Blackwood Falls is a Texas town where faith, family, and community reign supreme - until recently married outsiders Richard and Samantha unwittingly disrupt the fragile tranquility. The beautiful Samantha draws the watchful gaze of restless high school boys, leading to a fateful encounter that plunges the couple into tragedy. A shocking act of violence creates unimaginable loss and leads to a wave of ritualistic attacks that threatens to release the small town’s secrets. The killings evoke hooded specters, flaming visions, and unholy judgments that force residents to question their own complicity. Paranoia spreads like wildfire: are these acts divine retribution, demonic forces, or something more human? Their descent into confusion and terror uncovers layers of hypocrisy beneath the community’s pious exterior, building to a confrontation that tests the limits of vengeance and redemption. Followed by a Q&A with the writer/director Craig Meinhart and some cast!

We're celebrating the 'Clue' movie's 40th birthday! Join us for a fun and unique night out watching a beloved mystery on the BIG SCREEN! Festivities will include Whodunnit Bingo, Clue trivia and a COSTUME CONTEST with prizes! 7:30pm Screening & Costume Contest Cinema Salem (1h 37mins) 1 E India Square Mall, Salem, MA 9:10pm Clue Inspiration Story Mini Walking Tour (5mins) 128 Essex St, Salem, MA 9:15pm After Party Old Main St Pub (TBD) 121 Essex St, Salem, MA Film Synopsis: Six guests are invited to a strange house and must cooperate with the staff to solve a murder mystery. Based on the Parker Bros. board game.

A strange prehistoric beast lurks in the depths of the Amazonian jungle. A group of scientists try to capture the animal and bring it back to civilization for study.

Purchase tickets here: https://decibels.eventive.org/schedule/6abd329ad68190e4b7b564a8 They were ordinary teen girls from Fremont NH forced to form a band by their dad – and, thanks to one unlistenable (to some!) album, became icons of outsider art. Austin Wiggin’s mother had prophesied his daughters would become a famous band – so, in 1965, he decided to make it happen. He pulled Dot, Helen and Betty out of school; handed them instruments they couldn’t play; suggested they write songs without the first clue how; and named them The Shaggs. For years, they (occasionally accompanied by younger sister Rachel) endured weekly heckling at local gigs in Fremont, New Hampshire, before recording an album, 1969’s Philosophy of the World. When Austin died in 1975, the sisters could finally live regular lives … until the 90s, when they learned The Shaggs had become a cult band whose tastemaker fans included Frank Zappa, Patti Smith and Kurt Cobain. Their grandmother’s prediction had come true, in the most ironic way possible. One Shaggs evangelist is veteran comedy director Ken Kwapis (Vibes, Malcolm in the Middle). His film explores the strangeness of the sisters’ wildly out-of-tune guitars, eccentric rhythms and unorthodox chords, tracing their path from “the worst band ever” to outsider music stars, while music experts champion their intuitive brilliance. Meanwhile, gentle, bemused surviving Shaggs Dot and Betty muse on the phenomenon they’ve been caught up in. “Custom-built to satisfy both hardcore cultists and utter newbies … Kwapis’ lovely film is able to capture [The Shaggs] as some of the most improbable icons in rock history.” – Variety

Purchase tickets here: https://decibels.eventive.org/schedule/6abd22f2583463608cfb1b98 Decibels Film Festival Opening Night Film: 40 Years of Fuckin' Up is Spinal Tap, but real. It’s a film about the infamous, fairly unfamous, and beloved punk rock band NOFX. This is the unbelievable story about how a group of untalented, drug-addled teenage punks somehow became the most successful independent band in history. And they did it haphazardly all on their own. “Most people wouldn’t be ok with releasing a film that shows footage of getting whipped in their dungeon, or their drug use for the past 20 years, or dressing up like a cheap rubber whore, or the ambulance ride when they were naked while puking and shitting blood… I’m not like most people.” -Fat Mike

Purchase tickets here: https://decibels.eventive.org/schedule/6abd23f1bbea826ace9998c4 Decibels Film Festival Closing Night Part road movie, part communal portrait, Summer Tour rides shotgun with the swirling, endlessly misunderstood world of Deadheads as Dead & Company embarks on its final tour. The film follows Jerry and Annie, a young couple who hit the road to immerse themselves in the vibrant, nomadic community that has long surrounded the music of the Grateful Dead. As they drift from dusty parking lots to packed stadiums, the couple busks, sells handmade clothes on Shakedown Street, and navigates the fragile economy and radical generosity of life “on the lot.” As Jerry and Annie move from city to city, the film weaves a collective oral history from fan call-ins, stories, memories, and roadside reflections that span generations. Blending present-day footage with the mythology and emotional afterglow of the Grateful Dead legacy, Summer Tour captures a uniquely American pilgrimage. The result is a warmly crafted hang-out documentary that serves as a love letter to community, music, alternative lifestyles, and the increasingly radical act of gathering in real life.

