Jamie Neish: Tis the season to be scary

Jamie Lee Curtis in "Halloween H2O" with masked bogeyman "Michael Myers." Pic: Comp

Yes, horror films are released all-year-round, but there’s something about watching them on October 31st that’s grown to become a tradition for many people.

Whether it’s inviting a group of friends round to your flat for a horror film festival or venturing out to your local cinema for one of many blood-curdling themed events, it’s not Halloween without watching a few horror films.

For me, it’s typically Hocus Pocus and maybe the likes of Scream, Friday the 13th or Trick ‘r Treat at home, and then possibly heading to the cinema to see whatever film it out. In years past it’s been everything from Saw to Parnormal Activity.

This year, new horror films are a little thin on the ground. Horns, an adaptation of Joe Hill’s novel from Maniac director Alexandre Aja, stars Daniel Radcliffe in a decent, yet uneven mashup of horror, comedy, fantasy and romance.

Elsewhere, Universal Pictures release Ouija after a successful first week run in America, Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Nightcrawler, a brilliantly seedy psychological thriller about LA’s criminal underbelly, and The Babadook is still in cinemas.

If none of those new offerings meet your expectations, then various cinemas across the Capital are offering up special one-off screenings and events for one night only.

Odeon, on Lothian Road and at Wester Hailes, boast John Carpenter’s seminal Halloween, while Cineworld at Fountainpark are screening The Woman in Black. Filmhouse on Lothian Road have George A Romero’s classic Night of the Living Dead. Or, further up Lothian Road, The Cameo are showing the directors cut of The Exorcist.

Lots then to satisfy even the most squeamish or horror fans.