Welcome to Movie Nights @ The Literary
Film Fanatic Movie Nights is a series of communal film experiences designed to stimulate the senses, feed the mind, and dazzle the eyes. Each film is presented by a film fanatic curator who introduces the film, sets the stage with background and insight, and leads an informal discussion afterward. Whether you come as a viewer, a movie buff, or a full-on fanatic — you're among friends here.
This screening is part of Champaign-Urbana's annual month-long celebration of horror films — one of cinema's most inventive, subversive, and enduring forms. This October, explore a carefully curated selection of the genre's greatest achievements on the big screen. Full festival schedule: shocktober-fright.com
The Witch
USA / Canada 2015 • 92 min 1.66:1) • Rated R
Directed by: Robert Eggers
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw
RSVP on Facebook • Download poster
Saturday, October 31, 2026 at 10:30pm
Venue: The Literary Book Bar (122 N Neil St, Champaign)
Advance tickets: $10 (available online until 5pm on October 7)
Regular admission: $12 (at the door)
Special offer: Join Film-Fanatic.Club today and get one FREE admission plus one drink ticket (more info)
Note: Upon purchase, your name will be added to our door list (no tickets will be issued). Simply check in at the door at least 10 minutes before the screening starts on the night of the event. Your email receipt is your proof of purchase.
The Scratching Post is an ADA accessible venue with designated spaces that can accommodate anyone, including guests who use wheelchairs. Please email ada@film-fanatic.club for more information.
About the film
A landmark of modern horror and the astonishing feature debut of Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, The Northman, Nosferatu), this chilling tale of superstition, isolation, and religious paranoia helped usher in a new era of intelligent, atmospheric horror. Drawing extensively from period diaries, folklore, and historical records, Eggers creates a world of astonishing authenticity, immersing audiences in the fears and anxieties of colonial New England. Rather than relying on conventional jump scares, the film builds dread through meticulous craftsmanship: candlelit interiors, haunting sound design, stark natural landscapes, and an overwhelming sense that something is profoundly wrong. Every detail contributes to an atmosphere of mounting paranoia as faith, family, and identity begin to unravel. Featuring a breakout performance by Anya Taylor-Joy, this modern folk-horror classic is a remarkably assured debut — hypnotic, disturbing, and utterly immersive. It's the kind of film that demands to be experienced in a dark theater, where its creeping dread can take full effect.
Content Warnings: Horror violence, disturbing imagery, child death, animal violence, religious extremism, psychological distress, nudity, and occult themes.
#RobertEggers #AnyaTaylorJoy #FolkHorror #HorrorCinema #CultCinema #ArtHouseHorror #RepertoryCinema #ModernHorror #A24 #HorrorClassic
Film-Fanatic.Club • The Literary Book Bar • 122 N Neil St, Champaign