Purchase tickets here: https://decibels.eventive.org/schedule/6abd2508df893f49a346040d A serious look into the absurd world of Tight & Nerdy—the first and only burlesque troupe devoted to the music of “Weird Al” Yankovic. Tight & Nerdy is a feature-length documentary that takes viewers on a journey deep inside the world of the first burlesque troupe devoted to rock music’s multi-platinum, Grammy Award- winning misfit, “Weird Al” Yankovic. The origins of Tight & Nerdy are rooted in the story of its founder Pickles Kintaro. Born in South Korea and adopted into a white, Christian conservative family, Pickles stood out in a world in which she wanted nothing more than to blend. Upon discovering the empowering force that is burlesque, she became the leader of the nerdiest group of “strippers” the world has ever seen—surrounding herself with friends that exude the kind of warmth and unconditional love that she did not experience during her childhood. Tight and Nerdy focuses on Pickles and her chosen family—the main members of this unusual troupe: Odessa Lil, the caustically funny daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Mistress Marla Spankx, the shy HR executive with a secret wild side, and Pearl E. Gates, the creatively frustrated day-care provider turned full time burlesquer. Along the way, the performers reveal what happens when people are given the chance to learn how to love themselves and how Weird Al inspires them just by being himself so loudly and so proudly. The film documents the troupe’s travels as they get ready to return to the stage where it all began, giving viewers a glimpse into what drives this niche art form. With themes of female empowerment, body positivity and self acceptance, Tight and Nerdy is aimed squarely at those who have ever felt powerless, bullied, lonely or simply “not enough.” This film ultimately tells the tale of finding connections in a chaotic world, and learning how to accept that which makes one different, all wrapped up in big personalities, over-the-top costumes, unforgettable performances—and a brand-new interview with “Weird Al” Yankovic. Co-presented by Salem Film Festival.

Purchase tickets here: https://decibels.eventive.org/schedule/6abd3437964557c6d023e919 Decibels Film Festival Late Show: We Are Fugazi From Washington D.C is a collection of crowd-sourced, fan-recorded live shows, and rare archival footage that pays tribute to Fugazi’s prowess as a live act—for old fans to remember and for a new generation to discover what they missed. From the director of HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT, this film celebrates the fans and their cameras, as much as the band itself—a collision/collusion of the ephemeral moment on stage and the moments captured on camera. Explicitly billed as a nondocumentary (tHISiSNOTaFUGAZIdOCUMENTARY,) the film pays tribute to Fugazi’s prowess as a live act — for old fans to remember and for a new generation to discover what they missed. This unique archival assemblage celebrates the fans and their cameras, as much as the band itself — a collision/ collusion of the ephemeral moment on stage, and the moments captured on camera. “We Are Fugazi From Washington D.C. shows how thoroughly good they were. Out of step with the worldly, Fugazi won hearts and minds and then tidied up after themselves.” — Mojo

The wife and mistress of a cruel headmaster conspire to kill him; after the murder is committed, his corpse disappears, and strange events begin to plague the two women. This film is critically acclaimed. Its influence can be seen in the work of Alfred Hitchcock in Psycho, William Friedkin in The Exorcist, and others. This encore screening will be followed by a discussion led by Matt Taylor.

The ancient vampire Count Dracula arrives in England and begins to prey upon the virtuous young Mina.

This iconic horror film from 1931 follows the obsessed scientist Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) as he attempts to create life by assembling a creature from body parts of the deceased. Aided by his loyal misshapen assistant, Fritz (Dwight Frye), Frankenstein succeeds in animating his monster (Boris Karloff), but, confused and traumatized, it escapes into the countryside and begins to wreak havoc. Frankenstein searches for the elusive being, and eventually must confront his tormented creation.

War reduced Japan to zero, and Godzilla plunged it into minus. Two years have passed since then, and the country has faced agonizing struggles to achieve recovery and finally reclaim its daily life. Just as humanity managed to cling to a hard-won peace, a new threat strikes, crushing hope in an instant. There is no third time. Everything ends here.

On Halloween night of 1963, 6-year old Michael Myers stabbed his sister to death. After sitting in a mental hospital for 15 years, Myers escapes and returns to Haddonfield to kill.

Start your horror-filled day with Saturday Morning Cartoons, a twisted collection of animated horror, followed by Microdosing Music Videos, featuring horror-themed music videos across all genres. Travel beyond our borders with Otherworldly, showcasing international horror, then celebrate women creatives shaping the genre with Women in Horror. The block closes with a panel discussion about women in the horror industry.

