Universal Studios Hollywood's conducts "Chainsaw Training" Boot Camp as preparations begin for "Halloween Horror Nights" event featuring horror icons Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface, four new mazes, new shows, new scares and a trip on the backlot "Terror Tram" starting Friday October 5. 

Universal City, California, September 6, 2007 - Universal Studios Hollywood was buzzing with energy today as 30 "scare - actors enlisted for an intense "Chainsaw Training Boot Camp" in preparation for The Entertainment Capital of L.A.'s 10-day "Halloween Horror Night" event kicking off on Friday, October 5 at 7:00 p.m. and featuring three of the most iconic and notorious madmen of the silver screen, Freddy Kruger, Jason Voorhees, and Leatherface from some of the most memorable horror franchises: "Friday the 13th," "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

Helmed by a team of expert chainsaw coaches, the combined group of novices and the more experienced was put through a series of rigorous training designed to make them adept at properly operating, controlling and wielding a menacing chainsaw. The team applied these tactics while learning a series of intimidating Chainsaw Brigade movements and the daunting Chainsaw Lock-Step procession among other cutting-edge techniques to be utilized by the performers throughout “Halloween Horror Nights,” which this year will feature four new mazes.

“Halloween Horror Nights” will be held on Friday and Saturday nights, beginning on October 5 and extending to Sunday, October 28, culminating on Halloween, October 31. The event dates are: October 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-28 and 31. The event will begin nightly at 7:00 p.m.; closing hours vary by night throughout the event.

The three titans of terror will each reside within his own labyrinth of carnage, elevating the “Halloween Horror Nights” experience to appalling levels of torture, turmoil and maniacal behavior, levels that could only be realized by fiends as grisly as Jason, Leatherface and Freddy.
Each of the mazes will capture the gruesome tone of the films and the antagonists’ inexplicable psychotic behaviors and catapult horror fans to an excruciating level of intimacy often kept at a safe distance by virtue of the movie screen.

An additional focal point of “Halloween Horror Nights” unique to Universal Studios Hollywood is the return of the popular “Terror Tram” experience in which guests will be able to disembark from Studio Tour trams and walk among the historic sets of the Universal backlot, birthplace of the horror genre. The backlot experience—incorporating such Hollywood landmarks as Psycho House, Bates Motel and the “War of the World’s” airplane crash disaster scene—will play a pivotal role in the reemergence of Jason, Freddy and Leatherface where guests-victims will weave through the debauchery and fall prey to their tortured, sadistic minds.

For more information on “Halloween Horror Nights” and to purchase advance tickets, including the popular combo-day-and-“Halloween Horror Nights” ticket, please access www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com, call 818-622-3801 or visit the Universal Studios Hollywood ticket booths. Various promotional offers include tickets for as low as $29 with any Coke can or special coupon from Del Taco restaurants. “Halloween Horror Nights” tickets will also be sold in advance at Vons Grocery Stores where consumers can save up to $22 off a ticket with the purchase of any Coca-Cola product.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary year, New Line Cinema is the most successful independent film company in the world. Its mission is to produce innovative, popular and profitable entertainment in the best creative environment. In addition to the production, marketing and distribution of theatrical motion pictures, the fully-integrated studio has divisions devoted to home entertainment, television, music, theater, merchandising and an international unit. In 2005, New Line partnered with HBO to form Picturehouse, a new theatrical distribution company to release independent films. A pioneer in franchise filmmaking, New Line’s Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most successful film franchises in history. New Line is a division of Time Warner, Inc. (TWX).

Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A., includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour; the CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex; the Universal CityWalk Cinemas; and the Gibson Amphitheatre concert and special event venue. The theme park features such groundbreaking attractions as “Revenge of the Mummysm – The Ride,” “Shrek 4-D™,” “Jurassic Park® – The Ride,” the world-renowned Studio Tour, which takes guests behind-the-scenes of such landmark TV and movie locations and sets as Steven Spielberg’s “War of the Worlds,” and the upcoming Spring 2008 new mega-attraction based on the blockbuster hit series, “The Simpsons.” Universal CityWalk features 65 entertainment-themed restaurants, nightclubs, shops and dynamic entertainment options. Universal CityWalk Cinemas, offering the best movie-going experience in Los Angeles, features 19 screens including one of Southern California’s largest IMAX® venues and newly renovated stadium-style seating.

Universal Studios Hollywood (www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com) is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Universal Studios, a part of NBC Universal. NBC Universal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May of 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi.

CONTACT:
Eliot Sekuler 818-622-6896 eliot.sekuler@nbcuni.com
Audrey Eig (domestic press) 818-622-2962 audrey.eig@nbcuni.com
Debbie Park (online press) 818-622-9504 deborah.park@nbcuni.com
Janel Moncada (int’l / Hispanic press) 818-622-5985 janel.moncada@nbcuni.com
Universal Studios Hollywood Media Website: http://media.universalstudioshollywood.com