2003 – NETHERWORLD Haunted House Year 7

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2003 was in many ways a transition to a new age of NETHERWORLD, the age of the Icon Characters. The main show, DARK HARVEST, a tale of rural nightmares, evil plant creatures and the harvest season saw the creation of THE HARVESTMAN, a twisted legendary creature that haunted the lonely roads and forgotten towns of the Deep South. The detailed theming of the haunt was also put onto several unconnected websites to create a more elaborate legend that was believed by many to be real! The terrifying nature of THE HARVESTMAN took a sudden turn however when we realized that it was an even better character when a comedic edge was added – and suddenly he became a media darling appearing on lots of local TV and getting a job as a horror movie host that actual won a Telly award!

This was also a big year for NETHERWORLD because we added a third Haunted House located in the basement below our current location. The attraction was called TOMB OF DARKNESS and was a completely pitch black show with the theme of an Egyptian Tomb. It began with an elaborate entrance, but after that guests didn’t see light again until the very ending!

After several years of 3D shows we decided it was time for a break and tried out a show completely full of fog. It was the second appearance of VAULT 13, this time called THE BERSERKER PROJECT. Similar to the pitch black show patrons were lost in a sensory deprived environment this time in a dense green swirling mist filled with mutations and weird science.
The three show format worked well, and would continue for a number of years until 2007 when the two upstairs shows would be merged into the massive LEVIATHAN!

Check back soon for a further look into the twenty year history of NETHERWORLD Haunted House!

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Every year The Harvestman finds a lonely forgotten town and plants a seed of evil in an ancient burial ground.

As the season of Halloween nears, the dead rise and foul creatures are drawn to to answer an ancient call.

The Tree thing must be fed, and the Door to the NETHERWORLD shall open once more!

Woe to those who fall before the reaper of Dark Harvest…

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A terrifying journey through an Egyptian tomb…in TOTAL DARKNESS! Not for the faint of heart. Those with a fear of the unknown should not enter the tomb!

Your other senses come alive as strange and horrifying sounds and smells haunt you in the stygian void! Can you find your way to the hidden burial chamber of Necrotis, Queen of the Dead? Only the brave can survive…

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Escape a secret military base hidden deep within the earth. Hideous creatures and toxic mutations stalk you at every turn…

Armed only with your wits and a radiation detector, can you navigate the twisting corridors of VAULT 13 and find your way back to the surface? Or will the strange Green Radiation claim you as its next victim?

Reviews from 2003

“Netherworld cohorts Billy Messina and Ben Armstrong consistently kick out the Halloween jams on a cinematic level.”
– AJC access Atlanta

Winner of Best Creatures & Set Design in AJC Access Atlanta
“Netherworld Haunted House in Norcross frightens guests Hollywood-style.”
– AJC access Atlanta

“Atlanta’s ultimate Halloween event.”
– insiteatlanta.com

“Best Bet” AJC Access Atlanta
“Among haunted house attractions, Netherworld is at the top of its game.”
– AOL Local Guide: Atlanta

“A perfectly gruesome way to prepare for the Halloween season.”
– AOL Local Guide: Atlanta

“Atlanta’s ultimate Halloween event continues to terrify thrill seekers with legendary special effects and intense haunted house actors.”
– Key Atlanta Magazine

“Visitors can expect an amazing array of special effects, including animatronic scares, two spinning vortex tunnels, and dozens of other devices sure to shock!”
– Key Atlanta Magazine

“Known collectively as the Netherspawn, these actors specialize in portraying savage things thirsty for the blood of the living.”
– Key Atlanta Magazine

“One of the most elaborate and exciting Halloween attractions you will ever experience.”
– Key Atlanta Magazine

“Hands down the best haunted house in Atlanta.”
– Key Atlanta Magazine

“The most horrifying haunted house in the nation.”
– The Technique

“Netherworld is Atlanta’s premiere haunted house destination.”
– The Technique

“Netherworld is great fun and good times will be had by all who attend.”
– The Technique

“One of the scariest haunted houses around, complete with strange sounds and smells.”
– Gwinnett Daily Post

“For seven years, Netherworld Haunted House in Norcross has been the premiere spot for Halloween jolts and spooked-out seasonal escapes for metro Atlanta.”
– AJC

“One element that separates Netherworld from fly-by-night haunted houses is that each maze has a loosely constructed plot. Couple that with the actors and special effects and it’s akin to walking through a movie set.”
– AJC

