Creature Crates

Creature Crates brought some great new products to the show. Some of the various styles of new masks include a goblin, zombie, clown and a demon.  To go along with the new masks, Creature Crates also introduced matching hands and chest plates, to make a complete costume.  All of the masks and accessories were highly detailed and were very well crafted.  While they were impressive, what really stood out at the show were their new Spring Stilts.  Seeing these in action was amazing.  They actually allow the person wearing them to move with surprising agility. The performer can move along at a high rate of speed and jump up off of the ground.  Because they are spring stilts, they put less stress on the performer than regular stilts do. 

For more information, visit: http://www.creaturecrates.com 

New Masks	Spring Stilts	Complete Costume
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Distortions

Distortions reserved one of the largest booth spaces in the Haunter section of the show, not to mention having one of the most attractive displays.  A large portion of their booth space featured scale models of their inflatable attractions.  In addition to their previous inflatable "The Beast", Distortions expanded their product line with a couple of new inflatables.  "Pitch Black", a modular inflatable attraction, allows haunt owners to start out with only one section and add on others later.  "The Giant" is a 3,000 sq. ft. inflatable attraction in the shape of a giant lying flat on his back.  Patrons enter this gruesome attraction through an open wound in the Giant's head.  But Distortions brought more than models of their inflatables.  "Buzz Saw" was also one of their new props.  It simulates a rotating circular saw, tearing a victim in half, as they lay helplessly on a table. Spill Your Guts, another one of Distortions' new offerings, is a well built prop.  With a live actor staged at the top of the enclosure, a clever optical illusion makes it appear that the victim's torso has been ripped in half, and his/her intestines are hanging down to the ground.  "Rage" is an animatronic beastly creature that is chained to the ground.  He growls and thrashes around, trying to free himself from the chains that hold him in place.

For more information, visit: http://www.distortionsonline.com.    

Buzz Saw	Spill Your Guts	Rage
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Eccentric Gryphons

Eccentric Gryphons came out with a lot of new products this year.  While some new items were additions to previous product lines, some of the new props were completely new concepts.  The "Gibbet" is a full scale replica of the medieval metal-cage torture device used in Europe.  Their largest new prop is called "Hothead Sid".  This tall pneumatic prop features a highly detailed tombstone, standing in front of an eight foot tall willow tree.  Just when you think it is merely a harmless display, a loud burst of air sends Sid's head flying out from behind the tombstone, shooting up toward the top of a tree.  Another of their new products is the "Swinging Chandelier" which is, as the name implies, an animated chandelier with a slow swinging motion.  To go along with the chandelier, Eccentric Gryphons introduced an attractive line of "Faux Stained Glass" pieces.  Also new to their product line were various gothic styled mirror frames, plaques and "Tombliques" (accent pieces used to decorate tombstones).  

For more information, visit: http://www.eccentricgryphons.com 

Swinging Chandelier		Hothead Sid
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Edge Designs

Last year Edge Designs premiered their Fright Train and Fright Liner; this year their newest large-scale prop is "The Grinder".  This gruesome animation simulates a man being drawn into a meat grinder, feet first.  As you hear the man's screams of terror, a bucket below the grinder catches the "ground chuck".   Edge Designs also introduced an "Air Amplifier Nozzle", which amplifies air output from a smoke machine 15 times, creating a great steam effect, which would be perfect for broken steam pipes in a boiler room scene.   

Air Amplifier Nozzle		The Grinder
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Ghost Ride Productions

Ghost Ride Productions really came out with some innovative products this year.  One item that really stood out at their booth was "B. Xerk". At nearly 8 feet tall, this hulking figure is advertised as a new photo op concept.  With it's highly detailed features, not only could it be used as a photo opportunity at a haunt, but it could be effectively used as a static prop inside a haunted attraction, as well.  There were also several new additions to their Haunt Award product line.  Haunt Awards are statuettes that can be presented to actors, sponsors or anyone else that helped contribute to the success of  your haunt.  Also new were Ghost Ride's replicas of old-fashioned Edison Bulbs.  With four different styles available, these bulbs will enhance the old-fashioned atmosphere of any scene. Another product that stood out in the Ghost Ride booth were their new battery powered, flameless candles. I was really impressed with these. They have a very realistic flickering action, just like a real candle flame. But since they are flameless, they are safer to use and don't have to be constantly replaced like real candles.  

For more information, visit: http://www.ghostride.com.  

Edison Replica Bulbs	Haunt Awards	B. Xerk
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Gore Galore

Walking by the Gore Galore booth, you couldn't miss their new "Demon Warrior" costume.  This well crafted and highly detailed costume was a big hit at the show.  This creature would be a perfect addition to any haunted attraction, for use as line entertainment or as a character inside the attraction.  Gore Galore also introduced their "Bone Warrior" costume, which is very similar in style to the Demon Warrior, but it is an off-white bone color.  Another new item they introduced is called the "Freak Tank".  The Freak Tank is a large cryogenic chamber, filled with an illuminated green murky liquid, with a slowly spinning freakish creature inside.  The freak corpse prop can also be purchased separately.  Also new were Gore Galore's "Zombie Bust" and "Zombie Hands". Both of these highly detailed pieces look like a head and set of hands in an advanced stage of decomposition. Their new "Da Bomb" air cannon really kept their people on their toes, as they passed the Gore Galore booth.  For information about more of their new products, visit the Gore Galore website.   

