Atlanta’s Netherworld is considered one of the most intense haunted houses in the nation. For 17 years, co- creators Ben Armstrong and Billy Mesina have used special effects, technology and talented actors to turn ordinary haunted houses into works of art.
“Creating haunted houses is something I wanted to do when I was a kid”, Armstrong said. “Each year we figure out a way to make Netherworld, bigger and better.”
Armstrong uses ancient myths and novels to trigger ideas for the different themes that are produced each year. Netherworld has 300 employees, and 100 of them work each night. Makeup artists have experience working on shows like “The Walking Dead,”“Zombieland” and even “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” You can see many of the makeup artists’ work on Syfy, FX and other television networks.
Netherworld has been featured on the Travel Channel, CNN, The New York Times and a host of other news networks. Celebrities such as “The Hunger Games’” Jennifer Lawrence, Janet Jackson and Andre 3000 have all experienced the terrors and frights of Netherworld.
“In the 1990s, I was a television horror show host in Tallahassee, FL,” Armstrong said. “Because I worked in television, I was able to network with different individuals to find the best talent possible.”
This year, the path through Netherworld was longer than six football fields, which made it a little more difficult to maneuver through. There were over 250 special effects, animatronic animals and even props from actual movie sets. The props even brushed up against you. The Netherworld museum features ancient artifacts, a 2,000 year old mummy and a rare bone collection.
The themes this year were the Dead Ones, which was featured on the top level of Netherworld, and Boogeyman in the basement. The Dead Ones wanted people to know what happens when they ignore superstition. Boogeyman allowed you to go inside the nightmares of six people who came into contact with the legendary monster years ago.
Aside from being frightening, Netherworld is known to partner with local charities.
“Do not be a Monster” is an anti- bullying campaign presented by Imagine Better Inc. and Netherworld. The campaign traveled to Atlanta- area schools to help students understand the severity of bullying. Actors from Netherworld dressed up and explained how bullying works, different types of bullying, and how to take a stand against bullying.
“Once Netherworld began to gain major popularity we used our resources to give back to the community,” Armstrong said. “Bullying and muscular dystrophy are just a few of the causes we support here at Netherworld.” Netherworld is the scariest haunted house in the southeast. Armstrong stated this will not be a traveling haunted house, so get your scares while you can. Located at the Georgia Antique and Design Center in Norcross, GA, Netherworld had a fantastic 2013 season. With the popularity increasing the production value of the attraction every year, next season will not be one to miss.
