The Pit’s Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Sokol walked through the Insidious: Chapter 3 – Into The Further 4D Experience. The virtual haunted house offered up a new and intriguing twist to haunted houses. Photo/Focus Features.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] couple of weeks ago, I attended my first C2E2 Convention as a member of the media. I had attended other comic conventions as a fan in the past like Comic Con Chicago, Comic Con Lexington, Kentucky and Scarefest in Lexington.
I absolutely love the atmosphere of these events. The people who attend are anywhere from the casual fan to the hard core fan of specific genres. Some dress up like their favorite character. I consider myself a little more than the casual fan.
Earlier in the week, I received an email invite for a virtually 4D Experience for the upcoming movie Insidious: Chapter 3. Part of the email noted “Think of this as the evolution of the haunted house experience – a place where analog meets digital. “Into The Further” is a walk-through haunted house with a unique virtual reality/oculus rift component, which creates a truly scary “ride” that has never been done before. And just when you think the experience is over, you’ll realize it’s only just begun…”
Obviously, that description caught my attention. I checked out the link that was sent as a preview to the experience. I thought to myself “what the hell, why not try it”? I love going to haunted houses, I love a good scary movie and I enjoy all things Halloween. I set up my time to go into the experience for 11:15am. It would be the first thing I do at the convention and something to get me going.
I was walked into the trailer that the crew had set up for the Insidious: Chapter 3 experience.
I had to sign a waiver and then waited a few minutes till they brought me into this small room. The trailer was decked out like a spooky haunted house inside and they nailed the look and feel for what was about to happen. I walked through the dimly lit and tight hallway I was ushered to an open door where there was a small screen on the wall.
Damien Dennis, The Pit’s publisher and founder, also walked through the Into The Further 4D Experience at C2E2. While he didn’t get scared, he admits to getting startled at a tea cart being tipped while using the goggles to look around the room. Photo/Focus Features
A brief intro was shown on the screen before another door had opened up for me to enter. I was brought in and was told to sit down in this vintage chair.
Once I sat down, a cast member put the 4D Oculus head set on me. I sat there for a moment and wasn’t sure what to expect. I don’t normally get scared from things because I am good at anticipating and not letting what I see get the best of me. It was a damn good attempt to make my senses rise.
The experience was very entertaining and had some great effects that would make most people freak out. I took off the head set and thanked the person as I walked down another low light hallway to the “Exit” sign. Right before I opened the door it happened… a character jumped out of window opening and I dropped to the floor.
They got me.
The movie trailer looks as frightening as you would expect. I need to catch up on the first 2 installments so I can watch the new chapter that comes to theaters on June 5. Go out and enjoy the flick.
