“Monster Inside” McKamey Manor Documentary: What’s the point?

“Whatever happened to McKamey Manor?” I wondered not too long ago.

In one of those serendipitous twists of fate, the Universe answered in an unlikely way. I was flipping through Hulu last week to see what new shows they had for Friday the 13th weekend, and boom. That’s when I spotted a new Huluween documentary: Monster Inside: America’s Most Extreme Haunted House. 

Its description read: “Russ McKamey is the creator of the world’s ‘most extreme haunted house’ – McKamey Manor. He is also a manipulative abuser, according to three people who realize the horror is never over once you decide to enter the Manor.”

Huh. That answered part of my question. McKamey Manor was still around. Or was it? Was the documentary one of those that told the downfall of a predator?

Because that’s always what Russ McKamey struck me as —that and possibly a scammer. After watching Monster Inside, I’m fairly sure my instincts were right on at least one of those accounts.

Except, I’m also left wondering what the point of the documentary was. A longer description explained that Monster Inside “follows three participants as they dive deep into Russ’s world and then find the will to fight back.” It aimed to “showcase the reasons” they were drawn to the world of immersive horror —and to answer the broader “why would anyone subject themselves to that.” Or to anything extreme.

Or was this a cleverly disguised promo to get people to start talking about McKamey Manor again?

An Extreme Haunt is Born

Once upon a time, McKamey Manor dubbed itself “the world’s scariest haunted house.” Well, I guess it still does. It’s just changed the wording to “most extreme.”

However, “haunted house” is a bit of a reach. At least in the traditional sense. There’s nothing “haunted” about it. Twisted, yes. But not “ghost boo” scary. And I’m not even sure what happens there takes place in a “house.”

But as Monster Inside showed, McKamey Manor definitely started out as a more traditional haunted house with the maze concept, costumed scare actors, etc. Then, it morphed into a new category of haunted houses known as extreme haunted houses, which further morphed into the immersive horror experience genre. In fact, it’s one of the pioneers of it.

The first time I ever heard of McKamey Manor was in 2014 when I included it in The Haunt Jaunts Guide to Halloween Hot Spots. As I wrote with its entry under the “Notable Scares” section, it was “the most buzzed about haunted attraction of the year.”

McKamey Manor: Then vs. Now

In 2014, it was located in San Diego. Later, it would move to Tennessee.

Back then, as is the case now, you had to pass a physical, sign a waiver (an extensive 40-page one these days), and be aware of the many cautions. In 2014, it was very upfront that it was an “aggressive haunt.” You would be touched, tormented, and should dress appropriately, meaning wear clothes you didn’t mind getting wet.

It didn’t specify what you might get wet from. I always wondered if that meant you’d bleed or maybe pee (or worse) yourself. In the doc, they showed footage of McKamey waterboarding people and submerging them in muddy water. Gross. Pass. No thanks.

Yet, in addition to it not being your average haunted house because of the waiver and all that, there has always been a waiting list (allegedly) to get in. Supposedly 20,000 people long.

But that seems to be a favorite number for McKamey to use. Later, he would go on to offer $20,000 to anyone who could finish it. Which, of course, they never can because he’s in charge. Especially since he can keep you in the haunt for up to 10 hours. Participants break well before he does, and anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves.

The waiting list is a great marketing strategy. There is no better way to create buzz and desire than to make people think something is in such super high demand they might never attain it. But even back then, it struck me as unlikely. And after Monster Inside, I’m pretty sure it’s what I always thought it was: a ruse. (Same with the $20,000 prize.)

Yet, McKamey didn’t charge money for his haunt back then. (And apparently still doesn’t.) In 2014, he asked for four cans of dog food or one bag of dry dog food to donate to Operation Greyhound.

Is McKamey a villain?

Huh. An animal lover can’t be that bad, can he? Did I misjudge him?

Maybe, but after Monster Inside, McKamey could’ve inspired any number of Dean Koontz novel villains. Koontz’s bad guys are usually sadistic psychos with military backgrounds who thrive on torturing people. They’re also often tall, muscular, athletic, and can pass for an everyman. Russ McKamey checks all those boxes.

But to play Devil’s Advocate, he didn’t participate in the documentary. Past interviews with him from other sources are shared, but he never defends himself against any of the accusations that arise in Monster Inside.

Except, that’s what I really struggled with. The accusations. Or, rather, lack thereof.

