Spooktacular! is now free to watch with ads at Roku and YouTube, it's also streaming on Amazon Prime for subscribers. The documentary premiered back in 2023 at Fantastic Fest and received a VOD release last month in October 2025.
Spooktacular! dives into the story of Spooky World, and its founder, a PR-savvy mix of P. T. Barnum and Stephen King who parlayed his experience working in his father's joke shop into creating the very first horror scream park of its kind.
Launched in 1991 by David Bertolino, it drew over a million thrill-seekers in 11 years and defined ‘90s horror culture. Featuring icons like Tom Savini, Alice Cooper, Elvira, and Linda Blair, this doc is a nostalgic scream-fest for horror fans.
Directed by Quinn Monahan, written by Gail Jorden, executive produced by Tom Savini, produced by SpookyWood Productions and distributed by Quiver Distribution.
Featuring appearances by Elvira, Tom Savini, Vincent Price, Linda Blair (The Exorcist), Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), Alice Cooper, Bobby "Boris" Pickett (singer of Monster Mash), Daniel Roebuck (The Munsters), David Bertolino, Spencer Charnas (Ice Nine Kills), Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster) Kane Hodder (Jason Voorhees) + more.
Learn more at the official site: https://www.spooktacularthemovie.com/
Official Trailer:
Longer Trailer:
Clip Remembers Spooky World's Infamous Mouse Girl!:
Sizzle Reel:
Interview - Documentary Team @fantasticfest:
Interview: David Bertolino - SPOOKTACULAR:
Spooktacular! Panel Midsummer Scream 07/29/2022:
Watch Spooktacular! below or at YouTube:
Stills:
Reviews:
"Spooktacular! is a new must watch documentary for haunt enthusiasts like me. The original Spookyworld haunted theme park is a place of legend and singlehandedly shaped what it meant to be a modern haunted attraction. This is the perfect Halloween time watch." ★★★★ Puck Gipson at Letterboxd.com
"I had no knowledge of what Spooky World was but this was an interesting little documentary about it that makes it sound like an interesting theme park" ★★★★ Gagarocket at Letterboxd.com
"Pretty mid as a documentary (Would’ve been better as a YouTube video essay? Is that sacrilegious to say?) but as a horror and theme park fan it had me hooked. We had a seasonal horror park like this half an hour from where I grew up and this took me right back to being terrified on the haunted hayride there. I love any story of an insane Guy with a crazy, doomed-to-fail passion project." ★★ Eric Ward at Letterboxd.com
"While the inclusion of genre legends adds gravitas, the reliance on talk show clips and the somewhat haphazard interview settings can be jarring. Nevertheless, Spooktacular! is a commendable effort that captures the spirit of Halloween and the legacy of SpookyWorld. It may not be perfect, but it’s a hauntingly good time that’s worth the watch, especially for those with a penchant for horror history. And while it might have a few cobwebs, it’s still a treat that won’t trick you out of a good time." 63% NOFSPodcast.com
"Once upon a long time ago — well, the 90s — there was a little horror theme park, built in the middle of a Massachusetts cornfield...this tells the story of SpookyWorld, which this movie makes the case for the idea that it “set the template for the multi-billion-dollar industry of terror.” David Bertolino was the creator, making the park the first-ever multi-attraction Halloween theme park. He started by selling X-rated greeting cards and gag gifts before figuring our how to make a haunted house that could make money. He brought along horror celebrities like Savini, Alice Cooper, Linda Blair and Kane Hodder. And he had a major bit of insanity with Tiny Tim... This is everything the people who made and worked there would like you to know about a place that is sadly gone." BAndSAboutMovies.com
