Welcome to Public Domain Theater, your home for the wonderful world of films that have (in the United States, at least) fallen into the public domain, and are free for everyone to see!
A stay dog howling in the night. A flurry of bat wings overhead. A mournful wind sending dry leaves skit skat scattering down empty boulevards.
A harvest moon, red as blood in the sky above. A black cat, gazing on you, yellow eyes a’glow. A Jack O’Lantern, jagged grin flickering with candle flame.
Air cold and sharp and filled with scents of things unseen. A hammering pulse – quickened breath – hairs rising to attention across your skin. A stranger’s hand grabbing you in the dark …
October is here, the Season of the Witch, the time of ghosts and goblins and our long countdown to All Hallow’s Eve. In honor of the season, Public Domain Theater is proud to present a pair of spooky offerings to satisfy the Halloweenie in us all.
For our feature film, we have White Zombie, a film that long precedes George Romero’s reinvention of the zombie concept. These zombies aren’t feral, flesh-hungry berserkers, but instead placid slaves, all thought and emotion drained out of them, reduced to tools in the hands of their master, who is the true villain of the tale.
And that villain is none other than Bela Lugosi, in what many consider to be their finest role. Coming out only a year after Dracula, audiences were already prepped to see Lugosi as a man who could ensorcell any victim with their hypnotic gaze, and as the zombie master, Lugosi brings their mesmeric power to terrifying life.
It’s a gripping, suspenseful film … but maybe that’s not what you want. Halloween isn’t just about frights, after all – it’s also about having fun. So if you want something more lighthearted, but still in the spirit of the season – why, we have the debut cartoon of Casper the Friendly Ghost! (titled, appropriately, “The Friendly Ghost”) See our boy Casper set out on their own, make friends, enjoy their first day at school … and try to end it all on some railroad tracks.
Hey, it wouldn’t be a 1940’s cartoon if they didn’t throw in one “is this really appropriate for children?” moment.
So however you like your ghost stories, Public Domain Theater has you covered. Just lie back in your coffins and enjoy the show!
Opening Cartoon:
Feature Presentation: