Your Top Ten Creature Characters!

It’s that spooky time of year, when dimensions descend upon one another and the energies of heaven and hell collide into our physical realm. Some call it All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day Eve, Allhallowtide, or Allhalloween. Whatever you call the old Gaelic Harvest, it’s a perfect time to test your psychological terror threshold with a visit to Vancouver’s best escape room.

While ringing the church bells for the souls in purgatory, noticing the jack-o-laterns on guard to ward off evil spirits, or watching a flick before heading to Krakit, it’s a day to honour and recount the top ten movie creatures that go bump in the night, i.e. our worst fears manifested.

10. Tyrannosaurus Rex - The evil, dragon-like badass still holds his rein of terror on this list for one simple fact: the T. Rex is real (and, he’s been dancing since he was twelve).

9. Werewolf/Werecar - On the full moon, men and women having been bit or influenced by a werewolf, with wolf’s blood coursing through their veins, undergo and powerful transformation and rampage until dawn. Weres are endowed with the spirit of a superpowered, half-human, half-lycan; or, auto parts from various evil vehicles. The werecar? “Bender” from Futurama is a robot that changes into an evil, bloodlusty car with parts from the most sinister movie automobiles.

8. Jigsaw - Let’s face it, we’re here for a reason. Jigsaw is the nefarious serial killer who made all of this awesomeness at the Burnaby Escape Room possible.

7. Ghosts and Ghouls - Who is the most sinister? The ones from Ghostbusters, the Babadook, Thirteen Ghosts, The Ring, The Grudge, or Ghost Dad? My vote is an undead Bill Cosby—who knows what that is capable of!

6. Aliens/Predator - Especially HR Geiger’s Xenomorphic, hive-minded abomination who, in its singular form, is the a prized capture of the Predator—another dark, violent creature inside Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett movie mythos. See also: Independence Day and Mars Attacks.

5. Vampires - Sensual and violent, these date-rapey (see Bill Cosby, above) creatures roam the night, looking for human victims. Who did it best: Dracula, Lestat, or Blade? 

4. Gremlins - When you buy anything from a pop-up shop in Chinatown, you’re going to have issues. From mythical Mogwai to venomous gargoyle, these creatures will make you watch out for the wet spots for more reasons than a slip-and-fall danger.

3. Zombies - They started out slow, they moved into space, now they’ve evolved into fast moving, ever multiplying, brain-sucking scum. Watch out, they’re coming for you! Best movies: Event Horizon, Dawn of the Dead, and 28 Days Later.

2. The Undead - The difference between zombies and ghouls—versus simply ‘undead’—is clearly articulated in Pet Cometary. Please, bury your children responsibly. 

1. Party Monsters - These creatures are number one because they aren’t included on most lists. There’s nothing more terrifying than the real-life events experienced by characters from Requiem for a Dream and Trainspotting.

Halloween in Vancouver: Horror-Themed Escape Rooms—Zombie Apocalypse

Krakit Vancouver Escape Game—Zombie Apocalypse

Our four themed escape rooms at Krakit are fun to play at any time of year, but we have to say, we really shine at Halloween time. You may have noticed we have a little bit of a thing for the macabre, and the eerie ambience that October brings—the lengthening nights, the murmuring winds, the deep dark shadows, and, of course, the ghosts and ghouls and goblins—makes the creepy factor triple.

One of our longest running and most popular rooms is the Zombie Apocalypse Room—and for good reason. For fans of George A. Romero, 28 Days Later, and The Walking Dead, the Zombie Apocalypse escape game puts you in the middle of the end times: infection has taken over, the city is crawling with undead, and it’s up to you and your team to find the serum that will save the human race.

With only 45 minutes on the clock—and a live zombie or two to rattle your nerves—solving the puzzles of this escape game can be almost more pressure than a person can take. Luckily, you and your team are able to ask an expert for a few hints along the way, just when you need them most.

Crack all the clues and unclick the last lock, and you—and the rest of the human race—will live to see another day. If you don't … well, let’s just say, it’s in your best interest to try your very hardest.

