Halloween TV Commercials 2020 Edition Part 2

 

Today I offer a few more Halloween TV commercials. There are only a few days left to go, so let's get to it!

Here are a few McDonald's commercials. I may have featured a couple of these before, but what are commercials if not repetitive?

Next is a commercial for two tasty Halloween classics, Witchy the Witch and Dumpy the Pumpkin, two ice cream cakes from Carvel!

Here is a fun one for Hostess Fruit Pies. I love the blend of animation and live action in this one!

Finally, here is a quick one for Kit Kats starring a sleepy vampire. This one is brand new this year!

Thanks!

Peanuts Halloween Compilation

 

Today is the second of two Peanuts-themed articles this year. This is a compilation of several short Peanuts cartoons created by current Peanuts IP owners Wildbrain Entertainment. The lead cartoon features Snoopy, who develops a fear of the dark after watching a scary movie with Charlie Brown and Linus. Several other characters face their fears in this compilation.

Enjoy!

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Soundtrack

 

It's the last week of the Countdown to Halloween! Make it a great one!

There was some majorly disappointing news announced last Monday--previously aired Peanuts specials will now air exclusively on the streaming service Apple TV+ and will no longer air on broadcast television. This includes It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. I plan to write a full article about this situation after the Countdown, but suffice it to say, I am not happy with this development.

Every year, I always include one article related to Peanuts and Halloween during the Countdown. To help fill the void left by the absence of Great Pumpkin from broadcast television this year, I will be doing two Peanuts-related articles this year. Me, you, and two other people will be the only ones that notice, but I need to do my part!

Today I offer the Great Pumpkin soundtrack. Although this is an official release, the quality is not great, as the soundtrack contains some sound effects from the special, which is unusual for a TV soundtrack. Still, it's lovely music. Please especially enjoy "The Great Pumpkin Waltz," which is one of the most warm and soothing pieces of music I've ever heard. Perfect for fall, perfect for anytime.

Enjoy!

Unless you're an Apple TV+ subscriber, you might want to get yourself a copy of the special as well as the soundtrack.

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1972)

Closing out Week 3 of the Countdown to Halloween is a film adaptation of the Ray Bradbury classic Something Wicked This Way Comes...but not the version you expect!

This version from 1972 appears to be a British production and is 11 years older than the more famous version by Disney released in 1983. I saw the Disney version for the first time this year, and possibly due to all the hype I've heard about it over the years, I was disappointed in it. Maybe this more obscure version will do me better.

Have a great weekend! It's the last one before Halloween, make it count!

 

Vincent animated short film by Tim Burton (1982)

 

Today's presentation is the animated short film Vincent, created by Tim Burton.

Vincent is a stop-motion animated film based on a poem Burton wrote that he originally intended for a children's book. This was created while Burton was still a Disney animator. It features a young boy named Vincent Malloy, who has a macabre personality and pretends he is in fact Vincent Price. His imagination has him believing he is a mad scientist who does experiments on his dog and who yearns for his deceased wife. Despite his mother's efforts to snap Vincent out of his head, he proceeds to be consumed by his morbid fantasies. Oh, the narrator of the film is the real Vincent Price.

Yep, it's a Tim Burton film, all right.

I didn't know this film existed until this month, which is another reason I love doing the Countdown. I love finding this stuff.

Enjoy!

Suspense, "Ghost Hunt" (June 23, 1949)

 

Today I have an especially fun treat. Today I present an episode of the classic radio drama Suspense.

Suspense was a top-notch radio drama with A-list writers and actors that ran on CBS radio from 1940 to 1962. Most episodes featured stories of crime and danger, with the occasional dive into the fantastic. This is one of those episodes.

"Ghost Hunt" features Ralph Edwards, most famous for being the host of This Is Your Life, as a disc jockey who enters a supposed haunted house as a stunt for his radio show. He of course doesn't believe in such things so he enters the house willingly with an expert in the paranormal.

Let's just say the jock shouldn't be so skeptical.

I loved this episode when I first heard it years ago, and I hope you enjoy it too. Thanks!

Looney Tunes, Happy Hare-lloween!

 

Today I feature a collection of clips from scary-themed cartoons from Looney Tunes. I've featured some of these before, but my links to those videos keep breaking. This collection should be OK though, as these are directly from the official WB Kids YouTube channel. And these are in great quality.

Enjoy, doc!