Charlie Brown and The PEANUTS Gang Joins the National “got milk?” Campaign to Encourage Everyone to Make Chocolate Milk the Official Drink of Their Halloween

Peanuts says "We Got Chocolate Milk for Halloween"

This Halloween, with the help of Charles Schulz’s PEANUTS Gang, the National Milk Mustache “got milk?”® Campaign is encouraging parents to celebrate with the Official Drink of Halloween and treat their little monsters to nutrient-rich lowfat chocolate milk. Chocolate milk is a nutritious treat in disguise – it contains the same essential nutrients found in white milk, with a taste that kids love. Experts agree that most kids need more key nutrients found in milk, and offering chocolate milk is one way to get them to drink more. Studies have shown that kids who drink flavored milk get more of the calcium they need and have better quality diets overall than those who do not drink milk. (1)

“At Halloween and throughout the year, I recommend swapping out sugary soft drinks for nutrient-rich drinks like lowfat milk – whether flavored or white. It has nine essential nutrients growing bodies need – including calcium, vitamin D and potassium, three of the four nutrients of concern for Americans,” says Deborah Mulligan, MD, FAAP, spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The PEANUTS Cast Dons a ‘Stache

The PEANUTS Halloween-themed Milk Mustache Ad marks the first time in 15 years that all the main characters have appeared together in a US print advertising campaign. The two iconic campaigns have joined forces to remind parents chocolate milk is a great way to give their kids something nutritious around Halloween. The ad also celebrates the 45th anniversary of the Peanuts Halloween animated classic, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

“Milk is an important part of a healthy diet for growing children, so PEANUTS is happy to support the iconic ‘got milk?’ campaign,” said Neil Cole, Chairman and CEO of Iconix Brand Group, which owns Peanuts Worldwide.

The ad showcases the beloved PEANUTS characters dressed in their Halloween best with one very important accessory – their chocolate milk mustaches. The print copy reads:

Your Trick. Their Treat. This year, milk is dressing up as the perfect Halloween treat: chocolate milk. Its nine essential nutrients make it delicious and nutritious. Scare some up and make it your official drink of Halloween.

It’s So Good, It’s Scary

At a time when there is often an increased amount of sweets in the house, chocolate milk is one treat that moms can feel good about, and it’s good for your kids. Each 8-oz. serving contains a full bundle of nutrients growing kids need.

“Lowfat chocolate milk provides the same nutrition as white milk,” Mulligan said. “As a substitute for candy and other sweets, it’s a treat you won’t have to trick your kids into liking, and it helps teach children about sensible nutrition choices.”

This Halloween, pick up some lowfat chocolate milk, serve it at your kids’ Halloween bash or create frighteningly fun Halloween-inspired recipes. Visit Facebook.com/MilkMustache to learn more about the benefits of lowfat chocolate milk and how to make it part of your Halloween celebrations and beyond.

Visit Facebook.com/MilkMustache to learn more about the health benefits of lowfat chocolate milk and how make it part of your Halloween and beyond.

The Haunted Tents – Yakima, WA

by: RFR Casket Crew Unknown Scare Actor

The Haunted Tents

Skellington in the Suburbs

by: RFR Casket Crew Claymation Werewolf

And welcome back to Coast-To-Ghost AM, and as always I am your host, Rhett Kahn. All month, we’ve been presenting a series of personal supernatural encounters. Tonight we have the owner of the Terror Trees Haunted Attraction and paranormal investigator Guy Elliot. He is the author of the new true life horror best seller “Mr. Unlucky”. I want to remind everyone that our sponsor tonight is Claymation Brand Werewolves! when you need werewolves fast and you need them to be doughy, cartoonish and un-intimidating! And now, let’s get to our guest.

