November is here–the haunted festivities have come to a close and the season dedicated to being scared is over. This month did not disappoint in the “fear factor” aspect, that’s for certain. With Halloween coming to an end, it’s time to look back on some of the horror movies and haunted attractions that filled Pittsburgh this season. 

Smile

Smile the movie was released on September 30th, 2022. The movie followed the classic horror plot, including lots of jumpscares and gore. This movie certainly will get you jumping and keep you on edge the whole time; however, its plot is lacking. The ending did not bring any real closure to the story, leading many to believe that this will become one of the many horror movies to have a sequel. The level of fear and gore brought in this movie is very similar to that of the Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, or the Halloween franchise.

Halloween Ends

This movie was a classic Halloween movie right on par with all the others. Released on October 14th, it was exactly as expected, continuing with the corny yet scary horror movie plot. Michael Myers has always proven that he cannot and will not die no matter how many times they kill him. Due to the title of the movie, many wonder if this is truly the last of the film series.  The movie is a continuation of the Halloween Kills movie taking place 4 years after the events detailed in that movie. Overall it’s a great movie to watch if you are a Halloween fan and will certainly make you jump. 

Phantom Fright Nights at Kennywood

Despite the shooting early in the fall season, Kennywood’s Phantom Fright Nights continued as usual. The park had the same usual haunted houses with a few paid additions to the lineup this year. The chainsaws can be heard all through the night, and the actors do a great job keeping people on their toes while waiting in line for the haunted attractions. Overall, the houses themselves lack the extreme fear factor that some of the regular haunted houses give. They are so much shorter, you go in one large group, and many of the attractions are outside. This is a great way to introduce yourself to the haunted house atmosphere if you’re not really into being scared. It’s also great for those who are a bit younger and can’t handle the extreme fear brought on by some of the longer and more enclosed haunted houses. 

Cheeseman’s Fright Farm

As usual, the whole experience is incredible there and you are nearly guaranteed to scream. The fire pits provided for large groups make for a great atmosphere and really makes the experience more enjoyable and memorable. The fright farms even give the guests the opportunity to hold a live snake!

Beacon Hotel

This haunted corn maze, house, and tractor ride does not disappoint. The maze takes up the majority of the time there and is extremely well-organized. If you go, it is highly more enjoyable in the dark due to the fact that the actors completely blend into the corn making it easy for you to be jumpscared and on your toes the entire time. The corn maze takes around 30 minutes to complete while the house is rather small, only taking around 10 minutes to get through. Nevertheless, the food and the atmosphere there are great and you will certainly be scared. 

Scarehouse

This classic haunted house returned for its second year at the Pittsburgh Mills Mall and it did not disappoint. The dead bride outside was extremely entertaining and made the wait feel that much shorter. The house itself was close, dark, and confined; all contributing to the overall terrifying experience. The house lasted around 30-45 minutes and was absolutely fantastic, the props and scenery in the house is nothing short of amazing and the jumpscares are sure to make you scream.

This October brought plenty of frights to Pittsburgh. As Christmas and Thanksgiving approach, these haunted attractions will all begin to close until next year where they will bring us even more delightful screams and adrenaline rushes.