Hollywood in itself is a major attraction for movie buffs far and wide. The city is about to add another attraction to its arsenal with the Icons of Darkness – an entertainment museum featuring horror, sci-fi, and fantasy movie props, costumes, and other memorabilia.
The entertainment museum is the brainchild of Rich Correll. The former child actor turned director has long been a collector of movie memorabilia. He is hoping that the Icons of Darkness exhibit will be the next big draw in Hollywood.
Correll’s horror collection started with visits to the Universal Studios’ makeup labs. He loved horror movies, and was shocked to see costumes and props from his favorite movies being thrown away. When he was about 12, he got the courage to take a prop out of the trash. It was a costume head from the 1953 movie, “Abbot and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Corell told the LA Times that he still has it.
His collection includes a wide range of items, big and small. Props include small Gremlins from “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” and full-size dinosaurs from the “Jurassic Park” movies.
A portion of Correll’s collection is currently on display at the Hollywood & Highland mall. The current attraction is just a preview of what will be in the bigger and long-term home of the Icons of Darkness museum. Currently on display are pieces used in “Dracula,” “Frankenstein,” “Silence of the Lambs,” and “Lord of the Rings,” to name a few. While the exhibit is titled Icons of Darkness, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
The horror enthusiast has big plans for the new museum, stating that it will also serve as The Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror Hall of Fame. There are plans to hold induction ceremonies, celebrity appearances, and other live-streamed events.
You won’t just get to look around, either. The museum will also have a store full of zombie-related items and games!
Check out the exhibit trailer for a taste of what you can expect from Icons of Darkness.
This definitely sounds like a delightful horror-filled funhouse! Tickets are available to see the current smaller exhibit here.