Okay, so I love New Orleans. And I love horror. Combining the two? A match made in heaven y’all. (Or lower, depending on what you consider a high compliment. Do you.) The Overlook Film Festival 2019 was an absolute blast, with a crackerjack staff and volunteer crew delivering lots of spooky fun for four glorious days. Did I see as much as I would have liked? Nope – there’s no way anyone could have gotten to everything they wanted to, Overlook had just too much fun available! But I did get a whole lot of fun in, and I’m gonna tell you how to enjoy Overlook, and what I personally enjoyed, each in their own post. Part 1 right after the jump…so let’s do this!

Part 1: How To Enjoy Overlook

• Plan Your Picnic – You’ll need to walk to different theaters. It’s a film fest; there’s more than one theater to get to for showings. Plus, there are virtual reality activities, podcast tapings, Q&A’s, well, you get the idea. And that’s just what’s going on with the Fest; there’s lots of other things to see in NOLA! So get your schedule set, and give yourself plenty of time to get to where you need to go. Because…
• It’s New Orleans/Hot As Hell – Walk slowly. If you try to bust a move, you’ll end up sweating even more than you expect, turning yourself into a damp, soggy mess. Take your time. Bring a fan to wave as you walk, or grab a free one from a Visitor Center. You’ll really want one.
• Go Big – grab yourself an All-Access Pass (or higher level, if you’re flush.) It’s worth it to know that you’ve got a seat for every screening, and that you’ll be the first one in the theater. Because good seats are great, and so is air conditioning in NOLA during May and June. You’ll be glad you shelled out the extra for guaranteed butt-in-seat, especially for the prestige showings that typically end up sold out.
• Bring Water Everywhere – See “It’s New Orleans/Hot As Hell”. Keep hydrated. Plus, sitting through several films in a row can mean that you won’t have the time to hit a restaurant for sustenance, let alone Rouse Market for yummy takeaway. So go to these films packin’ yummies and beverages. Oh, and since this is NOLA…
• Get Your Drink On – Love watching a movie with your favorite adult beverage? Well, open containers are a-okay at NOLA, so feel free to bring a beer, cocktail or glass of wine to any showing. It’ll have to be in a plastic “Go Cup”, but who cares? It’s a delicious beverage, and you’re going to see a wonderful horror movie. The proper glass is irrelevant.
• Bring A Sweater – Yeah, I sound like your mom. But hear me now; the theaters are COLD. You’ll be shivering in no time flat. And that’s not just me; I asked Big Strong Dude Types, and they were just as chilled as I was. So throw a sweatshirt or somesuch toasty-maker into your backpack or tote. You’ll definitely want one. Plus, with all the heat-induced sweating, you’ll be that much colder once the a/c really kicks in.

Ready for Part 2? Come with me…