Home for Horror: Week Two
It’s WEEK TWO of Sleepy Hollow Cinema’s “Home For Horror” at The Lyceum in Tarrytown, and do we have some scares to share!
(Rhetorical question: yes, yes we do.)
Friday, October 23rd’s frights begin at 5pm with the classic Disney THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW (1949) short, the classic animated telling of Washington Irving’s tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman, followed by the first big-screen adaptation of the classic creepy, kooky, and altogether ooky sitcom, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (1991)!
At 7:30pm we get you in the mood for the macabre with Michael Dougherty’s animated SEASON’S GREETINGS (1996) short, followed by Tim Burton’s SLEEPY HOLLOW, a far bloodier and more grandiose adaptation of our local legend than the Disney short, with Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, and Christopher Walken.
At 9:30pm, buckle up for the bonkers ’80s horror film SPOOKIES (1986), with a video introduction by producer and co-writer Frank Farel!
We’re taking Saturday, October 24th off to join revelers in the downtown Sleepy Hollow fun, but will be back in boos-ness on Sunday the 25th at 3pm with the Universal monster classic THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935), preceded by the Disney LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW animated short.
Then at 5:15pm, George Romero’s groundbreaking zombie classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) with the SEASON’S GREETINGS animated short, followed by the ’80s horror/comedy follow-up, THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985) at 7:15pm!
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD was made on a shoestring as a first feature by George Romero and his The Latent Image ad agency compadres, and its small cast, contained setting, and basic idea of undead, hungry zombies who may not move fast, but will stop at nothing to GET YOU struck a nerve in audiences upon its release in the late ’60s.
Falling into the public domain due to a copyrighting mistake, it was screened far and wide, aired on late-night TV, and flooded budget videotape racks, helping it become an icon of the genre, bringing the zombie out of the tropics and onto U.S. soil, leading to numerous sequels and endless knock-offs that persist to this day. Few can hold a candle (or torch) to the original, which still packs a shambling punch.
THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD began as a sequel novel by original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD co-writer John Russo, and was later adapted for the screen and directed by ALIEN writer Dan O’Bannon, a punk rock comedy with ace special effects and a killer soundtrack. They’re back from the grave and ready to party! Lots of laughs and a classic ’80s home video hit!
Why these films?
Barry Sonnenfeld’s THE ADDAMS FAMILY is arguably the best big-screen adaptation of a TV series, expanding the world of the creepy clan with state-of-the-art special effects, dynamic camerawork, and a top-notch cast that includes Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci and Christopher Lloyd, and an MC Hammer theme song.
See my previous blog post about why SLEEPY HOLLOW, but if you have to ask, you may need a map and better hydration…
Join us at The Lyceum, 39 N. Broadway in Tarrytown, as we celebrate The Home For Horror!