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Colonial Theatre’s ’Horror Bowl’ offers Eagles fans an alternative to the Super Bowl

The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville is hosting a Horror Bowl the day of the Super Bowl, featuring three John Carpenter classics.

Two of the three films from John Carpenter's "Apocalypse Trilogy": The Thing (1982) and Prince of Darkness (1987).
Two of the three films from John Carpenter's "Apocalypse Trilogy": The Thing (1982) and Prince of Darkness (1987).Read moretheofficialjohncarpenter.com (custom credit)

If you found the Jadeveon Clowney hit on Carson Wentz to be so horrifying it put you off football, and you love horror, you should know the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville is offering a game-day alternative to the Super Bowl on Feb. 2 called the Horror Bowl.

It features three John Carpenter movies, from more obscure titles like Prince of Darkness (1987, 1 p.m.) and In The Mouth of Madness (1995, 3:15 p.m.), and culminates with The Thing (1982), which starts at 6 p.m. and runs parallel to the Super Bowl.

Also, Eagles fans should know that neither Prince of Darkness nor In The Mouth of Madness is about helmet-to-helmet-hit-denier and NBC announcer Cris Collinsworth.

In The Mouth of Madness stars Sam Neill as an insurance investigator who thinks a horror writer’s books (the character is modeled on Stephen King) have driven him crazy.

Prince of Darkness is about a group of grad students who open a canister containing a liquid that turns people into zombies, and, no, it’s not Schmidt’s. Carpenter buffs probably know that Prince stars Victor Wong and Dennis Dun from Big Trouble In Little China.

Carpenter buffs probably also know that the three films constitute what Carpenter himself describes as his Apocalypse Trilogy.

“The three movies were proclaimed a trilogy by Carpenter, and they share a common theme, which is a community that seems united eventually all seem to turn on each other,” said Bob Trate, Colonial spokesperson. As an added inducement, he said, The Thing will be shown in original 35 mm.

Since it starts at 6 p.m., it will also be over by Super Bowl halftime, so fans could catch the end of the game. But most probably won’t: “Our community doesn’t care too much about football,” Trate said.

Tickets for the whole marathon are $25, and include a Carpenter-themed “halftime show” before The Thing. Tickets to individual shows are $12. Both are on sale now at thecolonialtheatre.com.

Special Horror Bowl T-shirts and a Horror Bowl poster will also be available for purchase.