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November 20, 2000
CABLE WORLD STAFF
Scary Numbers for AMC AMC's first foray into the interactive domain unleashed a monster smash of epic proportions over Halloween.
The network's third annual on-air Monsterfest lured Web-savvy horror fans to Monsterfest 2000: The Classics Come Alive Haunted Backlot Scream Tour at www.amctv.com, resulting in more than 5 million page views and a pleasant shock for AMC executives.
"AMC's first experiment with a large-scale interactive movie experience far surpassed our wildest expectations," says network president Kate McEnroe. Even before the on-air festival began Oct. 27, she says the Web site received more than 2 million visitors (who returned an average of seven times), with 400,000 page views alone on the spookfest's kickoff day.
Created in collaboration with Universal Studios, the Monsterfest online experience debuted Oct. 1. The Monsterfest Internet tour featured rare material from the Universal archives (such as test sketches for costumes) and a QuickTime virtual reality tour of the studio's backlot used to create creepy classics featuring Frankenstein's monster, Dracula, the Mummy and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
The Web site also offered four Shockwave games and a video greeting from Monsterfest hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Linda Blair. Web visitors could search the site for clues to a trivia contest, with the top 100 Web scorers winning a DVD player and Universal horror film, and enter a sweepstakes to attend the 2001 premiere for The Mummy Returns.
"Monsterfest's online success proves to us that the Internet is truly viable - not just a marketing device but as a companion to our programming," says Marc Juris, AMC SVP-regional programming, packaging and production.
Seems the stampede to its Web site hasn't spooked AMC one bit.
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