NEW ULM — This Thursday, the Grand Center for Arts and Culture will be haunted by the cinema of the past. The New Ulm Film Society is hosting an ’80s Horror Movie Marathon.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, the Grand will begin screening three classic horror films from one of the most horrifying decades of all time. Admission is $2 but if you’re wearing a costume, it’s free. The Film Society is a non-profit organization. The marathon is not intended to generate a profit.

“We really just want people to come to the event in costume and have fun,” Film Society member Steve Sherman said.

The screening event will be casual. The audience is welcome to come and go as they like. They are under no obligation to stay for all three films, but are encouraged to get into the Halloween spirit.

The three films to be screened are “Fright Night,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Night of the Creeps.”

“It was serendipitous that all three have ‘night’ in the title,” Sherman said. “That way we can call the event “Night of the ’80s Horror Films.”

The reason the Film Society decided to use ’80s films for their horror movie marathon was not a coincidence. The Film Society felt 80s horror fit the perfect tone for a Halloween celebration.

“Eighties films are the type of fun party movies,” Sherman said. “They are schlock and gory but with a fun vibe.”

In addition, ’80s horror has a tendency to be self-aware enough to be entertaining without being pretentious. Horror films from the ’80s combined some of the best qualities of old-school drive-in horror while still looking forward to the future.

“Fright Night” is the story of a boy who suspects his new neighbor is a vampire and enlists the aid of former horror film icon to defeat the monster.

“Nightmare on Elm Street” introduces audiences to Freddy Krueger, a child murderer who has come back from the dead to prey on children in their dreams.

“Night of the Creeps” is a hodgepodge of old horror film tropes thrown into a single film, ranging from aliens and escaped mental patients to zombies and slug-monsters.

Both “Fright Night” and “Night of the Creeps” are films steeped in horror film nostalgia. The main character in “Fright Night” knows everything about classic horror films and uses the knowledge to battle modern monsters. “Night of the Creeps” takes every ’50s horror film staple and transplants them into the ’80s setting. “Nightmare on Elm Street” isn’t remembered for its nostalgia, but it became one the best remembered ’80s horror films, and no ’80s marathon would be complete without it.

Parents are warned before bringing their children that all three of the films are rated R. Sherman said the marathon starts with the least gory film before moving onto the more extreme films on the list.The marathon is aimed for grown-ups too old to trick-or-treat but still wanting to celebrate the holiday.

Since the marathon will be hosted at The Grand, a cash bar will open during the film. Halloween-themed snacks will also be available at the party.

Doors for the event open at 5:30 p.m. with “Fright Night” starting at 6 p.m. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” begins at 8 p.m. and “Night of the Creeps” starts at 10 p.m.