This weekend, we’ll be heading back into Chicago for this year’s 24-hours of insanity, known as the Music Box of Horrors. This annual event is one that I look forward to every year and it just keeps getting better and better, as well as more popular than ever. The fact that this year’s marathon sold out before maybe even half of the titles had been announced is just insane! That tells me that the Music Box programmers have not only continued to have a solid lineup each and every year, but that they’ve built up the trust of the fans that will buy their tickets right away, not knowing or caring what the lineup is going to be, because they know it will be worth it. This year is no different.

Of course, we will be set up there in the lounge, pimping our usual wares of horror reference books, urging fans to dive deeper into this wonderful film genre that we all love. Might have some new and interesting titles for you to peruse so make sure you stop by our table and check it out. Or, just to say hello and chat. We love nothing more than talking about horror films!

And don’t forget my partner-in-crime and wife, Dawn, will be there with me, with her usual line of unique pillows and tote bags. Trust me, in the wee hours of the morning, a nice comfy pillow in the theater might come in pretty useful. Just saying!

Plus, there will be plenty of other vendors there to tempt your hard-earned money from your pockets, including Severin Films, House of Monsters, Pretty Spooky Handmade, Bric-a-brac Records, Graveface Records, The Horror House, and Cryptic Threads. AND, if you get hungry during this 24-hours of madness, there will be 2 food trucks there at some point during the show, SnakieChan Food Stand and RumbuRoux Food Truck. I’ve gotten some delicious food from RumbuRoux the last couple of years and am looking forward to continuing that tradition!

It’s events like this that make me love being a horror fan. The fact that the Music Box continues to support the genre, with the incredible amount of programming they do for the entire month of October just makes this old man beam with pride, and love for this theater that continues to show support of the genre.

Below is the complete lineup and hopefully we’ll see you there. Make sure you stop by our tables in the Music Box Lounge.

12:00pm – Suspense (1913) – directed by Phillips Smiley & Lois Weber – 10 min. from DCP, featuring a live score by Maxx McGathey with Mollie Rife.

12:20pm – The Spiral Staircase (1946) – directed by Robert Siodmak – 83 min. from 35mm

2pm – The Crazies (1973) – directed by George Romero – 103 min. from 35mm

4pm – Zibahkhana aka Hell’s Ground (2007) – directed by Omar Ali Khan – 77 min. from HDCAM, preceded by Possibly in Michigan (1983) from director Cecelia Condit, from DCP

5:45pm – The Haunted Palace (1963) – directed by Roger Corman – 87 min. from 35mm, which will feature a tribute to Roger Corman

7:30pm – Prom Night III: The Last Kiss (1990) – directed by Ron Oliver & Peter R. Simpson – 97 min. format TBD – Writer/director Ron Oliver will be there in person for a post-film Q&A

9:45pm – The Alchemist Cookbook (2016) – directed by Joel Potrykus – 82 min. from DCP. Director Potrykus will be there in person for a post-film Q&A.

11:50pm – Jaws (1975) – directed by Steven Spielberg – 123 min. from 35mm

2:10am – Hellavator: The Bottled Fools (2004) – directed by Hiroki Yamaguchi – 96 min. from DCP

3:55am – Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) – directed by John Harrison – 120 min. from 35mm

6:25am – Nightmare aka Nightmares from a Damaged Brain (1981) – directed by Romano Scavolini – 99 min. from 35mm

8:20am – Poltergeist (1982) – directed by Tobe Hooper – 114 min. from 35mm

10:30am – The Comedy of Terrors (1963) – directed by Jacques Tourneur – 84 min. from 35mm