A 13-hour horror movie marathon lands at Park Ridge's Pickwick Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 10, with films running from 11 a.m. to midnight and two directors greeting fans in person.
The Massacre Horror Movie Marathon, organized by Terror in the Aisles, packs eight screenings into a single day at the Uptown venue. Presale tickets cost $25 at Terroraisles.com. Tickets at the door are $30. Children under 14 get in free with a paying adult.
Doors open at 10:30 a.m.
The day opens with a block of locally produced short films at 11 a.m., followed at noon by the 1910 silent Frankenstein with live organ accompaniment by The Phantom. Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein screens at 12:20 p.m. and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla at 2 p.m.
Two guest directors anchor the afternoon and evening. Chicago-born filmmaker Gary Sherman, known for Poltergeist III and Vice Squad, will introduce a 45th-anniversary screening of his 1981 cult film Dead & Buried at 5:45 p.m. Sherman will also sign autographs and pose for photos at no extra charge.
At 3:40 p.m., director Zach Lorkiewicz presents the Midwest premiere of It Lives in the Screen, a horror film about Los Angeles artists terrorized by a force that calls itself Cupid. Lorkiewicz, whose production company Count the Clock has been making short films since 2013, will also meet fans after the screening.
The marathon closes with The Thing, directed by John Carpenter, at 8:15 p.m. and Halloween III at 10:10 p.m.
The Daily Herald named the marathon among its "Best Bets" for the week. Organizers said the event will raise money for Groceryland Chicago, a Chicago food pantry that serves people living with HIV.
Beyond the films, the day includes live music from the band Death Cat, sets by DJ Lidia Vomito of Release the Hounds Radio, and a vendor market featuring horror art and collectibles. Admission is pay-once, come-and-go for the full run.
The Pickwick Theatre, a 1928 Art Deco movie palace on the National Register of Historic Places, originally seated up to 1,400 in its main auditorium. Tickets and the full schedule are available at Terroraisles.com.
