Halloween

Nov. 3 (UPI) — The Justice Department announced Monday that “multiple suspects” have been charged in Michigan in an alleged Halloween plot to support the terror group ISIS in an “attack on American soil.”

Monday’s charges come three days after Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel announced that the FBI had “stopped a potential terrorist attack in Michigan before it could unfold.”

“Thanks to swift action and coordination with our partners, a violent plot tied to international terrorism was disrupted,” he said Friday.

On Monday, Patel provided more details.

“Two Michigan men planned an ISIS-inspired Halloween terror attack near Detroit — stockpiling weapons, scouting targets and training at gun ranges,” Patel wrote in a second post on X. “This FBI acted fast, followed the evidence, and likely saved countless lives.”

According to a Justice Department press release Monday, FBI agents made the arrests Friday in eastern Michigan.

“This newly unsealed complaint reveals a major ISIS-linked terror plot with multiple suspects arrested in the Eastern District of Michigan targeting the United States,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. “According to the complaint, subjects had multiple AR-15 rifles, tactical gear and a detailed plan to carry out an attack on American soil.”

No information was provided on the identity of the suspects, as the FBI called the investigation “ongoing.”

“With today’s unsealed criminal complaint, the American people can see the results of months of tireless investigative work where the FBI acted quickly and likely saved many lives,” Patel added. “We’ll continue to follow the facts, uphold the law and deliver justice for the American people.”

The special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office credited local authorities for their work to “ensure the safety of the citizens of Michigan and beyond.”

“Defending the homeland will always be one of our top priorities,” said Special Agent Jennifer Runyan. “We will utilize every available federal resource to disrupt and dismantle any individuals or groups who threaten national security.”

Nov. 3 (UPI) — Two men face federal charges for allegedly plotting a terror attack in Michigan over Halloween weekend, according to a criminal complaint unsealed.

On Friday, FBI Director Kash Patel stated the bureau “thwarted a potential terrorist attack.” Patel added that FBI agents arrested “multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend.”

Five suspects were arrested, two of whom — Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud — were charged with multiple felonies in a 73-page criminal complaint in Michigan’s eastern federal judicial district.

Ali and Mahmoud were charged with receiving, transferring, attempting and conspiring to transfer firearms and ammunition.

In addition, the two suspects were charged with knowing and having reasonable cause to believe that the firearms and ammunition would be used to commit a federal terror crime.

The two allegedly purchased three AR-15-style rifles in August and September along with thousands of ammunition rounds and other firearm accessories, according to court documents.

Suspects referred to an attack by “brothers” in private WhatsApp messages on behalf of an Islamic extremist terror group.

FBI officials said the two “traveled together to scout potential target locations in Ferndale, Michigan” that included a number of known LGBTQ+ bars and clubs.

On Saturday, Ali was described as a 20-year-old U.S. citizen “with a lawful interest in recreational firearms.”

“There is no evidence whatsoever of a planned terror or ‘mass casualty’ plot,” said attorney Amir Makled, who represents Ali.

Two of the five arrested were released from custody.

Meanwhile, Ali and Mahmoud were due in court Monday.

GEMMA Collins stunned fans as she showed off her impressive three-stone weight loss in a gorgeous dress for Halloween.

The former TOWIE star, 44, transformed into Ariana Grande‘s Glinda, displaying her much slimmer frame on her Instagram.

“We’re doing a look today for Halloween,” Gemma explained, revealing her sparkling, bedazzled, bright purple ball gown.

Wearing a matching tiara and clutching a magic wand, she sang, “Popular, I’m going to be popular. I love, love, love Wicked.

“Like beyond. I’m obsessed.

“I know the premiere is coming to London, but for Halloween, I thought I’d do Glinda.

“We was going to do Elphaba as well but… what was the reason we didn’t do Elphaba?

“Just because it’s going to be loads of green paint and I’ve got to be in about 20 places within the next three hours.

“So yeah, we’re having fun today behind the scenes and I can’t wait for you to see the final look,” the reality TV favourite explained.

In another video, Gemma joked that after Halloween was over, she would be racing to put up her Christmas tree.

Her famous friends and followers loved the Wicked look, with pals Jedward saying she looked like “Ariana Grande‘s sister”.

Another fan wrote, “Our gorgeous Essex glinda”

While a second said, “Absolutely stunning Gemma!!!️ hope your having a lovely weekend, love the Glinda look.”

“I wish I was this pretty,” wrote a third.

A fourth penned: “The GC always brightens up our day.”

Her dramatic transformation comes after Gemma dropped from a size 26 to a size 20 after becoming the latest celebrity on fat jabs.

She started the NHS-approved Mounjaro weight loss jabs in November 2024.

Gemma previously told The Sun: “For me, taking the jab is more about helping me not to fixate on food, so I actually only eat once a day now and don’t snack.

“I used to fascinate about food all day, but now it’s not a major player in my life anymore, I’ve forgotten all about it.

“If I get a bit hungry, I’ll have something to eat, but it’s just about making smarter choices.

“The jabs aren’t for everyone but it’s a life changing drug for some people if it’s taken correctly and not abused. It has helped me a lot.”

JULIA Fox has defended her blood-stained Jackie Kennedy Halloween costume following backlash.

She recreated what former First Lady Jackie wore as husband President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Left unimpressed, fans branded the actress’ outfit choice as “disrespectful” and “tasteless”.

Meanwhile, JFK and Jackie’s grandson Jack Schlossberg, also criticised her choice.

Taking to Instagram, Julia, 35, explained: “I’m dressed as Jackie Kennedy in the pink suit.

“Not as a costume, but as a statement.

She added: “When her husband was assassinated, she refused to change out of her blood-stained clothes, saying, “I want them to see what they’ve done.

“The image of the delicate pink suit splattered with blood is one of the most haunting juxtapositions in modern history.

“Beauty and horror. Poise and devastation.

“Her decision not to change clothes, even after being encouraged to, was an act of extraordinary bravery.

“It was performance, protest, and mourning all at once. 

“A woman weaponizing image and grace to expose brutality.

“It’s about trauma, power, and how femininity itself is a form of resistance. Long live Jackie O.”

The real Jackie’s pink Chanel suit was never cleaned following the assassination – remaining stained with JFK’s blood.

Julia – who previously dated Kanye West – is no stranger to attracting attention with her outfits.

The actress flashed her lace thong in some extremely low-cut leather pants while arriving at her pal’s event in New York.

She could be seen wearing black leather trousers with a flimsy cream t-shirt.

Her leather pants were extremely low-cut, which is something she clearly leaned into by wearing panties she wanted to be seen.

Popping out of the top of her black leather trousers were some pink and black knickers.

KATY Perry’s new love Justin Trudeau was seen making a “subtle nod” to their new romance with his Halloween costume.

Katy, 41, and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin, 53, were first linked together in July, shortly after her split from Orlando Bloom, 48.

Since then things have been heating up between the new couple, which included them being spotted kissing on her yacht earlier this month..

Now, in sweet nod to his new girlfriend, Justin paid homage to her with his Halloween costume.

Sharing an Instagram post of his spooky outfit, he was dressed as a shark while his son Hadrien, 11, as a wounded surfer.

