Halloween Home Haunts

This unique documentary showcases a staple of neighborhoods across America every October—houses that go all out for Halloween with elaborate displays, strobe lights, loud sounds, and live actors to create a genuinely spine-chilling experience. Scouring yard sales, secondhand stores, and hardware shops—as well as “traditional” providers of masks and other supplies—the enthusiasts featured here rival Hollywood set designers, displaying impressive expertise in layout, construction, projection techniques, and other skills. One man, whose specialty is an obstacle-course approach through his yard, employs a fog machine with an elaborate PVC pipe system to distribute the smoke, and also has a number of coffins and other automated and human-powered units that allow beasties to pop out and elicit the desired shrieks. The goal for visitors is to make it to the door, where the candy awaits as a reward. Advice from the pros here? Pick a theme (such as a zombie wedding or vampires) and then start building your interpretation. The people and walkthroughs featured will likely inspire anyone interested in giving this seasonal hobby a try, while those who've already succumbed to the temptation will undoubtedly pick up a few solid tips and tricks. A warm and engaging look at an offbeat topic, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: P. (C. Block)