The Haunted Rose 2023 presents Threshold of Darkness

Extending their residency at The Whittier Museum, The Haunted Rose 2023 brings their gorgeous set design, powerful actors, and memorable theming to tell the tale of “Threshold of Darkness.” Each year, creator Ryan Banfield expertly marries horror and science fiction together in some of the most unique haunted houses we’ve experienced—and The Haunted Rose 2023 is no different. This ten-minute walk-through attraction allows guests to navigate the Whittier Museum, coming face to face with a number of classic Universal monsters, ranging from The Wolfman to Dracula to our personal favorite: a climatic battle between Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, and Frankenstein’s Monster.

While not an official IP maze, The Haunted Rose 2023 invites audiences to step through a portal in Dr. Macabro’s office of trinkets and trophies and do battle with these monsters to make sure these creatures don’t cross the Threshold of Darkness and enter our world. While Dr. Macabro has kept the darkness at bay in the past, he’s passing the torch to us—and we accept. While you won’t personally have any agency to fight, there are some truly cinematic scenes that unfold, elevating The Haunted Rose 2023 beyond just a simple walkthrough with jump-scares to something that feels more akin to stepping into a film.

The Whittier Museum offers The Haunted Rose 2023 its bones: a barn that feel authentically real, a downed airplane that tells the terrors of Turnball Canyon, and plenty of twists and turns through oldtown Whittier sets. Bathed in vibrant reds and haunting greens, the sets feel otherworldly and eerie, harkening back to The Haunted Rose’s Lovecraftian roots. While the sets may be static, Banfield has given them life, placing vampiric creatures in the graveyard, wolfmen in the barn, and Frankenstein’s monster strapped into a massive, electrified table in the laboratory.

This scene is the highlight of the entire experience. Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde do battle with this rampaging monster as it comes to life. But how it’s done is spectacular: two actors of different builds but having the same costume and look provide a transformation as Dr. Jeckel drinks a potion, disappearing just beyond a curtain, and reemerging twice the size as Mr. Hyde—and ready to fight Frankenstein’s Monster. The choreography is great, as these two behemoths battle for the future of our world. Hiding a scene like this among what was a linear walkthrough prior creates a sense of surprise and excitement—like we found something special just meant for us within this maze.

Even with a scene as powerful as that in The Haunted Rose 2023, the other sets and scenes are still incredibly memorable and innovative. A massive demonic Satan stands atop a hill as a woman’s screams echo down a long corridor. A descent into the swamp as the floor is set at a decline—but the water level remains constant—until you face the Creature of the Black Lagoon hidden in the darkness. And of course—the portal at the start, in a room littered with Easter Eggs and call backs to previous journeys of Dr. Macabro.

While The Haunted Rose began in 2016 as a home haunt, they have expanded into something that feels more professional than most of the theme parks mazes. Banfield has brought the Universal movie monsters to life in a way that feels more tangible that Halloween Horror Night’s Universal Monsters mazes ever could dream of doing. This year feels cinematic, film-like, and truly memorable. I’m almost regretting my aid in stopping the monsters and closing the portal because I want more of The Haunted Rose—but I guess there’s always next year and another portal just waiting to open.

For more information about The Haunted Rose 2023, check out their Facebook, Instagram and website.For information about similar events, check out our Event Calendar.

Haunting is a resource for immersive theater and horror fans in Los Angeles and across the world, promoting art and community. Want to help us reach even more people, and get some cool perks and experiences? For as little as $1 a month, you can join our Patreon and help us keep bringing content to life.

If you like the above article and want to find more like it, make sure to join our community. If Facebook is your favorite, follow us there and become a part of our groups for Immersive Horror fans and/or Immersive creators. We’re active on Instagram, posting evocative imagery and informative stories to promote our reviews and recollections; follow us there. You can even find us on twitter; click here to follow. And subscribe to our event calendar to get emails for all or specific events (look for the link right under the calendar)!