Spooky Season has arrived! The weather is cooling down and the colors on the trees are warming up, so it is the perfect time for a movie night in. Here are three of the best light-hearted frights to match the vibe:
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been a pinnacle of campy theater since it first appeared on broadway in London in 1973. The zany characters have continued to inspire generations of queer people all around the world by playing with the concept of gender and sexuality through fashion and action. Now, it is available as a film in two different productions from 1975 and 2016. Frank N. Furter’s character, a queer mad scientist, is the main difference between the two since the original 1975 actor, Tim Curry, was replaced with transgender actor and activist, Lavern Cox, in 2016. The movie follows a newly engaged couple, Janet and Brad, as they navigate the spooky and extraterrestrial home and life of Frank N. Furter and his wild friends. If you are looking for a movie you can sing along with and dance in your living room to, the brilliant music and enticing story of The Rocky Horror Picture Show will fit you perfectly.
Dracula’s Daughter
The 1936 production of Dracula’s Daughter is the perfect fit for anyone looking for some old-timey spook. The film follows the story of Dracula’s daughter, Countess Mary Zaleska, as she attempts to take her life back into her own hands by freeing herself from her vampire roots after her father’s passing. This black and white film features those vintage sounding voices and the era’s progressive attempts at speacil effects that truly transports the audience back in time. This film also plays with gender and sexuality through fashion and action much before many other films were willing to. The nuances of queerness are subtle, but grand camera angles and clothing choices point towards the film’s attempt to incorporate queerness. Actress Gloria Holden, who plays Mary Zaleska, captivates the audience with her eyes that seem to hide a million stories and her true identity as a vampire countess. If you are a fan of old movies with a bit of horror, Dracula’s Daughter is a great choice.
The Addams Family
The 1991 version of The Addams Family is a fantastic throwback, the first production that took the original cartoon to the live action stage. Scandal, spook and sinister personalities clash together to make the story of the fictional Addam’s family come to life. A “long lost family member” returns to the twisted and dark family life and home of the Addam’s family, only to cause them a whole lot of controversy and questions. The film plays with common conceptions of horror through dark humor by positioning the family in contrast with “normal” families and situations that produces a great kind of satire comedy. It covers all sorts of relatable dynamics of family life such as husband and wife, brother and sister, and pets too. The dark humor and riveting ups and downs of the family’s move through drama makes it a perfect funny film for Fall.