MADISON TYLER

Maniac looks to bring some intense horror to Dark Bridges.

For three nights each year, the Broadway Theater opens its doors to all things that go bump in the night. From Sept. 26 to 29, hordes of horror buffs, gore lovers and regular old movie goers will flood the cinema to view a series of independent horror flicks hand-picked from countries around the world.

Warning: This festival is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, nor the under 18.

Dark Bridges delights in all things flesh-rotting, limb-severing, blood-spurting and otherwise macabre. If a few decapitated heads and festering wounds aren’t enough to frighten you off, tickets are $10 at the door for individual shows and $75 for a three day festival pass.

The 15 feature-length films playing this year are headlined by the 1968 cult classic Night of the Living Dead. As the spawning ground for modern zombie movies, it serves to set the tone for its modern comrades, who hail anywhere from the US to Lithuania. Some true gems in the lineup are the French cerebral thriller Maniac which stars Elijah Wood as a contemporary Jack the Ripper.

If the thought of the former Frodo Baggins disemboweling women doesn’t tickle your fancy, try Wither on for size. This Swedish tribute to the 1981 classic Evil Dead blows the modern American remake out of the water with it’s campy scares and outrageous gore.

Demonic possession isn’t up your alley either? Perhaps a dose of dark comedy will do the trick — and who does morbid humor better than the British?

Sightseers is what would happen if you were to put Fargo and Shawn of the Dead into a blender. The tale of a romantic getaway gone terribly wrong, the film places viewers in the grey area between tears of laughter and tears of sheer unadulterated terror.

What complements a good slasher movie better than a swarm of stinking, staggering zombies? Better start dusting off that undead swagger, because Saskatoon’s annual Zombie Walk is lurching into its fourth year on Sept. 28.

Frolic, stumble, sway, wobble, slither or crawl alongside your decomposing brethren from the Delta Bessborough to the Broadway Theater and snag some discount movie passes in the process. All creatures of the night will be admitted to the films for just $8, so throw on your best zombie finery and whip out that patented undead moan.

Pretending to be a reanimated dead body isn’t all fun and games, however. There are a set of rules to consider when participating in the Zombie Walk. First and foremost: stay in character. Zombies don’t have functioning brains; they just like to eat them. So put away those cellphones and take the time to enjoy your late afternoon stagger. Also, please refrain from feasting on, lunging at, clutching, clawing or generally terrifying innocent bystanders. The destruction-free zone rule applies to public property as well.

The Dark Bridges Film Festival is guaranteed to be an invaluable experience whether you participate as a zombie, a movie-goer or simply a spectator.

Whether you are a seasoned horror movie connoisseur or just someone with nothing better to do on a Saturday night, Dark Bridges is sure to be a scream.

The Dark Bridges Film Festival creeps onto screens at 7 p.m. on Sept. 26.

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