This Weekend, Cheap Thrills at KC Theaters

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As Halloween approaches, two Kansas City theaters will give horror fans’ wallets a break this weekend with multiple revival marathons.

Pairing two of the movies’ best science-fiction-horror hybrids, the Screenland Tapcade has planned a double bill of 1979’s essential Alien and John Carpenter’s 1982 remake of The Thing. Although the former spawned several breakneck—and a few drowsy—sequels, the original Alien is an unrivaled genre mashup. It blends the slow-burn suggestion of haunted-house spookfests with the slimy shock of monster movies, then blasts the whole thing into a hyper-sexualized void. “In space, no one can hear you scream,” went the ads—Tapcade, though, might be a little noisier. Carpenter’s The Thing is just as cold, calculating, and claustrophobic. And while its fixation on special effects—maybe less convincing than Alien‘s but far kookier—distracts, there’s a lot to recommend here. (The blood-test scene is ingenious.) The two-for-one plays Friday and Saturday night.

Since the holiday falls on a Saturday this year, the Screenland is making the most of next weekend with two off-site parties.

But the Alamo’s big night comes a week early. Dismember the Alamo, the theater’s first-annual Halloween triple feature, is this Saturday. The surprise, 35mm-heavy lineup will only be revealed when festivities begin at 2pm, but trust me: it’s a doozy. It’ll all be topped with a costume contest, special guest, prizes, and a host of tricks and treats.

And because Halloween only comes once a year, don’t miss Mondo’s presentation of Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness tonight at 10pm or Brian DePalma’s operatic puberty nightmare Carrie this Sunday at 7pm. (Both at the Alamo.)

Come back Monday for more on next week’s special screenings.

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