Halloween marks the time that horror movie junkies can finally come out of hiding. Students who are looking for a thrill Sunday Oct. 18 should grab some popcorn and head to the Ferguson Theatre for a Horror Movie Throwback. 

The festivities will begin at 1:00 p.m. with “Psycho.” Directed by horror legend Alfred Hitchcock, the 1960 film begins when a young secretary steals from her boss and stops for the night at the Bates Motel. There she meets Norman Bates, the young owner of the motel who has a strange interest in taxidermy and a difficult relationship with his mother. This movie includes the “shower scene”, one of the most famous murder scenes of all time and set the stage for a new horror genre of “slasher” films.  

Directed by William Friedkin, “The Exorcist,” is a 1973 horror classic involving the supernatural. The movie is based on a true story and is known as one of the most profitable horror movies ever made. A young priest thinks that a girl may be possessed by the devil and the church sends an expert to “exorcise” the demon. It will begin at 3:30 p.m. 

Based on a novel by horror legend Stephen King, “The Shining” combines supernatural and psychological elements to create a horror film unlike any other. A writer moves his family into a snowy hotel for the winter in order to defeat his writer’s block, but the cold hotel seems to have sinister motives. As the audience watches the main character spiral into madness, they are sure to feel shivers. The film will start at 6:15 p.m. 

The event will conclude at 9:15 with the 1982 Steven Spielberg film “Poltergeist.” This is a film that plays on the nightmares of a child’s imagination. As angry spirits come to life, they begin to take over the house and the minds of the Freeling family. 

Each film is great on it’s own, and sure to put students into the Halloween spirit. The Horror Movie Throwback is hosted by University Programs. The event is free and students can register at upua.tix.com.