Haunters: The Art of the Scare
Haunters: The Art of the Scare
NR | 05 September 2017 (USA)
Haunters: The Art of the Scare Trailers

HAUNTERS is a heart-warming and heart-stopping documentary about people who sacrifice everything to create the most popular and polarizing haunted houses for Halloween - from boo-scare mazes to a controversial new subculture of extreme terror experiences.

Reviews
Matcollis This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.
FrogGlace In other words,this film is a surreal ride.
Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.
Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.
annakopsky "Haunters: The Art Of The Scare" had a great trailer that immediately got me pumped to give it a try - and I got so much more from this documentary than I expected! Director Jon Schnitzer put a lot of research, creativity, and soul into this project, and it really paid off. The production quality is on par with other high-budget documentaries I've seen and he interviewed huge names in the haunt industry (like the Creative Director for Universal Halloween Horror Nights and Russ McKamey of the interactive haunt McKamey Manor in California). I became emotionally invested in the people interviewed for this film who have been in the industry for years and are passionate about haunting. "Haunters" opened my eyes to make me realize the people in these haunts are actual human beings who get hurt while they're on the job, have to balance their own families with their love of Halloween, and that these haunts are affected by real-life tragedies and happenings as well. This is hands-down one of the best documentaries I've ever seen and I recommend it to anyone who's even mildly interested in the world of haunting.
btrflygirl Just WOW! This is a remarkable documentary that explores the blood, sweat and tears that goes into crafting a "perfect" haunt and the psychology behind our need or want to be scared. You'll see the extreme side to the haunting community. This ain't your Disneyland Haunted Mansion! So buckle up and be prepared for the ride! You'll laugh, you'll cry and you might get enraged too. BRAVO to it's creator and filmmaker Jon Schnitzer! It's a great piece of work! And it's completely worth the watch to hear legendary haunter Shar Mayers talk about her history in the industry and know her story. What an awesome individual!
nicholasvince-31264 I'm based in the UK and Halloween really isn't as important as in the US. I've always wondered why that is. Haunters: The Art of the Scare, answered so many of my questions about the origins of the tradition of haunted house attractions and just what happens in them. Oh and why Americans have a dread of clowns, which seem to feature as monsters in haunts.For me, the mark of a true documentary is that the film maker doesn't comment on or judge the people who're the subject of their film. This is true here as Jon Schnitzer presents a variety of haunts and alternate views on their social and psychological aspects. He presents their stories with equanimity and I found myself loathing some and loving others.I found the part on the haunted house in a war zone fascinating and the scare actor Shar Mayer (and her 'haunt widower' husband) adorable.Insightful, moving, funny and sometimes disturbing, this is a film best watched with others for the debate over 'extreme haunts' which is bound to follow.
dcarsonhagy We've all been to "haunted houses." Most of these places seem to appear out of nowhere about a month or so before Halloween. Most of these houses are pretty innocuous. This film is about those that are not."Haunters" is about some notorious haunted houses that go (what I would call) "beyond safe." Those involved are NOT interested in just scaring people; they want to literally torture and victimize those who may dare to venture through the confines. Don't get me wrong; I enjoy a good scare as much as anyone. However, I found what was done in these haunts went way beyond a safe level. I do not care how many "waivers" a person may sign, that doesn't make these side-shows any safer. It's one thing to have a jump scare, but there is no rhyme or reason as to why the participants are holding peoples' heads below water, putting putrid stuff in their mouths and (when they vomit) have been so lovingly instructed by the proprietors to "pick up the vomit and put it back in their mouths." One experience called "Blackout" is literally a one-on-many torture encounter. Interviewing one participant who made it through, the viewer learns he "did things that would cost him his marriage" and "thing that would cost me my freedom." Now, think about that for a second. The guy had earlier referred to "rape"; I wonder if that's what he did. With enough loose canons out there already, these places would be just what they'd need to unhinge completely. What was even more frightening to me were the participants who seemed to experience orgasms while wallowing in the carnage. The movie is not rated and I personally do not recommend it. Mark my words, people are going to wind up getting killed in one of these "abodes" because they are hell-bent on out-doing their rivals. Then--and only then--will something finally be done to control these idiots.