R: “Hello Guy, how are you?”
GE: “I’m good, Rhett. I’m good and you?”
R: “Always doing great, Guy! And speaking of great; I’ve been reading Mr. Unlucky and it is absolutely riveting and you say that its completely real?”
GE: “Rhett, I swear this entire story is true.”
R: “It’s just that it really is fantastic but please, go on…We’re ready to believe you!”
GE: “Oh, okay. Thanks…Okay, well it all started out on Halloween night…I know that sounds a little bit cliché but it’s the truth. See, I run what they call a haunted hayride. It’s actually a pretty big deal in that part of Kentucky during October! We get about 5,000 customers a night and cover an area stretching across about 3 acres.”
R: “—Wow! That definitely does sound pretty impressive! I think we all enjoy a good haunted house, or in your case hunted hayride.”
GE: “Yeah, I know I do! Anyway, we had just completed a huge night and had even had a live broadcast from Jonathan Johnson and Rabid Badger of Rotting Flesh Radio…It was amazing! So it was about 3 o’clock in the morning and I was walking the entire haunt path, sort of reveling in my triumph you could say. Of course I had my Fisher Price Super Ghost Detector with me as I normally do if I’m out somewhere on my own. It’s an incredibly sophisticated piece of equipment and is sensitive to the wandering lost souls…spirits so ancient that mortal man cannot even name them. It can also play AM and FM radio and the whole thing runs on just two AAA batteries! So anyway; I was just passing the part of our little show we call the Halloween Tree when I heard a funny noise.”

R: “A noise?”
GE: “Yeah…well it sounded a little like a combination of a breaking tree branch and a creaking door. And a door is exactly what it was…There was a door opening right in the trunk of the Halloween Tree. A door in a tree! It was the damnedest thing!”
R: “—But the tree, you said it was part of your haunted attraction?”
GE: “Yeah. It was part of the tour but it was an actual tree. It’s huge! About six feet around and one of the creepiest looking trees you could ever see. We actually rerouted the path so that the customers would have to walk past it….So a door starts to open in this thing and the wind suddenly kicks up and this figure steps out of it…”
R: “A figure…what was it?”
GE: “That’s a good question; a monster?…A ghost?…All I know is it looked like a skellington, I mean skeleton…Super thin, and unnaturally tall. A skull for a head, bone hands and an black pin-striped tuxedo.”
R: “A tuxedo?”
GE: “Haha! Yeah, it was wearing a sort of tuxedo black gothic-ky outfit. I don’t know what it looked like exactly…The whole thing scared the living *expletive* out of me!”
R: “So did you run? Did you get out of there?”
GE: “Hell no! I had to find out what was going on! I mean it’s so rare that a paranormal investigator actually encounters the uh… the paranormal. And to have a haunted experience in an actual haunted house?!. Wow! That’s the kind of stuff they make terrible horror movies about! I had to follow the creature and see where it was going.”
R: “Yes! And maybe keep it from harming anybody?”
GE: “Uhhhhh Yeah…Sure… Protect people. Anyway, I started trailing this guy, this thing and it was acting very weird….It walked through the little bit of field and the highway that separated us from the town that borders our haunt, and to be honest I was having trouble keeping up. It wasn’t that he was necessarily walking quickly but he took huge steps. His legs alone were nearly as tall as me and they were stick thin; it was almost like watching a giant spider walk. So picture this…by this time it was 8 o’clock on a Saturday morning and I’m chasing behind this ten foot tall gigantic stick thin skeleton wearing a tuxedo. Everyone’s out and about doing what you do on a Saturday morning but no one seems to be noticing this craziness…It actually seemed like I was the only person that saw him. So I’m freaking out and he’s walking around like he’s in an amusement park; analyzing everything and acting like he’s never been in the suburbs before! He inspecting storm drains, picking weeds, taking the license plates off of cars.”

