'TITANIC' STAR SET FOR EYEGORE AWARDS.

Byline: - Daily News

Besides unleashing the ghouls Friday for the opening of ``Halloween Horror Nights,'' Universal Studios is giving out its Eyegore Awards.

This year, one of the honors goes to Gloria Stuart, known to most for her Oscar-nominated performance as the older Rose in James Cameron's ``Titanic.'' The 90-year-old Stuart, however, starred for Universal in two horror films in the early '30s - the classic ``The Invisible Man'' (1933) and ``The Old Dark House'' (1932).

``The Invisible Man'' starred Claude Rains as Jack Griffin/The Invisible One (Rains' career included ``Casablanca,'' ``Lawrence of Arabia'' and numerous other great films) and was directed by James Whale, who directed ``Frankenstein'' and was the subject of the Oscar-nominated film ``Gods & Monsters.''

Stuart was Griffin's love interest, Flora. When asked about working with somebody not there, Stuart laughs and says, ``He was there when I was working. I don't think there was any time I was talking to air.'' Rains spent much of the film bandaged up, however.

As for working with Whale, it was ``a joy and a delight,'' says Stuart, who adds that she thinks the director was a genius.

``He was very, very demanding and knew exactly what he wanted, which was not true of most directors in the '30s,'' she says, ``because most directors in the '30s had come from silents, and James had come from the theater.''

Over the years, Stuart says, she has been a guest speaker at some of the James Whale societies that have cropped up in England. As for ``Gods & Monsters,'' the story of Whale's later life after Hollywood shunned him, Stuart says she introduced the first private showing of the film. ``It was close, but it wasn't James,'' she says.

Stuart isn't sure what she'll be doing for the Eyegore Awards. ``All I know,'' she says, ``is they said it was outside; so I have to get my mink coat out of storage.'' Spoken like a true Hollywood legend.

Also attending Friday are Karen Black, who starred in Alfred Hitchcock's last film, ``Family Plot,'' WWF's the Undertaker, and the cast and creators of ``Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and ``Angel'' (at least those not shooting night scenes) and Rob Zombie.

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, Oct. 27-29 and Oct. 31. Admission is $39. For those attending the park those days, a companion ticket can be purchased for $20. Call [phone] for information.

Other Southland parks are also going all out for All Hallow's Eve. They include:

Knott's Scary Farm Halloween Haunt: With 1,000 monsters and ghoulish fiends just waiting to pop out from the darkest corners of Knott's 11 mazes and five scare zones, you're sure to have the fright of your life. And just when you think the worst has come to pass, the park offers up plenty of spooky stage shows, including the ever-popular ``Elvira's Monster Rock Revue'' and ``The Hanging,'' featuring the Cryptkeeper.

Today through Sunday, Oct. 19-22 and Oct. 25-31, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Admission is $35 presale, $40 day of event. [phone].

Queen Mary Shipwreck 2000: All aboard this floating shipwreck are sure to experience more than just the ghosts of Queen Mary's past. They can set sail through any one of the six mazes including the all-new 3-D House of Hallucinations or boogie the chills away at the Top 40 dance party.

Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 27-31, 7 p.m. to midnight. Admission is $23, includes nightly dance party in the Queen Mary Exhibit Hall. [phone].

Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Nights: Mad Chad the Chainsaw Juggler is loose on the street, so you might want to duck into one of the park's three monster mazes, such as Brutal Planet. There's also the option of seeing a spooky stage show or taking a ride on a haunted rollercoaster. But whatever you do, stay away from Colossus. Something has possessed it to only go backward.

Friday through Sunday, Oct. 20-22 and Oct. 27-31. Admission is $40.99; under 4 feet tall, $20.50. [phone].

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