# The Backs 2012 - An experiment in minimalism



## Marrow (Feb 23, 2011)

'The Backs' is a backyard haunted trail that was born as a way to channel my desire to haunt for various reasons. First and foremost, my Halloween display is set up in a shop window. I wouldn't call it a Yard Haunt. For me, a haunt requires a destination. Be it a front door for candy, the exit of a labyrinth-in-a-garage, or the end of a trail. Somewhere you are headed. A purpose. My display is the opposite of that. Trick-or-Treaters and parents mill around the window, I give out candy and they eventually wander off to the rest of the neighbourhood. The haunt is enclosed in a glass space. There are some great advantages of this, but in a way it separates the viewer from the zombies and witches and creatures. Perhaps that is for the better.

Now, there are no Trick-or-Treaters around when 'The Backs' is up and running (on the 30th of April), for obvious reasons. I do it for myself. I spend hours setting it up, arranging sticks, dead plants and Jack 'O Lanterns. I take pictures before and after darkness has fallen. And I sit and stare at the glowing grins of the pumpkins for a long time.

The second reason I created 'The Backs', is because, well, one haunt just isn't enough. I need something to fill the void between Halloweens. And 'The Backs' takes place exactly half-way between one October 31st and the next. Over here in New Zealand, Halloween falls in the spring, so I decided to embrace what Halloween should be like, and go with an autumnal feel.

And the third reason was because I wanted to experiment in stripped-back, bare-bones haunting. Pumpkinrot once posted about this style of haunt, calling it 'Traditional Haunting'. A quote:
_I joked last year with Bean telling her that I wished someone would tell me that I wasn't allowed to use any props at all in my display - just natural elements. That'd be a really neat exercise in building a haunt. _​You can read that post, and a whole lot of other amazing insights into haunting here. Since his haunt gets bigger and grander (and more directly tied to nature and Halloween) every year, I figured that this wasn't ever going to happen. So I did it myself. You can see photos of last years 'The Backs' here.

'The Backs' has returned again this year, bigger and better. I'm still going with the minimalist, rustic look, but there are some props. Small and simple, but props nonetheless. I want to be able to expand on the same theme every year. I expect that my Halloween window display will have a completely new, built-from-scratch theme every year, so it'll be nice to let 'The Backs' slowly grow each year.


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## Marrow (Feb 23, 2011)

*The Backs 2012 - Daylight*














































More photos at The House Of Marrow.


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## Marrow (Feb 23, 2011)

*The Backs 2012 - Darkness*














































More photos at The House Of Marrow.


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

Some really great props there Marrow. Great photos to capture the essence of the place too. Well done.


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol: Marrow, the pictures of The Backs is absolutely beautiful and haunting to look at. I can't imagine how the crunch of the leaves underfoot and the flickering grins of the jack o'lanterns make the walk up the path feel. It has a sense of foreboding and lost hope...The chair peeking out the doorway is so forlorn looking, yet entices the person in, 'come in....sit for a while....stay with us....forever.....' I have chills! :eekin:


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Pretty impressive, I get shivers!


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

Marrow, I love the skulls!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

You have a tremendous eye for detail and stage setting, Marrow. Are you sure you're only 14?

I really like the visual tie-in with the blue color of some of the jacks and the chair.


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## hedg12 (Jul 6, 2008)

...wow...

I wish I had half your talent - that kind of atmosphere is what I dream of every year, but alas, I fall inept... 

Your photos are awesome, too. I have a bunch of new desktop wallpapers for my laptop now. Thanks!


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## Marrow (Feb 23, 2011)

Thanks all! 
So glad you like it. I'm already thinking about what to add next year...


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## Eric Striffler (May 6, 2006)

I love it!


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## CreeepyCathy (Mar 28, 2009)

fantastic!! LOVE it!!


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## cerinad (Jun 23, 2008)

Wow....I love it!


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## lisa48317 (Aug 18, 2010)

I'm with Roxy - I can't believe you're only 14, either! I follow your blog and your writing & haunting talent is that of a much older person. I can imagine you'll only get better with age!


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