R: “Wow! So no one ever saw any of this besides you? That is hard to believe…Not that I would ever call a ghost hunter a liar but you must agree.”
GE: “Rhett, it would seem hard to believe if I hadn’t experienced it for myself. Fortunately for my credibility I was able to gather proof!”
R: “Did you catch the whole thing on video? Amazing!”
GE: “Well not actually on video, Rhett…As you might know; it is strictly against the bylaws of the International Ghost Hunters Association to capture any kind of irrefutable proof like clear video evidence or several respectable witnesses. Although we are allowed to capture blurry photographs or video that clearly shows random static-ky light orbs that look eerily like flashlights. We are also allowed to record audio! Most of the time this audio consists of garbled background noise interlaced with sounds that may or may not be people saying whatever we decide to write on the subtitles.”
R: “And those garbled audio tracks are always very compelling, but I understand you have something even stronger?”
GE: “that’s right, Danny!”
R: “Rhett.”
GE: “That’s right, Rhett…You see a few minutes in to this creature walking around in childlike wonder, it actually began to sing about what it was seeing. I have the whole thing recorded! It gets a little rough in some spots but you can make out most of it.”
R: “And what proof do you have that it was an actual ghost and not just you or someone else singing and recording it?”
GE: “Anyway, Rhett, I would like if I can to play some of the audio recording for you and your listeners.”
R: “Well I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say we would love to hear it.”

—-Begin Audio—

What’s this? What’s this?
There’s pavement everywhere
What’s this?
A shop that cuts your hair
What’s this?
I can’t believe my eyes
I must be **Unintelligible**

What’s this? What’s this?
There’s people cutting grass
What’s this?
The lower middle class

What’s this?
The streets are lined with
Steel and concrete storm-drains
Everybody seems so mundane
Have I possibly gone insane?
What is this?
What’s this?

There are children throwing litter
On someone else’s lawn.
And a place to take your valuables
That you might like to pawn.

There’s people doing taxes.
Though, I don’t know what that means
And I feel down but look around
To see suburban scenes…

Oh, look
What’s this?
They’re hanging yard sale signs, on poles.
Why they’re so poorly made, cardboard!
They’re putting letters in a box?
**static**

Oh look a stand for lemonade, how cute.
Now cops have shut it down.
And why?

They didn’t have a license, but
The cities got to get a cut.
They’ll ticket every car
That’s just a minute past its meter!
This looks grand!
This looks grand!
Oh, can I ever understand?
What’s this?

Oh my, what now?
A swimmer’s hair is green?
Their pool,
Has way to much chlorine!
No weeds, to ruin their perfect front lawns
Or stray leaves to fall and terrorize…
From nature they stay sterilized….
What’s this?

There selling soap door to door
That no one wants to buy.
And no one seems to even chase
That sweaty jogging guy.

I hear the screams of people
Watching sports on their TV’s.
It seems unreal that people place
Their hopes on things like these….

The drab! The plain!
Everything all looks the same!
I’ve never been quite this content!
Who ever could imagine I’d see so much white bread.
I won’t complain but it’s a shame I happen to be dead.

I want it, oh, I want it!
I’ve began to finally see
How unlucky
How unlucky
To be stuck in Halloween
Instead of this…
Planned…community.

—-End Audio—

GE: “So you see, Tim…”
R: “Rhett.”
GE: “So you see, Rhett…It couldn’t possible have been anything but a genuine paranormal experience. How else do you explain the word play and sophisticated rhyme scheme? This sighting has opened my eyes. Ghosts, goblins and everything that I’ve dedicated my life to is real…And all they want is what we already have! So I’ve decided to enjoy the things around me. The simple, the mundane…There is beauty in all of it and it’s time I learned to appreciate it. So I’ve decided to change my life! I’m leaving all of this ghost hunting behind. No more spirits, no more goblins and no more walking around at midnight in abandoned hospitals! From now on, it’s the plain life for me!”
R: “Are you also giving up running the haunt as well?”
GE: “No way! Haunted houses kick ass!”

And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen! A spine tingling tale of a life changing brush with “the other side”. And sadly, that’s all the time we have tonight.

If you’ve enjoyed tonight’s show half as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you, then I’ve enjoyed it twice as much as you have. Until next time, sit back, relax and rot away…and have a nice day!

