The Howl-oween Horror Film Festival
Oct 27, 2026
This week is Halloween week, a time when many of us indulge in film noir…or worse, slasher movies! What would happen if classic horror movies went to the dogs? Let’s see…
- The Doberman of the Opera – Based on The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
A mysterious masked Doberman Pinscher haunts the Paris Opera House, terrifying performers who dare to sing off-key. Secretly his heart is breaking – he longs to be loved in spite of his less-than-elegant headpiece.
- Psycho: Poodle Puddle – Based on Psycho (1960)
A Standard Poodle checks into the Bates Motel. Everything seems normal until the shower scene, when a mysterious figure appears holding... a bottle of cheap shampoo, and not a drop of conditioner in sight! Cue the shrieking violins.
- The Exorcist: The Chihuahua Edition – Based on The Exorcist (1973)
A tiny Chihuahua growls at invisible demons, levitates off the sofa, and spins its head 360 degrees whenever anyone suggests going outside in the rain. The priest arrives, assesses the situation, and says, “Forget it…I’m out of here. There’s nothing I can do…that's a Chihuahua, for heaven’s sake!”
- The Howling – Based on The Howling (1981)
A Siberian Husky moves into a quiet suburban neighborhood. By midnight, every dog within five miles is singing along at the top of their lungs. By dawn, the members of the homeowners association have all resigned their posts.
- The Shedding – Based on The Shining (1980)
A Saint Bernard and his family become snowbound in an isolated mountain hotel. Soon, strange things begin happening. Hair appears on every surface. The vacuum cleaner screams. A force dryer begins creating hair tornadoes everywhere and blows a hole in the bathroom door, where the family is barricaded. And written on the wall: “ALL WORK AND NO BRUSH MAKES JACK A DULL BOY.”
- The Silence of the Beagles – Based on The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
FBI trainee Clarice Starling seeks help from the brilliant Dr. Hannibal Beagler, a notorious counter surfer who once consumed an entire Thanksgiving turkey. His chilling confession? “A dog trainer once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some training treats and toilet-bowl water.”
- Frankenweenie: The Dachshund Experiment – Inspired by Frankenstein (1931)
Dr. Frankenweenie seeks to assemble the perfect Dachshund using spare parts from six different dogs. Unfortunately, he makes the body three feet too long. The creature escapes, terrorizing the village as he goes to ground for vermin, leaving behind huge holes in every yard.
- The Bride of Frankenfluff – Based on Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
A glamorous Afghan Hound rises from the laboratory table, her coat flowing majestically and glistening in the basement lab candlelight. The monster reaches for her and she recoils in horror. “You expect me to go out with you? You haven’t brushed and combed your hair since the day you were assembled!”
- Night of the Living Herd – Based on Night of the Living Dead (1968)
A Border Collie discovers that the sheep have become zombies. She’s on it, gathering them into a perfectly organized flock, separated by size, and fetches the neighborhood veterinarian to come and treat them. She has the entire apocalypse under control before breakfast.
- The Great Dane of Baskervilles – Inspired by The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
A gigantic, ghostly Great Dane stalks the English moors. Villagers flee in terror from his thunderous footsteps. His terrifying secret? He believes he's a lap dog and is looking for the perfect lap to cuddle on.
And here’s five bonus features for the midnight showing:
- A Nightmare on Dogwood Street (A Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984)
Freddy Krueger becomes Freddy Schnauzer, a Miniature Schnauzer with razor-sharp grooming scissors instead of fingers. His human victims awaken to discover their eyebrows have been trimmed unevenly, their hair looks like it was cut with a weed-whacker, and their clothing is in ribbons. The horror!
- The Texas Chain-Saw Mastiff (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, 1974)
A hulking Mastiff terrorizes unsuspecting visitors with the most frightening weapon known to humans: a slobber-soaked tennis ball dropped directly into their laps. Not only that…he expects them to throw it for him, over and over and over and over and over…!
- Children of the Corgi (Children of the Corn, 1984)
An army of Pembroke Welsh Corgis takes over a small Midwestern town. Their leader, He Who Walks Behind the Knees, teaches them all how to ankle-nip the humans in the most painful yet non-skin-breaking way. No one is spared the pain and humiliation.
- The Invisible Whippet (The Invisible Man, 1933)
A Whippet disappears completely beneath a fleece blanket. His owner can’t find him. Animal control officers can’t either. Scientists are baffled. The owner is frantic. The Whippet is delighted and refuses to come out until spring.
- The Omen: Damien the Dalmatian (The Omen, 1976)
A perfectly innocent-looking Dalmatian puppy arrives at his new home. Within days, shoes vanish, furniture explodes into stuffing, and mysterious spots appear on every white surface. The family suspects supernatural forces. The breeder calls it adolescence.
Wagalicious Wisdom: The scariest thing at a dog show isn't a ghost, a vampire, or a werewolf. It's hearing the steward call your armband number when your dog is still on the grooming table!
Happy Howl-oween! 🎃
