They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re all together ooky, the Herald Halloween arts preview! Blood, bats, and pets dressed as bats, what more do want from a Halloween activity?
Roger Corman: King of Cult, now through Oct. 24, Brattle Theater
The producer/director didn’t invent schlock horror, he just perfected it, re-perfected it, and then re-re-perfected it. While Corman has plenty of directorial credits to his name, he may be best known as giving a couple of generations of filmmakers their first chance to helm a feature — see Francis Ford Coppola and Penelope Spheeris. To get at his aesthetic, just take a look at some of the titles the Brattle is showing: “Chopping Mall,” “Galaxy of Terror,” “The Slumber Party Massacre,” and “Slumber Party Massacre II.” brattlefilm.org
“Simon Says,” now through Oct. 27, Larcom Theater, Beverly
Do we embrace love or retreat into fear? That simple question sits at the center of Mat Schaffer’s play. Around the question orbit other ideas, stranger ideas: faith and fate, past lives and psychics, the belief that there are no accidents. A perfect play for the season of spirits. thelarcom.org
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with Nell Campbell, Oct. 25, Emerson Colonial Theatre
With a bit of a mind flip… You’re into a time slip… And nothing can ever be the same. Let’s do the time warp with Nell Campbell again. The original Columbia from the film, Campbell stops by Boston for a screening with a live shadow cast and all the audience participation you know, love and dread. emersoncolonialtheatre.com
Doggone Halloween Costume Parade, Oct. 26, Downtown Crossing
Who doesn’t want to see pugs dressed as pumpkins, vizslas dressed as vampires, and basset hounds dressed as bats? The 5th annual parade is free to enter and starts at noon. All good dogs (and good owners) are welcome to enter and compete for Best Costume, Scariest Costume, Best Human and Dog Duo Costume and Most Creative Costume. downtownboston.org
BRPM Halloween Show, Oct. 26, Warehouse XI, Somerville
Volunteers with Boston Raising Powerful Musicians are throwing a daytime benefit for the BRPM musical education organization. Eleven bands will do micro sets full of covers from X Ray Spex to Alanis Morrisette. Kids karaoke between the sets! Check Facebook for details and get involved at raisingpowerfulmusicians.org
Wolf’s Pumpkin Bash: An Unexpected Mardi Gras(ish) Jamboree, Oct. 30, Lizard Lounge, Cambridge
Who do that voodoo you love so? Why the Legendary Vudu Krewe, of course. The local, well, legends, put on a New Orleans rhythm and blues party like no others. As they say, “It’ll be the day before the day before the day before the Day of the Dead, so dress opportunistically. You know what to do.” lizardloungeclub.com
Skalloween. Oct. 31, The Rockwell, Somerville
Skank your way through All Hallow’s Eve with the oddest set of bands covering the oddest set of bands. How odd (and wonderful)? Skaleton Crew does Skank Against The Machine, Battlemode as Limp Bizkit, Pink Slip is Less Than Jake, the New Limits become the Interrupters, and Please Excuse My Enemies does Streetlight Manifesto. therockwell.org
Werewolves, Witches, and Zombies on the Criterion Channel, online
All October, the Criterion Channel streams collections of horror (and horror adjacent) films. There’s a package of movies that chronicles make-up and special effects before CGI that runs from 1931’s “Frankenstein” to 1968’s “Night of the Living Dead” and 1981’s “An American Werewolf in London” through 1986’s “The Fly.” A coven of witches cast creepy spells from the silent era to the new millennium including “Rosemary’s Baby,” “The Crucible,” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” A new wave of Japanese films scared the heck out of a whole generation; join the generation with modern classics such as 1998’s “Ring” and 2002’s “Ju-On: The Grudge.” criterion.com
