The Wexner Center for the Arts will host a horror movie screening event, “The Sound of Screaming: Early Horror Films,” throughout October. Credit: Katie Good | Lantern File Photo
October is here, and so is the undeniable anticipation for Halloween.
With many popular horror flicks being released within the last few decades, “early horror” — a subgenre of 20th-century films often inspired by Gothic literature and classic horror novels — is often overlooked. The Wexner Center for the Arts is working to change that with “The Sound of Screaming: Early Horror Films,” a three-night event that begins with screenings Wednesday and Thursday and ends with two more screenings Oct. 31.
According to the center’s website, Wednesday’s screenings will include 1932’s “Island of Lost Souls” — which follows a trapped sailor stranded on an island with an insane doctor — and “Murders in the Rue Morgue” — which depicts a crazed scientist who kidnaps a woman for his experiments.
Thursday’s showing will feature “The Mystery of the Wax Museum” — a 1933 movie in which a reporter investigates a suspicious string of murders — and 1932’s “Doctor X” — another reporter-focused film with murder at its core, according to the center’s website.
On Oct. 31, the center will show 1932’s “Freaks” — which sees a circus trapeze artist hatch a sinister murder plot — and 1931’s “Dracula” — which follows a vampire searching for victims in a London estate.
The event aims to shine a light on lesser-known horror films and expose more audiences to the early horror genre, said Dave Filipi, the center’s director of film and video.
“We really wanted to try to show something that people haven’t had a chance to see, something that would be a little bit different,” Filipi said. “We thought it might be interesting to give people the opportunity to see the roots of some of these horror films, going back close to 100 years.”
According to the center’s website, all of the selected films were released between 1931-32, during the Pre-Code era of cinema, which was “a time known for more frank depictions of sex, violence, social ills and general weirdness.”
Filipi said modern horror would not be what it is today without the influence of the Pre-Code era films that paved its way.
“A lot of the techniques and tropes of the horror genre were set very early on during this time period, and filmmakers would continue to use them for decades after,” Filipi said.
Filipi said he thinks the “Sound of Screaming: Early Horror Films” event is an ideal opportunity for film fans to learn more about this special genre, as it will allow them to connect the dots between modern-day and early horror.
“Horror movies largely got their start in the early part of the 1930s with incredibly influential films whose ripple effects can be seen today,” Filipi said.
Melissa Starker, creative content and public relations manager at the center, said showcasing less acclaimed films was a conscious choice made by staffers. She said the center not only wants to educate attendees, but also offer viewing experiences that stand apart from other Halloween film screenings around Columbus.
“We hope we’re a welcoming gathering space, that we’re a place where you can see things that maybe you haven’t seen before, maybe you didn’t know existed, and they not only provide entertainment, but also something to think about, something to talk about with friends,” Starker said.
Starker said she hopes this event allows attendees to participate in purposeful conversations surrounding the world of horror.
“What the [center] does really aligns with the mission of Ohio State,” Starker said. “Our goal with these types of screenings is to create meaningful conversation and connections among viewers.”
More information about “The Sound of Screaming: Early Horror Films,” including information about purchasing tickets, can be found on the Wexner Center for the Arts’ website.
Tickets cost $5 for Ohio State students, $10 for the general public and $8 for Wexner Center members and adults 55 years and over.