He wrote: “Ready for Halloween with Hadrien!”

Justin added: “We built the costume together – a little father-son Halloween teamwork.”

What was great about the costume is that it is a sweet nod to Katy’s Super Bowl halftime performance in 2015, when the backup dancers became a meme in their shark outfits.

GOING PUBLIC

Justin’s Halloween costume comes just days after he seen out in public with Katy for the first time – as they left a strip club.

The pair stepped out together in Paris last weekend for the singer’s birthday

On Saturday, they looked smitten with each other and in struggled to keep their eyes off each other.

The birthday girl was seen adoringly glancing over at Justin while the exited the venue, while carrying red roses in her hands.

In a video from the moment the pair were snapped, paparazzi serenaded Katy as they crooned “Happy Birthday” to celebrate her 41st birthday.

Earlier this month, Katy, who has been on her Lifetimes world tour, took to the stage in London when she broke her silence on the romance rumours with Justin.

Addressing the crowd, the pop star said: “London, England, you’re like this on a Monday night after a whole day at work and a whole day at school?

“No wonder I fall for Englishmen all the time… but not anymore.”

The quip came days after photos emerged of Katy and Justin kissing aboard her 78ft yacht, the Caravelle, off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. 

In the snaps, a shirtless Trudeau could be seen with his hand on the star’s bottom as the two shared a private moment.

Sources told The Sun the pair have been secretly dating since the start of the summer. 

“They haven’t been able to spend a lot of time together as she’s on tour, but they’re constantly in contact — always FaceTiming and messaging each other,” an insider said.

BUDDING ROMANCE

The Sun revealed earlier this month that the pair are “constantly in contact” after they went public with their romance.

Relationship rumours began to swirl in July after singer Katy and Justin were seen dining together at the swanky Le Violon restaurant in Montreal, Canada.

It came a month after Katy announced she had split from Brit actor Orlando.

At the time, neither Katy nor Justin commented on the romance claims.

Our source said: “He’s a bit of a geek and can’t believe someone as famous and glamorous as Katy is interested in him, whereas she’s flattered such a respected politician wants to date her.”

Katy and Trudeau were pictured on her yacht, the 78ft Caravelle, off Santa Barbara in California, last month.

Gogglebox favourites Jenny and Lee took to Instagram to share a Halloween prank

Gogglebox fans were all quick to say the same thing as Jenny Newby and Lee Riley shared a Halloween prank.

Taking to Instagram on Friday 31 October, Jenny and Lee posted a hilarious video to their account, which boasts an impressive 873K followers, which was also shared on Gogglebox’s page.

In the clip, it sees Jenny with a white blanket over her head pretending to be a ghost while she wears her glasses on top of the costume.

Instructing Jenny in the video, Lee says: “I don’t know… why you’ve got your glasses on that?” to which Jenny replies: “Cos I can’t see without them!”

A giggling Lee then hands Jenny a jar of sweets, insisting: “Here, now there’s the goodies… right? I’ll take the lid off, right, just wait for the kids to come and shout ‘here’s your sweets, trick or treat! Trick or treat!'”

To which the two repeat ‘trick or treat’ and ‘here’s your sweets’ before Lee hilariously declares: “You just keep doing that… I’m off in now. You’ve only got a couple of hours to wait.”

However, Jenny is quick to insist: “I ain’t standing here like this! Where are you?” as she attempts to reach out and go back indoors while still wearing the costume.

As Jenny attempts to find the door, Lee can be heard hysterically laughing in the background as he adds: “Happy Halloween everybody!”

Responding in the comments, the duo’s 873K followers were all quick to say the same thing.

One person said: “You two” with laughing emojis, a different account put: “I love these two, very natural!”, another wrote: “These two” with laughing emojis while a different account added: “Love you two.”

Elsewhere, another fan put: “You two crack me up” with laughing emojis while another account wrote: “Jenny is hilarious without even trying to be funny. Her innocence makes her hilarious”.

A different follower commented: “You two are the best can’t stop laughing at Jenny’s glasses” while another added: “Love’s these 2 so much hilarious.”

Jenny and Lee have been Gogglebox staples since 2014, where they joined during series four.

They weren’t the only Gogglebox duo sharing Halloween videos as Annie and Ronnie also shared a fun video too.

Gogglebox continues on Friday nights at 9pm on Channel 4.

HALLOWEEN season is in full swing with partygoers across the country dressing up in their scariest get-ups this weekend to enjoy the most terrifying time of the year.

However, it’s also an opportunity for people to wear their sexiest, raciest outfits as they brave the Autumn chill in next-to-nothing ensembles.

Celebrities are no different as many famous faces have donned risqué costumes over the years.

Let’s take a look at the sexiest Halloween outfits ever from Maura Higgins as Julia Roberts’ iconic film character in Pretty Woman to Ashley Roberts as Madonna…

Maura Higgins as Pretty Woman

Back in 2021, Maura channelled her sexiest Julia Roberts look from Pretty Woman.

Fans of the hit film will remember the character of Vivian Ward donning the iconic sexy white and blue dress with knee-high leather boots.

Maura wore a pretty identical dress as she showed off her tanned legs and midriff, with plenty of underboob showing.

The Love Island finalist donned a platinum blonde wig with a black hat as she went full glam with a sexy red lip.

Ashley Roberts as Madonna

The Pussycat Doll channelled another legend in the form of Madonna this week, namely from her Express Yourself performance as part of her Blond Ambition world tour in 1990.

Ashley looked as sexy as ever as she recreated Madonna’s iconic pink cone bra leotard look, which was originally designed by Jean Paul Gaultier.

She teamed it with a pair of black loose-fit trousers and the singer’s iconic high-pony with a braid wrap-around.

Ashley went for a bold make-up look with a red lip and dark eyelashes as she showed off her sexiest Halloween look yet.

Megan Barton Hanson as Disco Demon

Who would have thought anybody could make a ‘Disco Demon’ look good? Well Megan can!

She’s no stranger to showing off her stunning body in daring outfits but in 2020, she threw it all out of the water with her most risqué look ever.

Megan posed totally nude apart from a pair of towering heels and silver body paint in saucy snaps as a ‘Disco Demon’.

Her eye-popping display featured glitter and mirror shards over her chest which enhanced her cleavage.

Her boobs and stomach were painted in splashes of silver and sequins, with matching devil horns perched on her head.

Maya Jama as Jessica Rabbit

Maya donned her sultriest look in 2020 when she dressed as Jessica Rabbit for the Celebrity Juice Halloween Special.

The ITV star wore the legendary red sequined gown which perfectly synched her waist in all of the right places as her cleavage threatened to spill out.

The presenter showed off her pins with a very high leg split as she posed seductively in snaps on Instagram.

She brought her outfit together with some suede purple gloves as she paid homage to the iconic cartoon character with a red wig and face paint.

Georgia Steel as Catwoman

In 2024, Georgia embraced a Catwoman-inspired look which left us all in shock, donning a tight latex cat suit.

She showed off her toned legs and cleavage in the racy suit which she paired with matching black latex gloves and a sexy face mask.

