With the days getting shorter, the temperature getting colder, and Halloween just around the corner, October is the biggest month of the year for fans of horror movies and culture. And in a city like Toronto, where we have a number of awesome rep theatres willing to fill their screens with scary titles like David Cronenberg’s Shivers, a film festival dedicated to genre films, and our very own zombie walk, there is tons of stuff to keep even the biggest horror freak pleased.
Chris Alexander’s Film School Confidential
Fangoria magazine editor Chris Alexander is hosting two nights of his Film School Confidential programme this month at The Revue. First up is the 1979 Lucio Fulci classic Zombie on October 22 at 11:30 p.m. This is a restored and remastered print, and the first 25 attendees will get a free copy of Fangoria. Other prizes will be up for grabs as well.
Alexander’s second screening at The Revue this month (on October 27 at 9 p.m.) is David Cronenberg’s twisted 1975 film Shivers, and it’s FREE! There will also be special guests in attendance and prizes up for grabs.
Toronto After Dark Film Festival
With the final film schedule being announced for the Toronto After Dark Film Festival (October 20 – 27) last week, this year’s fest is sure to be one of the sickest, most fun ones yet. Along with Monster Brawl, Exit Humanity, and Troma’s Father’s Day comes Lucky McKee’s shockfest The Woman, the John Landis-produced horror-comedy Some Guy Who Kills People, and Ti West’s festival darling The Innkeepers. This is one sweet lineup that has us very excited. Visit torontoafterdark.com for more info and to purchase tickets.
Little Terrors Vol. 4: Trick or Treat
Rue Morgue magazine and production company Unstable Ground team up once again to showcase some of the creepiest short films from around the world. For Little Terrors Vol. 4: Trick or Treat a total of nine shorts will be screened with some of the filmmakers in attendance to discuss their work. If you’re looking for some fresh and cool horror bites you won’t find anywhere else, this is the place to be. 8 p.m. on October 18 at The Projection Booth. More info at rue-morgue.com.
Toronto Zombie Walk
If you like dressing up and walking around town looking like a psycho, there’s the aforementioned Toronto Zombie Walk on October 22 at 3 p.m. Register over at torontozombiewalk.ca if you want to partake. Too bad they didn’t combine it with Occupy Toronto as a zombie protest would be awesome.
In Conversation with Guillermo del Toro
The TIFF Bell Lightbox has a special evening with horror director Guillermo del Toro where he will be speaking about his filmography and introducing the 1996 Italian thriller L’arcano incantatore (The Arcane Enchanter). This also kicks of the Lightbox’s week of Halloween programming, which includes such films as A Clockwork Orange, The Innocents, Cronos, My Bloody Valentine, and more. For info and to purchase tickets, visit tiff.net.
More movies please!
On Halloween night the Fox Theatre will be screening the director’s cut of Aliens along with The Shining. The Canadian indie horror Dead Dreams opens at the AMC Yonge-Dundas on October 14. And although not horror per se, The Room is screening on October 21 at 11:30 p.m. at The Royal (and watching Tommy Wiseau is scary in its own right).
Any other horror-related events in Toronto this month we might have missed? Drop us a line at tips@criticizethis.ca or leave a comment below. Happy October!
Top image: A scene from The Woman.
