'Halloween' producer is fearless in Fright Dome foray

The man who produces the ghoulish and gory “Halloween” films has no fear of Fright Dome.

That’s not to say Malek Akkad would not yelp at the sight of an actor portraying the film’s maniacal central figure, Michael Myers, lunging at him while wielding a 16-inch Ginsu.

No, Akkad has no fear that the Halloween-season-themed attraction at Circus Circus would at all, um, stain the legacy of the 33-year-old film franchise. This year, Fright Dome has partnered with Compass Film International, the movie company that holds the licensing rights for all “Halloween” images and characters.

A Circus Circus favorite since 2003, Fright Dome opens today and runs through Halloween. Hours are 7 p.m. to midnight (go to FrightDome.com or call 794-3939 for information). Tickets are $36.95, or $51.95 for a VIP “fast pass” that allows express-line entry for all five houses. Two of those houses will feature scenes and subjects familiar to anyone who has seen a “Halloween” film, including Haddonfield Memorial Hospital’s psychiatric ward (an ineffective health care facility where the hopelessly troubled Myers has been treated) and Myers’ own fear-filled house.

These images are not provided without some serious thought, Akkad says.

“First and foremost in my mind is to represent ‘Halloween’ in the best possible light,’” Akkad said during a recent phone conversation from his office in Los Angeles. “For every partnership we do, there are a dozen that we don’t.”

Why would there be any fear that stamping a glorified haunted house with the “Halloween” brand might be a bad move? The question is, in part, the answer: Stamping a glorified haunted house with the “Halloween” brand might be a bad move because themed fright attractions are not all the same quality.

Of course, Fright Dome is no ordinary attraction, one of the most inventive and expansive theme parks of its kind in the country. Even without seeing the imposing theme park that sits just off Industrial Drive on the east side of the Circus Circus property, Akkad knew he was signing with a park with a frightfully successful history.

“I’ve known of it, certainly, and have done my research,” Akkad said. “What ‘Halloween’ represents fits in perfectly with what Fright Dome does.”

The park was conceived by Jason Egan, who also is its chief negotiator in such business and creative partnerships. Previously, Egan showcased “Saw” at Fright Dome, forging a deal with Lions Gate and Twisted Pictures. Egan himself persuaded Circus Circus executives to take a shot with his houses of horrors in 2003.

“Jason came to us through a mutual friend, and what he proposed seemed like a lot of fun,” Akkad said. “He asked us to look into what he has done. He is a true horror entrepreneur. It’s impressive, what he has done.”

More than 60,000 visitors pour into Fright Dome each year, delighting in a darkened, smoky and high-decibel theme park that spans five acres.

“This is the first one we’re doing together, and both parties are saying, ‘Let’s just get one up and running,’” said Akkad, who added that featuring the image of Myers is not an entirely new concept.

“We talked with a casino, many years back, about a permanent attraction featuring Michael Myers,” Akkad said. “This has definitely been in our minds.”

A new, 3D adaptation of “Halloween" is planned for next year, which might give the Fright Dome partnership extended life.

“There are a lot of possibilities out there,” said Akkad, who has produced the five most recent “Halloween” films, including 2007’s “Halloween,” directed by Rob Zombie, a highly successful resurrection of the original movie. “But right now, this year, we’re looking at this as a one-off.”

Because so many of the “Halloween” fans tend to be teenagers, Akkad has launched the Scare (Suspense Community Allocating Relief and Empowerment) Foundation, which focuses on poverty and homelessness among the nation’s youth. Scare is a little more than a year old.

Akkad said he founded Scare because of his own personal tragedy, having lost his father, Moustapha, and sister, Rima, in a 2005 bomb blast at the Hyatt Regency in Amman, Jordan. The elder Akkad was producer or executive producer of the first eight “Halloween” films.

“The irony is we need people like that, and they are taken from us,” Akkad said. “I began thinking of something that would make them proud -- not box office numbers or financial rewards. ... The fan base of horror films have a great, untapped need. This is still relatively new, and it’s something that is not entirely about me, per se, but we want everyone to feel ownership, from fans to filmmakers who can take it and fly with it.”

Asked what truly scares him, Akkad pauses.

“Truthfully, what scares me are people who are indifferent, not empathetic to those who are in need,” he said. “When I see those things, I get scared.”

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