It’s October, and this is the time of year when people seem to indulge in their love all things that go bump in the night. Especially if it’s a good old scary movie. Coincidentally, this month the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Universal Pictures. And if you know anything about the early days of Universal you know that that means honoring the inception of the horror genre. Indeed, the Academy has lined up thirteen screenings of the studio’s most iconic horror films.
The first of five "Terrifying Tuesdays" at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater was earlier this month on October 2, when they screened The Bride of Frankenstein and Dracula in a double bill. That was followed by a rarely screened silent horror feature The Man Who Laughs which stars one of my personal favorite character actors Conrad Veidt (best remembered for playing the mean Nazi leader in Casablanca). However, you haven’t missed all the fun just yet. The Academy is making an extra special effort to celebrate the season Saturday, October 27, with a "Horror Double-Double Feature" at Oscars Outdoors and the Linwood Dunn Theater before the series wraps up on Halloween Eve with Lon Chaney in the ultimate silent freight film, The Phantom of the Opera.
In conjunction with the series, the Academy will launch a new Grand Lobby Gallery exhibition titled "Universal’s Legacy of Horror: A Centennial Celebration." The exhibition will feature rare posters, stills and other artifacts celebrating Universal’s distinctive contributions to the classic horror genre and the studio’s founding a century ago. These exhibitions are quite extensive, so be sure to show up early enough to have the time to peruse all there is to see. No doubt you’ll want to spend some time after the movie taking a second look at what’s available to admire.
The full lineup happens at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills (90211) and the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood at 1313 Vine Street (90028) as well as the Academy’s outdoor facilities just off Vine in Hollywood. Note that tickets will not be available at the box office. You have to get them ahead of time online. Tickets are available for the extremely reasonable price of $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with valid ID. Doors open one hour before screening time, so get there early to be sure to get the seats you like. You can order tickets online by using the image above right as a link.
A partial lineup includes The Birds on October 23 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater at 7:30 p.m., Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein in a double bill with The Ghost and Mr. Chicken at the Linwood Theater October 27 at a 2 p.m matinee, and The Incredible Shrinking Man and Tarantula on October 27 at sundown at the Oscars Outdoors facility in Hollywood. Be sure to catch at least one of these specially scheduled events. You won’t be sorry and you’ll get to enjoy the spirit of the season with some of the greatest spook filled films ever produced for the silver screen. Happy Halloween!