No Halloween plans yet? Have no fear (or have a little bit of fear), because on Friday and Saturday nights the Somerville Theatre, Brattle Theatre and Loews Harvard Square have events for the young, the old and the undead.
Over at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead 2" (1987) kicks off the festivities in classic, horror-film style.
This film follows its hero Ash (Bruce Campbell) as he fights for his life again against zombies and other supernatural forces of evil from a secluded mountain cabin. "Evil Dead 2" proceeds at a frenetic pace with a minimalist plot, but Raimi and Campbell deliver a sick, stylish and fiendishly funny movie in the process.
If 1980s horror doesn't sound like your brand of Halloween candy, Brattle Theatre is also showing "Trick ‘r Treat" (2008) as part of its Halloween double feature. Starring Anna Paquin of "True Blood" (2008) and "X-Men" (2000) fame, as well as Brian Cox from "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004) and "Zodiac"(2007), this film finds Michael Dougherty making his directorial debut with a chilling tale about the origins of Halloween. The film focuses on the inhabitants of one small town who learn the dangers of not respecting tradition on All Hallow's Eve.
At the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, Halloween weekend will boast more than movies. The theater is showing "Paranormal Activity" (2009) and the brilliantly stupid "Zombieland" (2009), but that's just the beginning. On Friday, the Somerville Theatre will present "The Big Broadcast," a two-part radio show featuring Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band and a cameo from Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone.
The first part of the radio show will be "The Frank Cyrano Byfar Hour," which harkens back to the golden age of radio, complete with music and spooky Halloween fun. Afterwards, the Big Broadcast will present an untold story of a supposed 1938 Martian invasion, from Boston's perspective. The tale is to be based on CBS' Oct. 30, 1938 "War of the Worlds" broadcast, narrated by Orson Welles, which caused some listeners to panic because they thought the fictional story about an alien invasion was real.
The Big Broadcast will unveil what happened when the Martians invaded Boston, and how an MIT scientist, a North End mobster and the Massachusetts National Guard were able to deliver the deathblow to the invading aliens.
According to Ian Judge, the Somerville Theatre's general manager, Halloween weekend has brought big crowds to the theater in the past, and he expects a similar turnout this year. "People can get pretty into it," Judge said. "Every year, we have this one group of people that comes in these great elaborate costumes. One year, one of the guys came as a demented butcher, completely covered in blood. It was quite a costume."
For a more audience participation-friendly Halloween, Loews Harvard Square will offer the unforgettable "Rocky Horror Picture Show" on both Friday and Saturday nights. "Rocky Horror" first-timers should beware that the experience is part movie, part performance, and according to Director Gary Coreenbalm, a 100-percent blast. "It's a very interactive performance," said Coreenbalm. "The movie plays on the screen while our actors act the movie out on stage as well. Our regulars will shout out lines, and throw props on stage as well. It really is a lot of fun." But the "Rocky Horror" is not for the shy or the meek. "Before the show we grab a bunch of people who have never been to the show before and have contests on stage," said Coreenbalm. "Whoever wins the various contests gets inserted into our performance of the big wedding scene at the beginning of the movie." Those who want them should grab "Rocky Horror" tickets quickly, because the two big Halloween weekend shows typically sell out every year.
The "Rocky Horror Picture Show" experience takes place at Loews Harvard Square every Saturday at midnight, and the show is never exactly the same. "The nature of the show, the contests we play and such things are all very dependent on who is emceeing that particular night," said Coreenbalm. "Sometimes we have a theme night. One Saturday I remember we had a Star Wars night where we edited the film and the performance and added some scenes from Star Wars. A local group [that has] completely accurate Storm Trooper costumes came to that show in full gear, which was really great."