What did McKamey do wrong?

Were people mad because, as one gentleman said at the start of the documentary, McKamey is the “worst salesman” for underground horror?

Others in the haunt industry don’t seem to like him very much, and it’s clear the three participants in the doc felt duped somehow, but were they? They knew what they were signing up for. They signed the contract.

Did they read all the way through? Have a lawyer go over it? I mean, come on. It’s not like you’re buying a house or a car. You’re going to a horror experience. Anything that lengthy deserves a thorough read-through and maybe a second opinion from someone with a legal background.

It was very hard to feel sympathy for the participants who somehow felt McKamey had done them wrong. One had even gone on to work for him before deciding the Manor was no longer her thing. The person I think they were most duped by was themselves.

Which, hey. We all do that. Talk ourselves into something thinking it’s a good idea or we can handle it and realize, nope. That, whatever it is, wasn’t our finest decision and we were in over our heads.

Laurie

The person I would’ve loved to hear from most was the one who wasn’t even interviewed for Monster Inside: Laura Brotherton. They showed a before picture of her. Pretty girl. Then they showed her social media post from a hospital bed after her visit to McKamey Manor in 2016. She was bruised, swollen, and lacerated from head to toe. Had she visited a haunted house or gotten in a street brawl?

Part of her message was a warning, too: “When everyone says u [sic] really don’t want to do this…look at my pics, and trust what I’m saying…U REALLY DON’T WANT TO DO THIS!!!!!!”

A former employee interviewed in the doc said that was the one that got to him. Here’s what McKamey told him when he asked why didn’t he stop: “You’d be surprised what you’d do to get the right shot.”

The Two Sides of “Why?”

Why does McKamey do it?

Supposedly McKamey’s love of Halloween is why he started his first haunts, which even included putting one on while he was in the military. But then it evolved (devolved?) into what it’s become, which is super controversial and sparks petitions to get it to shut down.

Since McKamey didn’t participate in the doc, we don’t hear him explain why he does what he does. We can infer it’s for more than one reason, though. A rush. Clicks. A following. Notoriety. Satiating a darker side. Being a student of psychology and testing his theories of manipulation and control. Sadistic tendencies. Narcissism.

Basically, as a popular Facebook status once put it, it’s complicated.

Why do people sign up for McKamey Manor?

This is the only thing Monster Inside does a really good job of explaining: why people visit places like McKamey Manor. Some people need a bigger, more extreme thrill. It’s often an underlying outcome of having experienced past trauma, but not always. Some people are just wired that way.

It doesn’t mean it’s bad. Extreme, yes, and outside the norm for sure, but people are knowingly and willingly consenting to what McKamey’s offering. And that’s after being warned again and again that it’s dangerous, he might not heed your safe word, yadda yadda yadda.

They don’t hear it because it’s a typical ego response to negative news. It won’t happen to them. And even if it does, they can handle it. Again, it’s part of being human. We all overestimate ourselves at some point (or points) in our lives.

Monster Inside: Real warning or cleverly disguised promo?

I think I watch too many true crime documentaries. I expected something “bigger” from Monster Inside, like for it to go somewhere. There was no outcome about a lawsuit or pending litigation. It didn’t tell the tale of the rise and fall of the world’s “most extreme haunted house” and the man who ran it.

Instead, by the end, I wondered if this was a cleverly disguised promo stunt. Especially when nothing really came of what happened to Laura Brotherton and the injuries she sustained. They made no mention she filed any charges against McKamey, who is controversial, sure, but he’s also no dummy. Much like Zak Bagans, he’s a showman.

Not that he was in any way involved in producing Monster Inside, according to the credits, but why would he object to it being made either? As the old saying goes, “There is no such thing as bad publicity.”

Maybe we’ll get the answer if he includes it on his website with the other shows McKamey Manor has been in, including Haunters: Art of the Scare and episode 8 of Netflix’s series Dark Tourist.

Check-In

We all have that wild side that craves a rush every now and then. What thrills do you seek to satisfy yours? Rollercoasters? Sky diving? Any kind of racing (motorcycles, bikes, boats, etc)? Cage diving? Rock climbing? Something not quite so life-threatening?

Not that I seek this thrill out, but every time I drive on I-24 lately, I have that same nervous feeling at the start of a rollercoaster ride. Crazy drivers are everywhere anymore, but I’m always amazed by the ones I see on 24.