“These actors—who include doctors and lawyers—perform with the dedication of true thespians. The Netherspawn are basically a theatre troupe with fangs.”
– AJC

“The improvisational aspect changes the experience each time.”
– AJC

“Netherworld always ranks in the top ten haunted houses in the country. The secret is in the scares and Netherworld has plenty.”
– INsite Atlanta

“If you need a little nudge to get into the spooky spirit of the month or just love to be scared, be sure to check out Netherworld, Atlanta’s ultimate Halloween event.”
– INsite Atlanta

“Elaborate costumes combined with stunning special effects make for one scary night.”
– INsite Atlanta

“Netherworld, Atlanta’s finest haunt, features ghouls and goblins a plenty.”
– The Emory Wheel

“The true embodiment of the Halloween spirit.”
– The Emory Wheel

“The setting is fantastic, with extremely elaborate elements that engage the audience.”
– The Emory Wheel

“Netherworld offers surprises even for the most courageous viewer, making it the best thrill in town.”
– The Emory Wheel

“Atlanta’s finest haunt.”
– The Emory Wheel

“Every year around Halloween, Atlantans summon their courage and make the trek to the Netherworld Haunted House.”
– Jezebel Magazine

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2002 – NETHERWORLD Haunted House Year 6

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Inner Sanctum

For 2002 the theme for the big show was INNER SANCTUM, and featured the first carefully developed icon character, Dr. Randolph Vargas, who greeted patrons on an intro video before they ventured into the haunt. The Doctor was the creator of a bizarre machine that could extract your greatest fear from your memories and make it into flesh! The subjects of his experiments were trapped in his Asylum, thus the show featured lots of crazed out of control inmates with a multitude of nefarious motivations.

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This season began a renaissance with the performance at NETHERWORLD, as year round acting classes and trips to act at other events resulted in an interactive acting style that can still be seen in the parking lot of NETHERWORLD to this day. The 3D Show was called House of Creeps, and harkened back to the old Freak Shows and carnivals of long ago, with twisted oddities and evil clowns creating the requisite nightmares for the guests! Inspired by a crazy fun year, the cast and crew launched into preparations for 2003 with a vengeance!

Check back soon for a further look into the twenty year history of NETHERWORLD Haunted House!

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INNER SANCTUM

Welcome! I am Professor Randolph Vargus, Director of Inner Sanctum, Inc. and the inventor of the Preatorious Insinuator Mark 7! My device extracts the purest form of fear from the human brain – and gives it flesh! Once we create these shadow creatures from the deepest recesses of a subject’s mind…we can then destroy them…curing our patients of their madness! Or…we can keep the things alive for …further study…

Now prepare yourself to explore INNER SANCTUM ….
I warn you to be on your guard…I have heard reports that some of our inmates have escaped…. But I am sure my staff is exaggerating…
Good Luck! You’re going to need it!

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HOUSE OF CREEPS IN 3D

Welcome one and all to the terrifying House of Creeps! So shocking, so demented, women faint and men run out screaming!

Marvel at the Freaks! Wonders of nature and mistakes of Science!

Do you like clowns??? Well, in the House of Creeps, they like you!

Only in the House of Creeps – a real live Alien Autopsy! Watch it wiggle in agony as strange organs are removed!

For your amazement, from the depths of the earth come the Macro Viruses! See these subterranean flesh eaters glow with radiation before they attack!

Reviews from 2002

“Packing a shivering punch year after year, this is one event not to be missed.”
– Newcomer

“Spine tingling.”
– Newcomer

“Netherworld scares the crap out of you!”
– GSU Signal

“Netherworld is definitely not for the weak hearted.”
– GSU Signal

“Those seeking a good scare should head to Netherworld.”
– GSU Signal

“Among the most impressive and scary inventions in the house are hydraulic and pneumatic-driven monsters, gigantic insects, holographic decors, and lots of animation.”
– GSU Signal

“Every little detail is taken care of—the spider webs, the desolated rooms, even the smell, all contribute to the spooky atmosphere.”
– GSU Signal

“THE Halloween-time attraction in the Atlanta-area.”
– Prick Magazine

“Filled with more ghoulish atmospherics and undead deformities than ever before.”
– Prick Magazine

“Netherworld’s clowns are downright chilling.”
– Prick Magazine

“The most consistently creative spook show in Atlanta.”
– Gwinnett Daily Post

“You have to see it to believe it.”
– Gwinnett Daily Post

“The characters ooze gore and seem to appear from nowhere.”
– Gwinnett Daily Post

