When spooky season approaches, neither snow nor rain nor heat keeps the fiends at beloved arthouse The Belcourt from the round-the-clock gauntlet of gore called 12 Hours of Terror. Not even the gloom of COVID could stop the horror-film marathon — the 2020 installment, presented as a watch-at-home livestream, was a hoot and a half.
It’s become a tradition in my household (and even helped nudge my wife and I together early in our relationship). And it’s back on Saturday, Oct. 19, for its 13th annual run. Tickets are available now to Belcourt members, and any remaining tix will be on sale to the general public Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 10 a.m.
The event runs from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. and features seven features, with maybe a short or two thrown in for gruesome jollies. To heighten the excitement — or “salt the meat,” as It might say — the films on deck will remain secret until each one begins. Expect contests and other crowd participation opportunities, as well as an audience with grim rockers Boo Dudes, Nashville’s own kayfabe kings of Halloween. Along with your ticket, you can also order a limited-edition T-shirt with original art designed by the theater’s own Cody Lee Hardin; the design is unique each year and kept secret till you pick it up at the show, and it’s always a delight.
