70's Halloween Shorts Part Two

THE HALLOWEEN THAT ALMOST WASN'T

(1979)

Dir - Bruce Bilson

Overall: MEH

 

The live action monster mash The Halloween That Almost Wasn't, (The Night Dracula Saved the World), was one of several festive television specials from 1979 and it is pretty low on both budget and laughs while also qualifying as silly enough to be harmless.  It was filmed at the ole Dark Shadows abode the Lyndhurst house in Tarrytown, New York by veteran TV director Bruce Bilson with a couple of familiar faces making up the ghoulish cast.  Henry Gibson plays a typical bafoony Igor, John Schuck plays a typical bafoony Frankenstein Monster, and Judd Hirsch does one of the most solid Béla Lugosi impressions ever as a slightly less bafoony Count Dracula.  The plot is kid-friendly nonsense and hardly important, but sadly the weak production values have aged about as well as the hammy jokes, all of which makes the whole thing a pretty tame, cornball relic.  It also ends with a disco song because 1979.

 

CASPER'S HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

(1979)

Dir - Carl Urbano

Overall: MEH

 

Hanna-Barbera's first of two Casper holiday specials, Casper's Halloween Special, (Casper Saves Halloween, Casper the Friendly Ghost: He Ain't Scary, He's Our Brother), is a sufficiently charming one that is aimed solely at younger audience members.  This, the same year's Casper's First Christmas, and the television series Casper and the Angles all share the identical production personnel and voice cast, though this particular story stays far more grounded than some of the show's episodes which inexplicably featured outer space romps amongst other things.  Casper and an adorable gang of orphan kids try and trick or treat, Casper's asshole roommates keep getting in the way, Hairy Scary has a change of heart and helps them out, everybody wins in the end.  It is certainly way too kid friendly to delight any level of horror buff and barely attempts to tell a single joke, but it also all gets in and out with only two musical numbers, both of which are tolerable.  Thankfully, Hanna-Barbera's penchant for abysmal laugh tracks are nowhere to be found as well.

 

ONCE UPON A MIDNIGHT SCARY

(1979)

Dir - Nell Cox

Overall: MEH

 

CBC Library was an educational children's anthology series that showcased either live-action or animated interpretations of literary works and the very first episode of its three season run was Once Upon a Midnight Scary which initially aired on October 21st, 1979.  While the program itself is of mediocre quality at best and wears its low budget values on its sleeve, this particular entry is notable for containing none other than Vincent Price who narrates and introduces each segment in his usual campy, "in on the ghoulish fun" style.  Price is clearly the highlight since the lame first story "The Ghost Belonged to Me" is more of a teaser for a proper one than anything else, "The Legend of Sleepy Hallow" is low on atmospherics and contains an annoying performance from the usually good Rene Auberjonois, and the final and longest "The House with a Clock in Its Walls" focuses on a dumb wiener kid who "aw shucks" all of his lines.  So yeah, pretty skipable stuff save for Price's always delightful involvement.

RAGGEDY ANN AND ANDY IN THE PUMPKIN WHO COULDN'T SMILE

(1979)

Dir - Chuck Jones

Overall: MEH

 

Following up the previous year's Raggedy Ann and Andy in the Great Santa Clause Caper, Chuck Jones delivered the Halloween equivalent with Raggedy Ann and Andy in the Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile.  While Jones' animation here is not as showy as his legendary Looney Tunes work, there are still several signature traces of his style that pop up in the character design and facial expressions.  The story is essentially a Grinch variation as the title dolls convince a crotchy lady to lighten up on the holiday in question by merely whispering nostalgic musing to her in bed.  Also, Les Tremayne delivers a borderline obnoxious performance as the pumpkin who wines and wails miserably in most of his scenes.  The whole thing barely even qualifies as a comedy so any parents watching will have no choice but to bask in the syrupy cuteness and hope that their children are mildly entertained enough for twenty-three minutes.  It is not as bad as all that really, it is just easily forgettable for anyone who was not five years old and/or has nostalgic memories from when it originally aired.