Texas fans of Shudder series The Last Drive-In have something to be excited about this Halloween, as Joe Bob’s Spooktacular comes to the Texas Theatre in Dallas.
Joe Bob’s Spooktacular is an overnight celebration of Halloween that has been going on for fours now; prior locations include Pennsylvania, Nevada and Tennessee. For this year’s party, Joe Bob has promised “five and a half” movies will be shown, and as usual, is keeping the titles a big secret for the time being. But, he offered a hint that one is “a William Castle classic that will be presented just as Castle presented it.”
He also says the long-going controversy amongst the Mutant Family about Halloween III: Season of the Witch would be settled once and for all. An audience vote will follow a “spirited debate” about the film, which JB’s costar Darcy the Mail Girl loves (JB himself is not a fan).
What else will fans get to experience at Joe Bob’s Spooktacular?
The 12-hour-long event will also feature an old-fashioned style spook show hosted by Professor Morte, who sports the face of a skeleton. Morte was created by Shane Morton, who has presented the Silver Scream Spook Show in Atlanta, Georgia for nearly 20 years.
Morton moonlights as Production designer for Shudder series The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs. He plans to utilize the Texas Theatre’s past history in the hopes of bringing out the spirit of Lee Harvey Oswald, who was arrested there in 1963. Legend has it his last words as he was being cuffed were, “Well, it’s all over now.” In the years since, people have reported hearing Oswald’s voice repeating that phrase in the projection booth and the rear staircases.
Mortan claims that his attempts to stage the theatre as a venue ripe for haunting activity will “scare the yell” out of attendees at the Spooktacular.
Guests should also be prepared for a costume contest, burlesque performances and Joe Bob and Darcy’s witty banter. Darcy programmed much of the event herself, and says she chose the 1991 film Popcorn as her inspiration. She said she has “wanted to do a Popcorn-style horrorthon since the first time I ever saw that movie.” Now she sees that dream come true on Halloween night.
Texas Theatre manager Barak Epstein is thrilled that his venue is the site of the Spooktacular, and said nothing like this has taken place in Texas since the Texas Stadium Drive-In closed in 1982 (when Joe Bob himself mounted vigorous protests against the closure).
Joe Bob’s Spooktacular begins at 7:00 p.m. Halloween Night, and tickets are on sale now.