Aside from the feature length movies I've been watching (and posting about) all month long, I've also watched a lot of short films and tv episodes, often with the whole family.
Even though the DVD doesn't have ads for Dolly Madison fruit pies, York peppermint patties, or the spinning "special" logo used by CBS back in the 70s, it seems like a necessary rite of passage to invoke the holiday by watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966), which turns 40 this year. One of these years I'm going to throw a Halloween party in a room decorated to be an exact replica of the room that houses the party in this special.
Another favorite is "Flip" (2004), the brainchild of frequent visitor to this site, and the man behind Secret Fun Spot, Kirk Demarais, "Flip" follows the fantasies of a boy with one dollar to spend and a full page ad in a comic book, with tempting items such as X-Ray Spex, and trick chewing gum. It also sports a ton of extras including Flip cartoons, and one of the best making of documentaries on any DVD. You can get a copy from here or here. Tell them I sent you.
We've also watched a bunch of "Casper" cartoons, episodes of "The Munsters," "The Groovy Goolies," "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?", and the creepier episodes of "Jonny Quest," as well as movie trailers, and cartoons like the phenomenal UPA version of "The Tell-Tale Heart" narrated by James Mason.
We also watched a bunch of the Looney Tunes cartoons involving monsters, witches and mad scientists, Fat Albert's Halloween Special, selections from the spook show compilation DVD "Monsters Crashed the Pajama Party"...
...Disney cartoons such as the "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence from "Fantasia" and...
...the Silly Symphony "The Skeleton Dance."
We've also watched selections from another favorite DVD, "Monster Kid Home Movies" (2005) which is a compilation of super 8 films shot by kids in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s (mostly) featuring monsters, often based on the classic Universal monsters. The line up is a veritable who's who of horror movie scholarship, artistry, and fandom. It's one of the most fun DVDs to watch that I've picked up in years, also featuring great commentary tracks, and an alternate track that shows the films with the sound of a super 8 movie projector running for a more authentic feel. You can purchase a copy from here or here. Again, tell them I sent you.
Now, onto our feature attraction...
I have to second your "Flip" DVD recommendation. I've never been happier with a DVD purchase, the short itself is terrific and the amount of extras you get is crazy. And all for less than $10.00!
ReplyDeleteI'd never come across the "Monster Kid Home Movies" DVD before, but it looks like one for the wishlist.
I'm so behind the times, but I just noticed both of your "shout-outs" or "hat tips" or "kind words" or what have you. I thank you for them, and I'm so glad that the DVDs brought some delight to you both.
ReplyDeleteIts so cool to think of Flip sitting out there in your DVD collections.