Happy Halloween! - Sinners

Warner Bros, 2025

Starring Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, and Jack O'Connell

Directed by Ryan Coogler

Music and Lyrics by various

We celebrate Halloween with something truly unique, and one of the biggest surprise hits of the year. Director Ryan Coogler was mainly known for his adaptations, including the two Black Panther films. This is his first original. There was a lot of question marks surrounding this movie when it debuted this April, but it received some of the best reviews of the spring. Positive word-of-mouth turned it into a huge hit, a rarity for an R-rated movie and an original without a franchise behind it. Considering other musicals this year, including Snow White and Kiss of the Spider Woman, have struggled, what made this one stand out? Let's head to Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1932, where twin brothers Elijah "Smoke" and Elias "Stack" Moore (Jordan) are "Wanraising the roof in their father's church with "This Little Light of Mine" and find out...

The Story: The twins buy an old sawmill from smarmy landowner Hogwood (David Maldonado) to open their own juke joint, an African-American nightclub and dance hall. They bring in their cousin Sammie (Caton), despite his pastor father Jeddiah (Saul Williams) warning him against the sins of blues music. They recruit local field worker Cornbread (Omar Benson Miller) as the bouncer, Chinese grocery store owners Grace (Li Jun Li) and Bo (Yao) Chow as suppliers, and legendary blues man Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) as a musician. Smoke talks his wife Annie (Wunami Mosaku) into cooking for them, despite them being estranged after the death of their infant daughter, while Sammie admires pretty singer Pearline (Jayme Lawson) and Stack tries to court his white-passing ex-girlfriend Mary (Steinfeld). 

The opening night of the juke joint attracts a lot more than customers who only pay in company money. Sammie's music is so transcendent, it attracts the spirits of the past and future...and Remmick (O'Connell), a vampire looking for someone whose music can restore his lost community. He's already turned Hogswood's nephew Bert (Peter Dreimanis) and his wife Joan (Lola Kirke) into vampires, and he attacks Mary when she tries to reason with him. After she turns Stack, he becomes set on taking the entire African-American community. Smoke won't go down without a fight, but when Remmick rallies the rest of the town, it's up to him and those who remain to save the joint and their music from this supernatural menace.

The Song and Dance: Wow, no wonder this was so huge. First of all, the movie is gorgeous. The costumes and sets (filmed in Louisiana) are stunning and period-accurate, perfectly redolent of the sweat and grime of the real south in the early 30's. There's some fabulous performances, too. Jordan does well as both twins, especially the determined Stack, and Caton's performances at the juke joint are good enough to make you understand why Remmick wanted him to play his music, too. Maldonado is a good smarmy landowner, and O'Connell's Irish vampire obsessed with resurrecting his lost home is chilling. And I appreciate how much music is central to the story. It's the reason they want that juke joint, that Sammie defies his father, that Remmick attacks them.

The Numbers: We open with Sammie raising the roof (along with the DC6 Singers Collective and the Pleasant Valley Youth Choir of New Orleans) at his father's church with the traditional "This Little Light of Mine." "Wang Dang Doodle" is the song heard while the men are driving to discuss opening the juke joint with Hogwood. Sammie performs "Travelin'," "Juke," and "I Lied to You" at that "transcendent" juke joint opening night. "Can't Win for Losin'" is another number for Delta Slim and his musicians. There's also "Old Corn Liquor." "Pick Poor Robin Clean," "Will Ye Go, Lassie Go?" and "Rocky Road to Dublin" are the numbers for Remmick and Hogswood's nephew and his wife. The last-named turns into a chorus number when they bring the others vampires in on it. The eerie "Pale, Pale Moon" is Pearline's big number in the juke joint, while Mary gets "Dangerous." 

Trivia: This became the first movie to ever be offered by a streaming service with American Sign Language interpretation (which is how I saw it on Amazon Prime). 

