Clowns have gotten a real bum rap these days. Something that is supposed to bring you so much joy has been turned into something sinister and fearful. However, if you look at it, clowns are really just down right freaky. Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood agrees, and is taking that fear and mixing it with a really sinister plot that involves Route 66, ice cream and a murderous family of clowns. Oh, and rock guitar legend Slash, just for good measure. Of course we’re talking about the all new maze, Clowns 3D-Music by Slash at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights. We were invited out to the park to take a look at the all new maze and take a tour with HHN Creative Director John Murdy, and to learn a little bit behind the all new maze.
Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood has a long tradition of not only 3D houses, but also houses based on rock gods, legends and songs. This year is a little different with Clowns 3D. It’s an all new, original concept house that features an original story, inspired from a very odd place. The fact that it includes the music of rock guitar legend, Slash is a bit of a bonus when you hear the story behind it.
The story of Clowns 3D tells the tale of a family of clowns that owned a Route 66 style roadside tourist attraction. It was a fun, little amusement spot, with an ice cream factory. Sweet Licks the clown, and his family ran it for many years, and things were great. Then something kind of unthinkable happened. People stopped liking clowns. In fact, they started being afraid of clowns. People’s fear of clowns was bad for business, so naturally the family suffered, along with the ice cream factory. So Sweet Lick himself devised a plan to not only feed on people’s greed, but to also keep from having to buy those expensive ingredients. One day a year, the factory gives out free ice cream to those who happen to be passing by. The clowns in the factory take and…well, let’s just say there’s a special ingredient in the ice cream.
Video-Go behind the scenes and get free ice cream with Clowns 3D:Music by Slash at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood!
As expected, the maze is just filled to the brim with tons of great sight gags, and scare tactics. One really cool effect sees a clown car charging at guests as they walk through the maze. Another surprise at the end will be “Shocking” as Murdy puts it. The story for Clowns 3D is really kind of interesting. People really don’t like clowns. That’s because of the crazy ways they’ve been portrayed in media. Pennywise the clown was a sinister figure for many kids. Add in John Wayne Gacey, and the fact that some people are just scared of clowns naturally, and you have a change in the way society views clowns.
The story of the house was inspired by a news story on National Public Radio. There a president of the clown union (yes, there is a such thing) was upset that people just didn’t like clowns the way they used to, for the simple reason that more people were afraid of them. It’s making it very hard for those who study the art of “clownmanship” to make a living doing what they love to do. Murdy took the idea and ran with it.
Slideshow-Get some Sweet Licks with tons of pictures of Clowns 3D-Music by Slash
Another interesting tidbit is that there wasn’t supposed to be a rock house this year. In a sense, there’s still not a music themed house. Clowns just happens to feature the music of Slash. There were no other music IP’s originally slated for this year. Funny thing about fate, however. Last year Slash walked through the Black Sabbath house. He was so floored by the imagery and the way the house worked, that he just HAD to work with John Murdy and Halloween Horror Nights. Slash composed the music for the house, which is a first in HHN Hollywood history. No other house in the history of the park has had an original soundtrack created for it just for the event.
Slash also makes two appearances in the house. One as a demented clown out to turn you into hot fudge. The other as the voice of Sweet Licks himself. Just where did the name Sweet Licks come from? The name is a clever ploy on having a sweet tooth, and the amazing guitar licks of Slash. More importantly, the ice cream truck that will be featured in the maze is from the Land of the Lost film. It was a “Sweet Licks” ice cream truck, so the name really just kind of stuck.
Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood kicks off on September 19th, and will feature more houses than ever before. The event feature seven all new houses, Terror Tram and five scare zones.
Stay tuned for even more from Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood, and be sure to get behind the scenes as we walk through The Walking Dead-End of the Line(Click here!)
Be sure to get social with us on Facebook, and follow along with us on Twitter @BehindThrills for the latest updates!
For more information about Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood, including tickets, visit the official website by clicking here!
