‘Spooktacular!’ (2023) Review – A Blueprint For Horror Theme Parks [Fantastic Fest 2023]

The multi-billion dollar horror entertainment industry profits off of people’s deepest fears through a collection of haunted attractions all across the world. But where did this phenomenon have its start? The new documentary Spooktacular! gives an inside look into the people, animatronics and numerous screams that went into the success of one of the original horror theme parks.

Quinn Monahan’s first film as director traces the origins of SpookyWorld from a small haunted hayride attraction in 1991 into a household name in Berlin, Massachusetts with multiple haunted houses and celebrity names attached — including Tiny Tim, Linda Blair and Tom Savini. As the park grew in popularity, it also faced multiple challenges as they constantly tried to top themselves year after year. Monahan also tracks the journey of David Bertolino, the mind behind it all who capitalized on the use of the media to gain constant publicity for the park.

Spooktacular! is a fairly entertaining and informative look at a pivotal time in the horror entertainment industry. The documentary includes countless interviews with previous workers, actors and artists alike who were involved with SpookyWorld over the years. They all bring a unique perspective from their time at the park. Clearly, a lot of love and passion for horror went into this project, perhaps so much so that a clear narrative focus gets lost along the way.

There are so many different angles this documentary tries to explore within the realm of 105 minutes that it ends up feeling like a very loose recap rather than a full story, with lots of sudden cuts from different topics and some distractingly cheap-looking transitions. This is especially true at the beginning when the documentary feels more like a basic recap of information rather than capturing the feelings and emotions surrounding SpookyWorld.

Monahan uses archival footage showing people experiencing SpookyWorld firsthand, in addition to clips from various horror films that correspond with the narration on-screen. Perhaps there wasn’t as much archival footage to work with because there are instances where the documentary relies too much on random movie clips as a crux that doesn’t actually move the story along.

A topic that the documentary discusses but could’ve expanded upon more is what draws people to haunted attractions and the art behind making people scream, especially given that SpookyWorld was such a blueprint in the industry. One of the most important conversations the film has toward the end is the varying dangers that the haunt actors face. There’s a rule that many haunted attractions have in common: don’t touch the actors and they won’t touch you. Many of these parks constantly face the challenge of customers invading the space of actors through physical altercations and sexual misconduct, especially in the 90s.

When many horror attractions in the park started to shut down by the town of Berlin, SpookyWorld moved to Foxboro, Massachusetts, and felt the loss of family they had back home. This also takes Monahan to the most compelling aspect of this story, which is the sense of community that the workers felt working together. Many of these actors, as the documentary points out, came from poor upbringings or felt ostracized from mainstream society. Having places like SpookyWorld not only helps employ people during the fall season but also bonds them with other people, creating connections that last a lifetime.

Even with its numerous flaws making it feel more like a YouTube recap video, Spooktacular! remains a rewarding testament to the Halloween season and the power of giving people a good fright. There are countless Halloween attractions around the world now that owe their success to SpookyWorld and the small hayride that launched it all. For audiences with a particular fascination for this industry, Monahan’s celebration of memory is worth a watch.

Spooktacular! had its World Premiere in the Documentary Feature section of Fantastic Fest 2023. 

Director: Quinn Monahan

Rated: NR

Runtime: 105m