Halloween time is for horror movie marathons, menacing costumes, candle-lit midnight parades, and getting yourself as good and scared as possible.

So, do yourself a favour and get your Halloween off to the right start with an immersive entertainment experience. Why not settle in for the premiere of The Walking Dead Season 7, next Sunday, October 23, and then head to Krakit Vancouver Escape Game’s Zombie Apocalypse Room for your own taste of the adrenaline rush that facing down a walker brings.

Or, better yet, book you and your friends in for a game on the night itself—All Hallow’s Eve—when the Krakit staff will be truly upping the ante.

Our horror-themed rooms feature live actors and haunted house experiences. Book here for a Halloween to remember, while spots last: http://bookeo.com/krakit

Halloween Escape Games: 11 Best Haunted House Films

Here it is: October—the most wonderful month of the year. While we at Krakit Vancouver Escape Game are no stranger to horror movie marathons, this month is for going all out on spooky flicks.

In honour of our Haunted House for the Halloween season (book online here—no lineup required!), we’ve put together a list of our favourite haunted house films.

Like our escape rooms, there’s something here for everyone, from kids to adults, from newbies to horror film freaks, and from unshakeable, unspookable stalwarts to those who will only watch from between their fingers.

First, the classics:

1. House on Haunted Hill (1959)

When someone offers you an obscene amount of money to stay in a haunted house, there’s probably a reason the reward is so large. Especially if the person asking is horror king Vincent Price. Remember to just say no.

2. House (1977)

In this Japanese cult classic, a girl and her six friends go on a trip to her aunt’s house in the countryside. It’s full of fun things like totally non-dangerous wells, clocks, pianos, and kitty cats.

3. Poltergeist (1982)

If you insist on putting a housing development on ancient burial grounds, you’re probably going to have a problem. Not least of all with your electricity and cabinetry, as it turns out.

Next up, the gore fests:

4. Thir13en Ghosts (2011)

The title alone lets you know that this is the silliest film on our list. But if you’re looking to be grossed out while you get your haunted house fix, the 13 incarcerated ghosts of this film will help you out with that.

5. Amityville Horror (2005)

Like Thir13en Ghosts, this Amityville Horror is a remake of an older film. But the remakes have much better special effects—and in this case, the added bonus of a shirtless Ryan Reynolds. A purportedly true tale of a family who moves into the site of a recent mass murder to find the killing isn’t quite over yet.

For those who like it a mite more psychological:

6. The Woman in Black (2012)

Blood and gore not your thing? The film version of the stage play of Woman in Black has tense moments galore, as a city lawyer travels to the countryside—and a massive old house—to escape his painful past. Unfortunately, he finds his future is actually to be a whole lot worse.

7. The Conjuring (2013)

Yet another purportedly real family has the misfortunate of moving into a rickety old house that holds a lot more than they bargained for. In this case, the family has the added bonus of encountering not just a ghost, but a ghost witch. Bad luck.

8. Stir of Echoes (1999)

This under-the-radar '90s thriller might just be the most psychologically tantalizing story on the list, as Kevin Bacon masterfully pulls us into his character’s unwinding as he becomes obsessed with one particular ghost—and one particular house—after being hypnotized.

And last but not least, for young and old alike:

9. Casper (1995)

Kids these days might not care who Christina Ricci and Devon Sawa are, but it’s not too late to teach them. Bonus points for cartoonish CGI that has stood the test of time.

10. Monster House (2006)

Like the eponymous house itself, this film is somewhere between a haunted house film and a monster flick—but it’s such a good time we’ve added it to the list anyway. Three teens set out to prove that the house next door is a-a-a-live!!

11. Beetlejuice (1988)

This entry on our haunted house list should be self-explanatory, but in case not:



Book your slot at Krakit Escape Game’s Vancouver haunted house—on for the Halloween season only—here: http://bookeo.com/krakit

Haunted Escape Rooms: Top 5 Things Every Haunted House Must Have

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—at least according to us at Krakit Vancouver Escape Game. When the nights grow longer than the days, that means one thing: more time for creepy crawlies and spooky ghouls to do their thing. Namely, scaring us human types.

