Zombie chick flick

Zombiephobes beware: The annual Sacramento Horror Film Festival returns this Thursday and lurches through the Colonial Theatre until Sunday.

To be clear, it’s not just about film. In addition to long movies, shorts and animations, the festival is augmented by live music, educational workshops and performance art. Hosted by Mr. Lobo and Bloody Bethy, the standout events this year include a zombie burlesque show, the fourth annual Hot Zombie Chicks Zombie Beauty Pageant and live performances by musicians Jill Tracy and animator Voltaire.

But the main focus is the monsters, vampires and zombies of the horror flicks. After all, it’s character development that can truly make a movie scary. This year’s film events include a tribute to Vincent Price, a screening of nine shorts from the 2010 SHFF Film Challenge and a classics double feature of Dracula (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

One “must see” short film is Thursday night’s screening of Dracula’s Daughter Vs. The Space Brains. In the short, starring Neil Patrick Harris, two of Dracula’s daughters face a shortage of human blood when aliens invade their town.

This festival will have you guarding your veins and your brains—if not covering your whole face in complete and utter fear.