Feverish paranoia and queasy cynicism pervade the horror films of the ‘80s. Directors had a robust cache of public anxiety to draw on: Russian nuclear threats, the AIDS crisis, and the Iran-Contra scandal were just the tip of the iceberg. Slashers, stalkers, mutants, and parasites crept through deep shadows and onto screens, terrorizing innocently sterile families, unsuspecting teenagers, and American audiences. Simultaneously, special effects technology was giving dizzying new dimensions to gooey gore, allowing filmmakers to more effectively plumb the depths of perversion.

Each Wednesday in October, put on a brave face and join us for a selection of some of the most memorably (and delightfully) bloody, oozy, insidious threats in horror history! See small-town, straight-laced America turned inside out and upside down by mocking murderers, demonic curses, and, inevitably… each other. Seattle premieres of new restorations, rare film prints, and more await the audiences that dare to face them.

Programmed by Amanda Salazar and CB Shamah; series description by Paul Siple.