What I Don't Like: First of all, heed that R rating. Given vampires and gangsters are involved, you probably won't be surprised to hear that there's a ton of violence, blood, and swearing in this movie. This juke joint is for adult revelers only. Second, frankly, the more realistic first half, where we learn about the relationships between the Moore twins, their family, and the community is slightly more interesting than the supernatural second half. The second half almost gets into horror Marvel territory and shows that Ryan Cooger hasn't quite left the Marvel action movies behind yet.

The Big Finale: If you're an adult who loves horror, black cinema, or the blues and are willing to take a chance on something different, you'll want to take a trip to enjoy the Moore twins' supernatural Halloween horror party, too.

Home Media: Easily found anywhere, on disc and on streaming.

DVD

Blu-Ray

4K

Amazon Prime (American Sign Language Interpretation Only) 

Happy Halloween! - The Midnight Hour

ABC, 1985

Starring Lee Montgomery, Jonna Lee, Shari Belafonte, and Peter DeLuise

Directed by Jack Bender

Music and Lyrics by various

We remain in the mid-80's on this warm Halloween night with another 80's spoof of 50's and 60's cliches. We move the festivities to television, once again with bored teens out for kicks...but this time, their seemingly harmless antics don't merely dredge up a few well-meaning aliens and a crazed killer. These kids somehow manage to bring no less than the living dead out for some Halloween thrills...but we also have proof that the undead isn't always so scary when one of the living kids falls for a beauty from the 50's who is far from what she seems. How does this bloody romance look nowadays? Let's begin with one little boy preparing his bike and his costume for trick-or-treat and find out...

The Story: Hoping to find really cool Halloween costumes for a big party, high school kids Phil (Montgomery), Melissa (Belafonte), Mary (Deedee Pfiffer), Vinnie (LeVar Burton), and Mitch (DeLuise) steal their ancestor's clothes from the local history museum, along with an old chest containing a ring and a parchment scroll sealed in wax. They don't think it's a big deal to recite the words of the scroll at the local cemetary...until suddenly, the undead come to life and start lumbering around their New England town. Led by Melissa's witch ancestor Lucinda (Jonnelle Allen), they turn almost everyone into town into vampires and zombies. 

Phil is the only person in town who avoids this fate. He spends the night with Sandy (Lee), a pretty, sweet girl in a 50's cheerleader outfit whom he finds wandering around, wondering why everything looks so different. Sandy is the one who realizes that they must find the bones of Mitch's ancestor and seal the scroll, before the vampires make Phil into one of them as well. 

The Song and Dance: When the movie puts the spotlight on Sandy and Phil and their feelings for one another, it's actually kind of sweet. Montgomery and Lee have chemistry, and Lee being a 50's cheerleader instead of a lumbering zombie like some of the other creatures in this movie is unique for a horror film. I also appreciate the diverse cast, with Belafonte and Allen coming off best as the teen girl whose insistence on reading the scroll inadvertently brings in her spooky ancestress. Some of the costumes aren't bad either, including the ones they stole from the museum, Sandy's cheerleader outfit, and the very 80's outfits at the masquerade party. Killer soundtrack too, especially if you're a classic rock fan.

The Numbers: Sam the Sham and the Pharaoh's spooky hit "Little Red Riding Hood" is our first number, as a zombie wanders around town in time to the music. His "costume" is so good, no one gives him two glances, even Phil when he almost runs him over. "Clap for the Wolfman" by the Guess Who plays as Vinnie tries to get Melissa to dance with him and Phil attempts to ask Mary to join him, neither with much success. Mitch finally gets their substitute teacher to dance with him to a remake of "Sea of Love" by Phil Phillips. Bobby Vee's "Devil or Angel" accompanies Phil and Sandy as they dance in front of the mall that stands when the malt shop Sandy once hung out at used to be. Melissa turns the only original song "Get Dead" into a huge dance number with the zombified kids at the party.

Trivia: Listen for DJ Wolfman Jack in vocal cameos throughout the film, including one last request from Sandy in the finale. 

