Scare parks feel like a dime a dozen these days, even here in the UK where it felt like we were restricted with our Halloween activities for many years.
Spookyworld, not to be confused with the UK equivalent in Warrington, which I highly recommend, by the way; was the first of its kind to pop up in Berlin, Massachusetts.
From its humble beginnings as a haunted hayride, its popularity only grew, to the point where they had horror stars such as Linda Blair, Kane Hodder and Elvira attended to meet the fans.
This documentary focuses on the rise and fall of this trailblazing attraction, with strange anecdotes such as the live broadcast wedding of Tiny Tim at the park plus a government shutdown and the tales of its eccentric owner David Bertolino.
With vintage footage, and interviews with big hitters such as Hodder and Tom Savini, you get to hear from the horse’s mouth what it was like being part of the evolution of Spookyworld.
It is in some ways a cautionary tale, as Bertolino it could be argued never truly understood what he had until it started to erode away. Either way, Quinn Monahan’s documentary leaves no stone unturned and makes for a perfect start to the spooky season.
Look out for Spooktacular! on the film festival circuit.
Bloody Flicks 