The Crimson Ghost a.k.a. Cyclotrode 'X' (1966) w/ Misfits music videos pre-show presented by Strange Brew

Arkadin Cinema & Bar is screening The Crimson Ghost on Wednesday, October 21, as part of the Strange Brew cult film series. The main feature starts at 7 PM, but if you're a fan of the Misfits, you'll want to get there early: there's a Misfits music video pre-show running from 6:30 PM. Programmer Jon Scorfina will introduce the film before it rolls.

The Crimson Ghost started as a twelve-chapter film serial from 1946, produced by Republic Pictures. It follows criminologist Duncan Richards, played by Charles Quigley, as he tracks a hooded villain known as The Crimson Ghost. The Ghost is after the Cyclotrode X, a device capable of disabling all electronics. What you'll see on screen is Cyclotrode X, a 1966 re-edit that compresses those twelve chapters into a single 100-minute television film.

For a lot of people, the movie is best known for what it left behind: the Crimson Ghost's skull visage became the inspiration for the mascot of horror punk band The Misfits, the image that's appeared on dozens of their albums, singles, and t-shirts. If you've seen that skull on a shirt but never seen the film it came from, this is your chance to see the original in context.

The screening is presented by Strange Brew, St. Louis's long-running cult film series, which took home the 2025 A-List Award for Best Movie Night in St. Louis. Tickets are $9, the Misfits pre-show kicks off at 6:30 PM, and the movie follows at 7 PM.