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Revision as of 03:32, 1 July 2005
A haunted house is a common plot device in horror or more lately paranormal based fiction.
The actual structure can be anything from a decaying European feudal castle to a newly occupied suburban ranch house of fairly recent construction, though many authors and movie directors prefer that the architecture be from the 1900s or earlier. The key feature of a haunted house, however, is the presence of one or more ghosts, often due to a murder or other tragic death having occurred on the property, or to an owner of the house elsewhere, at some time in the past.
Many stories and legends about haunted houses have a basis in reported experience, and authors from William Shakespeare to Stephen King have featured them in their writings.
A popular dark ride at Disney theme parks, The Haunted Mansion, references many of the stereotypes associated with haunted houses.
In North America, an event open to the public which simulates the experience of visiting a haunted house is itself called a haunted house. These events are commonly held in the month of October as a Halloween activity. Notwithstanding the name, such events are not necessarily held in houses, nor are the edifices themselves necessarily regarded to possess actual ghosts. A Hell house is a similar frightening attraction put on by members of evangelical churches during the Halloween season, meant to depict the sufferings of the damned in Hell.
Haunted House is also an Atari 2600 Game, in which the player (represented by a pair of eyes) must navigate the haunted mansion of the late Zachary Graves, to recover the three pieces of an urn. The house has three levels and a basement. The player's character may pick up only one of three items at a time (a key to open doors, a sceptre to ward off evil spirits, or the urn) and must avoid a bat, a tarantula, and the ghost of Mr. Graves himself. If the player is hit by the monsters nine times, the game ends. If the player escapes the house with the urn, the player wins. This game was one of the first home video games to feature scrolling graphics and a multi-level playing field, and is considered one of the classics of the 2600 canon.
See also
External links
- 2005 KRLU Interview with Richard Garriott about his Haunted House (includes Video of the House)
- Complete description of Britannia Manor Haunted House in 1988
- Complete description of Britannia Manor Haunted House in 1994
- Halloween-L : A internet mailing list of people dedicated to running Haunted Houses and Home Haunts
- A Leading Haunted House Production Company