Spook Houses

Amid the loading docks and truck terminals of the West Bottoms, Kansas City’s haunted-house district continues its spooky expansion with two new attractions. This year, Full Moon Productions debuts the Macabre Cinema (1222 West 12th Street) and disinters an old haunt called The Chambers of Edgar Allan Poe (1100 Santa Fe). Full Moon Vice President Amber Arnett-Bequeaith says, “The concept of the Macabre Cinema is a haunted movie theater. As you move down the center aisle, you notice that the film is just flipping through its reel, not projecting, but the film is playing. And then you cross over into the scenes of the film — it’s our move into the film horror genres.” The Macabre Cinema is an open-ended experience through a huge, mazelike space. “It will take some visitors an hour to find their way out,” Arnett-Bequeaith says. The Chambers of Edgar Allan Poe, a resurrected attraction from 34 years ago, consists of re-creations of many of the author’s suspense tales, including “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “Murders in the Rue Morgue” and, of course, the poem “The Raven.” “Lots of Poe’s stories are about enclosed spaces and claustrophobia — people are always getting buried, or sealed up in walls. We work on people’s phobias from that angle,” Arnett-Bequeaith says. Both attractions are fundraisers for the Variety Club of Kansas City, a children’s charity operated by members of the entertainment industry. Tickets cost $20 at both venues. For details, see fullmoonprod.com.
Thursdays-Sundays; Oct. 25-Nov. 3. Starts: Sept. 27. Continues through Oct. 21, 2007