What I Don't Like: Uh...did I mention this is a made-for-TV movie from 1985? At times, it's even more confused about its genre than Voyage of the Rock Aliens was. It can't decide if it wants to be a satire of teen horror flicks, an actual teen zombie horror flick with blood and gore and everyone attacking each other, or a touching supernatural romance. I wish they'd focused even more on Sandy and Phil's relationship. You don't really learn much about Sandy, other than she realizes her time is running out. They could have at least mentioned how she died so young...and didn't come back as a zombie or a vampire like the rest of the town. 

There's also Phil's so-called friends being smarmy, obnoxious brats whose instance on stealing from a museum started all the trouble in the first place. Not to mention, they think of the most ridiculous excuse to get them and the costumes into a cemetery. They couldn't have tried them on anywhere else, especially on Halloween? The sets and special effects are pretty chintzy, too. 

The Big Finale: Critics came down pretty hard on this in 1985, and while it's far from the best horror comedy ever, it's certainly more palatable than Voyage of the Rock Aliens. Worth checking out at least once during your Halloween party, especially if you have actual teens around. 

Home Media: Out of print on DVD for years. Your best best at the moment would be YouTube. 

YouTube

Happy Halloween! - The Worst Witch (1986)

ITV, 1986

Starring Fairuza Balk, Charlotte Rae, Diana Rigg, and Tim Curry

Directed by Robert Young

Music and Lyrics by various

Happy Halloween, everyone! Let's return to England for this year's holiday tale. After all those bizarre campfests last week, I thought we'd do some musicals for the whole family. The book The Worst Witch came out in 1974 and was an instant hit, spawning a long series of pre-teen novels and four live-action TV series from 1998 to 2020. Does this first adaptation live up to the ones that came later, or should it be expelled from witch school? Let's begin at the school, with Mildred Hubble (Balk) as she wonders why growing up is so hard, and find out...

The Story: Mildred is the worst witch at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. She can't figure out basic spells, can't get her cat to sit on her broom, and accidentally turns stuck-up Ethel Hallow (Anna Kipling) into a pig. Miss Cackle (Rae) thinks she has potential and encourages her, but deputy school mistress Miss Hardbroom (Rigg) constantly scolds and reprimands her. After Ethel's sabotage messes up her Halloween flight for the Grand Wizard (Curry), she runs away...only to discover Miss Cackle's evil twin sister Agatha (Rae) and her coven plotting to take over the school. Mildred is the only one who can stop them from turning the other students into toads and pushing the teachers aside.

The Song and Dance: The location filming at a real British prep school (though ironically one for boys) gives this a real Harry Potter flair. Balk is a charming and very funny Mildred, especially when she and Ethel confront each other after a game to scare each other goes wrong. Rae is equally funny as kindly Miss Cackle and her total opposite, fright-wigged Agatha. Tim Curry absolutely steals the show as the adored head Wizard whose wildly sensual number may be his best since "Sweet Transvestite." No wonder all the girls (and a few teachers) swoon over him.

Favorite Number: We open with Mildred thinking "Growing Up Isn't Easy" over the credits, as we see how she's treated at the school and her chronic lateness. Bonnie Langford sings this sweet and wistful ballad. The students and teachers perform the school song...but Agatha's not impressed with their gentle choral number, thinking it would be much better if she wrote it to be more wicked. She describes how delightfully horrible "My Little School" will be as she and her coven chant around their smoking cauldron in the woods.

The big one here is "Anything Can Happen at Halloween." Curry's solo has been kicking around the Internet for years, well before the full movie appeared, and for good reason. The song is an intense, if oddly worded, hard rock number that Curry puts over with an absolute relish that's nearly sexual. He's hard to look away from, even with a psychedelic background of swirling colors and Halloween images in the backdrop behind him.

What I Don't Like: Other than the school backdrops, this looks like a low-budget British TV production from 1986. The green screen whenever anyone is flying and during Curry's "Halloween" number is painfully obvious, as are any attempts at special effects. The witch's cauldron looks like a cheap plastic Halloween prop that couldn't hold a bag of trick-or-treat candy. Mildred's story is more self-discovery than fighting truly nasty villains. Anyone expecting a darker or more action-oriented story ala Harry Potter may be a bit disappointed. 