Seasonal Films – “The Unholy Three” – 1930 (100 years of Horror)

by: RFR Casket Crew Jigsaw Jim

"The Unholy Three" - 1930

Greetings Film Fiends and Deadites,

To kick off the 30s, I present “The Unholy Three” directed by Tod Browning and starring Lon Chaney, Sr. (in his last film), Mae Busch and Matt Moore. This 1930 “talkie” remaking of the 1925 silent film tells the story of murder and intrigue at a circus sideshow as several performers go on a crime spree.  Hard to find on Netflix but is available complete on You Tube. Drink a toast to Lon Chaney’s swan song.

When Hip-Hop met Horror

by: RFR Casket Crew Claymation Werewolf

Most people think the world of Horror fandom is like a family. They believe that there is an overwhelming sense of acceptance and community and that we all stand united, hand in hook against whatever adversity the world can throw at us. For the most part this is all true but there is another side to the horror world as many of us know. It can be sinister, it can be competitive…I’ve only been a horror blogger for a couple of months and I’ve already been shot twice! Yes, the sad truth is that no matter how harmonious we like to imagine this world is, there are things that divide us. Freddy or Jason?….Fast Zombies or Slow? Kane Hodder or Derek Mears? Evil Dead or Army of Darkness? Any of these questions can cause an instant eruption of war between your average dedicated deadite but there is a deeper fault line running through the horror community for decades threatening to tear apart the very fabric of everything that we have worked so hard to build.

Hip Horror Indeed

It will come as no surprise to anyone that I am talking about the Hip-Hop Horror Turf Wars that erupted in the late 1980’s and have only gotten stronger since. When hip hop or “rap” became mainstream it almost immediately began to take off in popularity. Along with its meteoric rise it ignited incredible passion among its fans. That passion took the form of completely new forms of dance, an unprecedented level of poetic expression and the light speed evolution of electronic music. Unfortunately that passion came with aggression, division, and sometimes even violence. Once the world of rap entered into its inevitable partnership with horror movies the division only became worse.

It began small, various hip-hop artists speaking about their fandom of slasher films, giant monsters, and the supernatural…horror directors like Sam Rami and Wes Craven taking on DJ duties at some of the hottest LA nightclubs, and who can forget Stephen King’s short lived segment on Yo! MTV Raps. Soon every monster, unearthly creature and undead slasher began to actively campaign for hip-hop representation. They arrived in Los Angeles by the dozen going to the offices of major record labels, meeting with top executives, slaughtering them and then starting the process all over again. Finally gold was struck, the all American first family of spooky entered in to the ultimate partnership with a struggling, up and coming rapper by the name of MC Hammer. The collective life experiences and vibrant lust for life enjoyed by the Addams’s seemed to be just what Mr. Hammer needed and he was plucked from the depths of total obscurity soon becoming the toast of the town with hit record after hit record. His popularity grew so much that at its peak he became nearly too legit to quit.

After Hammer’s success the floodgates opened and rappers were joining forces with masters of monster movies all across America. Will Smith or the “fresh prince” as he is known on the streets joined forces with the imitable Frederick J “Freddy” Krueger, when Krueger himself senselessly murdered Smith’s long time partner DJ Jazzy Jeff. Smith later said that the rhymes he created with Krueger where not only the freshest he had ever created but also the dopest. He also proclaimed Freddy one of the best natural scratchers he had ever seen. The arrival of the Fresh Prince marked a 180 degree turnaround in Krueger’s career following the end of his 8 year partnership with the Fat Boys who, after defecting from the Krueger Camp announced a newly signed contract with Michael Myers.

Are You Ready for Freddy?

Their first hit song under the agreement “Devil’s Eyes (Pass the Fries)” shot straight to the top of the Killboard Top 100 Horror Charts. It wasn’t all success though …for instance when Chucky and Vanilla Ice formed their infamous White Boys and Killer Toys alliance it turned out to be a huge flop and effectively ended both of their careers. And Young MC’s ill fated “Dance Off“ with Pumpkin Head in the follow-up video to his hit “Bust a Move” became a laughing stock.

