A Scary Home Companion

FRIDAY, October 26

What’s scarier than parking at CityWalk? How about a Halloween hootenanny event that aims for an “immersion experience that will shatter preconceptions, transcending notions of horror genre theatrics and Halloween maze experiences to take visitors to a state of extreme dread, shock and terror.” No, it’s not rush hour on the 405, but Halloween Horror Nights. You can prowl the back lot of Universal Studios and get your scary fill on a journey where you can tiptoe around the Psycho house, Bates Motel and the War of the Worlds disaster scene. Not for kids under 13 — unless you want them to hate you forever — then it’s great for kids! Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal City; Fri.-Sun., Oct. 26-28, plus Wed., Oct. 31, 7 p.m.; $34 & $39. www.halloweenhorrornights.com.

If it’s just not a complete Halloween for you without an anal ring toss, head to Highways for Voyage to the Center of Hades, the Discount Cruise to Hell in “an undead-rock-musical-gay-gore-glitter featuring the Sexy Sirens, the Fallen Angel of the Morning and the King of the Lotus Eaters.” Also horrifying: a gallery peep show/freak show, anal ring toss, art orgy, Zombie Go-Go’s, Gypsy fortuneteller, costume contest, prizes, live music, dancing, drinking, performance art and a cavalcade of special guests including gay comedians. Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica; Fri.-Sat., Oct. 26-27, 8:30 p.m.; $20, $15 students. (310) 315-1459.

SATURDAY, October 27

Rated G fun is all the rage at Halloween Harvest Festival,which provides good old-fashioned Halloween delights: a corn maze where you can pretend not to panic as kiddies scream in glee while running into numerous dead ends, a haunted house, and a haunted trail. After dark, things turn a little more menacing with the Factory of Nightmares, Sinister Dreadford’s Mansion of Lost Souls. Pierce College, 6498 DeSoto Ave., Woodland Hills; thru Nov. 4; $4 festival admission; corn maze is $10 adults, $6 children; costs vary for other rides & attractions in what is definitely the most confusing pricing plan in Halloween history. (818) 999-6300.

Shipwreck at the Queen Scary, which is rumored to be haunted any time of year, has seven dizzying mazes, including the 3-D House of Hallucinations, that are gonna put you through the spin cycle. Walk through its dark decks and corridors, but watch out for the “monsters, mutants and maniacs” hiding at every turn. After the demons have been exorcised from your body, join the danceparty at Exhibit Hall with live bands pounding your skull. Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach; Oct. 26-28 & 30-31, 7 p.m.-mid.; $35 (not recommended for children under 12; no costumes allowed). (562) 435-3511.

Salvador Dalí loved Halloween, even though the only costume he could ever come up with was a pirate. He would have loved LACMA’s Muse Costume Ball, where “spooky meets surreal” and the drinks are Dalí-tinis and the music is by Dublab Sound System. It all takes place in the penthouse and includes a special viewing of “Dalí: Painting and Film.” After a few Dalí-tinis, you’ll start to see the world as ol’ Salvador did. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A.; Sat., Oct. 27, 8 p.m.-mid.; $30, $50 pair. (323) 857-6010.

If you make it to morning after American Cinematheque’s Dusk-to-Dawn Horrorthon, you will have sat through Return of the Living Dead, Freaks, From Beyond, Last House on the Left, The Children and The Gates of Hell. Breakfast will then be served, and you will go home and fall asleep to Teletubbies reruns. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Sat., Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m.-6 a.m.; $12, $10 students & seniors. (323) 466-FILM.

SUNDAY, October 28

If you’d rather do all the work, there’s the Haunted Hollywood Scavenger Hunt, which promises you’ll “discover things like whose carriage and horses left his funeral procession and took off along his favorite walking path.” Meeting place in Hollywood will be e-mailed to you; Fri.-Sun, Oct. 26-28, 5:30-8 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., Oct. 26-31, 5:30-8 p.m.; $25. www.outoftheboxevents.net.

Prizes for Scariest Costume, Best Look-Alike, Most Creative, Most Colorful and Best Costume will be awarded to man’s best friends at West Hollywood’s Annual Doggy Costume Contest. There’s got be something funny to say about dogs dressed up like Cher and Bruce Vilanch. West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd., W. Hlywd.; Sun., Oct. 28, 1 p.m.; free. (323) 848-6496.

MONDAY, October 29

Emo Phillips in The Shredder — sorry, it’s not a Halloween show, per se, but there will be actual shredding of documents, which isn’t as cool as flesh, but still. Phillips reads material from his 30-year career, and if you, the audience, don’t laugh, it goes to shredder hell! Steve Allen Theater, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Hlywd.; Mon., Oct. 29, 8 p.m.; $10 (also Mon., Nov. 26). (323) 666-4268.

What’s Bruce Springsteen doing in a Halloween roundup? Well, have you seen his wife lately? Seriously, he does sing about spirits in the night and darkness and other dark things at night. So there you go. L.A. Sports Arena, 3939 S. Figueroa Ave., L.A.; Mon.-Tues., Oct. 29-30, 7:30 p.m.; $65-$95. (213) 480-3232.

TUESDAY, October 30

How’s this for a hackneyed Halloween Hoopla hook? The star of one of the scariest movies ever — that would be Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds — Tippi Hedren, speaks on her acting, producing and wildlife efforts. She’ll show clips from various screen performances, as well as from Big Cats, a documentary on the Shambala Preserve she produced with her daughter, actress Melanie Griffith. Surely she’ll be glad to share a story about those bird attacks. Screening Room (Room 235) of the SMC Academy of Entertainment & Technology, 1660 Stewart St., Santa Monica; Tues., Oct. 30, 1 p.m.; free, seating is limited. (310) 434-8278.