Chilling ’80s synths reverberated through the air as a metal-clawed glove stretched toward a crowd of screaming moviegoers at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.
That moment of terror was one of many across the District as local theaters and parks screened spine-chilling thrillers, nostalgic throwbacks and campy, cult classics in anticipation of Halloween. From a sea of Freddy Krueger look-alikes to a stirring rendition of the “Time Warp,” Hatchet reporters ventured out of Foggy Bottom to immerse themselves in the cinematic worlds fitting for the fleeting, final days of October.
“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
Lily Saunders | Reporter
As I arrived at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on Rhode Island Avenue on Oct. 15, I was met with a sea of moviegoers decked out in red and green striped sweaters, fedoras and metal-clawed gloves — homages to Freddy Krueger, the villain of Wes Craven’s 1984 horror classic “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
The film follows Nancy, played by Heather Lagenkamp, as she tries to uncover the mystery behind an undead serial killer who is murdering teenagers in their dreams.
Before the film, Alamo Drafthouse screened one of their signature, curated “preshows,” which presented archival footage from the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise — which boasts nine films — including an interview with actor Robert Englund about the tedious process of transforming into Krueger using special effects. Catching a rerelease of an older film in theaters is always a treat, but the preshow made the screening all the more special.
Between gory special effects, in-your-face jump scares that elicited shrieks from the crowd, a chilling score composed by Charles Bernstein and a young Johnny Depp, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” checks the boxes of a quintessential 1980s horror film.
“Rear Window”
Álvaro Ramal | Reporter
There’s no better way to spend a brisk October night than catching one of Hollywood’s most lauded thrillers on the big screen for its 70th anniversary.
I attended a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film “Rear Window” on Oct. 18 at Miracle Theatre in Capitol Hill, which is showing Hitchcock films through November. The film follows a photographer, played by James Stewart, who uses a wheelchair after breaking his leg and spends his time observing the building next door from his window. After witnessing a possible murder, he descends into an incapacitated madness trying to solve the case.
When I arrived two minutes before showtime, I made my way to my seat, which was fashioned with red rubber and squeaky aging wood. They were the most uncomfortable seats of any movie theater I have visited, and I loved it.
The surprisingly funny thriller enthralled the audience with its pioneering camera movements, like one-take long shots, and, most of all, the striking technicolor cinematography — signature of 1950s cinema. All the jokes landed, earning loud laughs from the audience. The third act’s chaotic climax, in which the suspected murderer finally confronts the protagonist and hangs him off the window, kept everybody at the edge of their seats, too invested to crunch a single piece of popcorn.
“Monsters Inc.”
Noomah Uddin | Reporter
Most Octobers, I’m excluded from hoards of horror film fanatics due to my inability to stomach any movie that is too frightening or gory. During the PumpkinPalooza at NoMA’s Alethia Tanner Park on Oct. 24, I was finally able to enjoy spooky season fun through the screening of the 2001 Pixar classic “Monsters, Inc.”
“Monsters, Inc.” tells the story of Sulley and Mike — two monsters voiced by John Goodman and Billy Crystal — who must race to help a human girl named Boo get home after she sneaks into the titular monster factory.
The air was buzzing with excitement as people and dogs of all ages ran around in costumes for the PumpkinPalooza costume contest. A chihuahua dressed as a lobster zoomed past my feet while I searched for a spot to place my blanket before “Monsters, Inc.” hit the big screen.
As the sky faded to an orange hue, attendees settled onto the grassy field grasping bulgogi tacos and fried oreos from local food stands. Moments later, the Disney logo flashed across the screen, immersing everyone in Sulley and Mike’s misadventures in Monstropolis. The crowd chuckled along to Mike’s musical rendition of “Put that thing back where it came from or so help me” and wiped tears away as Sulley said goodbye to Boo.
Halloween isn’t just for frightening flicks that keep you up at night. The season can also be filled with joy, like a night of dogs-turned-crustaceans and a heartwarming tale of overcoming your fears.
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”
Shea Carlberg | Senior Staff Writer
Penn Quarter’s Landmark E Street Cinema hosted midnight screenings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” throughout October, complete with a performance by the Sonic Transducers — a theater troupe that puts on mirrored performances during screenings of the film — celebrating the interactive cult classic.
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is as cult classic as it gets — a near-incomprehensible movie that follows a young couple as they get seduced into the sex-crazed world of mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
Attendees decked out in gilded garters and corsets, inspired by Susan Sarandon’s Janet transformation, lined up outside the theater before the 11:55 p.m. start of the seductive, drag-filled musical production. Shadow cast members, who act out “Rocky” as the movie plays in the background, swiftly marked my forehead with a lipstick-stamped capital V to signify my Rocky Horror virginity.
The crowd’s infectious energy swept me into the traditional prescreening game — competing against other Rocky Horror virgins to perform the best sex positions and fake orgasms. I was quickly eliminated from the game along with other Rocky Horror virgins when our positions did not fulfill the shadow cast’s expectations, prompting me to mutter “Dammit Janet” about my failure.
Never having experienced the wonder of the satirical classic, I was amazed at how the cast cut through the running dialogue of the film behind them to make their own comments. The movie brims with themes of sexual and queer liberation that the cast brought to life with jokes between the movie’s lines. Like it did for Janet and her boyfriend Brad in the film, madness took its toll at the bubbling cinema.
