The Harris Theater has some post-holiday treats for horror fans with the latest rendition of its Januscary Film Festival, a showcase of classic and new films, as well as a little comedy mixed in.
From Fri., Jan. 6-Wed., Jan. 11, the historic Downtown theater will screen six films, including a special Abbott & Costello Double Feature hosted by Sean Collier of Pittsburgh Magazine.
Joseph Morrison, the programming and venue manager of the Harris Theater, says in a release that, while audiences may think of horror icons like Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, or the Wolf Man, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, who performed as a popular comedy twosome throughout the 1940s and 1950s, also made major contributions to the genre.
Two of those contributions, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy, will play on Sun., Jan. 8 at the theater.
“The legendary comedy duo left a huge mark on the comedy scene and pioneered many techniques of both stand-up and movie comedy,” says Morrison. “They also helped save not only their own careers but the longevity of Universal Monsters as well. I am beyond excited to bring this and the other great horror films to the Harris as a part of Januscary.”
The docket also includes titles from a diverse array of creative voices and perspectives. Slash/Back draws on Indigenous shapeshifter folklore with the story of Canadian Inuit teenagers who, according to a synopsis, “go toe-to-bodysnatched-toe with alien invaders who’ve slithered into the skins of local policemen and wildlife.” The film marks the feature debut of Inuit director Nyla Innuksuk and stars a cast of young Inuit actors.
Latino and Hispanic voices define a good portion of the festival with the anthology Satanic Hispanics and Huesera, a Mexican pregnancy horror film directed and co-written by Michelle Garza Cervera.
Also playing is Kids vs. Aliens, a full-length spin-off of a short from the V/H/S franchise, and Thrust!, described as a low-budget exploitation film featuring "a dystopian world run by girl gangs.” The Thrust! screening will also feature a Q&A with writer and director Victor Bonacore, who will be in attendance.
Januscary Film Festival. Showtimes vary. Fri., Jan. 6-Wed., Jan. 11. Harris Theater. 809 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $9-15. Abbott & Costello Double Feature free for kids 12 and under. trustarts.org
Januscary screams into the Harris Theater with classic and new horror films
