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Hey twitter. Let's talk Halloween movies...
Of course there are limitless options this holiday season, but I'm gonna throw out a silly recommendation that you might not know: Jack Bender's THE MIDNIGHT HOUR, an @ABC made-for-television film from 1985.
Hear me out here. <1/12>
Of course there are limitless options this holiday season, but I'm gonna throw out a silly recommendation that you might not know: Jack Bender's THE MIDNIGHT HOUR, an @ABC made-for-television film from 1985.
Hear me out here. <1/12>
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR debuted on November 1st. Yep, the day AFTER Halloween (check out the ad's tagline), in 1985.
I was six years old, and out-of-my-mind excited to watch it. ABC had been running trailers for all of October, and newspaper ads were hyping it like mad. <2/12>
I was six years old, and out-of-my-mind excited to watch it. ABC had been running trailers for all of October, and newspaper ads were hyping it like mad. <2/12>
It starred Shari (daughter of Harry) Bellafonte, Lee Montgomery (the star of 1972's BEN), a young LeVar Burton, a pre-21 Jump Street Peter DeLuise, and Dedee (sister of Michelle) Pfeiffer - with cameos from Dick Van Patten, Kevin McCarthy, Kurtwood Smith, and Wolfman Jack. <3/12>
. @jackbenderart, the actor-turned-filmmaker behind it, would go on to direct CHILD'S PLAY 3 (1991), over thirty episodes of Lost, and "The Door", that amazing episode of Game of Thrones where we learn why Hodor is Hodor. <4/12>
The film's soundtrack was packed with Wilson Pickett, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Three Dog Night, and The Smiths' then-brand-new single "How Soon Is Now", playing while red wine orgasmically spurts from bottles during an otherwise-bloodless vampire attack. <5/12>
The plot has a group of teens in Pitchfork, er... Pitchford Cove, who, desperate to nab Halloween costumes, "borrow" some outfits from their local witchcraft museum, awakening the spirit of Lucinda, a vengeful vampire/witch their town put to death 300 years earlier. <6/12>
But with Lucinda, they accidentally wake all of the town's dead, including vampires, zombies (including a standout played by little person Joe Gieb), a sweet poodle skirt-wearing girl from the 50s, and a couple werewolves for good measure. Family-friendly chaos ensues. <7/12>
And even though this was an all-ages TV movie airing on network TV, it got mean. People are killed.
Like, a lot of people.
Tonally, it doesn't make much sense (especially since the rest of the film plays out like a bowl of candy corn) but six-year-old me was transfixed. <8/12>
Like, a lot of people.
Tonally, it doesn't make much sense (especially since the rest of the film plays out like a bowl of candy corn) but six-year-old me was transfixed. <8/12>
Don't get me wrong. It also features a three-minute musical number called "Get Dead". 
<9/12>
<9/12>
Truth be told, THE MIDNIGHT HOUR isn't great. Hell, it might not even be good. But it meant a lot to me when I was a kid, and I still watch it every Halloween season. Looking for a goofy 80s movie you may not have seen? Add it to your list. <10/12>
It occupies that same precious space as countless other innocent Halloween family films, all while embracing its lazy backlot locations, cardboard sets, fog machines, and questionable make-up.
It's charming, sweet, and over before you know it. Just like Halloween. <11/12>
It's charming, sweet, and over before you know it. Just like Halloween. <11/12>
And, if you're so inclined, the whole damn film is on YouTube.
Happy holidays, all.
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Happy holidays, all.
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