“I swear, one room smelled like dead things.”
– Rachael Mason, staff writer for the Gwinnett Daily Post

“I definitely screamed out loud, a girly surprised scream that I cannot reproduce on command.”
– Rachel Mason, staff writer for the Gwinnett Daily Post

“More scares per square inch than any other haunted house in town.”
– Forsyth County News

“If you have not checked out Netherworld, you are really missing something.”
– Forsyth County News

“Netherworld is, without a doubt, the best haunted house year after year.”
– Forsyth County News

“Capturing the intensity and quality horror that is Netherworld is not an easy thing to do, but suffice it to say that it will be the most fun you will ever have wetting your pants.”
– Forsyth County News

“If you only go to one haunted house this year, make it Netherworld.”
– The Forsyth County News

“Hollywood quality sets.”
– The Forsyth County News

One of Rue Morgue Magazine’s 13 Great Haunts to visit in October nationwide
“An Atlanta haunting tradition.”
– Rue Morgue Magazine

Citysearch “Best of” for 2002
“Netherworld Haunted House extracts fear from visitors in the form of sweat, screams, and the occasional soiled undergarment.”
– Creative Loafing

“Truly startling moments are mixed with cool effects and playful monsters.”
– AJC

“Amazing effects and shocking horrors beyond human comprehension!”
– Music Industry Network News

“Netherworld puts on a creepy show for people of all ages.”
– Digital City

“Netherworld Haunted House ranks among the best in the nation.”
– The Technique

“You will leave there still looking behind you.”
– The Sentinel of Kennesaw State University

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2001 – NETHERWORLD Haunted House Year 5

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2001 – NETHERWORLD Haunted House – Year 5

The main theme for NETHERWORLD in 2001 was BURIED ALIVE – a tale of an ancient evil lurking in the catacombs beneath the old Harkness House. Drawing foul nourishment from the torture of victims, the creature sent its undead zombie servitors out into the night to bring back fresh prey. Sort of a mashup of a haunted house and a Zombie theme, this year featured the creation of a one eyed tentacled monster called the Somnabula, a very Lovecraftian creature, core to the prime storylines of NETHERWORLD. The 3D show featured a very far out concept, PLANET X, that went all the way from very 50’s Sci-Fi style little green men and robots to an extremely surreal and detailed alien world that many found to be quite trippy!

This was a very tough season for haunts (and everyone else) and NETHERWORLD was no exception, as the 9-11 attacks hit just as events were starting to open. Across the country everyone’s thoughts were on more important things than Halloween, and going to big public events wasn’t considered a good idea by many. NETHERWORLD had however coincidentally decided long before 9-11 to expand its marketing plans considerably so the haunt actually grew slightly in attendance in a year when most of the industry had experienced a major downturn. It seemed in late October that folks had developed a resolve to go out and enjoy life, and not give into depression over world events, so things began to look up. By the end of the 2001 season we were once again successful and able to turn our thoughts to next year’s show!

Check back soon for a further look into the twenty year history of NETHERWORLD Haunted House!

BURIED ALIVE!

Now the chains have been broken!
And from the catacombs beneath the Harkness House…
Its Undead Warriors will spread a festering evil once more!

Soon you will have to choose… Join the army of the dead or be BURIED ALIVE!

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PLANET X IN 3D

It came to Earth to destroy Mankind
So we paid its planet a visit

Earth sent a drone ship to open the gateway..
They will never know what hit them!

How could we be so wrong?
No one could be prepared for what we found on PLANET X!

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REVIEWS FROM 2001

“It’ll scare the crap out of you!”
– Creative Loafing

“It is an incredible experience, even for those that shy away from haunted houses.”
– Forsyth County News

“A combination of state-of-the-art horror displays and genuine scares.”
– Forsyth County News

“The quality of the sets is top notch.”
– Forsyth County News

“People leave the Netherworld satisfied.”
– Forsyth County News

“Netherworld is here: You may just soil your linens!”
– GSU Signal

“A high-end version of a traditional haunted house.”
– Ledger-Enquirer

“A Halloween tradition for Atlanta.”
– prickmag.net

“One of the nation’s most satisfying horror experiences…so you may want to bring a change of shorts.”
– digitalcity.com

“Scares aplenty can be found at Netherworld Haunted House.”
– 99XPress Magazine

“For the last four years, Netherworld Haunted House has been one of Atlanta’s favorite sources for fright, and this year promises to be their spookiest yet.”
– Digital City: Atlanta

“More horrifying than ever!”
– Atlanta Social Crew Weekly Newsletter

“One of the scariest and most innovative haunts in the nation.”
– Atlanta Social Crew Weekly Newsletter

2000 – NETHERWORLD Haunted House – Year 4

2000 – Year Four of NETHERWORLD Haunted House!