Georgia posed in sultry snaps as she looked out into the distance in her naughty costume.

Myleene Klass as Wonder Woman

Last Halloween, Myleene made sure all eyes were on her as she posed in a very sexy Wonder Woman look.

She stunned in the barely-there costume as she showed off her toned legs in the stunning fit.

The Loose Women star wandered through the woods in a video clip as she got into character of the female superhero.

Tallia Storm as Cowgirl

Singer Tallia proved how much of a Beyonce fan she was when she dressed as a sexy cowgirl for the Kiss Haunted House Party last year.

She wore a blue sexy latex bra with white knickers and cut-out latex pants held up with a blue belt.

She accessorised with a red collar and cuffs, a white cowgirl hat and a pair of red boots.

Tallia brought her look together with a Renaissance sash as she posed seductively for the camera.

Alex Scott as Grace Jones

Strictly Come Dancing star Alex channelled icon Grace Jones from the 1986 film Vamp.

Much like the legendary look, the host covered her breasts in a spiraled metal bra, with body paint all over her naked body.

She looked unrecognisable in a red bob wing, with her face painted white with heavy make-up.

IT’S FAIR to say that Olivia Attwood is ridding high in her career, and this included an invite to the Halloween party of the year.

And not holding back, the Love Island legend, 34, flashed her bum in her sexy costume as she arrived at A-lister Heidi Klum’s famous annual bash.

Olivia certainly made sure to turn heads when she turned up to Heidi’s Halloween party in New York.

As she arrived at the bash, this year held at the Hard Rock Hotel, she made sure to flash her bum in her racy outfit.

Olivia went all out for the exclusive party, and looked incredible.

She was seen braving the chilly Big Apple elements dressed as Jessie, the cowgirl from Toy Story.

Olivia showed off her toned figure in tiny hotpants that revealed her bare bottom.

She paired the meniscal shorts with a white shirt tied up at the front to reveal her rock hard abs.

The star completed her look with thigh-high cow-print fringed boots.

Joining Olivia at the party were a whole host of stars including Ariana Madix, Demi Lovato and Megan Thee Stallion, who all looked incredible.

However, it was hostess Heidi who stole the show with her costume.

The supermodel has been teasing fans for the last month with what she’ll be wearing this year.

Past Halloweens have seen her dress up as E.T., have six clones of herself, be Fiona from Shrek and even herself at the age of 95.

But stepping out on to the red carpet last night Heidi had morphed into the mythical creature Medusa, who famously had snakes in her hair.

The model looked terrifying as she welcomed her guests.

Meanwhile, the Halloween party will come as light relief for Olivia, after a tense few months following speculation over her marriage.

The Sun previously revealed how Liv has “hit a crossroads” with husband Bradley Dack just over two years since getting wed.

However, over the last few months their relationship has been blighted by rumours of tension.

This started after she was spotted partying with Pete Wicks in Ibiza, with the pair looking cosy on a boat.

Since then, there has been speculation about the status of marriage to Brad.

However, Olivia recently was keen to to stress that “they aren’t divorcing”.

Speaking on Loose Women last week she was talking about the topic of divorce and whether you should discuss it with your partner before getting married.

Keen to clear things up, she then said: “I am not going through a divorce by the way!

“I am not (divorcing) Brad is lovely.”

NewsFeed

Footage shows FBI and state police vehicles in Dearborn, Michigan, near Fordson High School, conducting an investigation. This comes after FBI Director Kash Patel said in a social media post that multiple people allegedly plotting a violent “terrorist” Halloween weekend attack were arrested.

Oct. 31 (UPI) — The FBI announced Friday that it had thwarted a terrorist attack in Michigan that was supposed to happen this weekend.

“This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend,” said FBI Director Kash Patel on X. “More details to come. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland.”

A spokesperson for the FBI Detroit field office confirmed to ABC News that there was law enforcement activity in Dearborn and Inkster on Friday. “There is no current threat to public safety,” the spokesperson added.

Four senior law enforcement officials familiar with the case told NBC News that the FBI in Detroit arrested a group of young people today who were plotting an attack with a possible reference to Halloween.

They said the group has some ties to foreign extremism but didn’t say which ones. Police were able to monitor the group in the greater Detroit area in the past several days to make sure no attack happened, the officials told NBC.

The horror film is hands down considered to be one of the scariest movies of all time and it’s only available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer for 16 more days.

The legend of the Blair Witch is easily one of the scariest tales to do the rounds in modern memory — and it all stemmed from a harmless horror film.

The Blair Witch Project (1999), written, directed and edited by Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick, is hands down considered to be one of the scariest documentary-style horror movies of all time.

It not only introduced the ‘found footage’ genre to horror films — seen since then in blockbuster hits like the Paranormal Activity franchise — but it’s also one of the most successful independent films of all time, originally made on a budget of $35,000–$60,000, with the final cost rising to between $200,000 and $750,000 after marketing and post-production.

The pseudo-documentary centers around three students, played by Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael C. Williams, who set off on a hike into the Appalachian Mountains near Maryland’s Burkittsville to film a documentary about the Blair Witch — a local urban myth of the community.

Currently available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer for the next 16 days, the legend of the fictional Blair Witch was conceived by Sánchez and Myrick in 1993. The director-editor duo developed a 35-page screenplay in which the dialogue was to be improvised. Entering production in October of 1997, principal photography of The Blair Witch Project lasted all of eight days in total.

Close to 20 hours of footage was shot for the docu-film, which was then edited and whittled down to 82 minutes. The film first premiered at midnight on January 23, 1999 at the famed Sundance Film Festival and received rousing acclaim, following which its distribution rights were acquired for $1.1million.

It eventually received a theatrical release and went on to become a sleeper hit, grossing close to a whopping $250million at the global box-office. The Blair Witch Project is consistently listed as one of the scariest movies ever, and consistently ranks as the best found footage movie of all time on several prestigious lists. However, despite the movie’s success, the three main actors of the film reportedly lived in poverty till they sued the film studio that acquired its rights, eventually reaching a settlement worth $300,000 in 2000.

With a 86 per cent critics approval rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the documentary-style film is widely critically lauded. One reviewer says of the film: “[The Blair Witch Project is] the most effective and unsettling horror movie in quite a long time. Just to clarify: after seeing this, you will not sleep well. Invest in a night-light.”

While another writes: “The Blair Witch Project” is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen. Not the goriest, the grossest, the weirdest, the eeriest, the sickest, the creepiest or the slimiest… Just flat out the scariest.”

A third critic has said: “No sequel or remake will ever match the power of what The Blair Witch Project managed to do a quarter of a century ago.”

While a fourth critic said: “I could tell you the story — give away every detail — and The Blair Witch Project would still freeze your blood.”

Viewers are equally impressed by the film, with one writing: “This movie is pure horror, it’s the scariest movie I have ever seen in my life, at the end, I was terrified. It all connects — the legend and the film. The Blair Witch Project is a masterpiece of pure terror, horror and suspense. Daniel Myrick is a genius!!”

Another audience review says: “Absolute classic, one of the most raw horror films out there.”

The Blair Witch Project is currently streaming for free on BBC iPlayer till November 16.

