Mournful Manor

	Scare Factor	Acting	Sets/FX	Length	Overall
	7	7	8	8	7.5
	7	7	8	8	7.5

Kris Kropelnicki

Back for its second year as a home haunt, Mournful Manor has all the elements that I would expect to see in a much larger production. There were many times I forgot I was going through the garage and yard of someone’s home because I was so immersed in the scene I was in. The attention to detail here is very good and I could easily tell that a lot of time and planning went into this year’s production. While this is a free haunt, donations are encouraged and they are well deserved, so help the cause out!

The haunt has grown this year and the scares come from unexpected places and scenes. There are the scares you would expect at any haunt; actors sneaking up on you and coming out from unexpected places, however, some of my best chills came from the sets themselves and the creepiness of the actors within those sets.

As I was going through the child’s room I saw an actor on the floor with a very eerie porcelain doll mask on. As this actor sits in the middle of the floor holding a baby doll, he makes the most disturbing moaning noise that sounds like true demented grief. Leaving the room is tricky and I found myself having to duck down low and stay that way for quite a bit which is again, very unnerving. Being in any position other than upright is very disturbing to me simply because I know if something comes after me, I can’t run! Add some light fog and a strobe to this room and many people will be too afraid to go through.

The butcher room is very well done and the set design and props are awesome in here! The props are very realistic and I was hesitant to put my hand out to move the hanging “meat” out of my way as I passed through because some of this meat looked fresh and the hooks used are authentic. The best part of the room is the butcher himself. With very minimal makeup, he completely sells the scene with his demeanor and crazed look in his eyes. Don’t believe me? Check out his picture on the site and see for yourself. He informed me that he wanted my tongue and being the smart aleck that I am, I stuck my tongue out at him. When he came at me with that crazed look that said he was serious, I quickly closed my mouth and kept it that way until I was sure I was far from him. He puts the creep in creeper that’s for sure!

All of the actors did a very good job and were effective in their roles. A couple of the characters need a bit more definition and depth, but overall this is far better acting than I see in most of the large commercial haunts. It is very evident that this crew is not only passionate about what they are doing, but they are playing for keeps! (Bigger commercial haunts, get ready for your next serious competition!)

Some fantastic set ideas give a glimpse into the future of this haunt and I personally cannot wait to see future development as time goes on. The scene that stood out the most for me was the asylum. While a lot of haunts have an asylum scene, I have never seen it done like this! Absolutely brilliant concept that really works well and had my full attention! Genius!

Length has been increased this year and while it is not as long as the bigger commercial haunts, this has good length and feels like it is longer than it is. The layout works and makes good use of the space creating the illusion that this is a much larger area than it really is.

While there are always adjustments and tweaks to be made at any haunt, I find that really all this haunt needs is another year to grow and develop even beyond what it has so far. There is some fantastic creativity here that will only continue to amaze and delight as time goes on. Get out and see what can be done at a home with a crew as great as this one!

Pros: Acting, sets, details
Cons: A couple actors need depth in their characters

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