At the Town Hall there’s traditionally a silent film from the horror genre with live organ accompaniment by Nigel Ogden. This year it is Der Golem (1915), described as “a crucial work in the development of the horror movie”.

Classic 1973 horror The Wicker Man is screening at Stirchley pub The British Oak, part of the Stirchley Happenings.

For an alternative to horror films there’s a spoken-word event at Six Eight Kafé. ‘All Hallow’s Read’ from Pigeon Park Press is an evening of open-mic fiction and poetry.

For something completely unrelated to Halloween ‘The Best of BE Festival’ is a touring triple-bill of short theatre pieces, selected from the BE Festival which took place in Birmingham earlier this year. This evening it will be performed at The Public in West Bromwich.

On the filmic side, The Electric are showing Ghostbusters and at the MAC you can see Nosferatu with a live score by the Midlands Fretted Orchestra.

Jumping the gun by a good eight days (if they turned up at my door that early I’d tell them to do one) are KINO 10 with a Halloween Special promising short films with a ghoulish twist.

Also brought to my attention:

• FIRST FRIGHT: a half-term Halloween horror workshop at MAC from First Light
• There’s a screening of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with live organ accompaniment at the Town Hall
• Outer Sight Hallowe’en Super Shock Show at The Edge on Sat 29 Oct

Have I missed anything good?

This is taking place tonight, at Sound Bar from 6pm. The Halloween Monster Movie Challenge gave filmmakers the task of producing a 3-10 minute horror film on a tight budget, with the condition that they must include some form of monster.

They’ve got Darrell Buxton (cult horror film historian) and Owen Tooth (Midlands based award winning filmmaker) in to judge, and will be screening entries from around the country, around with a bit of live music and fancy dress.

• Invisible City‘s final event, Media Circus, takes place on 29 Oct at Fazeley Studios. With entertainment, music, drinks, performances and digital displays, along with the winners of the Invisible City categories to be announced. Fancy dress is along the lines of Victorian Circus.
• CBSO’s Friday Night Classics: Nightmare on Broad Street takes place on 29 Oct, 7.30pm at Symphony Hall, with a pre-concert talk at 6.15.
• Town Hall host a Halloween Silent Movie Special with the 1923 classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame on 31 Oct at 7.30pm.
• Black Country Living Museum are holding Halloween at the Museum on 30 & 31 Oct from 6.30pm – 10pm, with opportunities for psychic reading and trick or treating along the cobbled streets.
• Take a guided tour of Aston Hall, exploring the ghosts and legends on 31 Oct at 7.30pm. Full of spooky surprises, this is not suitable for children of a ‘nervous disposition’.
• Halloween Night at the Museum Collections Centre invites you on a spine tingling trail for a chance to see some of the scariest objects not on general display, join the tour on 29 Oct from 6.30pm – 9pm.

Since Halloween falls on a weekend, it would be a crime to let an opportunity to get dressed up go unmentioned. Most weekend club nights will be welcoming heavy eyeliner and fake blood, on the only occasion where you can get away with wearing a bin liner, here’s a few that stand out;

• Jocko Homo will be hosting The Victoria’s Halloween festivities from 9pm with free entry.
• Face present their Halloween Bash at Cellar Door, the Rainbow, with house legend Emerson Todd.
• Hare & Hounds are holding House of God Halloween Party with horror makeup available on the night.
• Eddie’s Rock Club will be dishing out a free shot for the first 100 people through the door, and a £50 prize to the best dressed.
• The fourth Electric City event at HMV Institute is Spectrum’s Halloween Fancy Dress Special, with Sub Focus and Stanton Warriors live.
• The Curates Egg presents a Halloween special at The Old Wharf on 31 Oct, with live music from Nightingales, The Courtesy Group and Black Carrot.

Plus outfit inspiration is provided by this month’s issue of Area for how to pull off a creepy-but-cool costume, with just the right amount of effort to keep your street cred.

28 October 2009

• Filmrats Halloween special – a multimedia evening of short films and live music. Plus fancy dress

30 October 2009

• Ghost walk at Highbury Hall. £9.95 and you get a jacket potato – can’t say fairer than that.
• An American Werewolf in London at The Electric (and again on 31 Oct)

31 October 2009

• The Phantom of the Opera – 1925 silent film at the Town Hall, with prizes for the best Halloween costume.
• Cherry Pop Peep Show presents The Bare Witch Project. Burlesque, music and magic upstairs at The Victoria.

2 November 2009

• Halloween Monster Movie Challenge 2009. Sound Bar will host the screening of the films submitted for the challenge

I’ve been cobbling this list together over the past few days – further suggestions would be welcome in the comments…