October in Philadelphia is always fun, and always busy, for horror-loving folks like me. As Halloween approaches, things take a turn for the dark. Here are some upcoming events I’m excited about:
Saturday, October 10: Frizzi2Fulci
Fabio Frizzi brings his tribute to Italian director Lucio Fulci to town, one of only 5 North American dates, and the only one on the east coast. I’m kind of shocked there are still tickets available - but I guess that’s good news if you’re near Philly and reading this now.
Sunday, October 11: Vivisections
Curator Matt Garrett always assembles a fine collection of short films from around the world for his Vivisections series. Sunday’s installment features Teeth, Walter Potter: The Man Who Married Kittens, Violets, Disco Inferno, Lake Mahar, The Shutterbug Man, Polaroid, and Ink.
Saturday, October 17: Exhumed Films’ Universal Monster Rally
I can’t wait for this one. A 16mm print of Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, followed by a marathon of Castle Films Universal Monster Digests, plus a costume contest, and more.
Thursday, October 22 through Sunday, November 1: Philadelphia Film Festival
I always have a good time at the Philadelphia Film Festival - even during the films I don’t actually enjoy. There’s just something about the festival atmosphere. And even though there seem to be fewer genre offerings this year than in the past, I’m looking forward to catching at least a few things in the Graveyard Shift program - particularly Baskin, The Hallow, and The Invitation.
Thursday, October 22: Diary of a Deadbeat: The Story of Jim Vanbebber
Friday, October 23: Frankenhooker & Alpha Girls double feature
Saturday, October 24: Nightmare Before Halloween
Raw Dog Screaming Press visits Philadelphia this year for their annual Dog Con, a literary convention celebrating their own special brand of horror and bizarro. This year’s convention has a handful of events spread over 3 days and various locations, but the Main Event happens Saturday the 24th at PhilaMOCA. The Nightmare Before Halloween features live readings from authors Michael Arnzen, Matt Betts, B.E. Burkhead, Drew Conry-Murray, Andy Deane, J.L. Gribble, Donna Lynch, John Edward Lawson, Leland Pitts-Gonzalez, Albert Wendland, D. Harlan Wilson, K. Ceres Wright & Stephanie Wytovich, live music by Stoneburner, and more.
Saturday, October 24 into Sunday, October 25: Exhumed Films' 24 Hour Horrorthon Part IX
One of the highlights of the Halloween season each year is the Exhumed Films Horrorthon. 24 hours of horror movies, mostly from the 70s and 80s, always shown on film (usually 35mm, sometimes 16mm). The films are kept secret until they hit the screen. Vague clues are given at the beginning of the day, but I’ve probably only guessed 3 or 4 correctly in the 5 Horrorthons I’ve attended. This year is the 9th annual event. Who will survive, and what will be left of them?
Saturday, October 31 into Sunday, November 1: A Very Scary Sleepover: Wes Craven’s Halloween Nightmare
And, as if one horror movie marathon wasn’t enough for this city, the Awesome Fest and the Philadelphia Film Society have teamed up for an 11-film tribute to Wes Craven to close out the aforementioned Philadelphia Film Festival. Featuring The Last House On The Left, The Hills Have Eyes, The People Under The Stairs, Scream, and 7 Nightmare On Elm Street movies back to back, this should make for a fun day.