Asylum Xperiment mixes monsters, mayhem
The creators of the Asylum Xperiment haunted house in Villa Park picked that name very deliberately.
The haunted house combines the different sensibilities of the two creators. Glen Ellyn resident Dave Link is a professional sculptor who created intricately detailed rooms and vignettes for the show, all reflecting his interest in classic Hollywood-style monsters.
Palatine resident Mike Skodacek, on the other hand, added a dose of genuine terror to the proceedings, reflecting his interest in gory, high-energy, in-your-face scares.
“We called it the ‘Xperiment' because we're throwing two different kinds of experiences together and seeing how they blend, Link said. “I told Mike that I wanted to create a room that paid homage to the classic Frankenstein films. He said that he wanted a chain saw room. I think people will love that mix of styles.
The Asylum Xperiment, which opened Oct. 8 inside Villa Park's Odeum Expo Center, is just one of dozens of haunted houses waiting to scare suburbanites this Halloween season. Some go for the jugular in terms of gore and violence. Others offer milder frights for a younger crowd.
This is the first year Link and Skodacek have created a haunted house together, though both are veterans of that creepy world.
Link's interest in creating and building scary creatures actually dates back to his childhood in Berwyn, when he was hooked on the weekend “Creature Features that aired on local Channel 32 in the 1970s.
“I loved Frankenstein, I loved all those old movie monsters, Link said. “And when I was 12, I started building Halloween displays for the front of the house.
Link continued to hone his skills in sculpting he owns Evolution Studios, a sculpting and model-making company based in Batavia and in the mid-1990s he applied those talents to the Asylum Experience, a 12,000-square-foot haunted house that featured animatronic creatures and exquisitely designed, movie-quality scares.
“I built that one inside a Berwyn church, and it was pretty successful, Link said. “I tried to go beyond the basic black mazes that most haunted houses offered at the time.
One of the actors inside the Asylum Experience was Skodacek, a former student of Link's wife at Rolling Meadows High School. After Link shut the Asylum Experience down 10 years ago, he continued to run into Skodacek at conventions and other professional meetings.
“Mike had started designing haunts of his own, Link said. “And I noticed that what I was missing in terms of materials or props or design, he had. He's about 20 years younger than me, so he brings a different kind of energy to the table.
The pair started brainstorming about the Asylum Xperiment five years ago, throwing out story ideas and gathering materials. They came up with a 30,000-square-foot haunted extravaganza, featuring roughly 30 animatronic displays and a cast of about 45 actors. Some sets pay tribute to classic Hollywood monster films while others deliver plenty of extreme, gory scares. (Link said the show is aimed at people 13 and older.)
“I think people will be floored by what we've done here, Link said. “It's a great mix of what Mike and I do best, and it's really unlike any other haunted house I'm aware of.
Plenty of scares to go around
<p>Looking for a nice scare during this spooky season? What follows is a sampling of the haunted houses that will be open for business in the suburbs through Halloween. Dates and hours may change; some may not be suitable for children. Check ahead and have fun ... if you dare!</p>
<p>Aurora</p>
<p>Basement of the Dead, 42 W. New York St. 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays and Thursdays through Oct. 31. $15. Call (630) 896-2466, or go to <a href="http://42fear.com">42fear.com</a>.</p>
<p>Bolingbrook</p>
<p>Haunted Mansion and Asylum, Ditka Sports Dome, 730 N. Bolingbrook Drive. 6 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 6 to 10 p.m. Sundays and Thursdays (plus Tuesday, Oct. 26, and Wednesday, Oct. 27) through Oct. 31. $20. Call (630) 739-7600 or go to <a href="http://ditkasportsdome.com">ditkasportsdome.com</a>. </p>
<p>Elgin</p>
<p>Evil Intentions, 900 Grace St. 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (plus Tuesday, Oct. 26) through Oct. 31. $15. Go to <a href="http://evilscarecrew.com">evilscarecrew.com</a>.</p>
<p>Psychosis Haunted House, 200 N. Spring St. 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays and Thursdays (plus Wednesday, Oct. 27) through Oct. 31. Matinee from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct 16 and 17, 30 and 31. $15 at the door, $5 for matinees. Go to <a href="http://psychosishauntedhouse.net">psychosishauntedhouse.net</a>.</p>
<p>Elgin Turners Haunted House, Turner Hall Building, 112 Villa St. 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10:30 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 31. $10. Call (847) 697-4431 or go to <a href="http://elginturners.org">elginturners.org</a>.</p>
<p>Elk Grove Village</p>
<p>Eleventh Hour, 434 E. Devon Ave. 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through Oct. 31. Starts at $18. Go to <a href="http://eleventhhour.info">eleventhhour.info</a>. </p>
<p>Fox Lake</p>
<p>X-Treme Hauntings, 76 Honing Road. 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays, 7 p.m. to close Fridays and Saturdays (and Thursday, Oct. 28) through Oct. 31. $12 Sundays, $14 other days. Call (847) 702-7227 or go to <a href="http://x-tremehauntings.com">x-tremehauntings.com</a>.</p>
<p>Gurnee</p>
<p>Six Flags Great America Fright Fest, weekends through Oct. 31. Multiple haunted houses, including the new Saw Live haunted house. $36.99 for tickets online, $56.99 at the park. Haunted houses require an additional charge. Call (847) 249-2133 or go to <a href="http://sixflags.com">sixflags.com</a>.</p>
<p>Hawthorn Woods</p>
<p>St. Matthew Haunted House, 24500 N. Old McHenry Road. 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 15 and 16, 22 and 23, 29 and 30. $12. A kiddie house for ages 12 and under will be open 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 17, 23, 24, and 30. $6. Go to <a href="http://stmatts.net">stmatts.net</a></p>.
<p>Lombard</p>
<p>Lombard Jaycees Haunted House, 1141 S. Main St. 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Halloween. $12 for adults, $6 for children 10 and under. Free kids matinee noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30. Go to <a href="http://haunted-house.com">haunted-house.com</a>.</p>
<p>Naperville</p>
<p>Midnight Massacre, inside Odyssey Fun World, 3440 Odyssey Court. 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 11 p.m. Sundays and Thursdays (open until midnight on Sunday, Oct. 31). $20. Go to <a href="http://hotelmassacre.com">hotelmassacre.com</a>.</p>
<p>Round Lake Beach</p>
<p>Realm of Terror, 421 W. Rollins Road. 7 p.m. to close Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 31. Also open 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, and Thursday, Oct 21 and 28. $13. Call (847) 363-8799, or go to <a href="http://realmofterror.com">realmofterror.com</a>. </p>
<p>St. Charles</p>
<p>St. Charles Jaycees Haunted House,<B> </B>Aquascape, 901 Aqualand Way. 7:30 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 7:30 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 31. $10 with $1 off for a canned good donation. Kiddie matinee from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 31. $2. Call (630) 202-6026 or go to <a href="http://thestcharlesjaycees.com">thestcharlesjaycees.com</a>.</p>
<p>Villa Park</p>
<p>Asylum Xperiment, Odeum Sports Complex, 1033 N. Villa Ave. 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10:30 p.m. Sundays and Thursdays through Oct. 31. $20. Go to <a href="http://asylumxperiment.com">asylumxperiment.com</a>.</p>
<p>Zion</p>
<p>Dungeon of Doom, 2701 Deborah Ave. 7 p.m. to close Fridays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays and Thursdays through Oct. 31. $15-$25. Go to <a href="http://dungeonofdoom.com">dungeonofdoom.com</a>.</p>