HALLOWEEN EVENT : Knott’s Haunt Puts Holiday in a Better, Ultra-Violent Light

With its ultra-violent themes and casual references to black magic, it’s a wonder that Knott’s Berry Farm’s Halloween Haunt has been able to survive for 20 years here in conservative Orange County.

Even more amazing is the fact that the Haunt, which opened its 20th season last Friday and will continue weekends through Nov. 1, is still able to draw sellout crowds. With a price tag of $25 in advance ($27 at the door), and lines for attractions that can run well over an hour, you’d think that even hard-core fans would think twice before buying a ticket, especially in today’s recession-plagued economy.

In spite of it all, Knott’s is still packing them in, and fortunately, this year’s Haunt is a definite improvement over those of the last couple of years. While a few of the attractions miss the mark, the entire package of rides, mazes and live shows seems to have more polish and energy than it has had in recent seasons. The ghost town, with its fog-shrouded streets and gibbering ghouls looks creepier than ever, and even headliner Elvira has managed to come up the best show she’s done in a long time.

In her “Red White and Boo Revue,” the self-proclaimed Mistress of the Dark has lightened things up considerably by cutting back on the overblown song and dance routines that always seemed to bog down her shows. And in spite of a tendency to flub her lines, Elvira has no problem winning over the audience with her trademark lowbrow, bedroom humor. With the elections looming, she couldn’t resist the temptation to fashion a routine around her running for President. It’s a gag that has been done to death by countless others, but she still manages to pull it off, by vowing to become the “sex-education President” and urging voters to “read my hips.” In another surprise, Elvira has brought back comedian Ramone Azteca, whose macho Latino Wayne Newton routine is really a hoot.

Of course, what really makes the Scary Farm scary are the horror mazes and rides. And with only a couple of exceptions, Knott’s has managed to do rather well with them this year. One of the best is “Mother Noose’s Fairy Tales,” a grisly and twisted satire of nursery rhymes involving some of our most beloved childhood friends in acts of mutilation and cannibalism.

Then there’s the atmospheric “Lair of the Vampire,” a high-concept period piece that incorporates Gothic images and scripted scenes that tell a story. “Lair” is quite a departure for the Haunt in terms of style and content, but it is far from tame. It contains one of the most repellent scenes of all the mazes: a tableau in which three female vampires kill and feed upon a newborn baby (just one of many reasons why the Haunt is not recommended for young children).

Returning again this year is Uncle Ernie’s madhouse, a rollicking trip through a three-ringed nightmare involving gruesome crazed clowns bent on murder and mayhem. And in “Toxichem” a slimy toxic spill has turned a chemical plant into a hothouse of pestilence and deadly mutations.

Also new this year is “Temple of Sacrifice,” a trip back in time into an ancient Mayan temple where humans are sacrificed on the altar to the Jaguar and Snake gods. While not wickedly scary, the costume department has done a great job making up the help on this attraction and, as the name implies, there are a few gruesome moments.

On a lighter note, the Haunt’s creative wizards have finally figured out what to do with its Kingdom of the Dinosaurs ride (seasoned Haunt aficionados will tell you that this has always been a trouble spot for the park). By dressing up the robotic lizards as reptilian Buster Poindexters and piping in a humorous soundtrack, they’ve come up with something called “Kingdom of the Lounge Lizards.” As bad as it sounds, it does have a certain flair. And where else can you see a tyrannosaurus dressed up like the King?

What: Knott’s Scary Farm Halloween Haunt.

When: 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16 and 17, and on Oct. 23, 24, 30 and 31; 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Oct. 25, 29 and Nov. 1.

Where: Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park.

Whereabouts: Take the Beach Boulevard exit from the San Diego Freeway and go north, or from the Riverside Freeway and go south.

Wherewithal: $25 in advance; $27 at the door (prices include admission to the park and amusements).

Where to call: (714) 220-5005.