Ten nightmares – one night – Kelly Williams’ favourites in a gauntlet of unforgettable hell at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights 2025 where she screamed herself hoarse

I’d been anxiously counting down the days until the opening of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights and finally, it had arrived.

The air in the park felt electric – thick with fog, echoing with screams and a primal promise that tonight, my nightmares would come alive.

Suddenly, I didn’t feel so brave as my heart jumped into my throat at the sound of chainsaws buzzing in the distance. Before I’d even reached the 10 haunted houses, I found myself in a hunting ground of bloodthirsty zombies as panicked victims urged me to run.

But there was no turning back…

Five Nights at Freddy’s

I started with a childhood-unravelled – the eerie animatronics of Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy lurking at every turn of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop creations looked terrifyingly real, and when Freddy reached forward with his blazing eyes, I jolted.

The flickering cameras, the dim corridors, it was like stepping into a haunted bedtime story that always ends badly. And just as I thought I was safe, a flicker of a poster caught my eye near the exit. The design didn’t quite fit—newer, sharper, like it was whispering about horrors still to come in a sequel I wasn’t ready for.

El Artista: A Spanish Haunting

19th-century Spain never looked so menacing at this original concept house. I wandered into a country manor alive with bloody paintings, possessed by tortured spirits, where artist Sergio Navarro’s vision turned against him and dragged me into madness.

Figures chanted in candlelight, and I was swallowed by pitch-black hallways so disorienting I had to grope along the walls, certain something was right behind me (it was). The Gothic atmosphere and haunting visuals were beautiful yet utterly terrifying.

WWE Presents: The Horrors of The Wyatt Sicks

If every other house had been pure terror, this one was theatrical dread, despite the fact that my WWE knowledge is limited, to say the least. Entering, I passed through a twisted lantern-lit stage into a tunnel filled with the distorted faces of 27 WWE icons, including Bray Wyatt tributes.

The surreal realm of Uncle Howdy, Mercy the Buzzard, Abby the Witch – it was like a haunted wrestling dreamscape laced with sorrow and nightmares. I felt both unnerved and strangely reverent. This house was surprisingly one of my favourites.

Hatchet and Chains: Demon Bounty Hunters

This was raw, fiery chaos – an Old West torn apart by lava demons melting everything in sight. I dodged demonic assaults and swampy lava flows as bounty hunters hunted the chaos, while heat and horror raged around me.

Try as I might, I couldn’t look away, even though behind every corner was a scare actor waiting to spring. My heart jumped into my throat, and I laughed nervously, realising this was just the beginning.

Dolls: Let’s Play Dead

Suddenly, I was doll-sized, trapped in a nightmarish toy world as burnt, stitched, malformed dolls limped from shadows. A twisted little girl named Lyla giggled as I ran, chased by cursed playthings. The scenes were harrowing, and strangely childlike – a grotesque playroom with a dark twist.

Dolls had been tortured in a way that made Sid from Toy Story look like Willy Wonka. Pure nightmare fuel.

Grave of Flesh

I barely had time to steady my breath before I was dropped into my own funeral. In tight, cavernous tunnels, flesh-eating creatures pursued me relentlessly. The narrative is that flesh-eating zombies feast on our corpses when we die and drag our souls into a relentless world of horror.

Panic, claustrophobia, the feeling of being buried alive – it was hell incarnate, and I crawled out trembling.

Gálkn: Monsters of the North

Finally, a Norse-myth horror – ice, fjords, and ancient beasts stirring deep beneath a northern village. I raced through fjord fiends and a monstrous resurrection that felt like stepping into a brutal saga where survival was never guaranteed.

My voice was hoarse from screaming and laughing hysterically at the same time. My group huddled tighter together, knowing the scares came harder when we split apart.

Fallout

Next, I plunged into a decaying Vault 33 that opened into the blasted wasteland of post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. Rad-roaches scuttled by while Lucy’s voice echoed in my head.

Raiders, The Ghoul, even Maximus in his T-60 power armour – every element pulled me deeper into survival terrain, like a living nightmare in the world of Fallout.

Jason Universe

Here’s where I felt my heart really start pounding. Walking through the haunted woods, past the creaking lodge and into the decaying cabins of Camp Crystal Lake – Jason stands silent, relentless, a gauntlet of killers from the Friday the 13th films from 1 to 8.

It pulled me through scenes that felt cinematic, each room ratcheting up the dread, with Jason’s mum even making an appearance.

It wasn’t just nostalgia; it was a matter of being hunted. I bolted out, breathless and, somehow, triumphant that I’d survived what felt like endless corridors of hell – even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

Terrifier

Terrifier pushed horror into the realm of the visceral with an intense sensory overload. Art the Clown’s gruesome funhouse assaulted my senses with blood-soaked corridors and a hacksaw kill recreated in sickening detail.

Nauseating smells – faeces, bleach, salted flesh – clung to everything. With 35 bodies and six gallons of “blood” this is Universal’s first “unrated” house. I wanted to look away, but the narrow corridors kept pushing me deeper.

Victims can choose to take the ‘dry path’ or the ‘blood bath’ at the end of the maze. I chose the latter so the finale drenched me in warm, iron-scented water as I staggered out, sticky, unsettled with adrenaline crackling in my veins.

By the time I stumbled out of the last maze, I thought I’d finally be able to breathe. But instead of relief, I was plunged into more horror.

Neon lights from food stalls flickered, barely cutting through the haze. That’s when the sound hit me first—wet dragging footsteps, a low snarl, and then the unmistakable rattle of chains. Zombies appeared from nowhere, their skin mottled, their eyes glazed with hunger.

One carried a dismembered leg on a plate as he shuffled toward me. Another creature, something less human – its body twisted and barnacle-covered like it had risen straight from the depths – lurched over my shoulder.

Everywhere I turned, more figures emerged: a beautifully terrifying woman with teeth sharpened to jagged points, a gruesome gargoyle, and frantic villages begging me to turn back.

I forced myself forward, weaving between the monsters, my pulse hammering as one leaned close enough for me to feel its breath down my neck. And then – just as suddenly as it began – the creatures melted back into the fog, swallowed whole by shadows.

I found myself shaking, my skin damp with sweat and mist, and I realised Halloween Horror Nights didn’t let you escape when you left a house. No, they followed me to my bed that evening, where I relived the horrors all over again.

But in that moment, standing there under the Florida sky, with the distant shrieks of other brave souls echoing around me, I realised I’d done it. Ten houses. Ten nightmares survived. My nerves were fried, my legs ached, but I couldn’t stop grinning.

Halloween Horror Nights wasn’t just about the scares – it was about being fully alive in the middle of the madness.

Book it

Virgin Atlantic Holidays offers seven nights on a room-only basis at the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort in Orlando, starting at £1,719pp, including Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow and a ticket to Halloween Horror Nights. Find out more and book at virginholidays.co.uk.

Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights is scaring the life out of punters with Terrifier. Kelly Williams decided to give it a go and left with goose bumps and utterly horrified

Despite having never been to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights before, I knew the Terrifier was going to be bad, but I didn’t expect it to feel like my stomach – and nerves – were being tested with every step.