The Big Finale: For all the cheapness, this still retains enough charm to be recommended for elementary school and pre-teens Mildred's age after trick-or-treating, if for no other reason than seeing Curry's number.

Home Media: There is a DVD, but it's expensive. You may be better off looking for this used or checking around for it at YouTube.

DVD

YouTube

Happy Halloween! - Pooh's Halloween Heffalump Movie

Disney, 2005

Voices of Jimmy Bennett, Kyle Stanger, Jim Cummings, and John Fielder

Directed by Elliot M. Bour and Saul Andrew Blinkoff

Music and Lyrics by various

Let's spend Halloween at the Hundred Acres Woods for the last Pooh holiday movie to date. After the Pooh films of the late 90's and early 2000's often got too dark for their audiences, Disney started writing in additional characters to gentle things down. Pooh's Heffalump Movie came out earlier in 2005, adding Lumpy, a sweet-natured Heffalump who befriends Roo, to the cast. How does Lumpy's second outing look nowadays? Let's start at Piglet's house, as everyone tells spooky stories in preparation for Halloween, and find out...

The Story: While they prepare their costumes, Tigger tells everyone the story of the Gobloon, who turns his victims into "jaggedy-lanterns." If you catch him, you get a wish. Roo convinces Lumpy that they should find the Gobloon when Pooh eats all the candy and trick-or-treat may have to be canceled. They make a map that follows Tigger's story, but when it comes to catching the Gobloon, poor Lumpy's too scared. Roo tells him the story of how Piglet found it in himself to be brave the previous Halloween. When Roo finds a pumpkin that looks like his friend and thinks he's been taken by the "Gobloon," he finally knows what he really wants for Halloween - a best friend by his side. 

The Animation: Not the best from Disney's low-budget Disneytoon Studios. Normally, that works with the simple world of Winnie the Pooh, but there's a few continuity glitches here (the candy bags Pooh empty magically refill later), and some of the shadows and special effects don't look so good, either. On the other hand, the characters move pretty well, and Lumpy in particular is so huggable, I'd love to find a stuffed toy of him. 

The Song and Dance: Lumpy and Roo's adorable relationship is so much fun to watch in the first half. I love seeing Roo trying to help his friend, and how Lumpy eventually overcomes his fear. The middle segment is the Pooh TV Halloween special Boo To You, Winnie the Pooh, and it's equally fun, with a bit of a dark side in Piglet's fears and the shadowy animations. 

Favorite Number: We open with "Trick or Treating With Our Friends" as Roo and the others explain to Lumpy how much fun that is. Lumpy and Roo create their map and costumes as they sing about how they're "Brave Together." A whimpering Piglet tries to encourage himself with "I am Not Afraid" during the Boo To You segment. Also in Boo to You, Tigger claims that he likes to "Scare Himself," and he can't understand why Piglet doesn't. 

Trivia: Final film for Piglet's long-time voice artist John Fielder. He died during production. Travis Oates finished his work and became the next voice of Piglet. 

What I Don't Like: As cute as Lumpy and Roo are, I wish we saw more of the rest of the gang. Roo mentions Owl and Gopher is seen in the Boo to You segment, but Christopher Robin is nowhere in evidence. On one hand, I am glad they created an original story around Boo to You, instead of stringing three random shorts together as in the Thanksgiving compilation Seasons of Giving. I just wonder why they felt the need to create movies around the holiday specials at all. The dark-ish Boo to You doesn't really fit in with the somewhat sweeter Halloween Heffalump Movie, and it's obvious it was added as padding mid-way through. 

The Big Finale: Cute enough if you have little kids who will enjoy Lumpy and Roo's antics for an hour before trick-or-treating, or if you enjoyed Pooh's Heffalump Movie. Completely unnecessary for anyone else. 

Home Media: Oddly, not currently on Disney Plus (though Pooh's Heffalump Movie is). It is on DVD and can be found streaming elsewhere.

