Eerie Horror Fest Announces Special Screening Films & Schedule

September 11, 2023 - Erie, Pennsylvania - The Eerie Horror Fest is excited to announce this year's special screenings with additional information from Festival Director and curator John C. Lyons.

George A. Romero Classics

"This year, we're celebrating our new partnership with the George A. Romero Foundation," says Festival Director John C. Lyons. "Ourse zombies play a big part in our opening night activities with the undead classic, Night of the Living Dead. We're thrilled to have NYC-based Morricone Youth performing their original score for the film live on stage. In addition, it's the 50th anniversary of Romero's film The Crazies, so military bioweapons and life in quarantine are also on the menu. The audience loved our live, on-stage commentary for Children of the Corn last year, and the Foundation will provide expert commentary for this one."

Wednesday, October 4:

8:00 PM - Night of the Living Dead (1968) - Not Rated
Introduced by the late George A. Romero's daughter, Tina Romero
With live score performed by progressive rock band, Morricone Youth
A ragtag group of survivors barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the Northeast portion of the United States.

Saturday, October 7:

3:00 PM - The Crazies (1973) - Rated R
With Live Commentary by the George A. Romero Foundation
Christian Stavrakis (Artistic Director), Adam Lowenstein (Professor of English and Media Studies at the University of Pittsburgh
The military attempts to contain a manmade combat virus that causes death and permanent insanity in those infected, as it overtakes a small Pennsylvania town.

Jawsploitation

"To kick things off on Friday, we present animal attacks in a three-pack of Jawspoitation films: Grizzly, Piranha, and Alligator. If you're a fan of revenge-of-nature or disaster flix, these are a must-see."

Friday, October 6:

10:15 AM - Grizzly (1976) - Rated PG
An eighteen-foot-tall grizzly bear terrorizes a state park, leaving it up to a park ranger to save the day.

12:15 PM - Piranha (1978) - Rated R
When flesh-eating piranhas are accidentally released into a summer resort's rivers, the guests become their next meal.

2:15 PM - Alligator (1980) - Rated R
A pet baby alligator is flushed down a toilet and survives in the city sewers. Twelve years later, it grows to an enormous size thanks to a diet of discarded laboratory dogs injected with growth hormones. Now, humans have entered the menu.

Rare, Japanese Home-invasion thriller

"1988's Door by director Banmei Takahashi and starring his wife, Keiko Takahashi, just screened at the renowned Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in a newly-remastered version. Thanks to our partnerships with Blood Oath and Cineverse, we were able to share this very rare and special film with our audiences. This one is layered with themes still relevant today."

Friday, October 6:

4:00 PM - Door (1988) - Not Rated
Newly rediscovered and remastered
After several strangely threatening calls from a local salesman, a homemaker becomes increasingly afraid to answer her apartment door.

Midnight presents new discoveries in Asian cinema

"Midnight programming gives us a chance to test boundaries and delight in some of the more outrageous and subversive elements of the horror genre. Those who stay up late with us, will not be disappointed by the body-swapping thriller, Devils, and the gore-fest, Visitors."

Friday, October 6:

12:00 AM - Devils (2023) - Not Rated
A determined homicide detective is assigned to take down a ring of serial killers; he has a personal motivation as one of the victims is his own brother-in-law.

Saturday, October 7:

12:00 AM - Visitors (2023) - Not Rated
Haruka, Nana, and Takanori visit the house of Sota, a band member who has not given any sign of life for quite some time. The house looks particularly run-down while Sota seems even more strange. As he calmly offers them tea, one of the girls steps into a green goo and transforms into a head-spinning, bloodthirsty demon.

A killer robot

"We're thrilled to have Jenna Davis, the voice that breathes life and humor into M3GAN herself, in attendance this year to introduce the Unrated version of the film and meet our audiences."

Thursday, October 5:

6:15 PM - M3GAN: Unrated (2023) - Not Rated
Introduced by Jenna Davis, the voice of M3GAN
A robotics engineer at a toy company builds a life-like doll that begins to take on a life of its own.

Mark Pellington and The Mothman Prophecies

"Mark Pellington creates stories and images that haunt the viewer. I've been a fan since I first saw his video for Pearl Jam's 'Jeremy.' The Mothman Prophecies is one of those rare films that holds up over the years because of his grounded, emotional approach to the material. I can't be more thrilled for him to screen it with us after all these years."

Friday, October 6:

9:00 PM - The Mothman Prophecies (2002) - Rated PG-13
Introduced by director Mark Pellington
Followed by Q&A with Mark Pellington, hosted by Dr. Rhonda Matthews.
A reporter is drawn to a small West Virginia town to investigate a series of strange events, including psychic visions and the appearance of bizarre entities.
The Eerie Horror Fest takes place at the historic Warner Theatre in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania October 4-7, 2023. For tickets and more information, go to www.eeriehorrorfest.com.

ABOUT EERIE HORROR FEST

The Eerie Horror Fest includes four days of selected short and feature length films, celebrity meet-and-greets, cast and crew Q&As, panel discussions, a vendor hall, and receptions, all in the beautiful and historic Warner Theatre in Erie, Pennsylvania. Our mission is to host trailblazing films and trendsetting filmmakers, provide opportunities to develop knowledge, skills, and relationships, and to inspire all generations of fans and creatives.

Recent guests include John Adams and Toby Poser of Wonder Wheel Productions (Hellbender, The Deeper You Dig), Michael Biehn (Aliens, Terminator), David Naughton (An American Werewolf in London), Carter Smith (The Ruins, Swallowed, Bugcrush), Mark Patton (A Nightmare on Elm Street Part II, Swallowed), Courtney Gains (Children of the Corn, The 'Burbs), John Franklin (Children of the Corn, The Addams Family), John Philbin (Children of the Corn, Return of the Living Dead), and Fritz Kiersch (Children of the Corn, Tuff Turf).

The Eerie Horror Fest is presented by the Film Society of Northwestern Pennsylvania, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.