The Lords of Salem (2012) - Friday Night WTF!

Arkadin Cinema & Bar is screening Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem on Friday, October 23, from 9 PM to 11 PM. It's part of the Autumn Alchemy at Arkadin series presented by Chaos Magick, so the movie is only one part of the night. Out on the backlot, you'll find vendors and practitioners offering witchy wares, tarot readings, limpias, sound healing, and reiki, along with a chance to learn sigil-making, container spells, and candle magick.

The Lords of Salem (2012) is a plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. It's drenched in a creepy '70s-style atmosphere and follows Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record—a "gift from the Lords"—whose sounds trigger flashbacks of the town's violent past. Most critics dismissed it when it first came out, but it's since earned a cult following for its stunning visuals, dread-inducing tone, and a tripped-out climax of terror. Bloody Disgusting called it one of the best witch movies of the 2000s and one of the best horror films, period.

Between the movie and the backlot, there's plenty to do before and after the screening. The practitioners on site are there for the whole evening, so you can wander through the tarot readings and sound healing before the film starts, or hang out with the vendors and work on your sigils afterward. All ages are welcome, and seats are first-come, first-served, so if you want a good spot, you'll want to get there early. The theater opens 30 minutes before showtime, and tickets are $6.66.