DVD

Amazon Prime (Rental Only)

Happy Halloween! - Monster Mash (2000)

DIC Entertainment/Universal, 2000

Voices of David Soblov, French Tickner, Scott McNeill, and Jaynse Jaud

Directed by Guido Manuli

Music and Lyrics by various

The live-action Monster Mash wouldn't be the last time Pickett's song turned up as the title of a film...and I never heard of this one before a few days ago, either. This direct-to-video feature was apparently a co-production between DIC, Universal, and the Italian TV company RAI Fiction. What they came up with may be the weirdest musical I've done yet this month. How freaky is the story of how three of the most famous monsters of filmdom try to scare a family in order to regain the respect of their frightening peers? Let's start in the distant past, when Dracula (Tickner), the Wolf Man (McNeill), and Frankenstein's monster (Soblov) were considered the most popular creatures in Universal's roster, and find out...

The Story: Dracula, Wolf Man, and Frankenstein's monster were for years the most frightening freaks in Universal's roster...until they became more associated with laughter than scares. The Superior Court of Horrors demands that they scare the Tinklemeister family, or be forced to give up scaring forever. 

Meanwhile, the Tinklemeisters have their own problems. Their youngest son Spike (Jaud) was struck by lightning as a child and, though he's a chemical genius, hasn't spoken since. They're thrilled when they're offered a an all-expenses-paid vacation to Transylvania. The monsters easily scare the already-nervous father and finally get through to the mother, but the kids are a harder nut to crack. They finally tell the family the truth and, with their help, prove to a trio of modern slasher monsters that for youngers, the older-style freaks are just scary enough. 

The Animation: If you know anything about DIC's work around this time, you know what to expect. It's pretty typical Saturday-morning fare. The colorful and wild hair styles and sketchy character designs (not to mention some of the voice actors) makes this sound a lot like a spooky version of Nicklelodeon's wildly popular Rugrats series. 

The Song and Dance: This was honestly better than I thought it would be from the low-budget pedigree. The story is pretty funny, and some of the satire does land, especially in the second half, when they're trying to scare the Tinklemeisters. And heck, "Tinklemeister" is a pretty funny name. The music's kind of catchy, too, including a nifty version of the title song in the opening and closing. 

Favorite Number: In addition to "Monster Mash," I also like "When We Were Bad." The Monsters show the Tinklemeisters movies of their younger years and how cool and terrifying they were, before people started to consider them parodies of themselves. The Tinklemeisters explain what happens to their youngest son and why he can only whistle while they're "Waiting for Spike to Speak."

What I Don't Like: Not only is the story pretty silly, the old monsters vs. new monsters theme gets really annoying after a while. The satire of 80's horror icons is barely veiled, a bit mean-spirited, and honestly kind of lame. Not to mention, by the early 21st century, everyone from Tiny Toon Adventures to the Scary Movie franchise made fun of horror icons in general and slasher films in particular. 

The Big Finale: Fairly enjoyable after-trick-or-treat filler for elementary-school age kids who love horror and may recognize some of the characters and clichés that are being satirized here. 

Home Media: Out of print and expensive on DVD. Streaming is your best bet for this one; it's currently playing for free on Pluto TV.

Pluto TV On Demand

Happy Halloween! - Scooby Doo: Music of the Vampire

Warner Bros/Hanna-Barbara, 2012

Voices of Frank Welker, Matthew Lillard, Mindy Cohn, and Grey DeLisle

Directed by David Block

Music and Lyrics by Randy Rogel and Andy Strummer

Scooby Doo, Where are You began in 1969, and was an immediate hit among kids, who loved the antics of ever-hungry Shaggy and Scooby Do. Those meddling teens of Mystery Incorporated have been back in many different forms and programs since then, including this made-for-home media film. While episodes of the franchise have occasionally featured a music-related guest star or incorporated a musical number, this is the first - and to date, only - time they've tried a flat-out musical. How does it compare to other Scooby shows and films? Let's start with, not the kids, but bayou hermit Tulie (Jim Cummings), who'll tell us more about their involvement with the vampires and their strange rituals, and find out...

