Where to enjoy the ultimate horror movie marathon this Easter

This Easter weekend, you can look forward to back-to-back screenings of Hollywood’s greatest horror and science fiction films on Horror Channel

4 mins read time  |  Written by Anya Shah

When it comes to content that keeps you on the edge of your seat, nothing can rival an enthralling horror or science fiction film, especially when you’re watching one of the classics. From the early adaptions of gothic novels, to 1950s blockbusters that ooze with festering paranoia that’s symptomatic of the times, these genres have a unique ability to keep you gripped until the very end.

And now, thanks to the Classic Marathon Weekend on Horror Channel, you can enjoy back-to-back twisted masterpieces over the long Easter weekend. With that little extra time to indulge in some irresistibly dark viewing, you’ll be able to tune in for a day of blood-curdling horror classics on Saturday 3 April, including one of horror’s greatest tales, The Mummy, followed by hours of the best science fiction classics on Sunday 4 April, like the fascinating It Came from Beneath The Sea. The marathons will start at 1pm on both days.

Are you excited? Here are just some of the highlights you can look forward to...

Tod Browning’s chilling adaption of Bram Stoker’s gruesome tale has set the stage for countless vampire films ever since it premiered in 1931. Starring Bela Lugosi as the mysterious and equally formidable Count Dracula, the plot follows the story of hapless solicitor Renfield (Dwight Frye), who visits the Count’s castle in the fictional town of Transylvania on business.

Although he’s initially drawn in by Dracula’s dark charm, Renfield can’t shake the feeling that something’s amiss, and it’s not long before he uncovers his host’s cruel secret – he’s a malicious vampire who preys on his victims by sucking their blood and then killing them. Renfield must try to escape his evil clutches if he’s to save himself – and others too.

Considered by many to be a warning about letting our hubris get the better of us, Frankenstein explores the murky question of what it means to be human. In James Whale’s absorbing 1931 adaption of Mary Shelley’s novel, Colin Clive stars as brilliant but tortured scientist Doctor Frankenstein, who dares to challenge the boundaries between life and death. After succeeding in using electricity to spark life into his Monster (Boris Karloff), who’s made out of dismembered limbs and body parts, Frankenstein is faced with the gravity of his actions, and rapidly starts to lose his grip on reality.

Karl Freund’s The Mummy has garnered legendary status in Hollywood’s horror archives, and for good reason. This terrifying film is thick with suspense right from the very start, when a group of unwitting British archaeologists stumble upon the mummified remains of the ancient Egyptian prince, Imhotep (Boris Karloff). After reading the scroll that lies beside the tomb out loud, a young member of the team unsuspectingly brings the mummy back to life.

Ten years later, and disguised as a modern Egyptian, Imhotep begins a desperate search for his long-lost love, the ancient princess Anck-su-namun. But, when he mistakenly pursues the striking Helen Grosvenor (Zita Johann), things get out of hand, and rumours about a mummified monster start flying!

Out on a mission deep in the Pacific Ocean, Commander Pete Matthews (Kenneth Tobey) runs into trouble when his submarine is nearly sunk by a mysterious creature. Back at the safety of his base, Dr John Carter (Donald Curtis) and Professor Lesley Joyce (Faith Domergue) use the trapped tissue in Matthews’ vessel to identify the beast as a giant radioactive octopus from the Mindanao deep, who’s gained super-strength from the fallout of nuclear testing. At the same time, several reports of disappearances across the Californian coastline make headline news. After figuring out that the octopus must be behind these killings, the team must race to capture the monster before he claims another victim.

When it was released in 1955, This Island Earth was praised for its eye-popping special effects, which brought supernatural characters to life. Now, more than 65 years later, the film still stands out as one of science fiction’s most innovative takes on what alien life forms may be like. Cal Meecham (Rex Reason) dabbles in these murky waters for himself when he’s granted access to the mysterious Exeter’s (Jeff Morrow) secret programme after solving an enigmatic puzzle. Working with the world’s best scientists to understand how to create and store nuclear power, Cal knows he’s a part of something big – but it isn’t until he notices some of his colleague’s odd behaviour that he starts to suspect his boss is hiding something sinister from them all.

After being exposed to a radioactive mist while on holiday, businessman Scot Carey (Grant Williams) starts to notice that his clothes are becoming a little looser. Over the following weeks he rapidly loses more weight and shrinks in height, until he’s no bigger than the size of a small insect. Doctors are confounded by Scot’s condition, and when the media won’t leave him alone, he decides to seclude himself in the safety of his home.

Here, he must come to terms with this new miniature reality, where everything – especially his spiteful cat Butch – is a threat. With scenes skilfully directed by Jack Arnold allowing the viewer to experience the world from Scot’s perspective, this is a cinematography experience like no other.