The smell hit me before anything else – putrid rot, bleach, coppery blood, even the stench of faeces. It stuck to the back of my throat so thick I nearly gagged. The house started deceptively dry, as if lulling me into thinking I’d make it through clean. That didn’t last.

Within minutes, I was in the middle of a full-on blood bath. Red splattered walls, dripping ceilings, and warm droplets spraying across my arms. They say it uses six gallons of blood and 35 bodies – the most ever – and I believe it. Every corner I turned was another slaughter.

And then there was Art the Clown. Not just once, he appeared everywhere, each guise worse than the last. He came at me dressed as a sick parody of Santa, revving a chainsaw and plunging it gleefully into a victim’s back with that same, mocking grin.

A few rooms later, I caught him mid-kill, snapping someone’s jaw with a crunch that echoed through the hall. The squelch of him disembodying someone else was another gruesome scene that still haunts me.

In another chamber of hell, he stood behind a screaming man, dragging a blade across his throat as blood sprayed into the air, and I had to turn my face away. The worst was the bathroom scene. It stank of mold and sewage, and the sinks were clogged with guts.

There were bodies piled in the bathtub and a mirror streaked with gore. I wanted to close my eyes, but Art was there too, standing so still it made me wonder if he was waiting for me specifically. Then came the familiar warped jingle of the Clown Café, cheerful and wrong, like a lullaby for nightmares as Art danced nonchalantly along.

By the finale, I was lightheaded from the smell and the sights, practically stumbling toward the exits where I was faced with a choice – dry path or blood bath (of course, I went for the latter). My stomach lurched with every step, I came so close to throwing up. But I made a run for it, and when the warm spray of blood (water really) finally hit me in the last corridor, I felt it on my skin long after I’d escaped.

I staggered out laughing, but it was the kind of shaky laugh you let out when you’re not sure if you survived or just got broken. Terrifier wasn’t just a haunted house. It was being dragged into Art the Clown’s world – unrated, unrelenting, and almost too much for me to handle.

Book the holiday

Virgin Atlantic Holidays offers seven nights on a room-only basis at the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort in Orlando, starting at £1,719pp, including Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow and a ticket to Halloween Horror Nights. Find out more and book at virginholidays.co.uk.

More info at visitorlando.com and universalorlando.com/hhn/

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Halloween is nearly upon us which means most of us are enjoying a season of spooky horror films. And when we’re listing the classics, of course Hocus Pocus is one of them

The spookiest time of the year is nearly upon us, AKA Halloween, and it’s the season for pumpkin spiced lattes, dressing up and of course, scary horror movies. But luckily for those scaredy cats among us, there are some Halloween films which aren’t so terrifying.

If you know your stuff, then Hocus Pocus has definitely been on your watchlist in the past, but have you ever noticed this teeny-tiny detail in the movie? The 1993 film is a fantasy comedy film, released by Walt Disney, which follows the Sanderson sisters who are resurrected from the dead after Max Dennison lights the black-flame candle three centuries later.

These three witches, played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, are on mission to suck the souls of children in order to keep themselves young.

Just three years ago, the film released a sequel which then follows on from the iconic 90s movie. Now the TV detective, known as Ivan Mars, couldn’t help but notice one detail about the two storylines.

Posting with his 961,000 Instagram followers, he said: “It took me 30 years to realise this in Hocus Pocus…

“So we know back in 1693 the Sanderson sisters brew their potion to steal a child’s life… And after adding everything, the spell calls for a piece of each witch’s tongue, that’s why all three become younger.

“Now check this out… centuries later in 1993 the witches reunited to do the same with Dani but something’s off… this time only Winnie adds her piece of tongue to the potion and she doesn’t tell her sisters to add theirs…

“So according to the book the potion would have worked for her alone. Does it mean it was Winnie’s plan all along as she never meant to share eternity with anyone else?

“That’s why the second movie focuses on the importance of a Coven as she finally realises she’s nothing without her sisters!”

The post racked up 24,500 likes and hundreds of comments from people who were equally amazed. One said: “Does make sense a lot.”

Another added: “Yeah this makes sense. Winnie was never really about her family, but in the second one she does have a moment of growth.” While a third chimed in: “Good observation.”

And a fourth chimed in: “And they could have waited and released the second one in 2023 to mark 30 years later.”

Few recent films have had quite the reversal of reputation as Karyn Kusama’s 2009 supernatural high-school thriller, which can now clearly be seen for the wise, witty gem it has always been. Overwhelmed at the time by the cultural backlash that swarmed both its star Megan Fox (fresh from the media firestorm of the “Transformers” franchise) and screenwriter Diablo Cody, after her meteoric ascent with the Oscar-winning “Juno,” initial audiences were unprepared for a savage horror-comedy about the traumas of navigating the world as a teenage girl. The bond of two best friends (Fox, Amanda Seyfried) is put to the test when, after a ritual sacrifice goes awry, one of them becomes a possessed succubus who must feed on human flesh. Kusama’s finely modulated direction keeps all the plates of the story spinning as the film moves between being funny, scary and surprisingly tender toward its characters. A conversation with Kusama, Fox and professor Tananarive Due, who specializes in horror, should make this a special evening.

“Jennifer’s Body” is playing Oct. 25 at the Academy Museum. Tickets here.

IT’S that time of year when theme parks go from shouts of joy to screams of terror – and none more so than Universal Studios, where its Halloween Horror Nights return for their 34th year.

I am a big Universal Studios fan — having been to Orlando, Florida three times this year alone, and racked up 12 visits in my lifetime.

But this is the first time I’ve felt brave enough to try the spooky events that take over the parks from the end of August until November 2.

To up the ante, I decide to swap the Sunshine State for Los Angeles and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Here, in the daytime, you’ve got much-loved characters such as Shaggy and Scooby-Doo, and Glinda from Wicked roaming the park.

But as the sun sets and evening descends, to mark the reopening of the park for Halloween Horror Nights, these cute characters vanish.

And in their place come killer clowns such as Art from the film Terrifier, and towering crows who plays tricks on innocent attendees.

The overall experience involves eight haunted houses, four scare zones, two live shows and one terror tram.

My one piece of advice? No amount of preparation will have you ready for what Universal has in store for you.

The creative teams excel at putting you front and centre of some of the biggest movies and shows, including Terrifier, Five Nights At Freddy’s, Fallout, Friday The 13th, WWE: The Wyatt Sicks, Poltergeist — and their own creations, Monstruos 3: The Ghosts Of Latin America, and Scarecrow with music by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash.

The Poltergeist house returns as a fan favourite, which first appeared in 2018.

Only this time, as you walk through a room that resembles the inside of a brain, your senses become overwhelmed by a strong musky smell.

The haunted houses are packed with more jump scares than ever before and, despite having become slightly desensitised to the frights, I don’t think it’s possible to ever become accustomed to a demonic scarecrow running at you.

Just when I thought it was safe, numerous versions of serial killer Jason Voorhees (from Friday The 13th) leapt out to grab me as I headed for the safety of the exit.

It might not sound like fun, but trust me when I say the laughs come later as you recall your hilarious reactions and those of your pals.

When you’re not being tortured in the haunted houses, you can venture through various scare zones located around the park.

My best tip for those who are most fearful is to act confident, as the actors prey on the weak. If you clock them coming towards you, they will most likely choose another target.

For Horror Nights, The Studio Tour has been overtaken by the Terror Tram, which transports guests to the middle of the sound stages where they’ll be faced with the villains of Blumhouse movies including The Exorcist, The Purge, Happy Death Day, M3GAN and more.

This was a highlight of the event for me, as I felt all-consumed by the smoke, lights, music and actors jumping out from behind hidden doors.
After all that horror, you’ll have deserved a well-earned break.

There are plenty of themed drinks and food options to calm your nerves, whether it’s a Jason mask s’more, Art sunflower cookie sunglasses, or Fallout’s RadAway non-alcoholic concoction that’s served in a blood bag.

If the scares become too much, there’s plenty else to keep visitors busy in LA at this time of year.

Golden era of film

Take a hike with Bikes and Hikes up to the Hollywood sign and hear the tales of the area while you climb.

Or you can visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame to see landmarks such as the Chinese Theatre, and stop for a spot of lunch or dinner at the Shirley Brasserie situated inside the Roosevelt Hotel.

Just down the road from here is the Hollywood Museum, which is filled with thousands of costumes, props and sets from the golden era of film.

If you want to see some of the movie magic, then take a trip to Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood.

This is a brilliant journey around popular TV show and film sets, from Friends to Gilmore Girls, and you can get close to costumes and props from the likes of Harry Potter and Batman.

Keep your ears tuned in wherever you go though. If you listen hard you may still hear the distant screams from Universal Studios.

HEIDI Klum has dropped a NSFW clue about her highly-anticipated Halloween costume – one week before her exclusive annual bash.

The German model is known for being the talk of Hollywood every October 31 with her over-the-top party and outrageous outfit.

Each year, the star rocks an even crazier Halloween ensemble than the previous year and it seems that 2025 will be no exception.

This year she has been teasing fans with clues about her costume.

But the cheeky star shocked fans with the picture she posted today.

This is because Heidi shared a snap of a plaster cast of her back and pert bottom.

She posted the NSFW picture on her Instagram grid and simply wrote, “feeling cheeky”.

CRYPTIC CLUE

Over the last month, Heidi has had fans on a guessing game over what her costume might be.

On October 1, she got the buzz started when she dropped a cryptic hint as to this year’s outfit on Instagram.

Heidi shared a 3D mould of a head – likely to be for a mask specially created for the star’s head.

Alongside the hashtag, Heidi Halloween, the AGT judge wrote: “This is just the beginning.”

She further tagged prosthetic make-up artist, Mike Marino, in the post.

GUESSING GAME

It instantly got fans guessing as to what the potential outfit for her big party could be.

Taking to Reddit, one fan speculated that it could be a version of Han Solo from Carbonite.

After being suggested by one user, another said in response: “That’s what I was thinking.”

With another echoing: “Aah! You beat me!”

Another suggestion which gained plenty of traction was that Heidi could be going as Bender from Futurama.

One fan declared: “My first thought!”

Other suggestions included the Engineer from the Alien movies as well as Jim Carrey from The Mask.

HEIDI’S HALLOWEEN DATE

Heidi will likely attend her annual bash alongside her husband, Tom Kaulitz, who she recently gushed over in an interview.

“I just know him so well. We just gel really well,” Heidi spilled in an interview with E! News.

“I just feel like, ‘Finally, I found the one.’ So far so good. I hope it stays that way.”

Heidi also doesn’t hold back when talking about their sex life.

Speaking about their “bedroom sports”, the blonde stunner told The Sunday Times: “Sport en chambre is my favorite exercise — it sounds better in French.

“I have a younger husband,” she gushed.

Halloween is a big deal in the UK, and one of the most famous pumpkin patches is Tulleys’ Pumpkin Farm, which plays host to a pumpkin festival each year

Halloween certainly feels different now that I’m on the cusp of 30, but my memories of past celebrations vary greatly. As a child, I spent Halloween trick or treating around my village, while my university years were marked by celebrating a Halloween birthday, reports the Express.

Now, in my mature years, it’s all about recreating a sense of nostalgia. I’ve never been particularly drawn to the Americanised version of Halloween, even less so as an adult (what on earth is a Boo Basket?). However, one tradition that remains constant is the art of pumpkin carving.

Last weekend, I embraced the Halloween spirit slightly more than usual, visiting one of the UK’s most renowned pumpkin patches and festivals. Tulleys’ Pumpkin Farm in West Sussex has a rich history of embracing all things autumnal and Halloween-related. Each year, it hosts Tulleys’ Pumpkin Festival, Tulleys’ Pumpkin Nights, and Shocktober Fest.

Shocktober Fest was a big deal during my teenage years, along with Thorpe Park’s Fright Night, with hordes of friends making the journey across county borders to scream into the night. Tulleys’ Farm has been around for quite some time, because when I mentioned to my mum that I was heading to the Pumpkin Festival, she gasped, recalling that it was a place she used to visit with her parents when she was younger. That surely means it’s legendary.

Two Irish mates were keen to embrace the Halloween spirit, and as their London tour guide, I was more than happy to whisk us away from the city with their Golden Retriever, Millie, for a soggy afternoon in a muddy field brimming with pumpkins. The relentless downpour and heavy grey skies only added to the autumnal atmosphere.

The Pumpkin Festival is a blend of traditional British farms and Colonial America – think Salem Witch Trials – teeming with hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of pumpkins and squash. Ever seen a star-shaped pumpkin? Well, now’s your chance.

You’ll encounter knobbly ones, wrinkled ones, green ones, white ones, big ones, small ones, striped ones. They’re absolutely mad about pumpkins.

There’s an entire field dedicated to capturing that perfect pumpkin patch Instagram snap, with row upon row of vibrant orange pumpkins. Over 600,000 seeds are sown across 100 acres of land to yield one million pumpkins and gourds for the festival.

It’s the ideal spot to wear out kids or four-legged friends while you wander amongst the field. Personally, I enjoyed perusing the plethora of pumpkins in the garden centre/pumpkin-village.

You can purchase as many as you like, and plenty of people were carting them around in wheelbarrows. Prices vary depending on size, and the most unusual variety could set you back as little as £1.

We acted like proper Millennials, ensuring that Millie was the centre of attention, snapping pictures of her like mums and dads do with their little ones and tots. She adored it, I’m certain.

Next to the pumpkin patch sits the American-style village, complete with typical Yankee street grub, a dive bar plastered in memorabilia that screams “USA! USA!”, a big wheel, and a mock cemetery showcasing cringe-worthy spooky dad gags.

The entire setup is part of the charm, designed to whisk you away from dull West Sussex to Salem, Massachusetts, 1692. You’ve got to chuckle at it. But honestly, it’s all part of the entertainment.

The Pumpkin Bar serves as an excellent refuge, and believe me, you’ll likely need it. There are also loads of food choices, though my selection of chips with cheese sauce probably wasn’t the wisest pick. I should have opted for the build your own crumble or DIY s’mores. It’s the ideal spot to get you and the clan in the spirit for spooky season.

Tulleys provides a complete experience for young and grown-up children alike. It was my first experience at a pumpkin patch as an adult, and despite resembling a soaked rodent from the instant we turned up, it was the perfect way to spend a weekend.

Tulleys left my mates so impressed that they’re keen to tackle the two other Halloween attractions next year. There’s something extraordinary for the whole family to enjoy, even the four-legged variety.

Daytime tickets for Tulleys Farm’s Pumpkin Festival, for adults (over 14) and children (from aged two to 13), are priced between £8 and £13.95, with carers admitted free of charge. For the Pumpkin Nights at Tulleys, prices range from £11.95 to £19.95 for both adults and children.

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With autumn well under way, we’ve put together a list of some of the top pumpkin patches in the UK for a seasonal, Halloween-inspired day out for all the family

With autumn well under way and Halloween fast-approaching, many of us will be looking for some spooky fun. Pumpkin patches are a great way to enjoy autumnal vibes while also getting out in the fresh air – and you get to take your own pumpkin home with you to carve, turn into a delicious meal, or simply decorate your home with.

Pumpkin patches have become more and more popular in recent years, and many now offer a full day out including activities and photo opportunities. We’ve put together a list of the top patches in the UK for you to enjoy this October …

Tulleys Pumpkin Farm, West Sussex

Tulleys Pumpkin Farm is one of the best known in the UK. Located in the West Sussex countryside, the farm will this year be offering more than 1 million pumpkins and gourds for visitors to pick. The site offers a range of photo opportunities with vibrant backdrops and set-ups, and there are even characters from the “Pumpkin Village” wandering around the site.

There is also food and drink on offer including smash burgers, loaded hot dogs, loaded fries, hot donuts, toffee apples, and pumpkin spice lattes. Other attractions include roaming musicians, an observation wheel, the Pumpkin Bar and the Boozy Cauldron Bar.

The farm will be running the pumpkin picking experiences from 9.30am to 5.30pm and visitors can get tickets online here .

Doddington Hall, Lincolnshire

Doddington Hall in Lincolnshire is offering 30 different varieties of pumpkins, squashes and gourds for visitors to pick from. To get to the patch, guests can follow the spooky walk through the Kitchen Garden and they are encouraged to wear Halloween fancy dress.

The patch is open until October 31st and visitors can come from 10am to 4pm daily, while stocks last. The entry is free, and you will simply need to pay for what you pick. Some of the pumpkins in the patch will have golden bottoms – and guests who find one will win the pumpkin, a family ticket to Christmas in the Hall, and a Doddington homegrown Christmas tree. No tickets are required.

Millets Farm Centre, Oxfordshire

Millets Farm Centre promises a pumpkin-picking experience with “loads of Halloween themed props and photo opportunities”. Visitors will pay for an entry ticket, and then for the pumpkin or squash they pick when they leave the field.

A SEND session will be held on October 27 which offers exclusive early access to the patch, reduced noise levels, with lower capacity. On October 31, a dog day will take place, which allows guests to bring along their furry friends.

You can buy tickets here . Additionals can be bought too, like goodie bags and a pumpkin carving experience – and guests can also enjoy hot chocolates and marshmallow toasting.

Farmer Copleys, West Yorkshire

Farmer Copleys has promised a “bigger and better than ever” pumpkin festival. Visitors can wander through more than 300,000 homegrown pumpkins in more than 40 varieties and snap photographs along the way.

Alongside pumpkin picking, guests can enjoy tractor fields, live shows and entertainment, archery and vintage fairground rides, fancy dress contests, and a dog parade. There will also be the chance to enjoy some street food and drinks from the festival bars. You can get tickets here .

Bell’s Pumpkin Patch, Lincolnshire

Bell’s Pumpkin Patch is one of the largest in the country and offers visitors the chance to pick pumpkins and enjoy the range of entertainment and attractions on offer. Guests can visit the pumpkin carving tent, take a look at the Pumpkin Cannon which can fire a pumpkin over a quarter of a mile, and have a go on the funfair rides.

There are bounce and climb areas for kids to enjoy, a tiny tots play area, face painting, and ride-on pedal tractors. Other attractions include tractor rides, a Maize Maze, a makers’ market, garden games, an assault course, singing pumpkins, and food and drink. You can get tickets here .

Lathcoats Farm, Essex

Lathcoats Farm in Essex will be offering “lots of sizes and varieties” to choose from, as well as an undercover pumpkin patch, outdoor games, and “plenty of photo opportunities”.

Visitors can also book onto the Halloween Hunt which will include access to the trail, an activity sheet, and a delicious prize. Guests are encouraged to visit the orchards at the farm and pick their own apples too. Tickets to the event must be booked in advance, and you can get them here .

Vale Pick Your Own, Vale of Glamorgan

The Pick Your Own farm in the heart of the Vale of Glamorgan offers fruit picking all year round – including strawberry and raspberry picking over the summer. In October, the farm’s pumpkin patch will be back for more “spooky season fun”.

Visitors can also get tickets for the Twilight Pumpkin Picking experience, which will include live band entertainment and a fully licensed bar. There will be a fire pit to roast marshmallows and a face painter during the day and night sessions. You can get tickets here.

John Carpenter has this one recurring nightmare.

“I’m in a huge, massive town I don’t really know,” he says, “and I’m looking for the movie district. And inevitably all the theaters are closed down. They’re all closed down. That’s what the dream is.”

I’m visiting Carpenter at his longtime production house in Hollywood on one of L.A.’s unjustly sunny October afternoons. A vintage “Halloween” pinball machine and a life-size Nosferatu hover near his easy chair. I tell him I don’t think Freud would have too much trouble interpreting that particular dream.

“No, I know,” he says, laughing. “I don’t have too much trouble with that either.”

Nonetheless, it truly haunts him — “and it has haunted me over the years for many dreams in a row,” he continues. “I’m either with family or a group, and I go off to do something and I get completely lost. [Freud] wouldn’t have too much trouble figuring that out either. I mean, none of this is very mysterious.”

Carpenter is a gruff but approachable 77 these days, his career as a film director receding in the rearview. The last feature he made was 2010’s “The Ward.” His unofficial retirement was partly chosen, partly imposed by a capricious industry. The great movie poster artist Drew Struzan died two days before I visited — Carpenter says he never met Struzan but loved his work, especially his striking painting for the director’s icy 1982 creature movie “The Thing” — and I note how that whole enterprise of selling a movie with a piece of handmade art is a lost one.

“The whole movie business that I knew, that I grew up with, is gone,” he replies. “All gone.”

It hasn’t, thankfully, made him want to escape from L.A. He still lives here with his wife, Sandy King, who runs the graphic novel imprint Storm King Comics, which Carpenter contributes to. He gamely appeared on John Mulaney’s “Everybody’s in L.A.” series on Netflix and, earlier this year, the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. gave him a Career Achievement Award — a belated lovefest for a veteran who was sidelined after “The Thing” flopped, cast out into indie darkness and was never personally nominated for an Oscar.

