Horror lovers in the Kentuckiana area came to the annual Halloween Horrorfest at the Georgetown Drive-in to celebrate the holiday with a classic horror movie night.
Vampires and masked monsters roamed the drive-in before the shows, ate “the secret’s in the meat” chili and observed the Halloween decorations.
Chain saws were placed around the main area, and blood splattered the walls of the snack bar.
“We always do this at the end of the year for a fun evening and a way to close up the drive-in,” Bill Powell, owner of the Georgetown Drive-in, said. “It’s usually a full house.”
Powell dressed as Freddy Krueger and gave people rides in an old school bus. He said his main goal was to give people a good scare and highlight the evening.
Ken Daniels, owner of Fright Night Film Fest, said he enjoys collaborating with the Georgetown Drive-in for the Horrorfest.
“Mostly, what we try to do, we try to give people a lot of fun at an inexpensive value,” Daniels said. “Bill’s a great guy, and it’s been in his family for about 50 years. Each time, we change it slightly because we’re trying to keep the drive-in alive,” Daniels said.
Daniels said people are drawn to the Horrorfest for the costumes, celebrities and the movies.
“People love Halloween, and they love to get scared,” Daniels said. “People pay to get scared.”
The main attraction at the Horrorfest was the first movie, the 1974 “Texas Chain Saw Massacre.”
Cars piled into the drive-in an hour early to get a good spot for a chance to meet two special guests from the movie — John Dugan, who played the grandpa, and Gunnar Hansen, the original Leather Face.
Hansen greeted fans on the roof in a bloodied apron, starting up a chain saw and holding it over his head.
“It was surreal because I’ve never talked to Gunnar Hansen, and as soon as I saw his name on the Georgetown Drive-in website, I said, ‘Yeah, we’ve got to go,’” Travis Desmond, 28, of Louisville, said.
A line of fans, holding old chain saws and other “Texas Chain Saw Massacre” memorabilia, waited in line to meet Hansen and Dugan and get their autographs.
“I idolize [Hansen],” Vic Philpott, 30, of Elizabethtown, said. “I love horror movies, and he’s the best of all. He autographed right under my tattoo of ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ and was happy to see it.”
Hansen posed with fans, gripping their necks or displaying chain saws.
“It’s amazing to me that 36 years after the movie, new generations are still discovering it,” Hansen said. “This crowd is great.”
Dugan said he has been appearing at the Georgetown Horrorfest for four years.
“The local fans are wonderful,” Dugan said. “Bill and the whole family of the Georgetown Drive-in have always been very kind to me. They’re great people.”
Although many people go to Horrorfest to get a thrill, Alaina Wilson, 28, of Louisville, said “the secret’s in the meat” chili is another attraction.
“The whole reason for coming is to get the chili,” Wilson said. “You have to figure out what the secret is.”
The mysterious chili was cooked over a fire in a large witch’s pot.
“The only beans in the chili are human beans,” Hansen said.
Daniels said the variety of Halloween festivities is what made the Horrorfest a success.
“You’ve got Bill driving around in a bus,” Daniels said. “You’ve got Leather Face running around with a chain saw and Michael Myers up here with a knife.
Little kids come and get dressed up. It’s about the whole experience.”
By BRITTANY POWELL
Staff
bripowel@umail.iu.edu