The Lowdown: Forgotten Halloween Specials

Oct 19, 2017 | News, Uncategorized

Hey Geeks, Lowdown Brown here to tell you about some awesome Halloween specials you might’ve forgotten about. Or just didn’t know about.

A Disney Halloween

A Disney Halloween is a 90-minute television special that aired in 1983. It combines segments from “Disney’s Halloween Treat” and “Disney’s Greatest Villains”. The opening and closing credits features footage from the 1929 Silly Symphony short “The Skeleton Dance”, as did “Disney’s Halloween Treat”, but the coloring has been changed. It’s full of classic shorts and excerpts from various films. Not Halloween for me until I’ve watched it. For some reason I couldn’t post the link to the entire special, so here’s the intro. Once you’re on you tube, you can find the full length!

Halloween is Grinch Night

The Grinch didn’t just screw with the Who’s on Christmas! This special aired in1977, and is a prequel to “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. This is pretty creepy, and has one segment that is a full blown acid trip. Totally freaked me out as a kid.

Garfield’s Halloween Adventure

This is my second favorite Halloween special. Its a pirate themed ghost story featuring your favorite fat cat. Only instead of stuffing his face with lasagna, it’s candy. Candy candy candy candy candy candy as he says. So have a few good scares with Garfield and Odie.

Witch’s Night Out

This is a Canadian Animated special which aired in 1978, and features the voice talents of Catherine O’Hara and Gilda Radner. This is a really “different” style of animation, and there’s a disco song “Witch Magic”. Gotta see it to believe it.

 Ernest Scared Stupid

Not much to say about this one. It’s Ernest, shit’s hilarious. There’s some pretty scary stuff as well, that troll is nasty. Ewwwwwwwwwwww.

 Mr. Boogedy

Didn’t come out around Halloween, but it’s a fun ghost story. Featuring the acting talents of Richard Masur and John Astin. Apparently this slab of goofy was good enough to spawn a sequel, The Bride of Boogedy.

 The Legend of Sleepy Hallow

This is Disney’s adaptation of Washinton Irving’s classic short story. Originally part of a dual short story collection released in 1949, “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad”, it was later released individually under the story’s original title. This is probably my favorite adaptation. I mean come on, it’s narrated and voiced by Bing Crosby! The ending scene with the Headless Horseman is pretty freakin’ scary. After all, “You can’t reason with a headless man”.

Mad Monster Party

The Forgotten Rankin Bass special which was released in 1967. Oh yeah, they did more than Christmas specials! This is narrated by Boris Karlof himself!! You get all the Universal Classic Monsters, as well as The Hunchback and a dude with a dangerous split personality. Plus, there’s a surf rock band, composed of skeletons wearing wigs, as the house band. They’re #1 hit is “It’s the Mummy”.

The Halloween Tree

Based on the book of the same name by Ray Bradbury, this made for TV movie was released in 1993. Ray Bardbury himself stated that this is the best adaptation of his work that he’s ever seen. Narrated by Ray Bradbury himself, and featuring the voice talent of Leonard Nimoy!!

There you have it, a few specials to round out your Halloween season. I hope this jogged your memory, or turned you on to a few specials you had no idea existed. Until next time, Join Us Or Die!

Happy Halloween Geeks!!!