Not to crap all over your case of the Mondays, but here are five events, from zombie dance parties to artsy endeavors, that'll turn around this drab weekday.
Psycho @ FilmBar Psycho remains a horror classic -- and no, we do not mean the 1998 Gus Van Sant version, which is just horrible. Alfred Hitchcock's psychological thriller pushed the envelope in 1960 with the infamous shower scene. Contrary to some critics' insistence, you cannot see Janet Leigh naked, and the knife never actually penetrates her skin. However, this intense scene does involve more than 70 film cuts during which the knife comes into physical contact with her twice. This was quite the shocker in the '60s though, as (spoiler alert) killing the leading lady halfway through the film was unheard of. The surprises don't end there, though -- the last few minutes reveal why Norman Bates remains one of the greatest and most deranged villains in cinema history.
See also: 19 More Must-Attend Halloween Parties in Metro Phoenix
FilmBar screens Psycho at 7:30 p.m. Monday, October 28, as part of its October Frightmare Series at 815 North Second Street. 21-and-over tickets cost $9. Call 602-595-9187 or visit www.thefilmbarphx.com. -- Melissa Fossum
"Ghost Towns of Arizona: Photography of Kurt Wenner" @ Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park What Arizona lacks in haunted Victorian mansions, abandoned asylums, and early New England cemeteries, we make up for with ghost towns. Just in time for Halloween, the Pueblo Grande Museum is opening a new exhibition showcasing the historic and no doubt haunted structures of the Wild West of yesteryear.
"Ghost Towns of Arizona" will feature more than 40 images of decaying western relics, taken by photographer Kurt Wenner over the course of a decade. With each image of these small town wonders, Wenner aims to present the idea that "not all history is written by people who live in big cities."
The exhibition is on display from through August of 2014 at the Pueblo Grande Museum, 4619 East Washington Street. Admission is $6 for adults with museum hours from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 to 4:45 p.m. Sunday. Visit www.phoenix.gov/recreation/arts/museums/pueblo or call 602-495-0901. -- Katie Johnson
"Xul Solar and Jorge Luis Borges in Context: Art, Architecture, Literature, and Popular Culture in Buenos Aires, 1920-1940" @ Phoenix Art Museum "Xul Solar and Jorge Luis Borges: The Art of Friendship," an exhibition currently at the Phoenix Art Museum, makes clear how mutually influential their relationship was in forging new worlds in both art and literature. On Wednesday, October 30, PAM hosts a symposium centered around the reality of Solar's and Borges' Buenos Aires that gave rise to their endeavors.
The Valley lucked out in having a collection of ASU professors well-suited to present during "Xul Solar and Jorge Luis Borges in Context: Art, Architecture, Literature, and Popular Culture in Buenos Aires, 1920-1940." David William Foster will cover BA's cultural and socio-historical aspects, and Jose Bernardi will discuss how the architecture and city life influenced Argentine works. Finally, Cynthia Tompkins peels back the layers of Borges' writings as a film critic. There will also be a roundtable discussion and an audience Q&A.
The symposium will start at 6 p.m. at 1625 North Central Avenue. Admission is free. Visit www.phxart.org or call 602-257-1222 for more info. -- Jose Gonzalez
Sherlock's Last Case @ Fountain Hills Community Theater Superman wasn't the first fictional character to die and come back. Holmes did it, homes. When fans demanded more stories, savvy Arthur Conan Doyle figured out how no-shit-Sherlock could escape his fatal predicament and return, as he did in "The Adventure of the Empty House," superpowers or no. Even after Conan Doyle's own demise, Holmes' and Watson's adventures continued on page, stage, and screen, including in the hands of Charles Marowitz, a big deal from the Royal Shakespeare Company whom we actually met at ASU once.
Marowitz' Sherlock's Last Case, at Fountain Hills Theater through Sunday, November 10, begins with a letter from the alleged son of the allegedly late Professor Moriarty. What next? Find out yourself at 8 p.m. Thursday, October 31, at 11445 North Saguaro Boulevard in dark and scary Fountain Hills. Visit www.fhtaz.org for tickets, $20 and $25. Call 480-837-9661 to discuss Senior Thursdays and other potential discounts. -- Julie Peterson
Arizona Zombie Prom @ Fear Farm Who doesn't remember their first prom? That magical night of dead flower corsages, zombies, and chipping in to rent a hearse with your undead date. The 5th Annual AZ Zombie Prom is returning to the West Valley the day after Halloween, giving you one more chance to put on your monster makeup and done your creepiest cocktail attire. This year, the all-ages AZ Zombie Prom will offer live performances by Three Bad Jacks, 12 Step Rebels, Koffin Kats, Nim Vind, Kats of Horror, and The Embalmers. In addition, this outdoor event will feature a Zombie King and Queen crowning, freak show performances, fire eating, face painting, prom photos, food trucks, and plenty of vendors.
AZ Zombie Prom happens at 6 p.m. Friday, November 1, at Fear Farm, 2209 North 99th Avenue. Tickets are $15 and children 11 and under get in free. Visit www.azzombieprom.com or call 623-826-5632. -- Katie Johnson
