From Cradle to Crypt, A History of Horror Films

If you are looking to get into the Halloween spirit and learn about the history of horror film, this is your year to hit up big-screen October showings in the Tristate region. Between these four events, you can get the full range of horror film history and genres.
It’s Alive: The Horror Film Is Born
Horror got its start in the silent era. The Bardavon in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., is hosting a screening on Oct. 29 of what some call the very first (and in my opinion, still scariest) horror film: “Nosferatu,” released in Germany in 1922 and the U.S. in 1929.
This first film version of the Dracula mythos was an unofficial and unauthorized adaptation of the 1897 novel by Bram Stoker; the names of the characters had to be changed for the film.
Although truly terrifying, “Nosferatu” is also beautiful. It uses shadow and light to create an atmosphere of mystery and foreboding. It was one of the first films to use special effects to create an impossible monster, one that can only exist on the screen. This movie shows where it all started with horror movies and is a must-see for anyone interested in not just horror but film in general.
“Nosferatu,” directed by F.W. Murnau and released in 1922, will be shown on Friday, Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m. at Ulster Performing Arts Center, on Broadway in Kingston, N.Y., with live organ accompaniment by John Baratta.
All seats are $6, Bardavon members are free. There will be costume contests, photo booths and more. Go to www.bardavon.org for information.
Romance and Gothic Terror
Moving forward chronologically through film history, the Kent Memorial Library in Kent, Conn., is offering weekly showings of “vintage horror” on an outdoor screen this month.
Featuring movies from the 1930s and early 1940s, the library’s film choices (curated by Ben Rybeck from House of Books) offer a Gothic and atmospheric lineup of black-and-white classics. These films may be less gory and shocking than modern horror — and are therefore good for all ages.
But they are also important moments in film history; and they offer a different type of horror than the modern viewer is used to: the slower build of terror, a reliance on an atmosphere of creepiness full of cobwebbed and candle-lit castles dancing with shadows and foggy, moonlit nights — rather than kill counts and jump scares.
There is also the romance of the Gothic monsters. Unlike the modern horror slashers who are stoic, silent juggernauts of strength who kill single mindedly, the Gothic villain is psychologically complex — and often even sympathetic.
“Dracula” was shown on Oct. 7. Next in the series is “The Old Dark House” on Oct. 14. This 1932 release is a lesser known black-and-white horror film by James Whale — best known for directing “Frankenstein” and “Bride of Frankenstein.”
This film was recently featured on the Criterion Channel’s collection called Queersighted Horror (Queer Fear). Whale’s own sexuality has caused many of his films, including “The Old Dark House,” to be re-analyzed through the lens of queer subtextual themes in pre-code Hollywood.
Whale’s films set a precedent for the horror film as a place for the outsider, “the othered,” to find comfort — which is why horror films are often so closely entangled with queer sensibility. After that is “Cat People” on Oct. 21; and another Whale film, “Bride of Frankenstein” Oct. 28.
The free outdoor movies at the library begin at 7 p.m. Blankets, chairs and cozy apparel are encouraged. Registration is not required but is helpful, kla-bmcallister@biblio.org.
Three Decades of Horror
The Millerton Moviehouse in Millerton, N.Y., has an October lineup that covers the history of modern horror through the decades. Manager Casey Lehman has curated a list that spans three different decades, starting in the 1960s and ending in 1990.
Each film is one that was influential on horror as we know it today — both their story themes as well as their cinematic techniques used to instill fear.
The series started on Oct. 6 with Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film, “Psycho.”
The feature on Oct. 13 and 16 was “The Bird with the Crystal Plumage,” representing the “giallo” genre from Italy in the 1970s that, while lesser known in the States, has been hugely influential on the aesthetics of modern horror worldwide.
The two remaining films this month are both based on Stephen King novels.
Representing the 1980s is Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” which remains one of the most beautifully shot and psychologically complex and terrifying horror films, with legendary acting from Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. Don’t miss the chance to see it on a big screen on Wednesday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 23, at 9 p.m.
Finishing the Moviehouse lineup is “Misery” from 1990. Kathy Bates won an Oscar for her performance as a crazed fan of the novelist main character, whom she traps in her isolated home during a snowstorm. The COVID-19 isolation of the past two years will add to your appreciation of this film’s claustrophobic suspense.
See “Misery” on Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 30, at 9 p.m. For more information and to order tickets go to www.themoviehouse.net.
And at Last: It’s ‘Halloween’
Arrive in the cinematic modern day at the Four Brothers Drive-In in Amenia, N.Y., with a double feature: the brand-new “Halloween Kills” and “Halloween” from 2018.The two most recent installments in the long-running Halloween franchise, started by John Carpenter in the 1970s, these two films are slick and modern but with plenty of homages to their horror history — and Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her role as the Final Girl.