Our main theme in 2000 was Primeval, a storyline based on time travel and prehistoric creatures. It was quite a challenge for the artists and crew of NETHERWORLD to come up with dinosaurs, man eating plants, massive spiders, beast men, saurian warriors and all manner of ancient evils to populate the world of PRIMEVAL, with most of the props and creatures being made completely custom for the event. This year also had NETHERWORLD”s second exploration into wild visual effects seen through ChromaDepth glasses called the EXTREME 3D Haunted Mansion, and for the first time an additional haunt was constructed and run off site at another location several miles away. This event was known as BLOODFEAST, and featured a guided tour of a replica medieval torture chamber complete with extremely gory props and very twisted scares. The year 2000 was a very successful one but the difficultly in running two different locations made the season crazier than most! In the years to come as NETHERWORLD grew larger and took more square footage in the Georgia Antique Center the decision was made to keep everything in only ONE location!

Check back soon for a further look into the twenty year history of NETHERWORLD Haunted House!

2000

PRIMEVAL

Hurled through time and space by a madman! Lost on A Prehistoric Island swallowed by the Pacific Ocean eons ago! Hunted by Saurian Warriors and Primal Vampires!

And now things are about to get bad!

Deep below this savage land, an even greater horror has awakened! Find your way to its spawning grounds and you may survive…

3D Haunted

Experience a BRAIN BENDING adventure in 3-D Technology! Walls move, floors crawl, you won’t believe your Eyes! The special ChromaDepth glasses TWIST reality in ways you cannot imagine! Explore an old mansion filled with Spectral Inhabitants and A Graveyard of Grotesque Ghouls!

The Terror Surrounds You!

Bloodfeast

“The Dead have returned to torture the Living… to gulp down their blood and feast on their flesh!”
In 1982, a wall in the catacombs of Glamis Castle in Scotland was removed during restoration and renovation. Sealed behind it was a horrific torture chamber, complete with the mummified remains of its final victims. When the chamber was purchased by a wealthy businessman in 1994, it was moved to the United States and displayed in his wine cellar to amuse guests at his Halloween Party.

What occurred on that night will shock you, disgust you and might even kill you!

Because Tonight It Happens Again!

REVIEWS FROM 2000

“A triple bill of blood-curdling thrills.”
– atlanta.citysearch.com

“Nationally recognized after just four years in existence.”
– atlanta.citysearch.com

“Scare-licious.”
– AJC

“Tingles the spine.”
– Gwinnett Daily Post

“The people in charge of the Netherworld Haunted House probably need some serious psychiatric help and medication—but Halloween will definitely be a little more frightening and surreal until they do.”
– The Technique

“Netherworld 2000—it’s smarter than the average scare.”
– The Technique

“A huge self-guided maze that frightens at every turn.”
– Southern Voice

“No headstone is left unturned to scare the living daylights out of you.”
– Southern Voice

“Hands-down the most original and exciting haunted house experience in Atlanta.”
– Forsyth County News

“The creations are top notch…they breathe and move in animatronic amazement.”
– Forsyth County News

“The scares are genuine.”
– Forsyth County News

“Serious goose-bump potential.”
– Forsyth County News

“The most effective use of 3-D I have seen to date.”
– Forsyth County News

“A really wild experience.”
– Forsyth County News

“When you come out, you can’t help but smile. The Netherworld is a great Halloween experience.”
– Forsyth County News

“In case you haven’t heard, Netherworld Haunted House is the place to be this Halloween! It takes the Halloween spirit to an entirely new level with the granddaddy of all spook houses.”
– Gwinnett Loaf

“Guaranteed to have you screaming and begging for more.”
– Gwinnett Loaf

“Atlanta’s premiere haunted house.”
– Creative Loafing

“One of the most spectacular haunts nationwide.”
– What’s Up Atlanta

Netherworld named the Feature Attraction of The Observer’s “Best Places to Go to Have the Bejesus Scared Out of You”
“35 minutes of pure terror.”
– INsite

“What a scream!”
– Gazette Magazine

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