Monday, November 3rd, 2025
Sacrilegious Cinema: Menagerie of Madness brings out a devilish double feature for the most ardent of cinephiles, focusing on the movie theaters as the obvious setting for the ensuing mayhem- Halloween may be over, but the horror never ends.
First up, at 8PM, we follow a group of film students hosting an electrifying horror-thon at an abandoned theatre, equipped with all the usual William Castle gimmicks of the 1950s (aromarama, shock-o-scope, ect) . But beyond the curtain lurks a killer masquerading behind the silver screen in this underrated pre-Scream whodunnit slasher.
Mark Herrier’s POPCORN (1991) submits an interesting and innovative take for the time, adorned with a believable red herring and an unexpected twist as to the identity of the maniac. Moreover, the killer’s backstory is compelling and fits within the narrative whereas his actions correspond with his past, and even warrant his madness. The characters are not only realistic, but also likable- will Jill Schoelen (The Stepfather) as our natural final girl with a dark and mysterious past she longs to uncover. Tom Villard does a fantastic job bringing this character to life- darkly animated and clearly unhinged- his delivery, and mannerisms are chilling. Although the gore is minimum, the special effects are outstanding and the death scenes shown are not run of the mill. The implementation of dark humor riddled throughout does not detract from the horror element- rather, Popcorn remains sinister without too much comedy to water it down. Come out to experience this underrated hidden gem for yourselves. 
Then, at 10PM, we pay a visit to social reject and film enthusiast, Eric Binford, witnessing his descent into madness as the line between fantasy and reality merge as he begins to lose grip and allows his obsession to consume him. Vernon Zimmerman’s 1980 entry FADE TO BLACK, the titular title named after film technique wherein the screen dims to dark until entirely engulfed, calls back to the Golden Age of Hollywood in Eric’s attempt to reenact scenes from his favorite movies as he becomes further outcasted in order to feed his dangerous infatuations. Played with maniacal menace concealed by a dorky disposition by Dennis Christopher, this early 80’s effort examines the corners of a fractured psyche, heavily featuring an Oedipal relationship between our protagonist and his ‘auntie’ lying somewhere between the realm of Hitchcock’s Psycho and Mommie Dearest with a tug of war in power dynamics, unveiling the origin of Eric’s insanity. 
Get your POPCORN and let’s FADE TO BLACK- this is marriage of movies will tickle any horror fan’s fancy.
FREE popcorn included with a mandatory purchase- no cover charge with a 1 drink (or snack) minimum from the bar.
Remember to try our themed drinks for this week’s cinephile double feature.
(Movie nights offer psychological insight accompanied by behind the scenes information and observations by your horror hostess).