Catch these killer horror classics in OKC theaters in October

Last Updated on October 3, 2023, 10:45 PM | Published: October 3, 2023

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October means Halloween and Halloween means horror movies.

It’s just as simple as that.

As ever, the studios are rolling out lots of brand new scare fare for the month, with everything from a new “Saw” entry to a big screen adaptation of the beloved “killer mascot” video game “Five Nights at Freddy’s” to yet another new “Exorcist” sequel that no one asked for.

But even if these new offerings prove capable of pleasing the gorehounds and horror junkies, it’ll always be the stone-cold classics that reign over the Halloween holiday, and this year, OKC theaters are rolling out some of the genre’s most legendary films on the big screen.

Odds are you’ve seen many of these before on late-night cable or on VHS at a sleepover, but if you’ve never had the pleasure of catching these iconic horror hall-of-famers with a rabid theater audience, the way they scream to be seen, then here’s your chance.

“Universal Classic Monsters” – Oklahoma City Museum of Art – October 19th through October 28th

Speaking of “iconic,” there’s nothing more indelible in the annals of Hollywood horror than Universal’s classic lineup of legendary monsters, and this month, OKCMOA is presenting them all on the silver screen once more.

Over ten days, the museum’s Sam Noble Theater will bear witness to Bela Lugosi’s “Dracula,” Boris Karloff in “Frankenstein,” “The Bride of Frankenstein,” and “The Mummy,” Lon Chaney Jr. in “The Wolf Man,” and Claude Rains in “The Invisible Man.”

Together, these films practically created the entire language of horror cinema and gave us the now-timeless images for these undying monster icons.

If you’ve never experienced the classic charm, the undeniable fun, or the thick, palpable, and groundbreaking visual atmosphere of these films, this month is the perfect time, and OKCMOA is the perfect place.

For showtimes, tickets, and more, visit okcmoa.com.

“The Last Man on Earth” – Rodeo Cinema – October 6th

Thanks to the retro cheeseball classic “The Omega Man,” and a hammy, ill-adapted Will Smith vehicle, plenty of moviegoers know the title of horror maestro Richard Matheson’s literary vampire masterpiece “I Am Legend.” Few, however, know the finer points of the story or what truly makes it a genre landmark.

Arguably the only film to ever really “get” Matheson’s original rumination on societal inversion and the true nature of monstrousness itself is 1964’s “The Last Man on Earth,” and that’s because the screenplay was mostly written (under a pseudonym) by Matheson himself.

Sure, the inimitable Vincent Price is almost definitely miscast here as the exhausted everyman who finds himself the last living human after a plague has turned the world population into mindless, zombie-like vampires. And yes, it’s low-budget and steeped in 60s cinematic melodrama. And yes, it largely omits the science and psychology that make the book an unbeatable look at fear, paranoia, and guilt even now.

But until there’s a better, modern adaptation that actually nails the nuance and psycho-social brilliance of Matheson’s novella, “The Last Man on Earth” will remain the best film version of “I Am Legend,” if only because it actually gets the ending (more or less) right.

For showtimes, tickets, and more information, visit rodeocinema.org.

“Friday the 13th” – ShowBiz Cinemas Edmond – October 13th

How can you pass up the opportunity to see “Friday the 13th” on an actual Friday the 13th, and in the middle of October, no less?

This 1980 blockbuster helped launch a slew of horror tropes into the collective moviegoing mind, including the spooky sleepaway camp, the cast of disposable, promiscuous, partner-exchanging teens, and of course, the seemingly supernatural slaughterer born, allegedly, from the waters of the cursed Camp Crystal Lake.

This original installment of the ubiquitous series actually follows a more compelling, mysterious plot than you might expect, with a third-act revelation that’s still bound to be a bit surprising to newcomers, even if they think they already know everything there is to know about the franchise’s iconic killer.

Don’t expect to see the series’ trademark hockey mask, though. That didn’t show up until later entries.

For showtimes, tickets, and more information, visit showbizcinemas.com.

“Halloween” 45th Anniversary  – Harkins Theatres Bricktown – October 31st

No film could be better viewed on Halloween Night than “Halloween” itself.

Celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, cinematic iconoclast John Carpenter’s 1978 horror hit defined the slasher genre, drawing the blueprints for almost every masked killer movie that has come since.

But, as is par for the course with Carpenter, especially in his 70s and 80s heyday, his original “Halloween” was far from another throwaway gorefest, instead favoring slow-burn pacing and deliberately built suspense. 

As he masterfully cuts perspectives between Jamie Lee Curtis’s increasingly terrified, but increasingly strong, Laurie Strode and the unstoppable force of murdering psychosis that is the faceless Michael Meyers, we see the creation of the two most enduring archetypes of modern American horror.

Pretend all of the sequels, reboots, and endless rehashes don’t exist, and spend your Halloween reliving the original in all its gruesome glory.

For showtimes, tickets, and more information, visit harkins.com.

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