The Story: Having been worn out by their previous case, the members of Mystery Inc decide a vacation is in order. Shaggy (Lillard) and Scooby (Welker) are hoping it'll be quiet, monster-free, and filled with food...but they only get their last wish. Mystery-loving Velma (Cohn) takes them to Petit Chauve Souis Ville, home of vampire specialist Vincent Van Helsing (Jeff Bennett). 

Van Helsing is hoping the local carnival "Vampire-Palooza" will restore his family's good name and the popularity of his factual vampire books, but his books and the carnival are a bust. People would rather see teen vampire romances and watch a group of performers who live like real vampires perform rituals onstage. Their vampire resurrection ritual gets a little too real when it seems to bring the centuries-old vampire Valdronya to life! 

While Velma joins Van Helsing to figure out what's going on here, Fred takes up with anti-vampire crusader and town mayor Jesper Poubelle (Cummings) to pick up the latest in vampire-catching gear, and Shaggy is convinced that he's been, like, totally bitten by a vampire and is about to turn into one. They all have to join the crusade if they're going to save Daphne from Valdonya and the hypnotized actors, who think she's the Vampire's bride to be!

The Animation: About what you'd expect from a direct-to-DVD movie made a decade ago. The colors are clean and sharp, and while nothing to write home about, the characters move well and the backgrounds are reasonably detailed, especially in the bayou and onstage. There's some decent special effects with the vampire dances and rituals and Valdronya's appearances as well. 

The Song and Dance: Well, I give Hanna-Barbara credit for trying something different with the characters. The vampire scheme is really elaborate, going slightly beyond "bad guy running around with a mask" and into more credible illusions. The kids who "live" their horror roles have a few decent gags, especially when the pale and handsome Bram (Christian Campbell) flirts with Daphne and makes Fred jealous. There's some funny moments when Scooby and Shaggy think the latter's slowly transforming into a vampire about midway through the film, too. 

Favorite Number: The kids sing about how they're "Done With Monsters" in the Mystery Machine on their way to what they think will be a relaxing trip, imagining all the non-mysterious things they'll do when they arrive. "Valdronya Returns" is the vampire actors' big number as they writhe and revel in their crazy special effects, hoping for the majestic evil vampire to rise again. Bram's romantic duet with Daphne hypnotizes her into becoming a bride, asking "Do You Want to Live Forever?"

What I Don't Like: This franchise doesn't really work as a musical. "Kids chasing people in masks" is a weird enough premise as it is. Throwing in musical numbers doesn't really add a whole lot. It doesn't help that DeLisle is the only regular actor who can sing. Cohn and Welker didn't do their own singing, and Lillard's "Scooby and Me," when Shaggy and Scooby claim they'll be together no matter what, is painful. Plentiful spoofs of the Twilight vampire romance series and other teen horror tropes date the story rather badly, too. 

The Big Finale: In the end, I can understand why Hanna-Barbara never tried anything quite like this with Scooby and Mystery Inc again. Only come here if you're a really huge fan of Scooby Doo and absolutely must see all of the films and shows. 

Home Media: As a relatively recent film released direct to DVD and streaming, this is easy to find in all major formats.

DVD

Blu-Ray

Amazon Prime

Happy Halloween! - The Rocky Horror Picture Show

20th Century Fox, 1975
Starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Boswick, and Meatloaf
Directed by Jim Sharman
Music by Richard Hartley and Richard O'Brian; Lyrics by Richard O'Brian

We celebrate the scariest of all holidays with the most "cult" of all cult flops. Mainstream audiences and most critics had no idea what to make of this when it debuted. It would finally gain an audience, not on cable or video, but in midnight showings across the country where fans in costume could get in for free. The showings continue in selected cinemas to this day...and so does this movie's rabid fandom. Is it worth the adulation, or should the curtain fall on this "science fiction double feature?" Let's head to a rainy wedding, as an innocent young couple is about to leave for a honeymoon that isn't going to go at all as they expect...

