LAKEMOOR — Scott Dehn’s latest collaboration will bring a decidedly different lineup to the McHenry Outdoor Theater the nights of Oct. 31, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2.
And, for fans of grindhouse- and horror-genre movies — as well as those looking for a unique Halloween season experience — it also will bring a great deal more.
The lineup includes a Halloween triple feature of “High on the Hog,” “Halloweed” and “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” on Thursday, Oct. 31. Then it’s the Halloween Hangover Double Shot on Friday, Nov. 1, when 2003 remake “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” will be followed by a 2010 remake of “The Crazies.” On Saturday, Nov. 2, it’ll be “Gothic Slayers” followed by “Extra Ordinary.” The Outdoor is located at Chapel Hill and Lincoln roads, just east of downtown McHenry.
The triple threat weekend began with Kevin Lockhart, who first met with Dehn last winter. Initially, Lockhart sought an opportunity to screen 2019’s “High on the Hog.” It’s the story of a hog farmer whose finances lead him down the pot farming path, featuring the late horror and action star Sid Haig. Lockhart, writer, producer and owner of the film, had bought and moved into a home just east of the McHenry Outdoor in 2021.
“When I bought the house, I said then, ‘The proximity to the Outdoor is a big selling point for me,’” said Lockhart, who’s been producing off-beat short and feature films for more than a decade. “My goal when I wrote ‘High on the Hog’ was that it was a drive-in movie.”
Lockhart, 63, has numerous connections with others in the realms of horror and grindhouse, the latter a reference to films best known for sensationalistic themes and gritty, over-the-top storytelling. Via Lockhart’s connections, for Oct. 31-Nov. 2, several filmmakers and actors plan to be on hand to meet with Outdoor audiences. Along with himself (Lockhart plans to be present all three nights), other scheduled appearances include:
Oct. 31: Attending will be actors Fiona Domenica, Siarra T. Mong and Joette Waters of “High on the Hog”; and actors Shannon Brown and Jayson Bernard of “Halloweed.”
Nov. 1: Actor Brett Wagner — who portrayed Leatherface in the 2003 remake “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and narrated the popular show “Monster Garage” on Discovery TV, among other projects — will meet fans and, for a fee, sign autographs.
Nov. 2: Meet Ben Getz, writer and lead actor of “Gothic Slayers.”
Additionally, “High on the Hog” editor Ben Lewandowski, currently working on a documentary with Wagner, plans to be there all weekend. Other actors and filmmakers may also appear, Lockhart said, adding that the Saturday night screening of “Gothic Slayers” is an opportunity for filmgoers to enjoy a rare sneak preview.
“This has not been seen in public before,” he said. “Gothic Slayers is more of a ‘Goonies’-type film, potentially a PG-13 movie.”
Dehn said he is offering a $15-per-carload special each of the three nights. A weekend-long carload pass will be available Thursday for $30. And a costume contest for prizes will be under way throughout the three nights.
The Halloween weekend events are just the first of what Lockhart and Dehn envision as periodic future collaborations — possibly under a Cult Classics After Dark subsidiary.
“We are hoping to expand to a new demographic while still maintaining the family-friendly atmosphere we’ve worked to build,” Dehn said.
For other information, visit goldenagecinemas.com, or find the McHenry Outdoor Theater on Facebook.