Water Cooler: Get spooked on Kanopy
If you’re a Spokane Public Library member, here are a few of the spooky films you can stream for free on Kanopy to get you in the perfect Halloween mood.
“Day of the Dead” – The third and final entry of George A. Romero’s undead trilogy. In a last attempt to understand and fight the zombie apocalypse that has now spread across the globe, a team of scientists takes refuge in an underground research facility to study the flesh-eating monsters and see if there is a way to control and domesticate them. Directed by George A. Romero. Starring Joseph Pilato, Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, Sherman Howard and Gary Howard Klar. 1985. R. 101 minutes.
“Prom Night” – A masked killer stalks a high school senior prom in search of four teenagers who were responsible for the accidental death of a classmate six years ago. Directed by Paul Lynch. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Leslie Nielsen, Casey Stevens, Anne-Marie Martin, Antoinette Bower and Michael Tough. 1980. R. 92 minutes.
“Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” – An adaptation of the famous novella, “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” by Robert Louis Stvenson. This silent film is one of the United States’ earliest horror films, telling the terrifying story of a London physician who explores the frightening duality of man upon consuming a new formula that transforms him into a homicidal maniac. Directed by John S. Robertson. 1920. Not rated. 80 minutes.
“The Vampire Bat” – In an old European village, a strain of corpses found drained of blood leads the townsfolk to suspect vampirism is to blame. Directed by Frank R. Strayer. Starring Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray and Melvyn Douglas. 1933. Not rated. 63 minutes.
“The Visitor” – The fate of the universe hangs in the balance of a battle between a demonic 8-year-old girl and an intergalactic warrior. This cult classic is known for its bizarre entertainment value. Directed by Giulio Paradisi. Starring Glenn Ford, John Huston, Lance Henriksen, Mel Ferrer, Paige Conner, Shelley Winters. 1979. Not rated. 109 minutes.
“Nosferatu the Vampyre” – Jonathan Harker journeys to the far away Castle Dracula to sell him a house in the town of Wismar for the Count’s relocation. In this eerie telling of the Dracula story, Dracula is a pale ghoul, far away from the charm Dracula is often portrayed with. Dracula notices the photo of a woman, Harker’s wife. Upon his move to Wismar, Dracula seeks out the woman he has become obsessed with. Directed by Werner Herzog. Starring Bruno Ganz, Carsten Bodinus, Dan van Husen, Isabellle Adjani, Jon Groth, Klaus Kinksi and Martje Grohman. 1979. PG. 107 minutes.
“Summer of 84” – What better time to be a 15-year-old with no cares in the world than the summer of 1984? This nostalgia ride turns sour after the neighborhood conspiracy theorist Davey Armstrong raises suspicion that his police officer neighbor may possibly be the serial killer the town has been searching for. Davey and his three friends set out to find the truth. Directed by Anouk Whissell, François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell. Starring Caleb Emery, Cory Gruter-Andrew, Graham Verchere, Judah Lewis, Rich Sommer and Tiera Skovbye.
“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” – A phenomenon is spreading across San Francisco. One by one, residents are turning into an almost robotic, unfamiliar version of their former selves. Health department employees Matthew and Elizabeth begin to investigate and uncover the harrowing truth. Alien life is abducting humans and growing new versions of them in mysterious pods stashed across the city. Directed by Philip Kaufman. Starring Brooke Adams, Donald Sutherland and Jeff Goldblum. 1978. PG. 116 minutes.