Scary Movie(s)
CinemaSalem serves up horror series as part of Haunted Happenings
By Rebecca Schoonmaker , Staff writer
Salem News
Take a break from the madness on the streets and escape to the safety of CinemaSalem - if you dare. The theater is offering a series of horror flicks this month as part of Haunted Happenings, a monthlong slate of scary events leading up to Halloween. See classics like "The Shining" and "Rocky Horror Picture Show" on the big screen, as well as family flicks like "Edward Scissorhands" and "Beetle Juice."
"We kind of wanted to do something where we could look back at the horror genre and find some of the classics," said CinemaSalem Manager Kereth Cowe-Spigai. "And we wanted to have something that families could do, so we picked out a couple Tim Burton movies." This is the first year CinemaSalem is hosting a scary movie series. Last October, the cinema still was in its first year of operation, but now that it's established, Cowe-Spigai said, they decided to take a stab at it.
"People who have been in and seen the ads seem really excited about it," she said. Show times range from afternoons to midnight. Some screenings will be accompanied by discussions.
Prior to the Saturday, Oct. 20 showing of "The Exorcist," for instance, Michael Blatty will visit the theater for a question-and-answer session. Michael Blatty is the son of William Peter Blatty, who wrote the book on which the movie is based. On Oct. 27, Salem State College drawing professor Haig Demarjian will talk about writing and producing "Die You Zombie Bastards" after the movie is shown. Cowe-Spigai hopes showing Demarjian's flick will become synonymous with Halloween at the theater. "We'd like to start a local tradition of 'Die You Zombie Bastards' on Halloween night," she said.
The spooky series kicks off next Friday and runs through Halloween.
Man behind the monsters
Rob Fitz of Derry, N.H., wrote, directed, and produced the flick "God of Vampires," which will be shown at CinemaSalem on Halloween night. The film has been screened at festivals across the country. Fitz, who's also a movie makeup artist, will stop by for a question-and-answer session after the screening. Prior to his visit to Salem, hear his take on Halloween and horror films.
Q: Where did you shoot "God of Vampires?"
A: We shot in Salem, N.H., Haverhill, and Boston.
Q: How long did it take?
A: We started in 2001 and finally finished this year.
Q: And you'll be on hand at the Salem screening?
A: On Halloween, I'm going to be in Salem anyway. I do makeup on the street outside the Magic Parlor (psychic shop on Essex Street). I make fangs for people.
Q: How do you make the fangs?
A: They are made out of thermal plastic that's nontoxic. I can mold them to your teeth. It's appropriate that I make fangs for people and sort of turn them into vampires all these years while I've been making this movie about vampires.
Q: Have you always been a fan or horror movies?
A: Yeah, ever since I was a little kid.
Q: What is your favorite one of all time?
A: The 1979 "Dawn of the Dead." I rented a VCR for my birthday when I was like 11, and a watched it, and it blew me away. That's when I said, I want to do this.
Q: What is your favorite horror movie character?
A: I like any zombies and vampires. I mostly like the monsters.
Q: Makeup-wise, what makes the best monster?
A: I think to be frightening and disgusting. I like grossing people out. I don't want to be subtle at all.
Q: Do you ever get grossed out by it?
A: No, not at all.
Rebecca Schoonmaker
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