There are other activities that evening as well. For information, go to https://playeatdrink.com and www.blackholemonoplex.com/HOLEAWEEN.
The case of Jacquier vs. Camardi is expected to continue at Torrington Superior Court the week of Sept. 15.
NORTH CANAAN — A pair of Democratic Town Committee (DTC) candidates are seeking legal recourse to ensure they are included on the ballot this November despite errors on the party endorsement slate.
Plaintiffs Jean Jacquier and Carol Overby brought the case against defendant Marilisa Camardi to Torrington Superior Court, which held an evidentiary hearing Friday, Sept. 12. Testimony from both sides aimed to explain the situation to Judge Ann E. Lynch.
At the July 22 DTC caucus, Jacquier was endorsed as the party’s candidate for town clerk and Overby was endorsed to run for Board of Finance.
The next day, DTC chair and caucus secretary Chris Jacques filed the full endorsement slate and State Election Enforcement Commission (SEEC) documents to Assistant Town Clerk Marilisa Camardi. But the slate was missing information: Jacquier and Overby were not assigned to a specific office or term.
"I am a rookie at this," Jacques said on the witness stand. "I suppose I just didn't look at it closely enough."
Jacquier testified that she was not wearing her glasses while filling out her information on the official endorsement slate and “made a clerical mistake.”
Overby was not called as a witness.
Camardi testified to noticing on July 24 that the form was missing information and, after cross referencing the accompanying SEEC documents, filled in the blanks herself. It was established during the hearing that making clerical corrections on forms is within proper protocol for a town clerk.
On Aug. 7, however, First Selectman Brian Ohler alerted the Secretary of the State’s (SOTS) office that the original document was incomplete. (Ohler was not present at the Sept. 12 hearing.)
SOTS Election Officer Heather Augeri reviewed the slate as it was originally submitted. Per the filing, she responded that the endorsements were not properly certified and therefore void. Augeri advised Camardi remove both nominees from the ballot.
Jacquier testified that since the Aug. 7 correspondence she has had several phone calls with Augeri, who she described as a friend. Jacquier said Augeri relayed the same message to her: “She said it’s not valid.”
Camardi is the acting town clerk in North Canaan, though she is technically Jacquier’s part-time assistant. Jacquier is the current, four-term elected town clerk but has not reported to work since February following a dispute between her and the first selectman. “I did not resign. I did not quit. I just left,” Jacquier testified. “I couldn’t stand the turmoil.”
Plaintiff attorney John Kennelly said the SOTS office has no statutory authority to rule on issues relating to municipal party endorsements. Kennelly claimed that as the acting town clerk, Camardi is the sole individual responsible for finalizing and certifying the town election ballot.
Kennelly asserted that if Camardi was informed through the SEEC documents of which offices Jacquier and Overby were endorsed for, then Augeri’s advice should be ignored and the two candidates should be eligible to run in November.
Camardi said she was waiting to finalize the ballot until the court makes its decision.
After nearly three hours of testimony, Judge Lynch referenced a similar case, Airey vs. Feliciano (2024), in which Connecticut Supreme Court ruled to reject an improperly signed petition sheet. Lynch requested briefs from each attorney by Monday, Sept. 15, and planned to continue the hearing that week.
Aradev LLC’s plans to redevelop Wake Robin Inn include four 2,000-square-foot cabins, an event space, a sit-down restaurant and fast-casual counter, a spa, library, lounge, gym and seasonal pool. If approved, guest room numbers would increase from 38 to 57.
LAKEVILLE — The public hearing for the redevelopment of Wake Robin Inn is over. Salisbury Planning and Zoning Commission now has two months to make a decision.
The hearing closed on Tuesday, Sept. 9, after its seventh session.
Michael Klemens, chair of P&Z, had warned at the opening of the proceedings that “this might be a long night” due to a last-minute influx of material from experts hired by Wells Hill Road residents William and Angela Cruger to oppose the project, but this turned out not to be the case.
These 11th hour submissions set a sour tone to the start of the meeting, with commissioner Robert Riva stating that it was “not very professional to pull this stunt on this Commission.” Riva said he had diligently reviewed the already substantial documentation provided by both the applicant and the opposing experts, and was surprised to find a “dump” of additional information submitted just hours before the meeting’s start time at 6 p.m.
Tensions were quickly eased, however, when William Cruger offered his concise summation of his platform’s opposition to the expansion, which is the second iteration of the project after an earlier version was withdrawn late last year.
“It’s important for you all to hear from me that there was never any disrespect intended to the Commission, the commissioners, and to the process,” Cruger said. He defended the last-minute submissions as an effort on the part of the experts to be thorough in their analysis: “Our intention… has been and remains to do our best to get whatever we think will be helpful in your deliberations into the record.”
