FROM/DATE

CONTENT

11/19/02

11/13/02

On another note, some may remember that penny arcade across the street from the castle. Sadly, that arcade is now gone - new houses are in its place.

10/30/02

I have to compliment the actors. I am now 38 and at the time of my visit could have been no more than 10. Do you know what I remember after all these years? I remember the fear I felt at just approaching the castle. Once in front of it, it was more threatening than from our beach. Yes, I remember the Count coming out of the picture, and the Guillotine, the headless woman; in fact, I remember a lot about the castle. The most amazing thing to me is I still remember the poem....you know which one, the rat poem.

In the hall going to the "Rat Lab" we were warned about the many rats that were there. We were told that to chase them away to recite the following script.....

"Ratsy, ratsy, dark and murky, please go bite some other turkey."

By the time we had gotten this far, I must have been scared enough that all these years later, I still remember it clearly. My one regret, that the Castle is gone and my children, who love anything horror related, will never be able to experience, let alone fathom the great being that the cast and cast created. They ask over and over for me to tell them about Brigatine Castle. Until finding your site today, they would have never been able to taste the thrill. Now when they come home from school, this will be the first thing I share with them.

Thank you so much for helping me to revist my childhood and share it with my children. We have lost a wonderful attraction, but through you it lives on.

8/18/02

Couple other quick comments...the "virtual tour" essay is fun, but was obviously written with a sympathetic eye by an employee at the Castle. I think it captures more what the Castle tried to do creatively than what was actually accomplished. Don't get me wrong -- it was great! But not everything came off quite as well as one would believe from reading that essay. For example there is a "dark flapping horror" (paraphrase) described in the essay that was absolutely ludicrous in person! It was a rubber bat on a very obvious mechanized string, and even when I was twelve years old we laughed at it.

Another thing I have not seen mentioned on yours (or other) Brigantine sites, is that the "dinner with the devil" tableau included General Urko from Planet of the Apes as one of the infamous death dealers! It was strange to see this fictional wax character seated with images of real life dictators who had killed real people.

The exterior of the Castle struck me (even as a child) as unfinished. The lowest portion, the ramp where you entered, was faux stone and incredibly realistic. But it almost seemed like the builder ran out of funds...because the upper portion appeared very plain and un-detailed -- it looked like painted plywood. The Castle exterior was therefore most effective when scene at times of day where it was only a dark silhouette.

This attraction, and its sister Haunted Mansion at Long Branch, had strong impacts on my formative years. I have since designed and am operating a seasonal, charity haunted house in Pennsylvania, that was definitely influenced by both these attractions. In case you are interested, we are on the web at this address:

http://www.unitedwaywb.org/gravestonemanor/terror.html

Thanks again for bringing back great childhood memories of Brigantine Castle!

8/5/02

7/29/02

As a child growing up in Philadelphia, my family had a house at 205 2nd Street N. Every summer for 2 weeks, we would come to Brigantine and enjoy the sun, sand, and excitement that brigantine had to offer for a child of 2-10 years old. My brother and I would look forward to going to the beach, playing the arcade games at Reflections, eating at the Pirates Den (?), and going to the Brigantine Castle. This family tradition continued until the family house was sold for what was thought to be reconstruction phase on the street, but ended up to be the only duplex on the block.

In 1983 I believe at the age of 10 was my last summer in Brigantine. I remember this summer well because of many things. This was my first working experience. You see, every day, I would walk the beach to the castle and hang out by the employee entrance ramp. I would wait there until the cast members would come out. They would call me up the ramp and into the side door, give me money, and I would run down and get them French fries and drinks. I did this everyday for two weeks, all in hopes to earn enough money to buy or win my favorite Iron Maiden, or Black Sabbath shirt, or silly mirror from the other concessions at the pier. For me, this was the best part of the summer.

The Brigantine Castle was a part of my childhood. Although only for 2 weeks out of the year, I still to this day remember the sights and sounds of the castle and the surrounding area.

Today, I am 30 years old. Although I do not get a chance to go to Brigantine too often, when I do, I can only smile about the memories that were bestowed upon me because of the Brigantine Castle. Memories that will last a lifetime.

6/13/02