"This documentary focuses on the rise and fall of this trailblazing attraction, with strange anecdotes such as the live broadcast wedding of Tiny Tim at the park plus a government shutdown and the tales of its eccentric owner David Bertolino. With vintage footage, and interviews with big hitters such as Hodder and Tom Savini, you get to hear from the horse’s mouth what it was like being part of the evolution of Spookyworld. It is in some ways a cautionary tale, as Bertolino it could be argued never truly understood what he had until it started to erode away. Either way, Quinn Monahan’s documentary leaves no stone unturned and makes for a perfect start to the spooky season." Bloody-Flicks.co.uk
"While I’m certain horror hounds will really dig this documentary, I suspect anyone with a business or marketing background will also enjoy it...seeing old footage of genre icons like Blair, Hodder, and Cooper signing autographs is pretty cool, as well as the documentary’s focus on the growing pains of a business...This documentary has plenty of awesome archival footage of Spooky World’s heyday, as well as more recent interviews with the celebs and crew involved. Heck, this documentary is worth a watch just for the footage of Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett performing “The Monster Mash” at one of Spooky World’s events. As they always say, appreciate what you have while you have it. When it’s gone, be glad it ever existed in the first place." 7 out of 10 HorrorBuzz.com
"...the film is rich with talking-head interviews with Bertolino and crew and cast members who worked at SpookyWorld — all of whom have fond memories, along with some stories about a few things that went wrong — as well as archival footage of such guest celebrities of the park as Linda Blair, Elvira, Tom Savini (who helped craft one of the attractions), Kane Hodder, Butch Patrick, Alice Cooper, and Tiny Tim — what really brings SpookyWorld to life for viewers is the archival footage of the park. Actors in costume, the customers they scared, the attractions, the long lines to get in, and even the well-treated mice who were used in one of the creepy attractions are all here... You don’t have to have visited SpookyWorld in the nineties to enjoy this documentary. Those who love haunted attractions along with Halloween aficionados in general should all find Spooktacular! to be a fascinating watch." WhenItWasCool.com
"poorly done > Very amateurish and poorly done, but fun for the super fans / completists. There's far too much stock movie footage / lousy imovie effects and not enough footage of the actual haunt. Feels like a crummy student film at best, with of course plenty of tom savini hyping himself and being smug. Maybe worth a rental if on sale, hard to believe it played film festivals." 5/10 dyingxmidwestern-1 at IMDb.com
YouTube Review:
Vintage Spooky World Footage and Commercials:
SpookyWorld Berlin, MA footage from 1991 to 1994:
1993 video taken by an employee at the haunted theme park in Berlin, Mass that includes a walk-through of Tom Savini's haunted house and full video of Bobby Boris Pickett singing his hit Monster Mash live on stage:
Chainsaw set on the hayride at Spookyworld in 1994 Berlin Massachusetts. Bruce Millet as Leatherface:
Spooky World - America's Horror Theme Park - Full Halloween VHS from (1994) Berlin, Massachusetts:
Reporter Tim Estiloz takes you on a tour of the classic Spooky World that was popular years ago in Berlin, MA from 1994:
Elvira Mistress of the Dark at Spooky World in 1994:
WSBK TV-38 at Spooky World, hosted by Dana Hersey (1994):
A montage of some of the national TV coverage I obtained when I was the VP/GM of Spooky World from 1994:
A tour of Spooky World by Leatherface. Filmed in October of 2000 by Bruce D. Millet at Foxboro, MA location:
Not So Late Fright Show Ep 1 Visits Spooky World For Halloween in Foxboro, MA 2001:
Commercial (Berlin, MA) October 1994:
Commercial (Berlin, MA) October 1996:
Commercial (Berlin, MA) 1997:
commercial (Berlin, MA) October 2000:
A look at Spooky World Berlin, MA location over 20 years later in 2016:
Exploring abandoned Spooky World fairgrounds in 2017:
AC and Crew checks out the 1st SPOOKY WORLD location in Berlin , MA in 2021 Part 1:
AC in Spooky World Berlin, MA in 2021 Part 2:
Haunted Experiences with Jeff DePaoli: Spooky World with creator David Bertolino:
No comments:
Post a Comment