HAUNTED HOUSES

Arnold's Family Fun Center
2200 West Dr
Oaks

Hmm... Let's list all the inbred fears that Montgomery County's newest scary attraction hits: claustrophobia (fear of closed-in spaces like elevators); kinemortophobia (fear of zombies); nyctophobia (fear of the dark); and especially coulrophobia (fear of clowns). The story threading these together involves a former toy factory run amok, where only the bravest can stop a complete and terror-filled breakout at Arnold's Family Fun Center.

5140 Butler Pk
Plymouth Meeting

This multi-level haunt, hosted by the Lu Lu Shriners, begins with a hayride back to a decrepit house. Victims - er, guests - then disembark and walk through the home of Uncle Louie and his rancid relatives. From there, it's back on the wagon through the haunted woods. Finally, the exit is in sight, but visitors must navigate a twisty corn maze - and its inhabitants - before safely returning to their cars.

757 Spring Mount Rd
Spring Mount, PA 19478

Scream Mountain, onsite at Spring Mountain Adventures, uses the mountain's actual past as a mining location to launch its macabre tale of angry spirits bent on payback. There are numerous ways to enjoy this haunt, including hayrides, walks and a trek that begins with a ghoulish glide on the chair lift. A starter hayride is perfect for younger thrill-seekers; it's scheduled while the sun is still up and the monsters are a bit more merry than murderous.

20 N. Franklin St
Pottstown, PA 19464

The doomed rooms of this haunt are the setting for a story of revenge and insanity against the backdrop of the Civil War. Master of the house, Damon DeMonio, has been away fighting, but his bride, Penelope, has filled her lonely nights with a series of gentlemen callers. When DeMonio returns, the knowledge of her trysts unbalances him psychologically, and the result is a series of events even nastier than Gettysburg.

494 Ford St
Bridgeport

With ticket prices at only $10, this walk-through of a 100-year-old lodge building offers the most bloodshed for the buck. Many of the special effects at Elk's Haunted Lodge are home-grown, which means two things: You're not likely to see them anywhere else. And they exhibit a startling level of creativity and intensity. 

2027 Fairmount Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19130

An abandoned prison is scary enough, but Eastern State Penitentiary in nearby Philadelphia becomes even more terrifying each October during Terror Behind the Walls. Consistently named among the best haunted attractions in the country, Terror Behind the Walls offers six unique haunted experiences including the all-new Breakout!, which puts you in the middle of a prison break.

Ocotber 20
Ambler Theater

Forget the Paris Hilton 2003 remake; this is the original 1953 classic with Vincent Price. Better still, it's being projected in all its 3D splendor at the Ambler Theater. Sharp-eyed baby boomers will recognize the actress playing Cathy Gray. It's Carolyn Jones, who went on to play Morticia Addams in The Addams Family on TV.

October 20
Bryn Mawr Film Institute

This creepy 1955 French feature actually inspired Hitchcock when he had Psycho in the works. The film involves two women who conspire to murder a school's cruel headmaster. When his body disappears - or does it? - things begin to unravel psychologically for all involved. The movie is followed by a guided BMFI discussion of everything from the plot to the writing to the director's uniquely unsettling style.

October 27
Hiway Theater

Boris Karloff, who originated the role of Frankenstein's monster, returned to it in 1935 with this sequel, which, in many ways, is creepier than the original. Dr. Frankenstein is blackmailed into juicing up his equipment one more time, creating a mate for his lumbering, undead creature. Enjoy this electrifying night out at the Hiway Theater.

October 29
The Grand Theater

Dress up! Shout at the screen! Do the Time Warp in the aisles! It's a little gory and a lot goofy when Brad and Janet escape from a rainstorm into a world of weirdness and wonder. The Grand Theater is featuring a live cast (in case you've forgotten some of the classic dialog) and although there are some restrictions on audience participation (please, no rice, toast, water pistols or lighters), it's a guarantee to be wild.

October 30
Colonial Theatre

The 1922 silent version of Nosferatu is a vampire classic whose vision and scope still affect this particular film genre nearly a century later. As an added treat, the Colonial Theatre's live organist will perform a stunning and synchronized accompaniment, recreating the way music was melded to movies all those years ago.