Enter the Insanitarium if you dare, the scariest attraction haunting Trussville

As a horror fanatic, I find that most haunted houses today fail to make a lasting impact on visitors. While most haunts may offer a few solid jump scares, very few leave you uneasy. 

However, the Insanitarium in Trussville, AL, is a masterpiece that will leave Halloween fans feeling seen, heard and creeped out of their skin. 

In September, I met up with the Insanitarium’s owner Justin McElroy, who informed me what Insanitarium was and what it was not. During my walkthrough on October 6, I witnessed these intentional design choices, for the effectiveness of the haunt was unlike any I had ever attended. 

First, McElroy stated that he refuses to use animatronics. For other haunts, these are an easy filler item that you can place somewhere in the path of the visitors in place of an actor.

Animatronics, no matter how loud or jumpy, turn on and off, therefore providing a sense of comfort to passersby. On the other hand, in the halls of the Insanitarium, the subtle comfort offered by the thought that ‘it’s just a statue’ quickly dissipates as you remember the things that can begin to move and follow you. 

The actors are some of the most impressive and effective mechanisms in the Insanitarium. In his interview, McElroy explained that the dread one feels when watching a horror movie will dissipate quickly after the thing (the monster, killer, etc.) is revealed or “humanized.”

During my two visits to the haunt, the actors stayed true to the creatures they played. Without proper instruction, actors in some haunts can break character or have mediocre costuming, making them appear more like real people than monsters. At the Insanitarium, their detailed makeup and outfits added to the feeling that these were “creatures” rather than actors.

Rather than depending on “old reliable” scare tactics like gore or blood, McElroy prefers to craft his scares by building up a tense atmosphere. One recognizable example appeared in his use of the uncanny valley, an important ingredient in the horror genre. 

The uncanny valley describes an image that appears between what the eye can identify as human and inhuman, a person vs an animal, robot, monster, cartoon, etc. 

Experts have pointed out that many people are creeped out by characters in The Polar Express animation. When something that resembles a living, breathing human displays characteristics that are not quite right, our minds freak out. In the Insanitarium, while I knew the actors were human, they moved and posed as if they were less than human. 

The movements of the actors, like a well-oiled machine, follow the guidelines for the element of a proper scare. An effective scare utilizes a three-step process.

  1. A creepy noise or image makes the viewer begin to panic
  2. The music or scary ‘thing’ disappears or stops, giving the audience a sense of relief
  3. When their relief sets in, the real scare appears

However, there is a fourth tactic that is neglected by many respected films but is used in the Insanitarium. While numerous jump scares add to the visitor's nerves, the Insanitarium achieves a lasting feeling of uneasiness with its detailed atmosphere. 

Nothing in the Insanitarium is placed by accident. The lights and soundtrack (made by McElroy) add intensity to each new room.

The use of these elements in the Insanitarium stirred up an appreciation in me that I can only relate to my experience of watching a movie like Hereditary, a film that many consider to be the scariest movie of all time. 

I cannot recommend visiting the Insanitarium enough. Even though you may feel like running, take your time to appreciate the decorations, actors and atmosphere. 

For those who may avoid horror at all costs but enjoy a good haunted house, do not fear because McElroy labels this haunt as “a PG-13 experience.” While the characters may be scary, they are also there to make you laugh and feel respected.

Get your tickets by following the link. The Insanitarium, located at 8433 Gadsden Highway, Trussville, AL, 35173, is open 7 pm-12 am on Friday and Saturday and 7-10 on Sundays. They will have special Halloween weekdays open on October 30 and 31.