Students on a quest for pre-Halloween terror can be scared free of charge tonight at the premiere of “John Carpenter’s Vampires” in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Eric Yarwood, program advisor for the Student Union Board, said the movie is “about a man [played by James Woods] who hunts vampires for the Vatican, and he’s after the first vampire.”

“[The movie] is supposed to be bloody and gory,” he said.

The movie poster heralding the release of the movie displays these haunting words: “From the master of terror comes a new breed of evil.”

Carpenter, best known for his smash-hit psycho-thriller “Halloween,” makes his first venture into vampiredom with a plot sure to make even the hair on the back of Michael Myers’ neck prickle.

His new progeny of monstrosity is about a stealthy cache of sleep-by-day vampires who, like typical vampires, rise from their graves and seek out human necks into which they can nestle their incisors and draw human lifeblood.

The troupe-de-black are led by the sacrilegious master bloodsucker Valek, played by Thomas Ian Griffith. Valek is a 600-year-old vampire who is seeking out the elusive Berziers Cross, an amulet said to give all vampires “omnipotent power to walk in the daylight.”

But where evil roams wildly, good is sure to linger.

Woods, the most high-profile actor in “Vampires,” was awarded the heroic role of Jack Crow, a fearless vampire slayer that would make Buffy and her young pals jealous. Crow leads a cadre of Vatican mercenaries, called “Team Crow,” in a war against the unholy brutes.

After destroying a vampire “nest” in rural New Mexico, the team is ambushed by Valek during a victory soiree and is ravished, leaving only Crow and young priest Adam Guiteau (Tim Guinee) to combat the evil forces.

However, the two aren’t left alone in their plight. They are joined by Tony Montoya (Daniel Baldwin) and Katrina (Sheryl Lee), a prostitute bitten by Valek.

Crow and his team pursue Valek through deserts in an attempt to bring his dominion down for good.

“John Carpenter’s Vampires” climaxes in the final confrontation between “faith and immortality,” a press release said.

An interactive chat session will be held after the movie.

Sheila Kloefkorn, vice president for Network Event Theater’s campus operations, said students will “have an opportunity to call in and talk to James Woods and John Carpenter live.” Network Event Theater is responsible for funding the picture.

Kloefkorn said Woods and Carpenter will be linked to ISU and other participating schools via satellite from UCLA and will be fielding all types of questions.

Yarwood said the Great Hall will be equipped with a phone that will allow students to call in and ask questions.

The premiere screening and live interaction will begin at 8 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m.

Special passes are required to attend and may be obtained free at the West Student Office Space in the Union.

Tickets are still available for the premiere but Yarwood said it is a good idea for students to arrive early because approximately 1,000 tickets have been given out, and the Great Hall’s seating capacity is only 600.

“Vampires” is rated R and opens in theaters nationwide Friday.