Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The Zombie Movie (1994)

Here is a video I made with my friends back in the 90s. Back then we didn't have a lot of money (some of us still don't), so we would amuse ourselves by making short, no-budget videos. One particular friend tended to be cast as the monster in our videos, mainly because he was the largest member of our group. Here he plays a bathrobe-clad zombie.

Donald Duck and the Gorilla (1944)

Mickey Mouse: Pluto's Judgement Day (1935)

Donald Duck: Duck Pimples (1945)

Though this isn't a Halloween cartoon, I think it has a creepy atmosphere to it!

Mickey Mouse: Haunted House (1929)

The Skeleton Dance (1929) and Skeleton Frolic (1937)

Two cartoons by Ub Iwerks. First is the 1929 original, made at Disney:


Here is the 1937 remake, made at Columbia:

Tom and Jerry: Fraidy Cat (1942)

Popeye: Fright to the Finish (1954)

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

This is a fun movie to watch on Halloween. The first time I ever saw this was during the mid-90s when I was staying the night at my grandparents' house with my brother and sister. In the TV room there were shelves full of old books and videos. Some of the tapes they had obviously received as gifts or had purchased without ever opening them. Anyway, it was late, the grandparents had already gone to bed, and my siblings and I decided to put this movie in the VCR. If you haven't seen this one before, it contains at least a couple of startling moments. During one surprising scene, a female character is frightened and shrieks loudly. Grabbing the remote in a scramble to turn the volume down so that it wouldn't disturb the grandparents, my sister actually turned the volume up, and the woman's scream filled the house. This greatly increased the scene's effect on us. To add to our excitement, our grandmother walked into the room shortly after without her dentures in, which we had never seen before. I hope you enjoy this film.

The Halloween that Almost Wasn't (1979)

Originally aired October 28, 1979. Upset by rumors that Halloween may end, Dracula calls his mild-mannered monsters together and delivers an ultimatum: either regain their frightening image, or leave his Transylvania castle forever.





Raggedy Ann & Andy: The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile (1979)





Saturday, September 19, 2009

Woolworth & Woolco Halloween Commercial (1978)

Commercial from 1978:


Commercial from 1978 or earlier:

1980s Toys R Us Halloween Commercials

Commercial from 1980:


Commercial from around 1985:

Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Three Stooges: The Ghost Talks (1949)

Originally released February 3, 1949.

The Three Stooges: Spooks (1953)

Originally released June 15, 1953.


Here is part of a version broadcast on TV in 3D:

The Three Stooges: Spook Louder (1943)

Originally released April 2, 1943.

Knight Rider: Halloween Knight (1984)

Originally aired October 28, 1984.

Roseanne: BOO! (1989)

Originally aired October 31, 1989. Halloween is the Connors' favorite holiday and they go all out to make it the scariest, most gruesome holiday they can. Roseanne puts one over on Dan who is waiting to learn the outcome of a business deal.

MacGyver: Halloween Knights (1989)

Saturday, September 12, 2009

The Three Stooges: If a Body Meets a Body (1945)

Originally released on August 30, 1945, this is one of the last Three Stooges shorts to feature Curly. It is basically a remake of "The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case" (1930). Laurel and Hardy's short and the Stooges' short both used Fred Kelsey in the role of the detective.

The New Misadventures of Ichabod Crane (1979)

This animated adventure features the antics of Ichabod Crane when he comes to the rescue with his motley crew of friends.

Marc Summers' Mystery Magical Tour (1986)

Apparently, this TV special originally aired in 1986 but was still being shown around Halloween a few years later.

Disneyland Showtime (1970)

Here is an excerpt from a program called "Disneyland Showtime" that aired on The Wonderful World of Disney on March 22, 1970. It features a behind-the-scenes look at the newly-opened Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland, and the segment is narrated by Kurt Russell.

DTV Monster Hits (1987)

Originally shown October 30, 1987 on NBC. It features a great collection of pop songs for Halloween:

"Thriller" by Michael Jackson
"Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker, Jr.
"Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
"The Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett
"Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell
"Evil Woman" by Electric Light Orchestra
"Superstition" by Stevie Wonder
"You Better Run" by Pat Benatar
"That Old Black Magic" by Spike Jones
"Dreamtime" by Daryl Hall
"Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics

Betty Boop's Halloween Party (1933)

Max Fleischer cartoons tend to be of good quality. This one from 1933, however, seems like it was produced very quickly. It contains some ridiculous sight gags and cheap-looking animation, but there are some parts that actually made me laugh out loud.

Donald Duck: Trick or Treat (1954)

Which Witch is Which? (1984)

Garfield's Halloween Adventure (1985)


First broadcast on CBS, October 30, 1985. Garfield fashions himself a pirate costume then takes Odie out trick-or-treating to ensure extra candy. But when attempting to cross a river on a boat, Garfield and Odie end up at a spooky house. The old man living there tells them that they picked the wrong night to visit, for pirates had buried their treasure beneath the mansion's floor long ago and had vowed to return for it 100 years later.

Scooby Doo: The Headless Horseman of Halloween (1976)

First aired November 23, 1976.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Little House on the Prairie: The Monster of Walnut Grove (1976)

Originally aired November 1, 1976. On Halloween night, Laura and Mary get permission from their parents to walk into town and pull off a little prank at the mercantile. Laura's imagination runs wild when she peeks into the Olesons' window and thinks she sees Nels killing Mrs. Oleson. Scared by what she has seen, Laura can't seem to get anyone to believe her. Her friend, Carl, the only person to believe her, joins the search for evidence to solve the crime. Meanwhile, Mrs. Oleson has gone away, so the two really think that she has been murdered. When Nellie and Willie hear the story, they don't believe it but decide to scare Laura and Carl by saying that their father has been digging in the cellar.

The Mascot (1933)

This is the "Devil's Ball" scene from an animated film called "The Mascot," created by Ladislas Starewicz. The characters are richly detailed, and the style reminds me a little of Nightmare Before Christmas. A part of this was shown in the 80s on the show Night Flight.