Halloween and horror movies go together like eyes of newt and toes of frog, and this haunting season many of Austin’s cinemas and film freaks are hosting special seasonal scary screenings.
PANIC AT THE PARAMOUNT
Kicking off, suitably, with the slasher that started it all, Friday the 13th, the Old Lady of Congress Avenue celebrates Halloween with five nights of classic and contemporary horrors. There’s something for all the family with Hocus Pocus, but there’s also a decidedly adult double bill of Pearl and X, the first two parts of Ti West’s planned trilogy starring Mia Goth. And, of course, how could the season be complete without the movie that built the Texas film industry and made road trips just the little bit scarier: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
The Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. austintheatre.org.
Oct 13: Friday the 13th; 28 Days Later presented by Hyperreal Film Club
Oct. 14: Hocus Pocus; Pearl and X in 35mm
Oct. 15: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night; [REC]
Oct. 19: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Oct. 23: It Follows
VIOLET CROWN CINEMA
The Violet Crown becomes the Violent Crown with some horror faves all October, including two very special events. On Oct. 15 the lights go down for the first night of the Roxy Horror Picture Show, with horror host Roxy Midnite introducing Demons (read more about that in this week’s issue), while on October 26 Austin-based screenwriter C. Robert Cargill will be on hand for a special screening of his breakout chiller, Sinister.
Violet Crown Cinema, 434 W. Second. austin.violetcrown.com.
Oct. 13: Friday the 13th
Oct. 15: Demons
Oct. 17: Drag Me to Hell
Oct. 24: The Exorcist
Oct. 26: Sinister
Oct. 31: Halloween
PHANTOM FEST
Austin’s celebration of Halloween begins with a classic in a seemingly unexpected location that may be the most perfect imaginable: a 50th anniversary retrospective screening of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist at the Central Presbyterian Church. (Although the pairing is not that weird, if you remember that, in 2015, that same church hosted a special night of musical tribute to Italian horror master Lucio Fulci by composer Fabio Frizzi, complete with ghoulish projections.)
The night will include a special intro and tribute to director William Friedkin, a very special guest to greet you, plus limited edition merch including a special poster from horror art icon Gary Pullin, and We Luv Video will be on hand.
Oct. 21, Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Eighth. phantomatx.com.
BLUE STARLITE MINI URBAN DRIVE-IN
Can there be a more perfect setting for a scary movie than a drive-in? Even with all the modern automotive safety features, can there really be anything creepier than watching the light flicker over the shadows, and wondering who or what is lurking behind the screen? Luckily, Austin’s own drive-in chain has not one but two locations that will make you want to keep the dashboard light on.
Blue Starlite Central I-35, 500 VFW. blustarliteaustin.com.
The Addams Family Oct. 13
Beetlejuice Oct. 21-22, 26-31
Bram Stoker’s Dracula Oct. 14, 18, 21
The Craft Oct. 13, 21, 27
Evil Dead II Oct. 27-28
The Fog (with live fog) Oct. 16-17, 20, 23-25
Friday the 13th Oct. 13
Halloween Oct. 21, 27, 30-31
Hocus Pocus Oct. 21, 26-31
The Lost Boys Oct. 14
Teen Wolf Oct. 14
The Thing Oct. 13-14
Trick ‘r Treat Oct. 13, 20, 30
Young Frankenstein Oct. 14, 18, 22, 29-31
Blue Starlite Downtown, 300 San Antonio. blustarliteaustin.com.
Alien Oct. 14, 20
Beetlejuice Oct. 20-21, 27-31
The Craft Oct. 18
Friday the 13th Oct. 13
Ghostbusters Oct. 19
Ghostbusters: Afterlife Oct. 19
Halloween Oct. 21, 27-31
Hocus Pocus Oct. 14, 18, 26, 28-31
Shaun of the Dead Oct. 29-30
Young Frankenstein Oct. 31
TERROR TUESDAY
The Alamo Drafthouse is no stranger to horror, not least because its weekly Terror Tuesday series has been a fixture for nearly two decades. So this is the perfect season to join one of Austin’s most beloved traditions of terror, not least because this spooky season they’re screening two of the most important films in the fearful franchise synonymous with the season: John Carpenter’s original Halloween, and Rob Zombie’s wild, weird Halloween II.
Alamo South Lamar, 1120 S. Lamar. drafthouse.com.
Oct. 17: Lurkers
Oct. 24: Halloween (1978)
Oct. 31: Halloween II (2009)
DISMEMBER THE ALAMO
Terror Tuesday not enough for you? Really want to be glued to your seat in fear? Then the Drafthouse and the American Genre Film Archive have just the terror-packed marathon you need in Dismember the Alamo, a mystery bundle of obscure shriekers from the archives, all shown in 35mm.
Sat. Oct. 28, 2pm, Alamo South Lamar, 1120 S. Lamar. drafthouse.com.
WE LUV VIDEO
Austin’s own physical media resurrectionists have launched their own special series with Garth Manor, “The Horror Section,” showcasing some deep cuts from their massive archive. However, that’s not the only Halloween offerings in their new screening room, as there’ll be a special night of 1922 horror/witchcraft documentary Häxan with a live score.
We Luv Video, 100 North Loop. weluvvideo.org
Oct. 13: Friday the 13th Part III in 3D and Thirteen Ghosts
Oct. 14: Häxan with live score
Oct. 19: Darkness
Oct. 26: Night of the Demons
AFS CINEMA
It’s twins of evil at Austin’s arthouse destination with two series of Halloween-themed programming. Big Screen Classics turns to the dark side with four stone cold masterpieces regardless of genre, while AFS’s latest programming strand, Fright Club, continues to introduce younger audiences to frights with Jacques Tourneur’s Cat People.
And if you want to make this a Halloween to remember, the No Budget No Problem double bill with the American Genre Film Archive promises two nearly lost classics come back from the grave.
AFS Cinema, 6259 Middle Fiskville. austinfilm.org.
Big Screen Classics
The Shining Oct. 13-15, 18-19
The Omen Oct. 26, 28-29
The Exorcist Oct. 27, 29, 31
Poltergeist Oct. 28-29
Fright Club
Cat People Oct. 20, 22.
No Budget No Problem Horror Double Feature
Mausoleum and Frightmare Oct. 31
This article appears in October 13 • 2023.