Some people weren’t content to enter into collaborations, and became crossover artists in their own right. When C&C Music Factory released their single “Things that Make You Go AAAAAHHHH!” The world fell in love with their new blood, gore and pyrotechnic driven performances. Even international artists got into the act. Seamus O’ Shame (The Leprechaun) actually became a rapper. He made his debut with a song entitled “Lep In The Hood” at the end of a movie with a very similar title. After releasing his album he realized he could lay down some ill tracks and bring people unspeakable pain at the same time and he never looked back.

Need Gold?....Chains?

While the def jams were flying fast and loose and the money was rolling in, there was something much more ominous brewing below the surface. Turf wars and minor scuffles had began to break out as to who ran what horror neighborhood. The leprechaun laid claim to the Tiny Terror Zone which did not go over well with Chucky or The PuppetMaster Puppets. Jason and Michael Myers left untold death and destruction following the terrifying Silent Lumbering Killer Wars of ‘83.… It all got bad and then it got worse. For decades, record labels and horror movie producers turned a blind eye choosing to focus only on the millions of dollars they were raking in and ignoring the loss of both life and street cred. Sadly, something happened in 2010 that would make the world take notice, when Jackie Earl Haley and Samuel Bayer conspired to do the unthinkable. They murdered Freddy Krueger in cold blood. The worlds of horror, hip-hop, and hip-hop-horror fell silent. They realized that money and fame had gotten in the way of what really counts, poetic expression…and ultra violent gory movies. It was decided by all parties involved that everyone needed to get back to basics and to start doing what they did best. With that in mind, all horror/rap partnerships were dissolved.

Recently it seems as though there have been signs of a mild renaissance in the world of horror rap. Will Smith in partnership with the Saw franchise released the song Getting Jiggysaw With It and it seems to be doing fairly well in the charts so far. We can only hope that this time things will be different. That we can have a real sense of community and produce works that are all about art and not about money or “turf”. Together we can live in a world that undead, horribly disfigured, psychotic serial killers like Freddy Krueger would be proud to call home. With that in mind I hope that each of you can sit back, relax…and have a nice day!

Rotting Flesh Radio SHOW #247: Scare-A-Torium, Ashley Lawrence, The Attic and the Annual Haunt Tours!

SHOW NOTES FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 SHOW #247

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THIS WEEK’S SHOW NOTES:
Alright all you Fright Freaks and Halloween Junkies, the Annual Haunt Tours have arrived! Yes, as we kick off the Annual Rotting Flesh Radio Haunt Tours by hitting the rode we have a jam packed Body Bag for you this week. To kick things off we have Kelly Collins from the Scare-A-Torium Haunted House stopping in with RFR Casket Crew’s Pierce on location during the build of the event.

In addition Haunted Europe is back and this month Mike is bringing you Micheal Bolton, the creator and brain behind Europe’s ScareCon! And Deadites, things don’t slow down yet, because Gruesome Joe is here with the Musical Morgue giving you an in-depth look at the Haunt Rocker’s newest release, The Attic.

We have a Body Bag full of Haunt Industry News and Events for the week and RFR Casket Crew Storm is here with another Halloween Rant In a Haunt Minute and Joey Blood is bringing you all the Bloody Blu-Ray releases for the week!

And Dog Soldier has a special treat for you as he brings us an exclusive interview with Hellraiser’s Ashley Lawrence! Jigsaw Jim is here with a Rancid Review of Sinister Cinema and we have all kinds of Morbid Goodies for you this week.

There are ALL-NEW Rules to Win the Screamline Studios Graverobbing Giveaway and Twisted Tunes from the Grave.

So all you Fright Freaks, Haunters and Halloween Junkies, you can…
Sit Back, Relax and Rot Away to Rotting Flesh Radio!

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Freaky Friday Film Review – “The Dark Secret of Harvest Home” – 1978

by: RFR Casket Crew Jigsaw Jim

The Dark Secret of Harvest Home (1978)

Greetings Film Fiends and Deadites,

Happy “Autumnal Equinox”! To commemorate this holiday I present a strange piece that was an NBC miniseries in 1978. Based on Tom Tryon’s 1973 novel, “The Dark Secret of Harvest Home”, directed by Leo Penn and starring Bette Davis, David Ackroyd, Rosanna Arquette and Rene Auberjonoiis, tells the story of a young couple moving to a small New England town that practices that “old time” religion.  Although the book was vastly superior to this miniseries, it is still worth a look. Hopefully it will give you some ideas at “planting time”.

