Horrible fun at Another Hole in the Head Film Festival

~ Lincoln Spector

I’m not a big horror fan. It’s not one of my favorite genres. Too many movies end with a waterfall of very fake blood. Often, I find myself rooting for the evil monster or the ax-wheeling psychopath.

And yet, cinema has created several horror masterpieces. Consider the original Nosferatu, The Bride of Frankenstein, and Night of the Living Dead. Personally, I like my horror mixed with humor. Here are eight horror films that can make you laugh. They also might make you jump out of your chair.

For the 20th year, SF IndieFest presents The Another Hole in the Head Film Festival. The event will play in theaters from December 1 to December 12 at the Balboa, the 4-Star, and the Roxie.

Here are my reviews of three movies I’ve seen that are playing in the festival.

A- Evil Sublet (2023)
֍ Balboa Theater, Saturday, December 2, 8:00pm

Director in person! This might be the ultimate New York City comedy horror movie. A middle-aged couple finds the perfect Manhattan apartment. Low rent. Even a backyard. But earlier tenants left without packing. Minutes after the wife cleans the bathroom, it’s dirtier than before. Other events are much worse. What can you do to get a good apartment in New York? Sit through the closing credits. They’re worth it.

B The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) with live music by Sleepbomb
֍ Balboa Theater, Friday, December 1, 7:30pm

This important piece of German expressionism is an easier film to admire than to like. The story is conventional–but the visuals make it one of the weirdest commercial movies ever made. The strange design and over-the-top acting keep the audience at arm’s length; the constant intensity can be exhausting. But the atmosphere has a powerful hold. This is a silent film, made more than a hundred years ago. The live music will be performed by Sleepbomb.

F Bloody Bridget (2023), Sunday, December 10, 6:00pm
֍ 4-Star, 6:00pm

Live music and burlesque pre-show! In a few scenes near the end, I thought that this awful flick might rise up good enough to get a D-, thanks to a trial scene done in rhyme. Bridget (Anastasia Elfman), her friend, and sometimes lover do a sexy/violent act in an awful nightclub. After some awful experiences, well…it’s not worth watching – even if you’re a horror fan.

Well, not all horror movies can be fun.

Published by Lincoln Spector

Lincoln Spector writes about cinema, technology, and cinema technology. From 1986 through 2008, he wrote Gigglebytes, the first technology-oriented humor column. From 1977 through 2016, he wrote PC World's Answer Line column and blog.