The Story: Janet (Sarandon) and Brad (Boswick) are the newlyweds whose car breaks down on a dark road somewhere in Texas. They walk to a spooky castle seeking a phone, only to find a party for an "Annual Transylvanian Convention" going on. The party guests are the strangest creatures this side of the Universal monster movies. Janet and Brad are shocked by their wild "Time Warp" dance and want out.

Before they can flee, they run headlong into the head of the group, Dr. Frank-n-Furter (Curry). The mad transvestite scientist claims to have discovered the secret to creating life. He's thoroughly in love with his creation, the beefy and hunky Rocky Horror (Peter Hinwood). Not everyone is crazy about their relationship. His brain was partially donated by Eddie (Meatloaf), a former delivery boy and biker. Frank has no intention of sharing his creation with anyone and gets rid of him.

Janet and Brad are having their own problems. Frank has tried seducing both of them, and Janet has fallen for Rocky. Frank doesn't have the time to be jealous when Eddie's uncle, noted UFO scientist Dr. Everett Scott (Johnathan Adams), comes looking for his nephew. An uncomfortable (and gross) dinner ends with everyone in Frank's clutches and dancing to his wild tune. But not everyone is a fan of the "sweet transvestite"...and before the end of the night, it's his very own servants who'll turn on him.

The Song and Dance: Yeah, I can see how this got such a cult following. Glittering costumes, amazing makeup, and some truly awesome song-and-dance sequences make this one heck of a party. Tim Curry gives one of his best performances as cinema's only alien mad scientist transvestite. This is a must if you're a fan of his; he oozes oily, wily seduction from every frame. Hinwood is oddly touching as Frank's gorgeous-but-brainless creation, and Meatloaf is almost a literal blast of energy in his brief role as the wild biker who wants a piece of the action.

Extra points for spooky location shooting in an actual castle in England. The real exteriors add quite a bit to the weird and cheesy atmosphere, as do the massive stage sets inside.

Favorite Number: Of course, the most famous song from this one is the dance routine "The Time Warp." Not only is it the catchiest and most infectious song in the movie, but the steps are fun and easy to learn...and they even include the steps right in Charles Gray's narration. Frank's entrance through the cage elevator, "Sweet Transvestite," is almost as famous, with Curry introducing himself with mincing menace. Meatball's rocking entrance through the wall in "Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul" turns his cameo appearance into the movie's highlight as he rides all over the set and flirts wildly with groupie Columbia (Nell Campbell).

My favorite song from this score may be most unique opening number in musical film history. The movie begins with a pair of women's disembodied scarlet lips performing "Science Fiction Double Feature" in a male voice. It perfectly underscores the androgyny theme with Frank...and name-drops cheesy sci-fi movies of the past that likely inspired this one, from The Day the Earth Stood Still to Flash Gordon to Forbidden Planet.

What I Don't Like: Yeah, as you may have noticed, this one is pretty damn strange. While it's not as gory or bloody as Sweeney Todd, there is at least one murder...and they eat the remains. Obviously, if you're looking for a more typically romantic fling, a stronger story, or aren't into horror or sci-fi, this isn't your show. It's also not for those looking for something lower-key - this is flashy, loud, and crazy.

The Big Finale: This is as cult as cult can get. It may have been a little too wild for me...but there's no denying its cultural impact. While it is fun to watch at home, if you want the full experience or are a huge fan of Curry or Meatloaf, you may be better off looking up one of those midnight showings.

Home Media: This film's rabid fan base has assured that it can be found in every format, usually for under 10 dollars.

DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime

Halloween Short Subject Special - Garfield's Halloween Adventure and Halloween Is Grinch Night

This wasn't what I originally planned on reviewing tonight, but that fell through...so I thought I'd try something different. Tonight, we're doing short reviews of two Emmy-winning animated Halloween TV specials with musical overtones. Should these favorites of the small screen be a part of your Halloween rituals, or should they be stranded on a deserted island with pirate ghosts and paraphernalia wagons? Let's go trick-or-treating and find out...

