I step into a warzone. The sound of bullets flying over my head as I duck into the trench. Only the skeleton of a poor soul who did not make it remains. But above me, leaping across the trench like some action movie star is a female in a military helmet. She looks down at my friends and I as if she’s disappointed at the recruits sent to her. Well, what are you waiting for, get to the front lines, she commands. I don’t argue, nor do I hesitate. I make my way through the trenches and reach the front line. A massive turret rains hellfire down above us. I look up, and right above me is a massive Tyrannosaurus Rex in military garb. I recognize it instantly; it’s a Dino Warrior from the Year 3000. Dino Warrior from the Year 3000 is one of 5 films presented in The Driech Society’s Fear Fest Grindhouse.

Fear Fest Trilogy  

The Dreich Society brings us the final chapter of their Fear Fest Trilogy, with Fear Fest Grindhouse! While Fear Fest ’89 brought us face to face with cinema’s greatest slashers, and Fear Fest ’41 showcased classic Universal Monsters, Fear Fest ’76 (also known as Fear Fest Grindhouse) brings forth a set of Grindhouse films for us to enjoy. This eight to ten minute haunt provides some wonderful moments of fear, but intersplices it with just plain fun and interaction that makes this one of our most memorable of the season.

Fear Fest Grindhouse brings five new films to live within their panel walls. This ranges from the silliness of The Phantom of the Ice Rink to the dark horror of The Meathouse of Dr. Moreau to the absolute fun of Dino Warriors of the Year 3000. Each brimming with personality, this could easily be the sister experience to Horrorwood Video or Horror Rewind. The characters created are sometimes fun and silly, but within the serious presentation, it creates a horror-humor hybrid that I rarely see these days. I love the blend and hope they bring back Fear Fest for an encore experience.

Fear Fest Grindhouse

As mentioned above, each room—and thus, each movie—just feels so distinct and unique, while all contributing to a bigger picture and fitting into the Grindhouse genre.

Dark

There’s little to say about this one, apart from it being a long and dark hallway. Themed as a gothic manor, this experience sets the tone for the experience, suggesting that it is a dark horror experience. We’ve seen a lot of dark hallways this year, from Corona Haunt to Mansion of Lost of Souls to Willoughby’s Resurrected, and while this isn’t anything exceptional, it’s a great way to subvert expectations in the next few rooms.

The Phantom of the ice Rink

From a dark hallway that you’d find commonplace in most haunts, we move to a neon lit, disco-ball infused ice rink in which a purple-masked Phantom of the Opera wannabe is working behind the counter. It’s easy to see how this could have easily been made into a Grindhouse film, or even a cheesy, campy 80’s slasher—akin to Ice Cream Man—with the Phantom killing off the kids fornicating in the bathroom at the local ice rink. While the phantom never quite poses any threat, beyond his puns of this being the “coolest” room in the entire haunt.

Feaster Bunny

Fan favorite Feaster Bunny brings audiences face to face with a ravenous bunny who would rather find your innards than hidden eggs. The actor here is overflowing with personality, hippity hopping around his outdoor set, ominously asking guests for candy. We helped him search but found more blood and body parts than candy. The sets here are a bit darker, casting the Feaster Bunny as a dark character, but I personally think he would have fit nicely within a well-lit or even neon space.

The Meathouse of Dr. Moreau

When an abandoned wooden create is found with it’s door unhinged and wide open, something is on the loose and is terrorizing the next room. Descending back into the dark horrors of Dark, this room is dimly lit, with a maze-like structure of palates and hanging body parts. There’s some fun Easter Eggs here, like a reference to The Simpson’s Super Fun Happy Slide—which we’ve seen in their other Fear Fest experiences. And this room has one of the best scares, in which a pallat falls towards the audience, but is caught at the last moments.

By far the scariest room in Dreich Society’s Fear Fest Grindhouse, it’s a great way to build anxiety before depositing you into the final section.

Dino Warriors from the Year 3000

The experience climaxes in what is one of my favorite rooms in all of Dreich Society history. A futuristic war between dino warriors and humans has audiences navigating deep trenches to avoid gunfire and help the resistance fight back the threat of Dino invasion. Don’t be like me and try to join the Dino Warriors—I learned the hard way that they only accept Dinosaurs, and sadly, I am not a Dinosaur.

This film offers the largest set, the most actors, and a fantastic turret effect that helps immerse audiences in the war-torn land. The interactive nature of this was fun; I just wish someone would have handed me a Nerf gun and let me shoot some Dino scum.

Final Thoughts

Dreich Society’s Fear Fest Trilogy is a fantastic celebration of the eras of film, allowing them to bring to life multiple films across genres in a cohesive manner. While we survived the slashers of the 80’s and the classic monsters of the 40’s, Fear Fest Grindhouse was the perfect conclusion, offering a fun campy tone that works perfectly with the sets of a haunted house and allows the actors inside to really have fun with their roles and let loose a little bit. We hope this isn’t the end of Fear Fest, but if it is, we’re more than excited about what Dreich has in store for the future.

For more information on The Dreich Society, check out their Facebook and Instagram pages. For information about similar events, check out our Event Calendar.

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