Toronto is getting a Stephen King–inspired film fest

In 1976, a shy girl in a pink prom dress changed horror movies forever. Carrie, the first big-screen adaptation of a Stephen King novel, in which Sissy Spacek plays a high school nerd doused with pig’s blood, turns 50 this year—and its revenge fantasy feels fresh as ever. To mark the occasion, Bloordale’s Paradise Theatre is hosting All Work and No Play, a 10-film Stephen King retrospective devoted to the literal King of mainstream dread.

The festival starts on February 24 and is part of the Paradise Book Club series in collaboration with Type Books. “Few writers have been adapted as frequently—and by as many notable filmmakers—as King. It was an embarrassment of riches for a retrospective; our series is 10 films, but it could have been 20 or more,” says co-organizer Kevin Greenspan. He adds that the dead of winter feels like the right time to get blood pumping with icy suspense. “There’s strong snowy imagery in some of them, and they’re equally as thrilling and disturbing as they are cozy and familiar—perfect to get lost in on a day inside.”

Related: All GTA locations that show up in the new Stephen King movie, It

First up is, naturally, Carrie, paired with Christine—the tale of a teen boy and his two loves: his girlfriend and his sentient cherry-red muscle car. Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, famously hated by King, makes an appearance, followed by another stay in the Overlook Hotel with its sequel, Doctor Sleep. Later in March, lonely Kathy Bates careening with blunt objects becomes a theme of its own, with Dolores Claiborne and Rob Reiner’s fan-from-hell thriller, Misery. Plus, sleeper hits like Pet Sematary and CanCon like David Cronenberg’s The Dead Zone will also screen.

Expect short intros from the organizers each night, themed cocktails (may we suggest a cup full of red rum?) and books for sale in the lobby. For diehards seeking a full descent into madness, there’s also a discounted series pass to see all 10 films waiting in a dark corner for you.