Seasonal Films – “The Phantom Carriage – 1921 (100 years of Horror)

by: RFR Casket Crew Jigsaw Jim

The Phantom Carriage 1921

Greetings Film Fiends and Deadites,

Phew, I almost dropped the brain on this one! I was reminded by my friends at Rue Morgue Magazine about a 1921 Swedish film that greatly influenced future film makes (especially Ingmar Bergman). “The Phantom Carriage”, written, directed and starred Victor Sjöström; tells the tale that if you die at midnight on the last day of the year, you’re doomed to drive the carriage that reaps the souls of the dead for the upcoming year. Told in lots of flashbacks (very similar to “A Christmas Carol”) and the special effects (for the time) were superb. As stated, it has elements of The Christmas Carol redemption angle although the protagonist in this story is a real piece of sh*t. Available on You Tube and soon to be released on DVD and Blu-ray. Thanks again to all of the crew at Rue Morgue Magazine for the subtle reminder.

Grimm Fairy Tales – The Ugly Duckling

by: RFR Casket Crew Denise

The Grimm Fairy Tales

When a young unattractive teen is tormented by her high school peers she makes a deal with Belinda and seeks out her own form of revenge. Now, ten years later, the once ugly duckling turned swan is living a successful life as a top model. However, on the night of her high school reunion, she’ll find that the deal she made many years ago is about to come to bite her.

He couldn’t have her as his own, so he killed her. In fact he killed many of ‘her’. Over and over and over, the swan killer has struck and he cannot be stopped. Events were set in motion years ago by Belinda, and now the psycho she helped create is loose and on the prowl. While stalking a new beautiful woman from afar, we learn of his past which will lead up to his next victim’s murder. She must die and he knows that he cannot stop himself – but maybe something else can.

Grimm Fairy Tales 36 Part 2

Those wacky people over at Grimm Fairy Tales have taken the much beloved children’s story The Ugly Duckling and twisted it for our entertainment. Actually they took the beloved story and have broken it into two parts. The first part, in issue 28, is a twist of The Ugly Duckling. The second part, The Swan is retold in issue 36. Put these two together and you have one grand twisted tale of revenge, murder and psychos – what more can a  Deadite wish for.

If you’ve never picked up a Grimm Fairy Tale, I implore you to do so. The thing I like about this series is how a innocent child’s tale can be twisted and folded and bent and come out the other side completely the same yet completely different. These books reminds me of a paper version of The Twilight Zone or Tales from the Darkside which are quite entertaining to watch. And like those TV shows, Grimm Fairy Tales continue to be quite entertaining to read.

Terror Behind The Walls Kicks Off Their 20th Anniversary with 2 ALL-NEW Attractions

The Terror Behind the Walls

Over the years of Rotting Flesh Radio doing Featured Haunt Tours all season long, a few times we have had the pleasure of experiencing The Terror Behind The Walls at the Eastern State Penn.

We have had the pleasure of seeing it behind the scenes, during the run, the after hours spooks and more. And now for their 20th Anniversary, it is ready to scare up a new generation!

Terror Behind the Walls, America’s largest haunted house, celebrates 20 years with two brand new, state-of-the-art attractions, a special Encore Night, and the return of the Eastern State After Dark VIP Tour.

Eastern State Penn's Terror Behind the Walls

Located inside the walls of Eastern State Penitentiary, a real massive abandoned prison at 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue in Philadelphia, PA, Terror Behind the Walls attracts over 100,000 visitors from around the world and is consistently ranked among the top 10 haunted attractions in the country. In 2011, Terror Behind the Walls runs on select evenings from September 23 through November 12.

