AI summary
Summary of article:
A century-old house in San Jose is creating a Haunted Hollywood on the theme of classic monster movies this year, attracting visitors through sets, lights and interactive exhibits while raising funds for families of seriously ill children.
San Jose An old Victorian house, built in the year 1890Halloween Transformed into a “haunted man”Hollywood ” (Haunted Hollywood). From a retro movie theater, a mummy tomb, to Frankenstein’s laboratory, the owner couple use scenery, lighting, and interactive design to create a strange aesthetic and raise funds for families with seriously ill children.
This home, named Erie Elegance, embodies the creativity and enthusiasm of Britta Peterson and her husband Glenn. Britta said that this year coincides with the 95th anniversary of the release of the films “Dracula” and “Frankenstein”, and the movie scenes have been specially recreated with the theme of classic Hollywood monsters.
“Haunted Hollywood” launched in Santa Clara in 2017, but space was limited and people could only enjoy it from the sidewalk. Redesigned this year, each movie character has an independent scene, and the audience can also participate in Frankenstein’s experiments.
This year is also the most frightening in history. Some views have unexpected sections, and visitors can choose a “scary” or “safe” route. Britta described it as an adventure!
The team started preparations in April. Five people were responsible for conceiving the story. Volunteers participated in replacing props from previous years and painting 3D printed Egyptian cultural relics. The youngest was only eight years old. The most challenging part was the retro cinema light sign at the entrance. Since they could not find suitable materials, the team used Christmas decorative balls to match the lights.
Britta has loved Halloween since she was four years old. She likes weird animations like “Scooby-Doo” the most, but gets scared easily. This childhood experience became creative inspiration, hoping to create a scene that was strange but not too scary, so that kids like her could enjoy the festival.
The couple loves building with their hands, and now that they are both retired from the technology industry, they have more time to devote to their interests. Britta humorously said: “We always wanted to be Disney Imagineers!” Now the dream is slowly coming true, but sadly the park’s facilities can’t be maintained for a long time, and their scenery has to be demolished every November.
Glenn shared the couple’s motto at their wedding: “Misery divided can be halved; joy divided can be doubled.” This has also become his philosophy of investing in charity.
The event has been raising funds for several years for the non-profit organization Give Kids the World Village, helping seriously ill children and their families enjoy free holiday experiences and make up for holiday time missed due to treatment; He also went to Florida to volunteer last year.
Britta recalled that on the opening night last year, a mother assisted by the organization asked the staff to find the couple in person to express her gratitude. Since donations are used equally by the organization, they do not know which families have been helped. This meeting made him realize the importance of charity.
“Eerie Elegance” will be open to visitors from October 21 to November 1 this year. Last year it attracted more than 6,000 people and raised about $43,000; This year’s fundraising goal is $26,000. Donors will get priority for reservations next year, and the couple have started thinking about a new pirate theme.
