Hausu

Tomorrow Theater is bringing back Hausu on Friday, October 31, as part of its annual Halloween tradition. The film is a 1977 Japanese cult classic directed by Nobuhiko Ôbayashi, and it's just as bizarre now as it was when it first came out. It's a genre-defying fever dream that sits somewhere between haunted-house horror, surreal comedy, and pop-art collage, and it's the kind of thing that works best on a big screen with a room full of people.

The story follows a young girl named Gorgeous who, wanting to avoid her father and his creepy new lover, takes six of her closest friends to her aunt's remote mansion. Once they arrive, things go south pretty quickly: a severed head takes flight, household appliances come to life, and a cat portrait seems to harbor an evil spirit. It's a movie that doesn't really follow a straight line, and that's part of the draw. The whole thing is 88 minutes long, in Japanese, and it's the kind of experience that's better described as a mood than a plot.

Since it's a Halloween tradition for the theater, it's a good fit for the date. The film is a cult favorite for a reason, and seeing it in a theater is a different thing than catching it on your own. It's a short run—just the one night—so if you've been meaning to see it, this is the time.

The screening is Friday, October 31, at 7 PM, with doors opening at 6:30 PM. Tickets are $15, and the theater is at 3530 SE Division St. in Portland.