Strand's Zombie Invasion Movie Marathon, First Annual Marieta Zombie Walk

The Earl Smith Strand Theatre will be partnering with the Marietta Zombie Walk on Oct. 29 to bring a day of undead fun this Halloween. The Strand’s Zombie Invasion movie marathon will screen four cult classic zombie films scheduled around the Marietta Zombie Walk festivities.

With the choice of a day pass or individual movie tickets, zombie lovers can enjoy zombie classics from each decade preceding George Romero’s groundbreaking "Night of the Living Dead," which will cap off the event. During a break in the marathon at 6 p.m., the Marietta Zombie Walk with take over the square and streets of Marietta as participants dressed as the fearless undead parade through the city in search of brains.

Costumes of all types are encouraged for the movie marathon and zombies that are willing to moan and gurgle to bartenders can enjoy bar specials. Before the first and last set of movies, at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., there will be a live spooky sing along and preshow on the "Might Allen Theatre Organ."

The Strand’s Zombie Invasion movies and times are as follows:

White Zombie, 1932 (NR) at 2:00 p.m. Has the girl you’re infatuated with just gotten married to another man in the jungles of Haiti? Don’t fret! Kill her and revive her as your zombie slave. White Zombie takes the traditional approach to Zombie lore with potions and mental control over the undead. Released in 1932, this independent film is considered the “first feature length zombie film.” There won’t be anyone eating brains, but don’t think that this film won’t totally creep you out.  If the premise of becoming a zombie slave to the guy you’ve rejected isn’t creepy enough, just wait until you see the villain’s eyebrows.

King of the Zombies, 1941 (NR) at 3:30 p.m. In this horror comedy from 1941, three men crash land onto an island and stumble upon an old house complete with mindless zombies, a creepy host, and a serving staff that is way too calm about the whole soulless zombie situation. John Archer and Henry Victor play leading man Bill Summers and Austrian baddie Dr. Mikhail Sangre, respectively, but the show is stolen by Mantan Moreland, the hilarious comedic actor who plays Bill’s valet and pulls off making this 1941 zombie flick legitimately funny. Between him, a lurking manservant, prophecies of doom slipped in between sips of brandy, and a host who always seems to be holding a candle like he’s about to tell a ghost story to a group of boy scouts, what’s not to love about King of the Zombies?

Teenage Zombies, 1959 (NR) at 8:00 p.m. What goes great with malt milkshakes, peachy keen summer days, and taking your best gal out waterskiing? Why, a mad lady scientist developing chemical weapons in her secret lab, of course! Four teenagers out on the lake boat out to an uninhabited island to relax on their summer day off, only to discover the secret lair of Dr. Myra, who is faithfully protected by her zombified slave, Whorf. The teens must form a cunning plan to escape her evil clutches before they are all turned into zombie slaves! Their only hope lays in the hands of friends on the mainland, a crooked sheriff, and a violent gorilla test subject turned gorilla-zombie.

Night of the Living Dead, 1968 (NR) at 10:00 p.m. Say the word “zombie” with just one know-it-all in earshot, and you’re going to hear George A. Romero’s name for the rest of the night. We’d like to make fun, but it’s hard to deny that Romero’s classic Night of the Living Dead helped make zombies what they are today. The Library of Congress even put this bad boy in the vault. With an abandoned farmhouse, a surprisingly lively cemetery, and lots of running, this movie is terrifically one part classic voodoo zombie and two parts I Am Legend. The book, not the Will Smith movie. And don’t worry, for all you Romero fans who cringe at the very mention of 30th anniversary editions, we’ve got your back. Night of the Living Dead will be the original black and white classic.