Two New Attractions:
For the first time ever, the event designers are launching two brand new attractions in a single year. The Gauntlet is a high energy opening attraction for the show, featuring overhead catwalks and custom props above an outdoor maze. The second new attraction, Break Out!, is a new finale consisting of an outdoor scare zone in the final courtyard before visitors leave the event.

The Eastern State Penn

20 Year Encore Night:
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Terror Behind the Walls, there will be a special encore performance on Saturday, November 12, 2011. On this night only, visitors will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with haunted house owners and operators from around the country who will be converging on Eastern State Penitentiary for a first ever postseason performance of Terror Behind the Walls. Also on hand will be paranormal celebrities talking about some of the firsthand experiences they’ve had with real ghosts inside the penitentiary complex. Admission to the event includes all six haunted attractions of Terror Behind the Walls. Tickets for Encore Night are limited and must be purchased in advance online.

Eastern State After Dark VIP Tour:
After an extremely popular first year, Eastern State Penitentiary’s “After Dark VIP Tour” returns for 2011. This ultimate Halloween experience begins with an hour-long, guided flashlight walking tour of this National Historic Landmark. Highlights include the cellblocks, Death Row, Al Capone’s cell, and the underground punishment cells below Cellblock 14. Following the tour, guests will be escorted to the front of the Terror Behind the Walls’ lines. Visitors can remember their evening with a souvenir photo, taken inside the penitentiary, and a special Terror Behind the Walls LED flashlight (included in admission).

Eastern State Penitentiary's Terror Behind the Walls

The “Eastern State After Dark VIP Tour” is $79 per person Sundays through Thursdays and $99 per person on Fridays and Saturdays. Available dates and times are listed on the Terror Behind the Walls website at www.EasternState.org/viptour . Each tour is limited to 20 people. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

A Massive Haunted House in a Real Prison:
Set inside the massive castle-like walls of Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, the setting for Terror Behind the Walls is creepy in itself. Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, but stands today in ruin, a lost world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. This gothic structure, with soaring 30-foot high fortress walls, is intimidating enough during the day. At night, the cellblocks fall into darkness, and the building becomes truly terrifying.

Terror Behind the Walls has grown from a single-night event in 1991 to a 29-night event with shows selling out far in advance. Nearly half of the visitors who attended the event in 2010 traveled to Philadelphia for the event, coming from as far as California, China and the United Kingdom, making this event a national and international destination for thrill-seekers and Halloween lovers.

An extraordinary theatrical production, Terror Behind the Walls features Hollywood-quality sets, custom-designed props, animatronics, and digital sound effects, all taking place within the walls of the prison. It takes an elite team of 14 makeup artists almost three hours to prepare the cast of more than 200 performers each evening.

Daytime Prison Tours:
In addition to the nighttime haunted attraction, Eastern State Penitentiary is a National Historic Landmark with a rich history that visitors can experience in the daylight. Known for its grand architecture and strict discipline, Eastern State Penitentiary opened in 1829 as the world’s first true “penitentiary,” a prison designed to inspire penitence, or true regret, in the hearts of convicts. Its vaulted, sky-lit cells once held many of America’s most notorious criminals, including bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton and Al Capone. Tours today include the cellblocks, solitary punishment cells, Al Capone’s Cell, and Death Row. Eastern State Penitentiary is open every day year round from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for daytime prison tours. Admission includes “The Voices of Eastern State” Audio Tour narrated by actor Steve Buscemi. For information on daytime historic tours, please visit www.EasternState.org or call (215) 236-3300.

About Terror Behind the Walls:
Terror Behind the Walls is located inside Eastern State Penitentiary at 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue in Philadelphia, PA. Tickets for Terror Behind the Walls are available at the penitentiary box office or online at www.EasternState.org/tickets . Tickets range in price from $10-$15 for kids on family nights, to $20 on weeknights, $25 on Sunday nights, and $30 on Friday and Saturday nights. Group rates are available by calling (215) 236-5111 x16 or emailing boxoffice@easternstate.org. For more information, please visit www.TerrorBehindtheWalls.com or call (888) 763-NITE.