Nothing screams Halloween like some classic Halloween TV specials!
The mornings are a little chillier and the leaves are just starting to change color. This could only mean one thing; it’s pumpkin spice season. No, not really. It’s Halloween! It may still be September but like some other holidays, it starts earlier and earlier every year. It’s my favorite holiday so I’m all for starting to get into the Halloween spirit as early as possible. Everything about the holiday is great; the candy, the movies, the weather…but what’s really great is seeing some of the classic Halloween TV specials back in the spotlight.
There are some great one’s out there, new and old, but for me the classics are the best. They’ve been around for decades and kids of all ages still love them. The animation is still great, and actually enhances the creepy factor. Older is scarier sometimes. The nostalgia is still there, I’d watch these over and over as a kid and they still bring me back. Here are a handful of the best out there.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ6kM6TlT-4[/embedyt]
On October 27th, 1966 the Peanuts gang starred in their second holiday special; It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The story centers around Linus, who in his annual tradition, tries to lure The Great Pumpkin to his pumpkin patch. The Santa Claus of Halloween. He convinces Sally to stay out all night with him to witness the event. Both missing out on all of the Trick or Treating and Halloween parties with their friends.
There’s also the usual humor with Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang. Charlie strikes out, only collecting rocks during the evenings candy quest.
The highlight of the special is the “aerial dogfight” that Snoopy (in World War I fighter pilot guise) has with his nemesis; the Red Baron. Crashing down in enemy territory, he has to navigate the countryside back home. As a child, that was one of the more memorable sequences. Dark, alone and with the din of a war raging in the background, it definitely came across as eerie. All set to a score by classic Peanuts composer Vince Guaraldi!
Garfield’s Halloween Adventure (1985)
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ePFNxu3ptc[/embedyt]
This one is probably my personal favorite. I loved Garfield and this special came out when I was 4 years old. I was probably a bit older when I first saw it, but it’s a standout.
The story is pretty simple, Garfield and Odie set out on Halloween to fill as many sacks full of candy as possible. After scouring their neighborhood, Garfield devises a greedy plan for more. By using a canoe, they set to sail across the river to the next neighborhood, but this does not go as planned. They wind up on a small island and things get real creepy. Encountering an old man in a rundown house with quite the tale. Seriously, this old man is terrifying. I still get creeped out thinking about him. And the animated ghost pirates have this great eerie glowing effect to them.
It’s still great after all these years.
It even won a Primetime Emmy.
Halloween Is Grinch Night (1977)
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qycTlyhVQxU[/embedyt]
This one is probably not as widely known as the Grinch’s Christmas special, but is just as good.
Set in the town of Whoville, a strange wind begins to blow through town letting the town know that trouble is on the way. Signaling the beginning of Grinch Night, the town goes on lockdown to avoid The Grinch who is on his way from the top of Mt.Crumpit. The fun starts when a small Who child, Euchariah, runs out into the wind to use “The Euphamism”. It’s the bathroom.
No, seriously.
Swept away by the wind, he’s blown directly into the path of the descending Grinch. Deciding to distract and delay his arrival into town, Euchariah taunts the Grinch into attempting to scare the you-know-what out of him. Euchariah stands unphased but I sure wasn’t. What followed is this weird “acid trip” sequence with all kinds of crazy imagery and strange creatures. It’s the scene that has stuck in my memory since I first saw it.
Dr. Suess and Halloween are quite the pair.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1949)
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IDqoRTtdno[/embedyt]
Another oldie but goody!
This one is the back half of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, a Disney animated film from October of 1949. It’s an animated adaptation of the classic tale written by Washington Irving.
I think I first saw this in school as it was based off of classic literature. The villain of the story is the Headless Horseman who is truly an imposing character in this cartoon. The fact that it is pretty old again adds to the weight of it’s nightmarish quality. I can only imagine how it was seen at the time.
If you haven’t seen any of these before make sure to check them out or show them to your children if you have any. These Halloween TV specials are still some of the best around.
Mike Harris hails from the suburbs of Chicago and has been a fan for most of his life. Working as an industrial radiographer and raising a family with his wife take up most of his time, but there’s always room for Star Wars books and podcasts! Just looking to give back to Star Wars and the fan community, it’s been a source of fun and learning for him for so long.