Garfield's Halloween Adventure
CBS/DHX Media, 1985
Voices of Thom Huge, Lorenzo Music, Gregg Berger, and C. Lindsay Workman
Directed by Phil Roman
Music and Lyrics by Ed Bogas and Desiree Goyette

The Story: Garfield and Odie dress as pirates and head out to do a little trick-or-treat plundering, hoping to get lots of free candy. Their night takes a turn for the spooky when they're stranded on a deserted island that turns out to be the home of an old man with a terrifying tale. Pirates once buried their treasure on the island...and every year on Halloween night, they come back to claim it. Garfield and Odie have to dodge the ghosts and find a way to get home.

The Song and Dance: Despite them having been an annual thing when I was a kid and my being a big fan of Garfield and Friends, I wouldn't really get to see any of the holiday specials until much later in the 90's. Unlike a lot of Halloween specials intended for kids, it's got some genuine horror. Those ghost pirates really are frightening, especially when they find Odie and Garfield hiding in the cupboard. The sketchy animation style really works with these skeletal wraiths.

Favorite Number: I mildly prefer Garfield's "What Will I Be?" as we get a montage of him trying on costumes with Odie, but his pirate shanty and "Scaredy Cat" are catchy, too.

What I Don't Like: Uh...why are the ghosts attacking Garfield and Odie? Because they're there? While the ghosts do add a lot of spooky vibes to the second half, unless Garfield and Odie did something to them or their treasure, it's more likely that they'd just leave them alone.

The Big Finale: As much as I like the Christmas special, the ghost pirates and the unusual story give this one a bit of an edge. If you're a fan of Garfield or want to find something fun for elementary school-age kids on Halloween night, you'll want to check this one out.

Home Media: My DVD with all three Garfield holiday specials has been out of print for years, but this was just put out as a solo DVD release this past August and it's on Amazon Prime as a free download.

DVD
Amazon Prime

Halloween Is Grinch Night
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, 1977
Voices of Hans Conried, Henry Gibson, Gary Shapiro, and Hal Smith
Directed by Gerald Baldwin
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo

The Story: The citizens of Whoville know to avoid being outside during a sour-sweet wind. It always stirs up the local animal population, creating enough noise to bring out the Grinch with his "paraphernalia" wagon. If the Grinch gets down Mount Crumpet, he'll use that wagon to spook the entire town. When little Eukeriah Who gets lost in the mountains, he takes it on himself to make sure that the Grinch never makes it to Whoville.

The Song and Dance: "Weird" doesn't begin to describe this one. In fact, it's hard to describe. It's pretty simple until Eukeriah gets into that wagon...and then all hell literally breaks loose. I'd love to know what kind of drugs were floating around De Patie-Freleng in the late 70's to produce this type of psychedelic madness. It's like we entered Marilyn Manson's fever dreams. The wild and surreal animation is incredible, and I suspect it's probably one of the reasons this one won an Emmy.

Favorite Number: In addition to the infamous "Grinch Is Gonna Get 'Cha" in the Wagon, I like the opening number "I Wouldn't Go Out On a Night Like This" that describes what the people of Whoville do before and after the sour-sweet wind arrives. The haunting chorus song "He Is Wandering In the Wind" that plays when Eukeriah gets lost is quite lovely.

What I Don't Like: What is this supposed to be? It has nothing in common with the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Is it a sequel? A prequel? An alternate universe? It also lacks the first special's expressive Chuck Jones animation and its touching script.

The Big Finale: Despite the Emmy win, this one is more bizarre than great. It's worth seeing once, if only for the sequence with the Paraphernalia Wagon.

Home Media: Was just released this past weekend as a triple-bill with How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Grinch Grinches the Cat In the Hat on DVD, Blu-Ray, and Amazon Prime.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Ultimate Edition DVD
How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Ultimate Edition Blu-Ray
How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Ultimate Edition Amazon Prime

Oh, and I hope all of you have a safe, spooky, and very musical Halloween!