To celebrate the fall season and the approach of Halloween, we’re making one of our escape rooms into a full-fledged haunted house experience. So not only do you need to use your brain to solve the puzzles and escape the room, you also need to watch your back, because you never know who—or what—might be lurking, just out of sight ...

As every horror fan knows, there are certain elements that every haunted house needs, especially these five.

5. Ambience

Dry ice? Spooky music? Low lighting? A chilling draft coming from somewhere unidentifiable? That’s all part of building the truly eerie haunted house experience. If your haunted house doesn’t have at least one element that raises your hackles before the experience even begins, they’re not doing it right.

4. Loud and sudden noises

There’s nothing more frightening than walking around a darkened and silent room when—bang!—there comes a sudden pounding from the other side of the door. This incredibly vital haunted house element is a big part of the next item on our list ...

3. The jump scare

The jump scare is a staple of horror cinema—and Krakit’s haunted house-inspired escape game, too, of course. These all-important rushes of adrenaline come courtesy of sudden loud noises and the unexpected emergence of a masked menace from a corner you previously thought empty.

Remember: no haunted room can be called complete without at least one live actor to scare the bejeesus out of you when you least expect it.

2. Perfect timing

You’ve got your horror-soaked ambience, you’ve got your Method actor going mad in the break room, just waiting to drag their fingernails across an unsuspecting guest’s back—what else do you need? Absolutely perfect timing.

The best haunted houses have a perfect tension between empty moments that build the tension and all-too-sudden events that make your heart pound.

1. A good story

Everything else won’t work the way it’s supposed to if there’s not a good narrative to go along with it. More than anything, haunted houses—and escape rooms, too—are about engaging the imagination. An immersive story to get you hooked from the get-go will make every shadow deeper, every noise louder, and every sudden scare that much more heart pounding. Accept no imitations this Halloween.

Above is just a little of what you can expect when you book your haunted house escape game with us here in Greater Vancouver. Grab a slot here: http://bookeo.com/krakit.

Last-Minute Group Costumes for Halloween

So you’ve booked one of our horror-themed escape games for Halloween, and you’ve just realized it provides the most excellent opportunity to do a group costume. Unfortunately, you no longer have time to papier-mâché, sew, and blacksmith Game of Thrones costumes.

Never fear! We’ve got you covered with some ideas for easy group costumes that you can throw together with very little preparation.

Photo: Eva Rinaldi (cc-by-sa-2.0)

Ghostbusters

With the new Kristen Wiig reboot coming out soon, this costume is both classic and timely. You’ll need grey or beige coveralls, black backpacks, and some reflective tape for the new cast’s striped outfits or some paper for the old ones’ arm badge.

Cast of Orange Is the New Black

Coveralls win again here. Either orange or beige will do you. Each style your hair like your favourite character—or don’t and just claim you’re an extra.

Photo: Kelly (cc-by-sa-2.0)

Minions

Got a large group? Great, you can all be minions! Blue denim overalls, a yellow shirt, and a yellow toque get you most of the way there. Then, for the eyes, put glasses on your head or get inventive with craft paper.

Cast of Arrested Development / Seinfeld / Friends / Cheers 

aka People Dressed Normally

The trick to these group costumes is that the strength is in the numbers. You don’t make a whole lot of sense on your own, so united you must stand. The most effort is figuring out whose personal wardrobe best matches each character.

Photo: Jeff Christiansen (cc-by-sa-2.0)

Peter Pan and the Lost Boys

One person needs to wear a pointed paper hat and all green clothes (yes, tights required), and the rest can just look scraggly and dirty, if you’re going for the Hook look. This is also an opportunity to have a Play-Doh food fight like you’ve always wanted. Or, if you want to go Disney, the Lost Boys should wear animal onesies.

