lead to a quick desire for revenge from the actors they critique. Is this a case of exposing a cover-up that some would prefer to keep hidden? It's possible. Whatever the reason, someone is determined to protect their secrets and will go to great lengths to ensure they stay buried.