Keep the scares rolling with Fears with Queers, celebrating LGBTQ+ filmmakers and their perspectives on horror. Red, White, and Ew brings chilling, strange, and unsettling stories from across the USA, while Local Love shines a spotlight on New England’s own horror filmmakers. The block concludes with a local filmmaker Q&A panel.

Hocus Pocus on the Big Screen in Salem, Where It Was Filmed. Hocus Pocus was filmed right here in Salem, and you can watch it on the big screen a short walk from where it was shot. By special arrangement with Disney, Cinema Salem is showing the 1993 original all Halloween season. For years the Sanderson Sisters have been casting spells, now see them back on the big screen for a limited time! Conjured up by some unsuspecting pranksters, a tricky trio of 300-year-old witches set out to cast a spell on the town and reclaim their youth. But first, they must get their act together and outwit three kids and a talking cat. Old Town Hall, where Winifred sings "I Put a Spell on You" at the town Halloween party, is a few minutes from our doors. Allison's house is the Ropes Mansion on Essex Street. See the locations during the day, then come in, grab a popcorn, and watch the Sanderson Sisters run amok in the streets you just walked. At about an hour and a half, it fits easily into any Salem visit: a break between the museums and the shops, or a night out after dinner. Rated PG, so bring the kids.

Live Jazz trio

Join our local drag artists for a night of festive af horror! Drag performances lead into a shadow performance of The Shining! Directed by Miz Diamond Wigfall VIP Tickets come with... • Seating in the front 3 rows • A goodie bag • Meet & Greet after the show -------------------------------------------------------------- Stanley Kubrick. Stephen King. Jack Nicholson. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. You know the film.

Starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 returns to a world steeped in moonlit mischief and powerful ancestral magic, as the Owens sisters must confront the dark curse that threatens to unravel their family once and for all in a must-see cinematic event of fun, magic and mayhem.

A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a new killer, who targets the girl and her friends by using horror films as part of a deadly game.

Mary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Dr. Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.

A clever cat brings chaos and mischief to the home of two young children.

A newcomer to a Catholic prep high school falls in with a trio of outcast teenage girls who practice witchcraft and they all soon conjure up various spells and curses against those who even slightly anger them.

Night Light presents a series of classic and contemporary cult films from around the world on the second and fourth Friday of every month. "Here's to devil's night, my new favorite holiday." We're bringing The Crow back for a Devil's Night special screening! To celebrate the end of October, we're also offering discounted tickets - $8 General Admission and only $6 for locals!

Working in Dr. Cranley's laboratory, scientist Jack Griffin was always given the latitude to conduct some of his own experiments. His sudden departure, however, has Cranley's daughter Flora worried about him. Griffin has taken a room at the nearby Lion's Head Inn, hoping to reverse an experiment he conducted on himself that made him invisible. Unfortunately, the drug he used has also warped his mind, making him aggressive and dangerous. He's prepared to do whatever it takes to restore his appearance, and several will die in the process.

Presented by The Spooky Picture Show Written and directed by Wes Craven Starring Brandon Quintin Adams, Everett McGill, Wendy Robie, and Ving Rhames. In every neighborhood, there's that one house everyone avoids… And we’re going inside. When a young boy known as Fool breaks into the home of his wealthy landlords hoping to find enough money to save his family from eviction, he discovers something far more disturbing hidden behind its walls. Beneath the surface of an ordinary suburban house lurks a labyrinth of secret passages, imprisoned children, and a pair of deeply unhinged homeowners who guard their secrets with deadly determination. Equal parts horror, dark comedy, and social satire, THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS remains one of director Wes Craven's most inventive and underrated films. Wild, funny, suspenseful, and surprisingly sharp, THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS is the kind of movie only Wes Craven could make. One minute you'll be laughing, the next you'll be hiding behind your popcorn, and before it's over you'll be wondering how this film isn't discussed alongside his most celebrated classics.

Join us every Wednesday at 7:00 as we present a different film from the golden age of Hollywood, complete with classic adverts and episodic serials, all for only $5! The wife and mistress of a cruel headmaster conspire to kill him; after the murder is committed, his corpse disappears, and strange events begin to plague the two women. This film is critically acclaimed. Its influence can be seen in the work of Alfred Hitchcock in Psycho, William Friedkin in The Exorcist, and others. We'll have an encore screening on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 1pm. followed by a discussion led by Matt Taylor. To buy tickets, see the Nov. 7 listing on our Coming Soon page, cinemasalem.com/coming-soon.

The first rule of Weirdo Wednesdays is that you don’t talk about Weirdo Wednesdays. Doors open at 6:30pm. We start at 7:30pm.