Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk hosting spooky screenings throughout October

SANTA CRUZ — Do you like scary movies? Throughout the month of October, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk will have opportunities for spooky entertainment as it resurrects its annual Fright Flicks movie lineup on Wednesdays.

Whether it is creepy doppelgängers, masked murderers or vengeful spirits with knives extending from their gloves, all four of these movies are centered around slasher villains, so for those who want to get their adrenaline pumping this season, this is one way to do it.

Kicking off the lineup Oct. 1 is a staple of Fright Flicks screenings: Jordan Peele’s “Us.” Not only has the 2019 film about a vacationing family terrorized by a gang of lookalikes been praised for its blend of horror, dark humor and social commentary, it has an added element of intrigue of Santa Cruz residents: it has several scenes shot around town. Viewers should instantly recognize views of East Cliff Drive, Main Beach and the Boardwalk itself, making it the ideal venue to see this new perennial local favorite.

Getting back to the question posed at the beginning of this article — Do you like scary movies? — the Oct. 8 screening will be of the film that asked exactly that: 1996’s “Scream.” Wes Craven’s slasher film about a masked serial killer targeting a group of high schoolers who use their knowledge of past slasher films to survive was a big hit upon its release, reviving the horror genre and spawning five sequels with another scheduled for February 2026. Feel free to bring your friends along for a screening of the film that started it all, but if you need to take a break for any reason, do not tell them “I’ll be right back.”

The slasher train keeps rolling Oct. 15 with one of the genre’s most iconic films: “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Also directed by Craven, the 1984 film introduced the world to Freddy Krueger, a murderous spirit who invades teenagers’ dreams and kills them. It set the stage for one of the most popular horror franchises of all time, yielded six sequels plus a 2010 remake and also provided the first film role for a young Johnny Depp. It is a screening that definitely will not inspire any pleasant dreams.

Following a one-week break, the screenings will conclude Oct. 29 with a screening of “Halloween.” The 2018 sequel to the legendary 1978 slasher film of the same name sees Laurie Strode, played again by Jamie Lee Curtis, still living in fear of Michael Myers, who is being transferred to a maximum-security prison following four decades at a psychiatric hospital. When Myers escapes, Strode has to confront him on the 40th anniversary of Myers’ Halloween massacre.

There will also be snacks available for purchase, a full bar with signature drinks, inflatable chairs available on a first-come, first-served basis and themed giveaways for the first 50 attendees of each screening. People may attend the screenings in costume, but weapons, masks and offensive symbols or gestures are not permitted. Attendees may not bring outside food or beverages.

All screenings are 8 p.m. Wednesdays at The Grove, located next to the Boardwalk’s Casino Arcade at 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz. Doors open at 7. There is a $15 entry fee that includes one hosted drink ticket. Screenings are for ages 21 and older, and identification will be checked at the door. For information, go to Beachboardwalk.com/boardwalk-fright-flicks/.