Photo: Arbitraily0 (cc-by-sa-3.0)

Ghostface and Victims

One person needs to commit to wearing the ghost mask and black cloak of the classic Scream killers, but everyone else gets away with wearing regular clothes—plus a large amount of fake blood. Extra ideal if you still have all of your ’90s clothes and a clunky cordless phone to carry around.

If you haven’t yet booked your Halloween spot at Krakit’s Vancouver escape room, you can nab a slot here.

The Stock Characters of Horror—And Escape Games

We all know (and love) the stock characters that show up in almost every scary film. They’re what make the horror universe go round. 

When you’re plunged into Krakit’s horror-themed escape games, you might just find yourself taking on one of these personas—it’s hard not to, really. The question is: Which character will you become when put under pressure at our Vancouver escape room?

The Jumpy One

The first one to know something creepy is going on—yet no one ever believes them. Maybe you’ll figure out the first clue in our Saw Escape Room, but no one will listen. Luckily, you can just wait until the end to brag about your intuition, instead of being the first one picked off.

The Backstabber

The person in the group who does not have everyone’s best interest at heart. They’ll push you down so they can get away from the zombie hoard. Let’s hope no one on your escape game team gives into these tendencies …

The Know-It-All

The one who is so sure they’ve got it in the bag, only to find out they have no idea. Their demise in horror films is often met with cheers. Remember: It’s not always the classically “smart one” who gets escape game clues first. It takes all sorts to solve Krakit’s puzzles.

The Clever Fool

The pal who’s a solid good time, but who isn’t really much help when it comes to getting work done—like dodging a savage serial killer, for example. Or, at least that’s what everyone thinks. More often than not, The Clever Fool offers up an unexpected epiphany that saves the day—or cracks the code.

The Final One

They’re the one at the centre of the story, the person featured on the film poster. Yet without the efforts of everyone else in the group—yes, even The Know-It-All—they’d never make it out alive. Happily, everyone at Krakit Escape Game makes it out alive, so everyone gets to be The Final One.

Looking to star in your horror flick this Halloween? Book one of our horror-themed escape rooms online here—before it’s too late!

Why Is Halloween So Scary?

Canadian actress Mary Pickford lights a jack o’lantern

We love giving a scare at our horror-themed escape rooms, so it should come as no surprise that we’re big fans of Halloween. But why is it an international scarefest?

The origins of Halloween are somewhat foggy. Though often thought of as a North American holiday, its origins come from across the Atlantic, in Ireland and Scotland.

Most people agree that Halloween is a melding together of the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marks summer’s end, and of All Saints’ Day, a day celebrating Christian saints, which itself might have origins in the ancient Roman feast of the Lemuria—a rite to banish vengeful ghosts from your home.

Though they come from separate cultures, Samhain and All Saints’ Day have two important things in common: they both take place October 31/November 1, and they both mark a time of year when there’s a particularly strong connection between the dead and the living. Coincidence? Probably not. Let’s face it: the dead hang about at the end of October, which is something we just need to deal with.

When you’ve got some potentially vengeful spirits hanging about, what do you do? You disguise yourself so they don’t recognize you, of course.

Another practice brought to North America by Celtic Irish immigrants is mummering, or guising. Mummering, as any good Newfoundlander knows, is dressing up in a disguise—any old burlap sack used as a mask will do—then knocking on your neighbours’ doors and asking for food and booze. Though Newfoundlanders mummer at Christmastime, kids in Kingston, Ontario, began mummering on Halloween at least as early as 1911.

Now, we’ve got ourselves some ancient rituals, combined with lengthening autumn nights, a thin veil between the human and spirit worlds, and disguised people knocking on your door asking for treats and threatening tricks. Creepy enough yet?

We’d say so. But that scariness is far from a bad thing. Being afraid makes us feel more present and alive, and rituals that force us to confront ghosts and demons (whether they’re just costumed children or not) is a good way to do just that.

Halloween, the day when the human and spirit worlds are closest, just happens to be the most appropriate day to scare the bejeezus out of ourselves.

Book yourself a good Halloween fright at one of Krakit’s three horror-themed escape games here.