Every year I lament the state of the Halloween horror movie marathon. Sure, networks try (A Friday the 13th here, a Nightmare on Elm Street there), but it almost always feels like an obligation and not the indulgence it should be. What’s Halloween without a proper horror marathon? Thankfully, this year I didn’t have to ask.
How many people have even HEARD of this one?
AMC and TCM have saved my Halloween. Not simply by airing horror marathons, no, but by airing phenomenal horror marathons. AMC’s “Fearfest,” which runs from October 18th to the 31st, started off like every other year. Friday the 13thparts one and two? Imagine that! Even the cable guide description seemed disinterested: “Killer stalks another group of teens.” But then… day two. Night of the Living Dead (1968), The Brain Eaters (1958) & The Funhouse (1981)! Say word?! Anyone who has been paying any attention knows how close Night is to my heart. And The Brain Eaters? What a fantastic left-field choice! It even features a brief appearance by a young Leonard Nimoy, whose name is misspelled as Nemoy in the credits.
Day three: Day the World Ended (1955) & They (2002)! Say word-er?! Could it be? Are we working on a legit, no joke horror movie marathon? Day is a great Roger Corman B-Movie about a scientist battling a mutant after an atomic war destroys most of humanity, and They features one of the most chilling endings I can recall. I won’t bore you with the entire schedule, but suffice it to say, it’s top notch and it all culminates in the premiere of the new, Frank Darabont produced zombie television series The Walking Dead. Can-not-wait.
The Unknown (1927) Forplay ain't easy when you can only use your feet. Or is it easier?
On top of that delicious Halloween sundae sits a nice little cherry in the form of TCM’s late night horror programming. Every Friday they are running Hammer Horror films like Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed! (1969) and The Horror of Dracula (1958), which are always fun, as well as a dearth of silent horror classics like Freaks (1931) and The Unknown (1927). It’s great to see The Unknown in particular as it is, well, relatively unknown. It features a super creepy, armless Lon Chaney Sr. murdering a man using only his feet! So, there’s that.
And now I am a figurative zombie at work because I have been up so late watching literal ones. I have no regrets and I have all of November to sleep.