Halloween at the Hippodrome in Bo'ness

On Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 October, the cinema will present six spooky screenings, concluding with early Swedish horror Häxan (1922) as the finale to the fourth HippFest Taste of Silents season.

Musician Jane Gardner, who will play live with the film showing, said: “Häxan is one of the weirdest and most unsettling films I've seen - thankfully with regular injections of the director’s irreverent humour!

"Drawing from medieval beliefs there are scenes of torture, potion-making, demons, devil worship, a spell which leaves a man unable to close his screaming mouth, and lots more gruesome stuff.

"The final chapter comments upon contemporary treatment of women with mental illnesses whose behaviour or manner would have been regarded as witchcraft in the past.”

Gather the family on Saturday and Sunday morning for a special Halloween screening of Paranorman (2012), a beautifully animated tale of a misunderstood boy who takes on ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse. Saturday morning is the season’s Jeely Jar screening, with 2-4-1 tickets when you bring a bring a clean jeely (jam) jar with matching lid.

Screenings of Paranorman will be preceded by Bench; a short film about sharing… with a twist, presented as part of Glasgow Short Film Festival’s ‘Shorts in Support’ scheme, funded by Film Hub Scotland.

A monster double-bill at 2.30pm on Saturday and Sunday, of two of the most influential horror films of all time - Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

Saturday 30 October sees a late-night film screening of Sam Raimi’s cult horror-comedy Evil Dead 2 (1987): the gleefully gruesome quasi-sequel to Evil Dead.

Evil Dead 2 will be preceded by short film Special Delivery, directed by acclaimed local film-maker John McPhail (Anna and the Apocalypse) and presented as part of Glasgow Short Film Festival’s ‘Shorts in Support’ scheme, funded by Film Hub Scotland.

The Hippodrome’s Halloween activity will conclude with the finale of HippFest’s fourth Taste of Silents season on Sunday 31 October with early Swedish horror Häxan (1922), with live accompaniment from Jane Gardner and Hazel Morrison.

Audiences at Paranorman are invited to wear their creepiest costume to enter the Hippodrome Halloween competition, but fancy-dress isn’t just for kids! Come to the double-bill dressed in a Hammer Horror inspired outfit, or your most gruesome outfit in tribute to the Evil Dead trilogy to be in with the chance of winning free Hippodrome tickets.

The café / bar will be serving a macabre menu of refreshments and the projectionist has a few surprises in store to enhance the ultimate Hippodrome horror experience.

Tickets for the double-bill of Frankenstein/Bride of Frankenstein, and for Evil Dead 2 are are £7.20 (£5.60 for concessions, £4.50 for 16-25-year-olds). Tickets for the HippFest Taste of Silents screening are £10 (£8 for concessions, £4.50 for 16-25-year-olds).

HippFest will return to the Hippodrome for its full festival programme 16 - 20 March 2022.

The Hippodrome Silent Film Festival was launched at the Hippodrome in Bo’ness in 2011 and has since become a key annual event in the cultural calendar, drawing audiences from across the UK. The event is organised by Falkirk Community Trust with key funding from Creative Scotland and Falkirk Council.

For tickets and programme information for the Taste of Silents season visit www.hippfest.co.uk.