Vampires – for the most part – begin life as mortals, vulnerable to the same weaknesses as all human beings: aging, disease, bodily harm, and eventually death. Yet after their terrifying transformation into the undead, they are reborn as immortal creatures of the night, albeit with a brand new set of weaknesses. It is commonly believed that this change comes as the result of having been fed upon – and feeding from – a vampire, forcing a short death and resurrection as nosferatu. From that point forward, it’s a life of drinking blood, avoiding sunlight and dodging wooden stakes and beheadings.

However popular this theory is, there have been many beliefs regarding the creation of vampires. According to Slavic legend, if a cat or dog jumped over a corpse it was at risk of becoming a vamp. Russian folklore blames a former life as a witch with causing the change. Chinese tales indicate that a wound not treated with boiling water could trigger an unearthly bloodlust. There have also been a variety of methods for preventing vampirism over the ages, such as burying a corpse upside down to prevent it from rising again. Greek folklore tells of the vrykolakas, in which a wax cross and piece of pottery with the inscription “Jesus Christ conquers” were buried atop the corpse as a preventative measure. A common European practice was to sever the tendons at a corpse’s knees, and place seeds or rice around the grave, as it was believed a vampire would have to count the individual grains before moving on. Obsessive-compulsive disorder apparently goes hand-in-hand with bloodlust!

Although the legend of vampiric activity dates back as far as prehistoric times, it wasn’t until the early eighteenth century that the traditionally recognized term “vampire” came to be, as vampire superstition grew in Western Europe. This fear of the undead eventually gave way to mass hysteria, leading to suspected individuals being accused of vampirism and executed, and corpses being exhumed and staked to prevent any possible transformation to the dark side. And while imagery of the creature varied from human-like to the ghastly, it was John Polidori’s 1819 novella “The Vampyre” that established the archetype of charismatic and sophisticated vampire. This is believed to be a huge influence on Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”, released in 1897 and considered by many to be the quintessential vampire tome. Soon, the hideous bloodsucking fiend became a suave, seductive tortured soul – more a figure of sympathy than dread.

Since then, the portrayal of the undead has taken on many varied forms. From Anne Rice’s sexy, tormented immortals to the teen angst of the “Twilight” series and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to the elusive, hunger-mad creatures of “30 Days of Night”, there seems to be a style of vamp for every taste – a true testament to the longevity and popularity of this intriguing legend. With popular television series like “The Vampire Diaries” and “True Blood” captivating audiences, there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight for the unlife of the vampire, at least as far as the media is concerned.

Atlanta’s Netherworld Haunted House is also keeping the legend of the nosferatu alive – or undead, as the case may be. Commanded by Lord Ghoulich, the vampires of Netherworld rally against the forces of the Netherspawn, hoping to end the Blood Night and forever repay a past betrayal at the hands of the gargoyles – which led to the destruction of many of his kind. Cunning and powerful, he stalks the chambers of Netherworld with his deadly, beautiful Brides, dead set on restoring the balance of power and eliminating the gargoyle race forever. As seductive as they are lethal, the vampires you find here will take your breath away.

And a bit of your blood, as well, if you’re not careful…

NETHERWORLD Haunted House in Atlanta GA has been named one of the most influential haunted houses of all time by Hauntworld Magazine!
Read about it Below!

…From www.Hauntworld.com

There have been many things which have influenced how haunted houses are built today including Phil Morris book, Hauntworld Videos, Kevin McCurdy videos, plus the unforgettable John Denley and Rich Hanf Doing Fright Right. However, theres simply nothing more influential than visiting other haunted houses. After you visit a good one, you walk out the door with a truly lasting impression. Over the years, Ive known many haunted houses and haunt attractions that have come to shape and form our industry as we know it today. Below is a list of such haunts. Some of the haunted houses on this list are no longer in operation. However, they created such a huge influence over the industry that their mark remains today.

So which haunted houses and attractions have made the biggest, most lasting impression on our industry today? Here is a list of the top 20 most influential haunted houses in the history of our industry and why

Click Here

NETHERWORLD Monster of the Month: February 2012 Werewolves!

