Mastering the Art of Scare

When Dan Hurley, a native of Sayre, Pa., purchased a farm known as Bradley Farms from long time owner Don Bradley 26 years ago, he never expected that the pumpkin attraction designed each fall would grow in proportions and eventually become the 14th ranked haunted attraction in America.
"What I did started out as a fluke," said Hurley. "My original intent was to do something to boost business," he added, "but it turned out to be so much more."
The farm, each October, is transformed into a haunted wonderland where techniques are utilized to bring out the Halloween spirit and provide ghoulish entertainment.
Years ago, Hurley transformed a gutter connected greenhouse on his property into a haunted house known as the "House of Lost Souls", and that was just the beginning. Since then the farm has added on to offer a haunted corn field known as the "Trail of Terror".
According to Hurley the maize with actors is approximately one mile long, and the haunted house is 12,000 square feet of grueling fun.
But many wonder how it is possible to transform a farm into a haunted attraction. According to Hurley, their success is based on the fear of the unknown.
"It's not gory or scary, just entertaining," Hurley added. "It's more of a wonderment, but still scary and leaves people wondering how we do this."
When Hurley began the haunted house it was nearly an idea to bring in business. But as time went on, the haunted house grew in popularity, and at one time was part of Haunted America, a website that listed haunted houses throughout America. While part of the site, Hurley's "House of Lost Souls" ranked 14th in the nation.
"We were competing with Chicago, Vegas and bigger cities," said Hurley.
And two years ago the business really picked up when Dan Hurley partnered with Kyle Kelly in this haunted venture. Kelly, who owns two major Halloween Superstores in Elmira, N.Y. and Ithaca, N.Y., used to work for Hurley as an actor, and decided to join in on the venture at Bradley Farms.
"He's Mr. Halloween in this region," said Hurley.
Putting their ideas together, and then mixing them with some of the old techniques, the pair have accelerated the "scare factor", and regularly experience guests who return tickets before they even enter the attraction because of the screams.
Some of the haunted attractions that await guests inside include a chainsaw cutter designed to keep the crowd moving forward, a man in a cage, several actors that roam, and a polka dot room that leaves guests wondering.
In the polka dot room, which is black lit, are fluorescent dots that cover the walls. In the dark, actors appear to move out of the walls - you can't see them until they are coming.
There is also an electric chair in one of the corridors that was one of the 1st chairs utilized at the Correctional facility in Auburn, N.Y. Nearby is also a 1942 steel coffin acquired from Jim Bowen eight years ago after he bought out Alteri's Funeral Home in Sayre, Pa.
According to Hurley he was at the funeral home in Sayre with his brother when he noticed the old casket. Jokingly, according to Hurley, he told Bowen that he had an old hearse he could use in exchange for the coffin. The 1961 Buick Hearse Ambulance, which sits at the front of Bradley Farms, was purchased from a Funeral Home in Ohio by Hurley.
Bowen decided to let Hurley take the casket, and with the assistance of his brother, Larry Hurley, the Athens Township Police Chief, they were able to load the casket in the back of Larry's truck for delivery.
Recalling the acquisition of the casket, Dan Hurley laughed as he noted how his brother Larry drove around with it in the back of his truck for a week.
The coffin is now part of a display in the "House of Lost Souls", and has a history that Hurley feels enhances the display. According to Hurley, steel caskets in the 1940's were hard to come by. "They would disappear off the trains and be sold on the black market," Hurley explained. He further noted that there was a shortage of caskets at that time, which was during World War II.
But the casket doesn't make for "the scare", and Hurley talked about the special effects and theatrics that go into a haunting experience.
Each year Hurley and Kelly try to attend the National Halloween Show in Chicago. According to Hurley, all the well-known Halloween celebrities, like Elvira, attend these shows. He also noted that it's a great way to gather ideas.
Training the actors is another part of creating this experience. "We try to teach them the business of scare," said Hurley.
The farm has 50 actors each year that man the house and the maize. One of the first things they teach the actors is how to scare without touching. "People get nervous if they are touched," said Hurley, "so there is absolutely no touching."
The other thing they teach the actors is how to scare without being loud. "They can be completely still and be scary," said Hurley.
When people enter the haunted house or maize, the first thing they think of is ..."what are they going to do to scare me". "We try to scare them from the rear," said Hurley. "You have to scare them forward and keep the crowd moving."
They also focus on effects like soft floors, strobe lights, and things that can confuse the mind. The "Black Hole" attraction is an example of the confusion that can be created, as well as the black lit room with polka dots.
Hurley also talked of the music and atmosphere created for guests that puts them in the mood before they even enter the attraction. Hurley noted that there are guests every night who return their tickets for a refund because they can't go in. "They get scared, and they hear people screaming before they get in," Hurley added.
But the attraction is apparently a success, bringing in 1,000 or more guests each evening that it is open through the month of October. Somehow, according to Hurley, it has become bigger than ever anticipated.
The haunted attractions will run one more weekend and will be open Friday and Saturday evening from 7 to 10 p.m. There are also attractions for the faint at heart to enjoy at the farm. For more information call (607) 732-0561. The farm is located at 1543 Maple Ave. in Elmira, N.Y.