Let me begin by saying that what I am about to describe is a horror fan’s nightmare come true. In a nutshell, I Like Scary Movies is an immersive art installation featuring five classic horror films — “The Shining,” “It,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Beetlejuice,” and “The Lost Boys.” But, it’s not your typical exhibit. Here, guests can experience and, literally, dive right into some of the most iconic scenes from these movies.
The touring exhibit made its debut in Los Angeles, California, opening to the public on April 4th. It is sprawled across one of the 1,450 square foot floors in the historical The Desmond Tower. This Art Deco building dates to 1929, so given that the structure may harbor some ghosts of its own, it seems the perfect place to house a horror interactive experience.
Since photo opportunities are a significant part of the exhibition, spots are reserved in 15-minute increments so that visitors can take their time taking pictures and to avoid crowding. You can spend up to 90 minutes going through the entire installation, taking as many photos as your bloody heart desires. To ensure a smooth flow of people throughout, there is no backtracking, so it’s encouraged that guests take their time. I definitely did.
At the entrance to the exhibit was a brick wall with posters of each of the movies that awaited to be experienced inside. There was also a shower that had the Sandworm from “Beetlejuice” as the shower head. From this point began the journey into five dark worlds of horror.
Each movie has a series of chambers dedicated to it and it felt a bit like a going through a maze. I don’t even know how to begin to describe how remarkable each installation looked in the flesh. For “The Shining” experience, there were Danny’s tricycle, the eerie Grady Twins and the creepy carpet of the Overlook Hotel, which covered the walls of one room.
From that point, I had to go through a dizzying, rotating tunnel to get to the realm of Pennywise. This may have to do with my obsession with the undead, but my favorite part of the “It” installation was the coffin with the word “FOUND” written in blood red. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention the troupe of spine-tingling clowns surrounding the casket. There was also a wall of fear where you could take a piece of paper and write down the one thing that terrifies you the most and stick it with the others. For doing this, I received a special penny with you-know-who on the coin.
From there, it was onto “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” The massive recreation of Freddy’s infamous razor-sharp claws was astounding. Next, were two spaces dedicated to “Beetlejuice.” In the first, Barbara and Adam Maitland stood front and center in their monster forms. I was excited to take a photo with the half blue lady on the couch. In the second room was a recreation of Dante’s Inferno and Beetlejuice’s grave.
The film “The Lost Boys” made up the final two areas of the installation. One of the scenes from the movie seen here was the railroad bridge, from which you can hang like a bat. The other was a reimagining of the vampire gang’s haunt. In the last room was a massive tipped-over Chinese food take-out box spilling forth with worms. Who recalls the scene where David (Keifer Sutherland) tricks Michael (Jason Patric) into thinking he’s eating maggots out of the carton instead of noodles ?
One of the many perks is that each room you go through is staffed so you can get help taking your photos. This is beneficial if you’re going solo or in a group and don’t want anyone left out in a picture. Also, there are no jump-scares. It’s not a Halloween haunt, but there were a few rooms I walked in where some unknown force pounded on the walls.
The I Like Scary Movies experience remains in Los Angeles through June 16th, so if you’ll be in town, there is still time to check it out. Tickets are $39 and the exhibit operates Thursday through Sunday from noon to 8:45 p.m., with longer hours on weekends. Also, the site states that the City of Angels is the first stop on its tour. It seems the creators plan to travel with the art installation. Stay tuned because it may come to your neck of the woods.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the I Like Scary Movies official website.
Vamp Jenn's Corner 
Pretty cool that you’re not merely permitted to take pictures, but that you’re encouraged to do so. Not every place you’ve visited has been so obliging. Our good fortune too, as it allows you to sow us all manner of great pictures.
Were any of the exhibit items actually used in the movies that inspired them? I imagine not, as it’d be too risky to give the public such easy access to them. Still, the thought’s deliciously chilling to contemplate!
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Yes, I was really excited too about all the photo opportunities! It made it more fun to go through.
As far as I know, there were no actual props from the movies used, just recreations. I agree, I’m sure this was because people can touch so many things. Even then, we were told to be careful with the displays. Overall, it was lots of fun 🙂
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