The Crugers formally entered the hearing process as intervenors for the first application from Aradev LLC, the applicant, in the fall of 2024, meaning they and their hired consultants had full party status in the hearing proceedings. During this cycle, however, they chose not to petition for intervenor status, yet during this round of hearings their role has been similar. Klemens described them as having “almost intervenor status — not quite.”
William Cruger summarized the consultant’s findings for Aradev’s revised application, noting they found it to be “virtually identical in scale to the previous proposal.”
“Our position is that the proposed expansion would absolutely negatively impact the usefulness, enjoyment and value of the surrounding properties,” he said.
Aradev’s attorney Joshua Mackey countered by saying that the special permit conditions would elevate the currently non-conforming hotel in the zone, describing it as a “community asset that is improved, regulated, and safeguarded for generations to come.” He characterized Aradev as “the next steward of this storied property.”
After Mackey and Aradev co-founder Steven Cohen concluded their remarks, Klemens closed the hearing with no public comment, which he had stated would be the case at last week’s hearing session on Thursday, Sept. 4. Klemens said that P&Z will begin deliberating the proposal in early October after the commissioners have had the chance to review the information in the record.
A total of 45 letters, including the Crugers’ experts’ testimony, were submitted since the Sept. 4 meeting alone, alongside hundreds of pages of application materials and additional testimony.
As the Commission deliberates and reviews, all of this information is available for public viewing on the “Meeting Documents” subpage under P&Z’s section on the town website, www.salisburyct.us.
The Commission must issue a decision on the application by Nov. 13, the end of the statutorily defined deliberation window.
COPAKE — Judith Marie “Judy” Drury, 76, a four-year resident of Copake, New York, formerly of Millerton, New York, died peacefully on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, at Vassar Bros. Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, New York, surrounded by her loving family and her Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Judy worked as a therapy aide for Taconic DDSO in Wassaic, New York, prior to her retirement on Feb. 1, 2004. She then went on to work in the Housekeeping Department at Vassar Bros. Medical Center for several years.
Born Jan. 2, 1949, in Richford, Vermont, she was the daughter of the late Leo J. and Marie A. (Bean) Martel. She attended Roeliff Jansen Central School in Columbia County, New York, in her early years. Judy was an avid sports fan and she was particularly fond of the New England Patriots football team and the New York Rangers hockey team. She enjoyed spending time with her family and traveling to Florida, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania for many years. She was a longtime parishioner of Faith Bible Chapel of Shekomeko on Silver Mountain in Millerton as well.
Judy is survived by two brothers; John Martel and his wife, Jane of Falls Village, Connecticut, and Frank Martel of Ancram, New York; her sister, Susanna “Sue” Martel of Copake, New York; and three generation of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Judy was predeceased by her brother, Leo W. Martel, Sr. of Poughkeepsie, New York, and her sister, Helen J. Slater of Hillsdale, New York; her sister-in-law, Karen Martel of Ancram and a special nephew, Jacob Stickle of Copake.
A visiting hour will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Faith Bible Chapel, 222 Silver Mountain Road, Millerton, New York 12546. A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. Pastor William Mayhew will officiate. Burial will follow at Irondale Cemetery in Millerton, New York. A celebration of Judy’s life will be announced at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, New York 12546.
Memorial contributions may be made to Faith Bible Chapel, 222 Silver Mountain Road, Millerton, New York 12546 or American Cancer Society, 45 Reade Place, Poughkeepsie, New York 12601. To send an online condolence to the family, flowers to the service or to plant a tree in Judy’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com
AMESVILLE — Jeremy Dakin, 78, passed away Aug. 31, 2025, at Vassar Brothers Medical Center after a long battle with COPD and other ailments.
Jeremy was a dear friend to many, and a fixture of the Amesville community. There will be a service in his memory at Trinity Lime Rock Episcopal Church on Sept. 27 at 11 a.m.
Below is the obituary Jeremy himself wrote:
Born July 20, 1947, Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
A resident of Salisbury, Connecticut for over 75 years, he graduated from UVM in 1970, at which time he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a German translator (“It just seemed like a better idea than learning Vietnamese”), and served two years in West Berlin.
Returning to Vermont in 1973 he began a 16-year gig as a ski shop manager and a professional ski patroller, which led to a 30-year stint as an EMT.
A direct descendant of Rebecca Nurse (who was hanged as a witch in Salem in 1692), he is survived by a nephew, Robin Dakin, of Englewood, Ohio, his wife Amy, and a flock of grandnieces, all of whom seem to have inherited the family love of camping and canoeing.
The love of his life, Wren Smith, passed away in 2007 after a 10-year battle with breast cancer. By the time he was seventy, Jeremy’s physical activities were curtailed by COPD, due to a lifetime of smoking.
Rather than spend money on flowers, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society and/or the American Lung Association. But, for Pete’s sake, don’t smoke.