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Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

Surviving 'The Purge: Fear The Night'

Tanaya Ghosh |
October 24, 2013 | 7:44 p.m. PDT

Arts Writer

"I think giving people room to freak themselves out is important." - Jason Blum (Purgelive.com)
"I think giving people room to freak themselves out is important." - Jason Blum (Purgelive.com)
For the second consecutive year, Blumhouse Productions has created a brand-new, completely immersive horror theater event called "The Purge: Fear The Night."

Let's be clear, this is not your typical haunted house where you are a passive observer walking through a maze with masked monsters lunging at you from the darkness. This multi-sensory production has been created by Jason Blum, producer of horror film hits such as "Paranormal Activity," "Isidious," "Sinister" and "The Purge," along with Josh Randall and Kris Thor.

This true haunted house experience is based on the film, The Purgewhere all crime is legal for one night each year. The in-depth storyline and production immerses you through interactive tasks and courses, and creates a multi-sensory experience that taps into hard-wired fear reflexes we possess.
We won't give it away, but the beginning of the experience starts off quite nicely. Take that as you will, and be prepared for some surprises along the way.
Through six floors and 70,000 square feet of immersive horror-theater, actors and elaborate sets truly make you feel like you are living the horror film at certain parts of this elaborate production.
"The Purge: Fear The Night" will be held Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with expanded showtimes during Halloween week. Tickets are on sale now, with eight arrival times per evening. Know that you must attend at your ticketed time. Neon Tommy readers get a $5 discount when entering code NEONPURGE at checkout.
As a survivor of last year's Blumhouse of Horrors, this year's experience has brought with it a completely new story and production, giving those who went last year another reason to check it out. For horror newbies and fear junkies alike, "The Purge: Fear The Night" is worth a visit for the storyline and theatrics alone.
Experience it for yourself at the Variety Arts Theater (940 S. Figueroa St.) in Downtown L.A. and visit purgelive.com for more details and ticket information. Because let's face it, surviving "The Purge" is a much greater Halloween experience than bobbing for apples or going trick-or-treating at this age.
We interviewed Blum about his endeavors in horror and more:
What about horror films appeals to you, compared to other genres of film?
There are a lot of things I love about horror films. I think that horror movies are best when you care about the characters and there is a great story. I love that there can be these other layers underneath the horror elements. I also love the communal experience of seeing a horror movie in a theater with a big group. 
How did you know this was what you wanted to do? What would you be doing if you weren't producing films and immersive haunted experiences?
Getting to where I am took a lot of steps and different experiences. I started out in acquisitions at Miramax and worked in the indie film space. Then I produced a big budget movie which was a totally different experience and not all together the experience I wanted. It wasn't until "Paranormal Activity" that I realized there was a way to combine the filmmaking aspects of the indie world with the support of a studio. That resulted in my company's model of low budget films meant for wide release. It's hard to say what I would be doing if not making movies and immersive experience. I really feel like I get to wake up and do my dream job every day.
That's great! Do you have any hobbies unrelated to work?
I love movies so I see a ton of them. And I love seeing theater.
What's your favorite and least favorite thing about your job?
My favorite thing about my job is doing something totally new and different in the movie making business. I love working with creative people and figuring out ways to make these little movies happen. My least favorite thing is driving around so much for meetings and screenings. Which is why I hired a driver so I can do work in the back of a converted Chevy Astro van!
Have you ever had a real ghostly encounter?
I've definitely experienced a ghostly encounter! When I lived in New York, I lived in the basement apartment of a building for a little while. One night, I woke up and saw a figure holding another figure at the food of my bed. I closed my eyes and when I opened them again, the figures were gone. The next day I moved into a different apartment in the same building and never slept in that basement unit again.
What's the earliest scary movie you remember seeing?
Probably "The Birds."
Favorite horror movie of all time?
I think my favorite is "Rebecca."
When walking through your own haunted creations, like the "Blumhouse of Horrors" or "The Purge: Fear The Night," what goes through your mind?
I love going through with real groups and seeing reactions. So mostly, I'm thinking to myself the entire time "Is this scary enough?" "Is everyone having fun?" "Are they scared?" I pay a lot of attention to the people going through!
When watching your own films, what goes through your mind? Are you able to enjoy it and get freaked out like the rest of us, or do you know too much?
I definitely still get scared! Even though I read all the scripts, watch dailies and sit on set, our movies still scare me which I think is probably a good sign.
What's next for you?
"Paranormal Activity: The Marked Onescomes out Jan. 3, "Stretch" comes out on March 21, and we have a variety of others we are super excited about.
What's your worst fear? And the most unexpected thing that scares you?
Making movies that don't scare people!
What would your fans be surprised to learn about you?
I think people would probably be surprised to know that I'm a big fan of theater, and specifically musicals.
What is the process like to come up with the haunted house, and to collaborate with Josh Randall and Kris Thor ("Blackout" haunted house creators)?
In our movies we work with experienced directors and try to make their vision happen. It was similar for the haunted house. This year we worked with Kris Thor and Josh Randall who did "Blackout." They were super experienced and had a great idea for the story of "The Purge: Fear The Night" and we just tried to execute it. It's collaborative too, they'll pitch things, I'll pitch things and we kind of just work together.
How will you top it each year? Is that even possible??
The goal will always be to top it!
What do you believe really gets inside people's heads and freaks them out?
I think a lot of times what you can't see is scarier than when you do see. Nothing is ever going to be as scary as what you imagined in your head. So I think giving people room to freak themselves out is important.
Do you make it a goal to scare even those who claim to be brave or unshakeable? Any tricks in your arsenal to accomplish that?
It's always my goal to scare people for sure. Especially those that seem particularly unshakeable. I don't know if there are any sure fire tricks, but darkness and sound are essential in both movies and haunted houses.
Why do you think certain things scare us more than others? For example, public speaking is often ranked higher than death among the nation's fears ... so we don't always have rational fears. Why do you think that is?
That's a good question. I think sometimes fears that are more tangible are more frightening. Death is such a nebulous fear with lots of implications and connotations, I think public speaking is a visceral sensation that is relatable.
Reach Tanaya Ghosh here or follow her on Twitter.


 

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