Universal Studios Hollywood collaborates with Alice Cooper for new Halloween Horror Nights maze (w/video)

Aug 03, 2011 Judith Rubin Uncategorized 0

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Aug. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The legendary Alice Cooper, who single-handedly masterminded the rock-horror genre, will spin a new collection of disturbing horror imagery in “Alice Cooper: Welcome To My Nightmare,” an outrageous new “Halloween Horror Nights®” maze at Universal Studios Hollywood(SM). The event begins on September 23 and continues on select nights through October 31.

Inspired by the rock icon’s landmark concept album and its long-awaited sequel “Welcome 2 My Nightmare,” to be released on September 13 through Universal Music Enterprises,” the new attraction will take guests on a terrifying trip through Alice Cooper’s twisted mind, where his most famous songs, bizarre themes and demented characters collide inside a living horror movie.

This original, one-of-a-kind walk through experience will feature trademark elements from Alice Cooper’s celebrated shows, including guillotine decapitations, electric chairs, a sadistic insane asylum, predatory snake and giant Black Widow spiders that have helped make his imagery timeless and indelible. Music will be a powerful element within the maze and will include both new and classic Alice Cooper material.

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Recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Alice Cooper created the concept of the theatrical rock concert and has thrilled generations of fans with spectacular stagecraft and darkly flamboyant showmanship. His recording career spans six decades, includes over two dozen albums, many millions of record sales, countless world tours and appearances in scores of movies and videos, including a brief but memorable appearance in both “Nightmare on Elm Street: Freddy’s Dead” and Universal Pictures’ “Prince of Darkness.”

Sharing his enthusiasm, Alice Cooper said: “We’ll be creating this living horror movie within screaming distance of the sound stages where horror movies first began, so there’s no place more appropriate to offer a preview of the new `Welcome 2 My Nightmare.’ This will be a nightmare that will haunt visitors’ dreams for a long time to come.”

John Murdy, Creative Director, “Halloween Horror Nights,” added: “There are few people in the entertainment business who can be called a true original. Alice Cooper is in that rare pantheon. As a life-long Alice Cooper fan who’s been motivated and inspired by his craft, I am absolutely thrilled by this incredible opportunity to collaborate with him on this new haunted attraction. It’s a nightmare come true.”

Alice Cooper will be a key member of a Hollywood horror “dream team” assembled by Universal Studios Hollywood to create the ultimate “live” Halloween nightmare. The team also includes director, writer, producer and actor Eli Roth, who will present the new maze, “Eli Roth’s Hostel: Hunting Season.” “The Thing: Assimilation,” inspired by Universal Pictures’ upcoming thriller, will add to the Hollywood horror clout.

“Halloween Horror Nights” 2011 will bring unprecedented star power to an array of unrivaled, film production quality mazes uniquely themed to today’s most definitive horror properties and deliver the most compelling, spine-chilling, haunted attractions. All-new terror filled “scare zones,” original shows and the popular “Terror Tram” will be among the “”Halloween Horror Nights” offerings. Additional new content for the 2011 “Halloween Horror Nights” mazes and attractions will be announced shortly.

The theme park’s favorite thrill-ride attractions will also remain open for “Halloween Horror Nights” as well, many with menacing twists. Favorites include “The Simpsons Ride®,” “Revenge of the Mummy(SM) – The Ride” and “Jurassic Park® In the Dark.”

Updates on “Halloween Horror Nights” are available at Halloween Horror Nights.com and also on Twitter and Facebook, as Creative Director John Murdy reveals a running chronicle of exclusive information. Fans are invited to follow John Murdy on Twitter at: Twitter.com/HorrorNights or via Facebook at: “Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood (Official).”

Universal Studios Hollywood is a unit of the Universal Parks & Resorts division of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE (NYSE: GE) holding a 49% stake.