The thing that does keep Carpenter busy these days (other than watching Warriors basketball and playing videogames) is the thing that might have an even bigger cultural footprint than his movies: his music. With his adult son Cody and godson, Daniel Davies, Carpenter is once again performing live concerts of his film scores and instrumental albums in a run at downtown’s Belasco this weekend and next.

The synthy, hypnotic scores that became his signature in films like “Halloween” and “Escape from New York” not only outnumber his output as a director — he’s scored movies for several other filmmakers and recently made a handshake deal in public to score Bong Joon Ho’s next feature — but their influence and popularity are much more evident in 2025 than the style of his image-making.

From “Stranger Things” to “F1,” Carpenter’s minimalist palette of retro electronica combined with the groove-based, trancelike ethos of his music (which now includes four “Lost Themes” records) is the coin of the realm so many modern artists are chasing.

Very few composers today are trying to sound like John Williams; many of them want to sound like John Carpenter. The Kentucky-raised skeptic with the long white hair doesn’t believe me when I express this.

“Well, see, I must be stupid,” he says, “because I don’t get it.”

Carpenter is quick to put himself down. He always says that he scored his own films because he was the only composer he could afford, and that he only used synths because they were cheap and he couldn’t properly write music for an orchestra. When I tell him that Daniel Wyman, the instrumentalist who helped program and execute the “Halloween” score in 1978, praised Carpenter’s innate knowledge of the “circle of fifths” and secondary dominants — bedrocks of Western musical theory that allowed Carpenter’s scores to keep the tension cooking — he huffs.

“I have no idea what he’s talking about,” Carpenter says, halfway between self-deprecation and something more rascally. “It all comes, probably, from the years I spent in our front room with my father and listening to classical music. I’m sure I’m just digging this s— out.”

Whether by osmosis or genetics or possibly black magic, Carpenter clearly absorbed his powers from his father, Dr. Howard Carpenter, a classically trained violinist and composer. Classical music filled the childhood home in Bowling Green and for young John it was all about “Bach, Bach and Bach. He’s my favorite. I just can’t get enough of Johann there.”

It makes sense. Bach’s music has a circular spell quality and the pipe organ, resounding with reverb in gargantuan cathedrals, was the original synthesizer.

“He’s the Rock of Ages of music,” says Carpenter, who particularly loves the fugue nicknamed “St. Anne” and the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. “Everybody would go back to Mozart or Beethoven. They are astonishing — Beethoven is especially astonishing — but they’re not my style. I don’t feel it like I do with Bach. I immediately got him.”

Carpenter was also a film score freak since Day 1. He cites the early electronic music in 1956’s “Forbidden Planet” and claims Bernard Herrmann and Dimitri Tiomkin as his two all-time favorites. Just listen, he says, to the way Tiomkin’s music transitions from the westerny fanfare under the Winchester Pictures logo to the swirling, menacing orchestral storm that accompanies “The Thing From Another World” title card in that 1951 sci-fi picture that Carpenter remixed as “The Thing.”

“The music is so weird, I cannot follow it,” he says. “But I love it.”

Yet Carpenter feels more personally indebted to rock ‘n’ roll: the Beatles, the Stones, the Doors. He wanted to be a rock star ever since he grew his hair long and bought a guitar in high school. He sang and performed R&B and psychedelic rock for sororities on the Western Kentucky campus as well as on a tour of the U.S. Army bases in Germany. He formed the rock trio Coupe de Villes with his buddies at USC and they made an album and played wrap parties.

He also kept soaking up contemporary influences, listening to Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” while location scouting for “Halloween.” Peter Fonda later introduced Carpenter to Zevon and he wanted the director to adapt the song into a film that never happened (starring Fonda as the werewolf, but “this time he gets the girl,” Carpenter recalls). In the ’80s he blasted Metallica with his two boys and he still loves Devo.

It’s incredibly rare for a film director to score their own films, rarer still for one to spend decades on stage as a performing musician. The requisite personalities would seem diametrical.

“My dad was a performing musician, so it was just part of the family,” Carpenter says. However, until 2016, when Carpenter first toured with his music, he was consumed with stage fright. “I had an incident when I was in a play in high school,” he says. “I went up and I forgot my lines. Shame descended upon me and I had a tough time. I was scared all the time.”

The director credits his touring drummer, Scott Seiver, for helping him beat it.

“Your adrenaline carries you to another planet when that thing starts,” he sighs with pleasure. “You hear a wall of screaming people. It’s a big time.”

He pushes back against the idea that directors “hide behind the camera.”

“The pressure, that’s the biggest thing,” Carpenter says. “You put yourself under pressure from the studio, you’re carrying all this money, crew, you want to be on time.”

He remembers seeing some haggard making-of footage of himself in post-production on “Ghost of Mars” in 2001 and thinking: Oh my God, this guy is in trouble. “I had to stop,” he says. “I can’t do this to myself anymore. I can’t take this kind of stress — it’ll kill you, as it has so many other directors. The music came along and it’s from God. It’s a blessing.”

John Carpenter is grateful but he doesn’t believe in God. He believes that, when we die, “we just disperse — our energy disperses, and we return to what we were. We’re all stardust up there and the darkness created us, in a sense. So that’s what we have to make peace with. I point up to the infinite, the space between stars. But things stop when you die. Your heart stops, brain — everything stops. You get cold. Your energy dissipates and it just… ends. The End.”

This is not exactly a peaceful thought for him.

“I mean, I don’t want to die,” he adds. “I’m not looking forward to that. But what can you do? I can’t control it. But that’s what I believe and I’m alone in it. I can’t put that on anybody else. Everybody has their own beliefs, their own gods, their own afterlife.”

He describes himself as a “long-term optimist but a short-term pessimist.”

“I have hope,” he says, “put it that way.” Yet he looks around and sees a lot of evil.

“The true evil in the world comes from people,” says Carpenter, who has long used cinematic allegories to skewer capitalist pigs and bloodthirsty governments. “I know that nature’s pretty rough, but not like men. You see pictures of lions taking down their prey and you see the face of the prey and you say: ‘Oh, man.’ Humans do things like that and enjoy it. Or they do things like that for power or pleasure. Humans are evil but they’re capable of massive good — and they’re capable of the greatest art form we have: music.”

The greatest?

“You don’t have to talk about it. You just sit and listen to it. It’s not my favorite,” he clarifies, alluding to his first love, cinema — “but it’s the one that transcends centuries.”

Music has always been kinder to him than the movie business. That business recently reared its ugly head when A24 tossed his completed score for “Death of a Unicorn.” (At least he owns the rights and will be putting it out sometime soon.) In addition to the high he gets from playing live, he is currently working on a heavy metal concept album complete with dialogue. It’s called “Cathedral” and he’ll be playing some of it at the Belasco.

It’s essentially a movie in music form, based on a dream Carpenter had. Though not one he finds scary. What scares Carpenter, it seems, is not being in control.

That happened to him in the movie world, it’s happening more and more as what he calls the “frailties of age” mount and it happens in that nightmare about getting lost in a big city and not finding any theaters.

“But I can’t do anything about it,” he says. “What can I do? See, the only thing I can do is what I can control: music. And watching basketball.”