Leaves are changing color, there’s a chill in the air, and November is drawing ever closer. It all means one thing: it’s almost Halloween. And what better way to get into the spooky spirit than by watching a horror movie? Whether campy or bone-chilling, cinema has a definitive place within the season.
My favorite setting to watch a movie is hands down in the theater. For about two hours, I’m freed from the buzzing of my phone and the obligations of my day-to-day life for the story onscreen. Still, going to the theater can be difficult between the effort of getting there and the costs associated with it. If that’s holding you back from getting a cinematic experience, I have some good news. You can watch movies on the big screen for a reduced price right on CU Boulder campus, thanks to the International Film Series.
International Film Series (IFS) is an arthouse cinema program, screening both blockbuster movies and films you may rarely get another chance to see in theaters. It’s a historic part of Boulder culture, attracting students and community members alike since 1941. Its founder, English professor John Sandoe, also helped establish the annual Colorado Shakespeare Festival. It has a fresh schedule of movies curated each semester, which you can peruse on their website or by picking up a physical copy in the lobby of the ATLAS building. Keep an eye on its offerings for special stickers like “35mm,” “Filmmaker In Person,” or, as is most pertinent, “Spooky Cinema.”
Spooky Cinema at IFS takes place the week leading up to Halloween, with a different horror movie each day from Monday through Friday. All showings are in Muenzinger Auditorium at 7:30 PM unless otherwise noted. Admission is eight dollars for CU students (and free for Cinema Studies students!). You won’t have to sit through ads, but for those of you out there who are like me and enjoy watching the previews, show up early for trailers of upcoming IFS showings.
Without further ado, here is the 2025 Spooky Cinema lineup:
Monday, October 27 – Nosferatu (2024)
Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu reignites vampiric creepiness with his interpretation of the 1922 landmark German Expressionist film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s original Dracula novel. In keeping with its source material, this film’s titular vampire is truly monstrous (no Cullens here, sorry!). Still, a star-studded cast (including Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, and Willem Dafoe) will keep your eyes glued to this gothic horror.
Tuesday, October 28 – Bring Her Back
Another recent flick, Bring Her Back is a psychological horror centered on a foster family with a mother involved in occult rituals to resurrect her deceased child. Demonic scares abound, but more harrowing is the tide of grief that undertones the film, explaining (though not excusing) the horrific acts committed. It is also a taste of indie-adjacent work, as its twin directors, Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou, got their start on YouTube before teaming up with A24 to fully realize their cinematic ideas.
Wednesday, October 29 – Sinners
If you missed the theatrical release of Sinners this summer, don’t worry: This vampire is back for another bite. This film is set in rural America and features a predominantly Black cast (starring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twin brothers), a welcome change from the typical tropes of a vampire story. It’s also bursting with music, particularly the blues, as it explores Jim Crow Era Mississippi culture and familial bonds in addition to supernatural scares.
Thursday, October 30 – Friday the 13th Marathon
Take a trip to Camp Crystal Lake and then return to the world of Jason Voorhees and his trademark hockey mask and machete again and again for this night of classic slasher fare. You can count on seeing the original Friday the 13th, and then stick around to see how far into the 13-installment series you can run. But as you may recall from the opening scene of Scream, if you want to see Jason, you’ll need to last at least until the sequel!
Friday, October 31 – An American Werewolf in London
This year’s Halloween night showing will be in the VAC Basement, rounding out the week with a more comedic tone. Director John Landis, known for the hit Saturday Night Live skit-turned-feature-film The Blues Brothers, brings a similar flair to An American Werewolf in London. This monster movie mixes body horror with a dark buddy comedy, with special effects that feel like both tricks and treats.
If you’re looking for a scary movie fix even after Halloween, International Film Series is hosting Musical Oddities Week during the first week of December. Showings include Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (December 1st), Little Shop of Horrors (December 2nd), and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (December 3rd). Mystery meat pies, carnivorous plants, and out-of-this-world scientific creations all await.
See you at the movies!