By Matt Mueller Culture Editor Published Sep 27, 2022 at 6:01 PM

Spooky season is in full effect, with lots of costumed pop-up bars and autumnal events announcing their festive presence. But it wouldn't truly be the Halloween season without some scary movies – and the Avalon and Times Cinema will have plenty with their newly announced Shocktoberfest VII horror movie lineup. 

Running throughout October at both the Bay View and Tosa neighborhood theaters, the Shocktoberfest VII lineup will resurrect several horror movie icons back onto the big screen – such as "The Exorcist," "Scream," "The Shining" and, of course, "Halloween." (The original, naturally.) As usual, though, the schedule mixes in some unique picks beyond the traditional spooky season selections, tossing in some hidden gems and cult classics like "Hausu," "The Cell," "Fright Night," "The Descent" and "Thirteen Ghosts."

The lineup also offers creepy choices for all ages and all audiences. Sure, there's plenty for horror heads and gorehounds – but there's also family-friendly frights with "Monsters Inc.," "Hocus Pocus" and the tunnel scene from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" all going "BOO!" back on the big screen. 

Here's the full lineup of horror movies and freaky films coming to the Avalon and Times Cinema this October:

Avalon Atmospheric Theater

  • Thursday, Sept. 29 at 10 p.m. – "Blacula"
  • Friday, Sept. 30 at 9:30 p.m. – "Tremors"
  • Saturday, Oct. 1 at 12:30 p.m. – "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"
  • Thursday, Oct. 6 at 9:30 p.m. – "Hausu"
  • Friday, Oct. 7 at 9:30 p.m. – "The Descent"
  • Saturday, Oct. 8 at 12:30 p.m. – "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?"
  • Thursday, Oct. 13 at 9:30 p.m. – "Thirteen Ghosts"
  • Thursday, Oct. 20 at 9:30 p.m. – "Christine"
  • Friday, Oct. 21 at 9:30 p.m. – "The Cell"
  • Saturday, Oct. 22 at 12:30 p.m. – "Beetlejuice"
  • Thursday, Oct. 27 at 9:30 p.m. – "Killer Klowns from Outer Space"
  • Friday, Oct. 28 at 9:30 p.m. – "The Exorcist" (director's cut)
  • Saturday, Oct. 29 at 12:30 p.m. – "Ghostbusters"
  • Saturday, Oct. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 30 at 9:30 p.m. – "Halloween"

Times Cinema

  • "Predator" – Friday, Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 1 at 9 p.m.; and Wendesday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m.
  • "Night of the Living Dead" – Oct. 1-2 and 6, all at 6:30 p.m.
  • "They Live" – Oct. 7-8 and 13, all at 6:30 p.m.
  • "Scream" – Oct. 7-8 at 9 p.m., Oct. 9 and 12 at 6:30 p.m.
  • "Young Frankenstein" – Oct. 8-9 at 3:30 p.m.
  • "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" – Oct. 14-15 at 9:15 p.m., Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
  • "The Thing" – Oct. 14-16 and 19, all at 6:30 p.m.
  • "Ghostbusters" – Oct. 15-16 at 3:30 p.m.
  • "Fright Night" – Oct. 21-22 at 9:45 p.m., Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m.
  • "The Shining" – Oct. 21-23 and 26, all at 6:30 p.m.
  • "Monsters, Inc." – Oct. 22-23 at 3:45 p.m.
  • "A Nightmare on Elm Street" – Oct. 28 at 4:30 p.m., Oct. 29 and Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m.
  • "Halloween" – Oct. 28 at 10 p.m.; Oct. 29 at 9 p.m.; and Oct. 30 and Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m.
  • "Hocus Pocus" – Oct. 29-30 at 3:45 p.m.

In case that wasn't enough horror, from Oct. 14-16, the Avalon also will host the Twisted Dreams Film Festival, a locally created scary movie celebration showcasing a number of indie horror features and spooky shorts – complete this year with an appearance from horror icon Lloyd Kaufman and other live eerie experiences. For more information on the Twisted Dreams Film Festival, check out the event's website or Facebook page

To purchase tickets for any of the upcoming Shocktoberfest VII screenings, check out the Avalon and Times Cinema's respective websites. And cheers to a chilling time at the movies this October!

Matt Mueller Culture Editor

As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.

When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.