If you've ever wanted to test your stamina against seven horror movies in one sitting, Calgary has an event for you. The Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF) is staging its 12-Hour Halloween Horror Movie Marathon at the Globe Cinema, running from 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24 straight through to about 7 a.m. the following morning.
The lineup leans heavily into cult and retro territory, mixing eras and styles rather than just screening slashers back to back. It opens with the 1933 classic The Invisible Man at 7 p.m., followed by Tom Hanks' 1989 suburbia-gone-wrong comedy The 'Burbs at 8:30 p.m. and the 1971 Hammer-style vampire tale Twins of Evil at 10:30 p.m. Once midnight hits, things get weirder: the Japanese metal-body horror Tetsuo: Iron Man at 12:25 a.m., H.P. Lovecraft adaptation From Beyond at 1:45 a.m., Stephen King's Sleepwalkers at 3:30 a.m., and the famously terrible-so-good Troll 2 wrapping things up at 5:20 a.m.
The festival has built the night around keeping you upright. There's a 10-minute breather between each film, the concession stand stays open with hot dogs and soup (burgers appear at the midnight break), a costume contest kicks off at 11:45 p.m., and the bar pours until 2 a.m. Perhaps most importantly, a free breakfast is served before the final film — fuel for Troll 2 at dawn.
Tickets are $25 plus fees for general admission, or $23 plus fees for CUFF members, students and seniors, and that price covers all seven movies. You're free to come and go as your energy levels allow. There's also a limited-edition marathon T-shirt you can pre-order for pickup, with a small number available on the night itself.
The Globe Cinema sits at 617 8th Ave. SW in downtown Calgary. If you're driving, Centennial Parking (Lot 54) behind the theatre on 9th Avenue costs $3 in the evenings after 4 p.m. and $3 on weekend days. Street parking on 8th Avenue is free after 6 p.m., though spots fill up fast during CUFF events. Transit is arguably the smarter call after a horror movie all-nighter — the theatre is about a block from the 6th Street LRT station. CUFF notes that start times are approximate and suggests arriving 15 minutes early if you don't want to miss the opening of any film.
For horror fans, this is one of the better-value nights out you'll find anywhere — roughly $3.50 a movie, plus breakfast and a costume contest. And even if you're just visiting Calgary in late October, it's a fun, low-stakes way to experience the city's indie cinema scene. The real challenge isn't getting a ticket; it's making it through all seven films with your sanity intact.
