RECAP:  A menacing, pale-faced butler greets guests at the door with the chilling proclamation, “This is where all your nightmares come to life!” Reluctantly, he ushers customers inside to the witch’s lair, where glowing potions fill shelves, and groups are gathered into a central circle painted on the floor. Without warning, the witch appears, bursting into the room, cackling as she explains the rules of entry before initiating the journey through a darkened passageway where a shackled Werewolf pounces out of the shadows, howling, snarling, and lunging at intruders as they make their way past.

Snakes and cobwebs provide décor as an animated spider springs out from the wall, signaling horrors that have only begun!  Creepy dolls accompany a ghostly little girl, who shrieks, “Get out!” as the only escape proves to be through a low-level crawlspace that empties into a chamber of terror where a restrained hostage screams for help as Leatherface viciously saws off her leg before turning his attention to YOU! Sneaking out a back door leads outdoors into a zombie-infested forest straight out of Walking Dead. Walkers crawl across the ground, stumble out from behind trees, and lunge from every direction imaginable. Teepees dot the trail in advance of another werewolf attack, and more conflicts with the living dead while crossing a wooden bridge. A voodoo priestess chants curses and spells within an eerie swamp beckoning wanderers toward an abandoned school bus, but it too is overrun with even more slithering biters climbing over and beneath the seats! 

Back inside the Manor, a demented clown blocks the progression offering one of two ominous choices, “You’re sure to die!” or “You’re still sure to die!” Either way plunges the course down a slide into a sponge pit for torment at the hands of Psycho, the killer Jester! The nightmare continues into Freddy Krueger’s boiler room, where the notorious slasher prowls screeching his “blades” noisily across a fence! Next, Jeepers Creepers drops in unexpectedly from a barn loft delivering a surprising “Bat out of Hell” attack!

Departure winds through a tight tunnel to a Ring reenactment that witnesses Samara crawling out of the TV, then down a hallway featuring a live portrait of a screaming nun! Advancement finds a sandy-floored cavern hiding One-Eyed Willie, a mysterious pirate guarding his booby-trapped treasure chest that gives way to a laser-lit swamp scene disturbing a lost soul begging for help. The marshland dumps into a graveyard of skeletons that burst forth from coffins, then yields to a series of film homages including Ghostface (Scream); a deadly Saw trap highlighted by a falling, spiked ceiling; Terrifier’s Art the Clown chasing potential victims through a spinning vortex; and an Evil Dead sequence spotlighting a chained captive struggling for freedom. The finale visits Camp Crystal Lake, where Friday the 13^th’s Jason Voorhees lurks with his oversized machete chasing people out of Nightmare Manor!

ANALYSIS: The butler’s spooky introduction perfectly sets the mood for the horrors ahead, and the chained werewolf delivers one of the night’s most effective scares. Classic horror recreations, particularly Leatherface and The Ring remain favorites, while the Evil Dead scene is memorable for atmosphere and authenticity. Creeper’s sudden attack is a classic! Voodoo priestess, Texas Chainsaw Massacre victim, and all the zombies also deserve praise for their intense efforts. Michael Myers was missed and Jason’s finale could be stepped up to strengthen the ending. Soundtrack is noticeably improved from previous years.

Nightmare Manor combines original frights with well-known horror icons to create a frightful Halloween experience. The haunt stands out for incorporating some old school scares like a slide and crawlspace into the path that are seldom seen these days. A more impactful finish and additional over-the-top scares would elevate the score.

The attraction is open Fridays and Saturdays from 8 PM to midnight. Parking is $2 and general admission tickets cost $20. Donation of a canned good gets you in for just $18. Affordable seasonal entertainment is waiting for you at Middletown’s Nightmare Manor.