February 7, 2012 marks this month’s full moon. Looming brightly overhead, it will illuminate the evening sky like no other night. Romantic, exciting and mysterious, it will bring about the promise of heightened magical phenomena. And with it comes the rabid threat of lycanthropes. Otherwise known as werewolves.

Werewolves. Hungry, ravenous, and brutal. Stalking their prey, their fevered minds consumed with bloodlust, they hide among us by day in human form as they await the burning glow of the full moon. Pity the unfortunate soul who feels the hot, foul breath of one of these canine killers on his or her neck some enchanted evening.

The legend of the werewolf can be traced as far back as Ancient Greece. The lycanthrope is able to shapeshift into a wolf, or wolf-like creature, typically with the rise of a full moon as the result of a curse. Endowed with superhuman strength and senses, the werewolf has become a fixture of horror iconography over the years.

In the second century, the Greek Pausanius told of Lycaon, who was transformed into a wolf after the ritual murder of a child. It was said that he served human flesh to Zeus in order to discover if he was really a god. Lycaon’s transformation to a wolf was punishment for his crimes, and paved the way for similar tales of humans paying a penance for transgressions against others. Although certain legends detail the change from human to lycanthrope as magical, through various rites, the most common explanation seemed to revolve around curses, vengeance and punishment.

However, in some cultures it was believed that those suffering from epilepsy were actually werewolves, and that children born under a new moon were destined to transform. As many believed that insanity and lunacy were influenced by the phases of the moon, it makes sense that this particular myth would be connected so closely to the moon at its most powerful (it is theorized by some authors that the legend of the werewolf originated as a means to explain serial killings, as modern patterns of such killings reflect those attributed to alleged werewolf attacks of the past). The idea of one becoming a werewolf due to an infected bite from another actually has no roots in myth or legend, but rather is a product of horror fiction.

The same can be said for the legend regarding a werewolf’s vulnerability to silver bullets. European legend would indicate that the only traditional methods of curing lycanthropy stem from treatment with medicines, such as wolfsbane, through surgical means, or by practice of exorcism (admittedly these methods often led to the death of the patient). Other cures involved stabbing the creature in the head, piercing its hands with nails, or simply stating its Christian name three times.

Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. No more werewolf…?

Unlike the myths surrounding vampires, there was not much in the way of classic werewolf literature to outline contemporary understanding of the legend. Other than an occasional mention in various fictions, the werewolf was relatively absent from entertainment until the onset of films and the popularity of the growing horror genre and the wonder of the monster movies of Universal Studios.

In 1935,the werewolf became a star of the silver screen. “Werewolf of London” featured actor Henry Hull as a British scientist afflicted with lycanthropy. Several years later, 1941’s “The Wolf Man” starred Lon Chaney, Jr. as the tortured Larry Talbot, and soon the werewolf was a staple of cinema. “An American Werewolf in London”, “The Howling”, “Wolf”, and the “Underworld” series have kept the loping man-wolf alive and as popular as ever. Television’s “True Blood” and “The Vampire Diaries” have both given us their own spin on the shaggy monsters, as well.

The werewolves of Netherworld Haunted House need no full moon to unleash their unique breed of terror on the forces of the Netherworld invasion of Earth. As each day’s sun descends into darkness, they fight alongside the Illuminati and launch an all-out animalistic assault on the many gargoyles, goblins, ogres and Nightmare Kings that seek to bring about the destruction of the mortal realm. The bloodcurdling growls and howling of these monstrous warriors can be heard echoing throughout the winding chambers of Atlanta’s premier haunted attraction, a horrifying reminder that they walk among us.

Wolfsbane, silver bullets, and exorcisms may take a toll on the cursed werewolf, but one thing that will not die is the popularity of man’s best friend’s deadly brethren.

One of the Manglers creations – using evil to fight evil, a Zombie Cyborg used by the Illuminati to battle the Nightmares!

They see you when you’re sleeping…