Forbidden Hollywood is a monthly series hosted by STL film critic Katie Carter celebrating the Pre-Code films of the early 1930s, when movies were wild, racy, transgressive, and tons of fun.

For a movie reluctantly produced by Warner Brothers in an effort to kill two birds with one stone — capitalize on the horror craze popularized by rival studio Universal and fulfill a contract with the fledging Technicolor — 1932’s “Doctor X” stands as a one-of-a-kind work of art. The versatile director Michael Curtiz oversees this story about a so-called Moon Killer stalking New York City, leaving the cannibalized remains of its victims in its wake. Authorities believe the perpetrator is one of the scientists at Dr. Xavier’s (Lionel Atwill) medical academy, prompting the doctor to hole up with all of them at his beachside estate to try to draw out the killer via his own morbid methods.

“Doctor X” tosses a few different genres into the pot, including comedy, a romance with Xavier’s daughter Joanne (iconic scream queen Fay Wray), and— in a nod to the gritty thrillers Warner’s was most at home with— an investigative journalism angle led by fast-talking protagonist Lee Taylor (Lee Tracy). But “Doctor X” is most notable for being one of the few surviving examples of Technicolor’s early, short-lived two-color process. The predominantly green and red color palette lends a discomfiting air of rot and decay to what is already one of the most macabre tales from the Pre-Code era.

Arkadin does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. However, we encourage researching titles to determine if a screening may contain content that could be upsetting to you. Please feel free to contact us for guidance on specific films. Information about content can also be found on Common Sense Media, IMDB and DoesTheDogDie.com, as well as through general internet searches.

THEATER POLICIES

All seats are first-come, first-served.

The theater opens one hour prior to showtime, except for “Happy Hour” events when the theater will open at the event’s start time.

All ages are welcome at Arkadin except for Drinkolas Cage events, which are restricted to 21+. We follow the MPAA rating guidelines for all other films.

Tickets can be purchased using the BUY TICKETS link above. Upon ordering, you will receive a confirmation email from Square. Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the show at the concession counter.

If you’ve purchased advance tickets, when you arrive, please give your name at the concession counter to check in.

Tickets are returnable by sending a request through the contact form located on our About Us page prior to showtime.

When an event is sold out, we reserve the right to release open seats to customers on the waitlist. If you have a pre-purchased ticket and arrive late and there is no seat for you, your ticket will be refunded.

All screenings are held in our indoor theater unless indicated otherwise in the event description above.

Please respect your fellow movie-goers by remaining quiet and refraining from using your cell phone throughout the screening.