"The smell of rotting bodies was so strong and so bad that I literally started gagging."

Brandon Lea sits down with co-founder and creative director of Midsummer Scream, Rick West. Midsummer Scream is the world's largest Halloween and Horror convention, featuring over 350 vendors, panels from horror movie and haunted attraction legends, live entertainment, and a 100,000 square-foot space where multiple haunted houses and attractions are set up specifically for the attendees of Midsummer Scream.

Join us as we discuss the Southern California horror and halloween culture, the scariest horror movies we've ever seen, Knott's Scary Farm, Disneyland urban legends, some of the best and scariest haunted attractions around the world, and of course, Midsummer Scream. In this episode, viewers can also learn how they can kickstart their own horror / halloween community in their city. 

Be sure to subscribe to our channel on Youtube, and to check out the Talks from the Crypt website for more information on the most gruesome horror podcast in the world!

Follow us:

Talks From The Crypt – IG: @talksfromthecrypt / talksfromthecrypt.com

Midsummer Scream – IG: @midsummerscream  / midsummerscream.org

Rick West – IG: @rickwest999

Copyright Disclaimer  Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.

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CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:27 – The Origins of the Southern California Horror / Halloween Community
00:03:55 – Fascination With Fear
00:08:17 – Knott's Scary Farm Started It All
00:12:39 – Independent Haunts in the 70's
00:14:17 – Has the Spirit of Horror / Halloween Diminished Over Time?
00:17:49 – Rick's Industry Evolution
00:18:56 – Being a Disney Cast Member / Disneyland Urban Legends
00:20:57 – Theme Park Adventures (TPA)
00:25:02 – Pandemic's Impact on Horror / Halloween
00:28:10 – Where Independent Haunts Get It Right
00:29:27 – Favorite / Scariest Haunts Around The World
00:34:00 – What Can Haunts Do To Become Less Formulaic
00:36:11 – Planning Midsummer Scream and Hall Of Shadows
00:43:55 – How Midsummer Scream Started
00:48:09 – Vendors & Attractions – Midsummer Scream
00:51:06 – Hall Of Shadows & Midsummer Estates – Midsummer Scream
00:59:08 – Planning Midsummer Scream 2023
01:00:05 – Monster Kids with Kirk Hammett, Sara Karloff, Lynne Lugosi Sparks, & Ron Chaney
01:06:06 – Becoming Friends With the Monster Kids
01:09:25 – The Community Provided in Midsummer Scream
01:10:56 – Hall Of Shadows Continues to Get Better
01:12:03 – Halloween in July – Midsummer Scream
01:13:16 – Halloween in December – Season's Screamings & Hall Of "Yuletide Spirits"
01:14:50 – Actions Listeners Can Take to Kick Start Their Own Horror / Halloween Community
01:17:02 – Outro