For more information, visit: http://www.gore-galore.com 

Demon Warrier		Freak Tank
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Little Spider

Little Spider had some great new items this year.  One of the innovative ideas they came up with were their new bobble head characters.  Standing about four feet tall, these static props come in two styles; one is a rotting skull, while the other is a Jester bobble head. And just as the name implies, their heads have that familiar bobbing motion that bobble head dolls have, only on a larger scale.  Another one of their new products is the "Big Head Skull".  It is an oversized skull that is highly detailed.  Also new to their product line is their "Corpse Walker Costume".  It consists of a black robe, a highly detailed mask that looks like a rotting corpse head and matching corpse hands.  Both the "Corpse Walker Mask" and the matching "Walker Hands" can be purchased separately.

For more information, visit: http://www.littlespider.net 

Bobble Head Prop	Bobble Head Prop	Big Head Skull
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Nightview Productions

Nightview Productions had one of the largest displays in the Haunter section of the show.  This year they brought quite a few new props.  "Bones the Pirate" and "Captain Rot" were two of their new free-standing static props.  Both of these pirate themed characters have  a bendable wire armature.  I also liked their creepy new line of spiders.  Available in several styles and colors, they range in size from seven to ten feet wide! Also new is their line of "Huge Bats", which range from two feet, to a wingspan of eight feet wide.  The styles vary from your traditional black vampire bat, to one that looks like a cross between a bat and a werewolf.  Their line of  fiberglass pumpkins is also new.  These creepy pumpkins come in various styles and sizes.  Some have evil smiles, while others have sharp teeth and glowing red eyes.   

Pirate Characters	Bats	Spiders
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Prop Masters

As usual, Prop Masters came to the show with some great new static props.  Their meticulous attention to detail always makes their booth one of my favorites to visit.  My personal favorite this year is called "The Collector", which is part of their "Flying Terrors" collection. This evil-looking prop is a flying creature that is holding a blonde woman's severed head, by the hair. "Dead Debbie" and the "Living Dead Girl" were also very impressive.  While not really related to Halloween, Prop Masters also introduced a new Christmas line of characters including Jesus, Angels and Ebenezer Scrooge.  More pictures of their new products are available on their website.

For more information, visit: http://www.monsterprops.com

Dead Debbie		The Collector
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ScAir Structures

Last year, ScAir Structures introduced their new inflatable haunt.  This year they added a couple of new inflatables to their product line.  The new "ScAir Chamber" is even more versatile than their original inflatable, due to it's open air structure.  Since there are no center columns, the 900 square feet of open floor space can be filled any way you wish.  ScAir Structures also introduced "ScAir Rooms", which are 13' x 13' inflatable structures that can be used as stand-alone scenes or in conjunction with other ScAir Structure products.  Since all of their inflatables can be connected to one another by hallways (see picture below), the configuration combinations are limitless.  ScAir Structures has provided Haunters with some really great options for portable attractions that can be expanded from season to season, as the attraction grows.

For more information, visit:  http://www.ScAirStructures.com

ScAir Chamber	Inside the Inflatable	Chamber and Room
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Scarefactory

As usual, Scarefactory came to the show and introduced some outstanding props. They really dominated the Dark Zone.  The most impressive animation was "The Slayer".  This winged creature is 20' x 20' when fully extended.  Getting one of these for your attraction would really draw attention!  They really outdid themselves with the "Corridor of Corpses".  This isn't just another animation.  It is a self-contained hallway/scene consisting of 21 wall panels and 14 motorized effects. It features skeleton and zombie creatures, embedded in walls of stone.  Walking through this scene is a highly claustrophobic experience. I was also impressed by the "Giant Spyder", with its articulating legs and feelers.  This highly detailed animatronic measures 9 feet across and is 12 feet long. And that's just scratching the surface of the many outstanding props that the Scarefactory added to their product line this year.  Their website is already updated for 2004, so pictures and descriptions of all of their new props are available online. 

For more information, visit: http://www.scarefactory.com 

The Slayer	Corridor of Corpses	Giant Spyder
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Scare Parts

Not only is this company new to exhibiting at Transworld, but they are new to the Haunted Attraction Industry.  They specialize in pop-up style pneumatic props.  Their "Dresser Pop-up" (picture below) features a zombie creature popping up out of a normal looking dresser and "Scare-A-Boo" is a creature in a suit and tie that pops out of a closed cabinet.  Scare Parts has a number of product lines, with more than a dozen complete animations available.  While the majority of their products are complete animations, items like bare armatures, electronic controller cards and sound cards can be purchased separately. 

For more information, visit: http://www.scareparts.com. 

Dresser Pop-up		Popper
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Unit 70

Well, Unit 70 has done it again.  Last year they came to the show with some outstanding props and this year is no exception. Looking at one of their new props, "Keegan", it appears to be just a dead body laying on a table, but when you least expect it, a serpent springs out of its chest.  "Desmondus Rotundus", another one of their new another animated props, is formed in the shape of an evil winged demon with sharp teeth. "T. Levereius", also new to Unit 70's product line, is a winged dragon creature.  Both Desmondus Rotundus and T. Levereius are available as animated or static props. They also introduced various dismembered bodies, as well as "Virgil", a standing rotting corpse whose eyes and tongue pop out at you.  These and all the rest of Unit 70's new offerings are highly detailed and have a very realistic, creepy appearance. 

For more information, visit: http://www.unit70.com 

Keegan	Desmondus Rotundus	T. Levereius
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