Delusion: The Red Castle
A Spoiler Free Review of the So Cal Immersive Haunt
Since 2011 John Braver and the hard-working cast of Delusion has offered Los Angeles a cutting-edge immersive version of the traditional Halloween haunted house experience and the fact that I’ve attended all but two of those years should tell you how big a fan I am of their work. The haunt is run by some top-level Hollywood special effects artists and stunt people and always features a narrative in which limited numbers of attendees at a time get to play a part in the interactive story in which they are immersed. The haunt is at a new location this year, near USC, and features a new story to go along with it.
THE PROS:
As you can see from this photograph the new location couldn’t be better or more atmospheric. The historic Stimson House is a spectacular Gothic mansion, with a real-life colorful history. Without any spoilers, it would be worth your while to research the history of the house before you attend, as there is a twist in the plot at the end that will be more meaningful to you if you do. The colored lighting, sound effects, and lightning make the walk up through a dark path illuminated by periodic lanterns a perfect way to set the atmosphere.
Also a plus, the event features copious amounts of free parking. Although it’s marked with a sign, the nonfunctioning street lights made it easy to miss, and a portable light on the sign itself would go a long way to fixing the problem. You’ll have to sign a waiver in advance or upon your arrival. This isn’t the kind of theatrical experience where you’ll be pushed to extreme limits like being forced to eat a bug or exposed to simulated water torture or anything like that, but you will be running quickly through the dark, and minor injuries are not an impossibility. I nearly tripped over a small end table in one instance but was ultimately unscathed.
The “pre-show,” this year features a magician who does impressive close-up magic reminiscent of the kind of thing you’d encounter at The Magic Castle for groups of 2-3 at a time, and that was a pleasant way to pass the time until our group was called. Our scheduled time wasn’t until 10:00 pm but we ended up getting texted to be part of an earlier group, which worked out well. Guests are brought through in a group totaling 10-11 people. The actual experience lasts about 45 minutes to an hour. There is a VIP upgrade package as well that gives one access to a private lounge before the show and lets you become part of the cast in one scene, among other perks, but we opted to be commoners.
Incidentally, the very first scene involves the audience being asked to take up metal rakes to sweep the exterior grounds. At one point we are directed to put the rakes anywhere, but most people returned them to the out of the way position they were when we arrived. It seems like a minor safety hazard to leave them on the ground in the dimly lit outdoor area when we are then implored to run from there into the mansion.
The conceit of this story is that the attendees are patients, amnesiacs, and sleepwalkers who have telekinetic powers that Doctor Lowell is trying to harness to bring his wife back from the dead. It’s a fairly simple and straightforward plotline this time, which works well on several levels. It’s clever and from a narrative standpoint as it makes sense that characters have to explain who they are and what is going on, because we are suffering from amnesia, and we are given several chances to practice our “powers.” Storylines from previous years, while more elaborate, could also be convoluted and confusing.
Overall the level of acting throughout the experience was top-notch. A few times the group is split off into subgroups, which makes for somewhat different but simultaneous experiences. This is a choice Delusion has periodically opted for in years past, that certainly keeps things interesting. The downside is that you may miss out on an interesting experience, but if you check with members of your group after the experience, who were split off, they can fill you in on what you missed and vice versa. By the end of the experience, every member of the group is given at least one or more special ways to participate in the story, which adds to the fun. One of the pitfalls of some previous Delusion experiences was that the ending felt anti-climatic. This year’s ending fell somewhere in between. It managed to play upon the actual history of the house in a fun and effective way, even if the execution was less than completely spectacular.
The Cons:
The price of Delusion has gone way up in recent years as they partnered with Thirteenth Floor. What began as a small group of Hollywood stunt people and special effects artists pushing the boundaries of the immersive horror experience has evolved into a business, with merchandise, security, insurance, overhead etc. In that sense, Delusion cannot be faulted. The attention to detail and creativity that the makers put into the experience is certainly worth them being able to turn a profit and make a living from all their hard work.
My biggest gripe about this year, and the experience we attended two years ago is that something has been lost along the way. In other years past I have specific memories of specific set pieces that completely wowed me, that I haven’t ever seen or experienced in a haunt and may never again. There was a stunt where a character rapidly descended upon you from above in a stairway, which was both daring and shocking. There was a year in which we were separated into a smaller room, which was filled with “gas,” and the lights went out only to reveal were surrounded by live scorpions. The gas was a fog machine, and the scorpions were safely in airtight terrariums illuminated by black lights, but it was something I’ll never forget. Another year there was an incredible effect where a live actor changed into a decomposing corpse and then a skeleton right before our eyes that I still have no idea how they pulled off! There was a year that featured more of a science fiction time-traveling story called The Blue Blade where we found ourselves in a jungle environment where we had to grab a rope and swing over a river with real running water to get to a ritual that involved a life-size idol of a God that came to life. All of this, by the way, was done indoors! It’s these kinds of uniquely crafted creative experiences that keep fans of Delusion coming back for more every year.
Perhaps no other event has done more to singlehandedly raise the bar for what the audience expects from an immersive haunt experience. Apparently, at the new location, the company was somewhat limited with what they could do to the actual mansion itself. This limitation was evident. While overall, this year’s Red Castle experience was strong, with a clever storyline, a superb cast, and a picture-perfect location, it did, unfortunately, lack the kind of innovative creative high points of special effects and stunt work that in years past has made for the kinds of haunting memories I’ll never forget.
Delusion: The Red Castle plays through November 3rd. Tickets are available here: