Halloween might come a little earlier to State College in the form of a parasitic baby puppet made of latex.

Won Ton Baby, a film directed, co-written and co-produced by Penn State graduate student and instructor of English James Morgart, will premiere tonight at the State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave.

The premiere will include an introduction by the filmmaker and a T-shirt and fortune cookie giveaway, as well as a possible appearance by the "baby" itself.

Won Ton Baby, which Morgart compares to The Evil Dead trilogy, is a horror-comedy film that follows the repercussions of a drug-filled one-night stand between a former brothel owner and an Elvis impersonator.

After the woman realizes she's pregnant and converts her brothel to a Chinese restaurant, viewers are treated to a horrifying discovery -- there is a parasitic twin growing inside her that will wreak havoc once it's removed.

Morgart, who is working toward a master's degree in English and teaches ENGL 15 (Rhetoric and Composition), said he has always been interested in horror.

"I grew up watching '80s horror films," he said, noting that he also liked to read the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Anne Rice as a kid. "It wasn't until I got to college that I really started getting into the different genres of gothic."

Morgart graduated in 2001 from Rider University with a degree in political science and accounting, but after receiving a master's degree in accounting and working as an accountant, he realized it was not the field he wanted to be in.

"It was disillusioning for me," he said.

Morgart decided to go back and follow his real interests: writing and filmmaking. He became interested in teaching while also working as a filmmaker.

"Literature teachers get to delve into literature and at the same time they get to teach -- that's something I love," he said.

Morgart realized that he would need a Ph.D. to teach, so he decided to get a third degree in English while working for film magazines.

While working on an independent film with "scream queen" Suzi Lorraine, Morgart decided he wanted to make a horror film with her.

"I decided I wanted to make a film that was within her genre but also had something to say," he said. "I sat down for three months and tried to develop characters that had meaning."

Morgart found independent funding from family members and donations but was wary about the quality of actors he would find for a low-budget film. Because the film was shot in his home state of New Jersey, Morgart was able to attract stage actors from New York.

"The acting is phenomenal," he said of the cast, which includes veteran horror actress Debbie Rochon and Gunnar Hansen, who played Leatherface in the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Filming was done in empty office buildings and closed restaurants until they opened every day.

Zach Shourds (senior-film and philosophy) was a production assistant on the film for 11 days in May and June. Shourds worked in set construction, getting technical aspects in order, special effects and actor assistance.

"It was the first time I had ever worked on something of this level," Shourds said. "It was very hectic, but just seeing people in this element was a hands-on experience."

Shourds said he was intrigued by the rare quality and strange premise of the film.

"I think it's a different spin on something that could be really familiar for a lot of people," he said. "It's a fusion of the old and the new."

Morgart agreed, saying the film is a comedy that also has a lot of shock value.

"It goes from something that will gross people out to a really deep moment in the next scene," he said.

Morgart said he was able to achieve this because of the subversive structure that the horror genre allows.

"I love all film, but at the same time, I love the freedom that horror allows you," he said.

"There are no fans that are more loyal than horror fans."