Today I present my first cartoon of the season, and it's long overdue. This is an episode of the 1960s TV cartoon series The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo.
This series was a follow up to the original Mr. Magoo series. In this series, Magoo would play a famous story from literature, similar to Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. This episode, which aired March 13, 1965, features an adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Unlike the fun, wholesome silliness of the original series, this episode was quite dark and serious, and it is a bit more faithful to the original novel than one would expect.
Please enjoy this episode embedded below or directly on YouTube here. Thanks!
Here he is in two SCTV skits as that Halloween-ish character: the first skit with costars John Candy and Eugene Levy, and the other with actresses Catherine O'Hara and Andrea Martin. Everyone is great in their respective roles in these sketches, but I send this out in Flaherty's memory. He was such a great actor!
Well, I might have to throw out my Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule of posting, because I missed another day (Wednesday), but here we are at Friday. Continuing the Dracula theme, today I present a movie-length installment of the late 70s TV series The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries entitled "The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Meet Dracula."
This series featured Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy as the brotherly sleuths, and Pamela Sue Martin as Nancy Drew. The boys and girl took turns each week solving a mystery, but sometimes they teamed together for a big event. You can't get more "event-like" than running into the Prince of Darkness himself!
Enjoy! Have a great weekend! Please see the show embedded below or directly on YouTube here.
Welcome to the first full week of the Countdown to Halloween!
I'm afraid I goofed! I promised you readers new posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in October, but I missed out this past Friday. Sorry about that! I'll throw in an extra post at some point this month to make up for it. Today, I share with you what I would have posted last Friday.
This is the 1980 Japanese anime horror film Dracula, Sovereign of the Damned! Based on Marvel Comic's 1970s horror comic Tomb of Dracula, the film features the Son of the Devil, being, well, devilish. If you think it odd that a Japanese studio would adapt an American horror comic, don't--it's also been done with Marvel's The Monster of Frankenstein comic from the same time period. I've featured the Frankenstein film right here on this blog a few years ago.
Enjoy! And sorry for depriving you of this movie last Friday! Watch the movie embedded below or directly on YouTube here.
Hello all! Welcome to the first real post of the Countdown to Halloween. Today I kick off the Countdown in earnest with a look at fun TV commercials with a Halloween spin, or at least a spooky spin. Here we go!
The Bride of Frankenstein is a fan of the New York lottery in this fun spot.
Her husband appears in our next commercial, shilling for--the Federal Trade Commision? Yep! Also, I find it interesting to see the monster boss around Igor instead of the doctor doing so for once.
In this next very quick spot, local Philly haberdasher Benny Krass advises you on the best suit to wear to the grave!
This Rice Krispies commercial from 1997 is actually two commercials in one: the first an everyday commercial, the second Halloween-specific for Halloween Rice Krispy Treats, a classic holiday perennial.
I suspect the voice of Pop is legendary voice actor Rob Paulson, but I'm not certain.
Here is a commercial for Nickelodeon's Nick or Treat event from 1992. I was too old for Nick at that time, but I'm sure this spot will resonate with older millenials out there!
Way back in 1971, you could take your chances with the Voice of the Mummy board game!
Boo! Avoid free radicals by drinking Pom pomegranate juice. Wash your sheets in peace!
Finally, sticking with the ghosts theme, you never know what's going on in your house when you're not there. Ikea shows us what!
I hope you enjoyed this year's crop of spooky commercials. Stay tuned for more Halloween hi-jinks. We're just getting started!
REJOICE, FOOLISH MORTALS! FEAST YOUR SENSES ONCE AGAIN TO THE ANNUAL RITE OF FUN AND SILLINESS, THE COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!
Dramatic much?
Welcome, everyone, to the 2024 Countdown to Halloween! I feel like we were just here 11 months ago! Surprising as it may be, it is indeed the Halloween season again, and it's time for all of the spooky shenanigans that come with it: movies, TV shows, music, commercials, comedy, horror, and all-around fun.
Thanks to Dex of AEIOU and Sometimes Why for organizing this year's Countdown. He's a one-man operation this year, so please give him several rounds of applause for holding down the haunted fort this year. Thank you very much, Dex!
Please also be sure to visit as many of the participating blogs as possible--this ain't just about me, you know. This wouldn't be nearly as much fun without the many and varied blogs and social media accounts adding their unique spin on the festivities. There's more than one correct way to celebrate the season, as all of the sites will show. Thank you, fellow participants!
Without further ado, let the 2024 Countdown to Halloween begin!
Hello everyone! Welcome to the official beginning of Fall 2024! It's our favorite time of year around here, as longtime readers know. One of the signs of the new fall season is the slate of new and returning TV series appearing on our flatscreens. This year, they will trickle in more so than pour, as the writer and actor strikes of last year are still being felt at this time.
But there was no such stumbling block in 1978!
Here is a preview reel of CBS's fall slate for the year 1978. This was likely shown to advertisers to whet their whistle for what programs they would buy airtime on. You'll see such shows as Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, Lou Grant, and more--even the notorious Star Wars Holiday Special, which would air in November of that year.
Enjoy! And save the date--the Countdown to Halloween starts a day early this year (for my blog, at least): Monday, September 30th! See you then!
