Event Horizon is basically Hellraiser in space. Courtesy: Everett Collection
There’s two kinds of horror film enjoyers that crawl out of the earth whenever the calendar page flips to October. There’s the non-judgmental film buff who’s just looking for an excuse to watch the same time-tested, universally beloved spine tingler. Then there’s the insufferable film bro who has to remind you every time someone mentions The Conjuring that they chuckled through the entire 112-minute runtime.
Lucky for both of you, there’s plenty of horror screenings coming to the Front Range this season to scratch that spooky itch. From family friendly classics at the drive-in to a silent German masterpiece accompanied by a chilling live orchestra, you’ll be able to please the buffs and the bros this October.
Drive-in Movies at the Rez. 7:30-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 and Friday, Oct. 23, Boulder Reservoir, 5275 Reservoir Road. $30 per vehicle
Grab your biggest car and your smallest friends: $30 gets you and however many friends you can pack into one vehicle in for a no-frills drive-in showing of a Halloween classic. The lineup is still TBD; check bouldercolorado.gov for details closer to showtime. But the list of potential films includes family friendly picks like E.T. (1982), CoCo (2017), and The Addams Family (1991), as well as more mature offerings ranging from the emotionally scarring The Ring (2002), Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) to the campy Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023), Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016).
Boulder Movie Club: The Blair Witch Project. 6:20-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, Boulder Public Library - Canyon Gallery & Theater, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Free
Ah, the movie that launched a thousand found footage films (and a thousand ‘We swear it’s real!’ dumb-ass marketing campaigns). In this 1999 classic, follow three teens into the Maryland woods as they explore the legend of the Blair Witch. Then follow the movie with your hottest takes on the genre in a group discussion. BYO snacks and drinks, then try to keep them down as you sit through one hour and 21 minutes of the shakiest camera shots you’ve ever seen.
The Shining. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 through Saturday, Oct. 31; Oct. 24 showing is at 4 p.m., Historic Park Theatre, 130 Moraine Ave A, Estes Park. $15
Just up the street from the hotel that inspired it, you can watch all 144 minutes of The Shining in an historical, rumored-to-be haunted theater. Follow Danny on his Big Wheel as he trundles through the twisted halls of the Overlook Hotel. Even bloated naked-lady corpses, creepy twins and elevators full of blood can’t compete with the real horror of this film: an alcoholic, failing-artist father. Perhaps we should be more loyal to one-time Boulderite Stephen King, but Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 take on your 1977 novel is a must see for Colorado horror films.
Spooky Cinema - 35mm: Event Horizon. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, Muenzinger Auditorium, 1905 Colorado Ave., Boulder. $10
RIP Sam Neill. The late Kiwi actor is best known for his role as Dr. Alan Grant (the raptor guy) in Jurassic Park, but his horror chops go beyond the creature feature. This time, Neill’s into space, not dinosaurs, as he travels to the titular ship not seen since its launch seven years ago. Sentient spaceships that feed on fear, time-folding machines, a chaos dimension — Screenage Wasteland critic Bob Cram called it “the most Lovecraftian non-Lovecraft film” he’d ever seen.
Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra: Fritz Lang’s Destiny. 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road. $18
What says “spooky season” better than German Expressionism? Class up your Halloween with this century-old genre standard bearer that first debuted in 1921(!) Set across Persia, Venice and a fantastical ancient China, a desperate young woman confronts Death itself to alter fate and save her fiancé. Adding a score to the otherwise silent film is the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, a traveling five-piece chamber ensemble.
Spooky Cinema: Hereditary. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, Muenzinger Auditorium, 1905 Colorado Ave., Boulder. $10
Even if you haven’t seen this 2018 stunner from Ari Aster, you probably know about that scene — the one Films Fatale puts at No. 15 on the list of 101 scariest film moments of all time. Spoilers shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this terrifying take on generational trauma. Long live the matriarchy.
IFS Underground #28. 10:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Visual Arts Complex - Basement Auditorium (1B20), 1085 18th St., Boulder. Free
While we can’t guarantee this will be a horror film, chances are good the October installment of International Film Series’ secret screenings will have something to interest you. Our only hints come from the online listing: “Expect blood, violence, nudity, and all kinds of depravity,” organizers write.
Pick Your Poison: Movie Scare-athon. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $35-$40
The Dairy becomes a “cinematic playground” for one off-the-wall night. Looking for big titles and crowd pleasers? You’ll find them at the Gordon Gamm Theater. Something offbeat and unexpected? Make your way to the Boedecker Theater. Plus silent films and musical performances in the lobby you can stumble into anytime.
