Scary movies to celebrate Halloween

Halloween is on Friday, so here are some scary movies in the area and facts about them to celebrate:

▪  “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” — This year’s October at the Old Town Horror Festival concludes with a screening of the horror classic, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

And as many turning 40 might do, the film is a getting a touch-up. It has been remastered with a 4K restoration – the original 16mm film reels were digitized into a super-high-resolution digital format with its defects polished up. It also boasts a spiffy remastered 7.1 soundtrack. Like we couldn’t hear the screams before.

The frightening story follows four friends in the countryside who are terrorized by a chainsaw-wielding killer and his family of grave-robbing cannibals. This is the 1974 original, not the lame 2003 remake.

It’s showing at 7 and 10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Warren Old Town, 353 N. Mead, and the festival is a benefit for the LAPP animal shelter. Tickets are $5.

Two film facts:

1. The movie was originally marketed as a “true story.” It’s not.

2. The film is an allegory for the Vietnam War, director Tobe Hooper told Esquire magazine.

▪  “Halloween” double feature — Two doses of Michael Myers for the price of one! John Carpenter’s classic 1978 “Halloween” and its sequel, the appropriately titled “Halloween 2,” will be shown at 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Palace West, 535 S. Ridge Road Circle. Tickets are $3.50.

Two film facts:

1. The character Dr. Sam Loomis is Michael Myers’ psychiatrist. Sam Loomis is also the name of Janet Leigh’s secret lover in “Psycho.” Leigh is star Jamie Lee Curtis’ real-life mother. Small world!

2. The original script was titled “The Babysitter Murders.”

Check theater websites for show times.

▪  “Annabelle” — A young couple with a new baby learn that a vintage doll in their home is possessed.

Two film facts:

1. While the film is a prequel to “The Conjuring,” it’s also inspired by the experiences of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.

2. The “real” Annabelle was a Raggedy Ann doll; the one in the film is porcelain.

▪  “Dracula Untold” — Forget all that other lore, this creates an origin story for the fanged one, following Prince Vlad (Luke Evans), who would ultimately become Dracula and have a hankering for human blood.

Two film facts:

1. The movie was originally titled “Dracula: Year Zero” with Sam Worthington (“Avatar”) attached to star.

2. Vlad is based on Vlad III or Vlad Tepes, which translates to Vlad the Impaler, according to IMDb.

▪  “Ouija” — If you ask me, this is just a big 89-minute ad for the Hasbro board “game.” The story is about a group of friends who awaken the dark powers of an ancient spirit board. What’s the next game-turned-movie? Yahtzee?

Two film facts:

1. Michael Bay (who directed the “Transformers” series) is one of the film’s producers. So let that be your barometer. (So far, reviews have been less than glowing.)

2. The film is rated PG-13. So how scary can it be? (Cue evil laugh.)

This story was originally published October 24, 2014 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Scary movies to celebrate Halloween."