Ray Bradbury is a master at capturing the wonder of the experience of Halloween. If you need proof, you only need to read "Something Wicked This Way Comes" or his short story, "The Halloween Tree" - both of which have been adapted for the screen. 

In 1993, Hanna-Barbera produced an animated version of "The Halloween Tree" for TBS, and it has long since joined the ranks with other classic specials, such as "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". 

"The Halloween Tree" opens on Halloween night, as a small group of friends prepare to embark on a few misadventures with the leader of the group, named Pip. According to the narrator (the one and only Ray Bradbury) Pip is the kind of kid that everyone looks up to. He's an all around great guy, "the greatest boy who ever lived". However, when the others arrive at Pip's house, they find that he has been taken away by an ambulance for an emergency appendectomy. They proceed to follow the ambulance, but decide to take a shortcut through a ravine. Along the way, they notice a ghostly figure that looks a lot like Pip. It seems odd at first, but they press on. 

Soon, they arrive at a dark, creepy mansion. An ominous fellow named Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud lives there, and it is quickly revealed that he is holding Pip's spirit hostage. In his yard, there is a great tree, filled with jack-o-lanterns - The Halloween Tree. One of the pumpkins has Pip's likeness carved into it. He questions each of the children about the costumes that they have chosen to wear, asking them if they know the meaning behind them. When Moundshroud learns of their ignorance, he gives them an offer. They can follow him on a journey into the past to learn about the history of Halloween, and as a result, Pip's spirit will be restored. Moundshroud makes a giant kite, which they all grasp on to. Suddenly, they are whisked away 4,000 years into the past, witnessing the Halloween traditions of different cultures, and learning more about the costumes that they wear and what they symbolize. 

This is the greatest kind of Halloween special, because it weaves a history lesson into a genuinely creepy story. It has been a favorite of mine for quite some time, and I always recommend it to those who have never seen it. It is a classic. The animation is beautiful, and the vocal performances are top-notch, featuring Leonard Nimoy as Moundshroud. Don't miss it! 

I can’t imagine my life without the work of Charles Schultz. As a child, I lived vicariously through the Peanuts characters. I still do! I am in love with the entire world that Schultz created around these instantly lovable kids and their favorite beagle, Snoopy. Every year, my mother would record the Charlie Brown specials for me. Of course, my favorite has always been the classic Halloween entry, "It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown".

From the opening scene where Linus and Lucy pick the perfect pumpkin to carve – set to the jazzy “Linus and Lucy” theme from the Vince Guaraldi Trio – to the very end, as Linus defends his firm belief in the Great Pumpkin, gritting his teeth and waving his arms in the air as the credits roll – this is arguably the best of all of the Charlie Brown shorts, as it captures the magical sense of wonder that comes with Halloween, and contains some of the most memorable moments and lines of dialogue. 

Linus: Never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker!

As usual, Charlie Brown can never catch a break. Someone sends him an invitation to Violet’s Halloween party. Poor Charlie is immediately informed that this must have been a mistake. There were two lists – one to invite, and one to not invite. His friends insist that he must have been put on the wrong list. Added to that, his bald head is used as a sketch board to design the face of Lucy’s jack-o-lantern, and while all of the other kids receive tons of candy while trick-or-treating, Charlie somehow ends up with a bag full of rocks. However, Charlie gets much more out of his Halloween adventures than Linus.

Make no mistake: Linus takes center stage here. From the beginning, Linus is ridiculed over his beliefs regarding the mysterious Great Pumpkin, who will supposedly bestow gifts upon all of the children on Halloween night as he flies through the air. Where Linus comes up with these inventions, no one quite knows. When Linus attempts to drag Sally into his delusions, as you well know, things don’t quite go as planned. Linus learns the hard way that “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” – especially if she’s cheated out of tricks and treats!

Charlie Brown: Who are you writing to, Linus?

Linus: This is the time of year to write to the Great Pumpkin. On Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises out of his pumpkin patch and flies through the air with his bag of toys for all the children!

Charlie Brown: You must be crazy. When are you going to stop believing in something that isn’t true?

Linus: When *you* stop believing in that fellow with a red suit and the white beard who goes, “Ho, ho, ho!”

Charlie Brown: We’re obviously separated by denominational differences.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a classic. I watch it multiple times during the month of October, and it never gets old. My wish is that future generations would continue to discover this tiny gem for years to come, as it has definitely left an impression on me. I love it so. 

Watch the intro to "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" in the SCREENING ROOM. 

Garfield’s Halloween Adventure is yet another one of those eighties Halloween specials that I simply cannot live without. There is just something about that sarcastic kitty cat that cracks me up, and I watch this special every year.

When the special opens, Garfield is rudely awakened by Binky the Clown, who informs the lazy cat that it is Halloween – and that on Halloween, he can get lots and lots of candy. Shortly after hearing this news, Garfield springs into the kitchen, grabs his canine pal, Odie, and they dress as pirates – peg legs and all – before heading out into the night to go trick or treating.

Along their way, Garfield threatens the local residents – as some of them are a bit stingy with their candy – and both he and Odie encounter a few creepy trick or treaters. No need to worry about Garfield, however, as the sing-songy music over the soundtrack informs us that “the one thing he’s not is a scaredy cat”.

Garfield has an ulterior motive for bringing Odie along, as it turns out. He plans on using the poor puppy as a means of getting more candy, and Garfield doesn’t plan on sharing that candy any time soon. When the two friends hop on board an abandoned canoe and head down the river, they come upon a seemingly abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. Once inside, they run into one of the creepiest old men in the history of animation. He tells them that he once was the cabin boy for a group of evil pirates, who buried their treasure in the house that Garfield and Odie now inhabit. The pirates made a vow that they would return from beyond the grave to claim their treasure.

Little do our friends know that the long dead pirates will be paying them a visit on this very night.

Garfield’s Halloween Adventure will prove to be a joy for anyone who decides to give it a try, especially those of us who are nostalgic for the Halloween specials of the eighties. This is definitely one of the best. When I was a kid, I always thought that it perfectly captured the experience of Halloween and trick or treating. I always looked forward to the “adventure” that Garfield and Odie embark upon. It really gave me the creeps – and still does, to some extent. As with all of the other Garfield specials, the fat cat will learn a few life lessons, and there will be plenty of laughs along the way – and, in this particular case, maybe a few playful frights. Well, maybe not so playful. Those ghostly pirates are pretty damned creepy. And don’t even get me started on Binky the Clown.

Watch a clip from "Garfield's Halloween Adventure" in the SCREENING ROOM.

Halloween is right around the corner. If you’re like me, you’ve already started to celebrate. Your house smells like pumpkin pie scented candles, and you’re drinking pumpkin spice lattes like there’s no tomorrow. There’s a good chance that you’re raiding your VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray stash, pulling out anything that could possibly be considered a Halloween-themed film or special.

One of my favorite Halloween specials aired on TBS in 1987. I was six years old. The program was the Tom and Jerry Halloween Special – hosted by two goofy teens, Josh Jarboe and Audra Lee. I still have the VHS that my mother recorded for me all of those years ago. I managed to transfer the 26 year old videocassette to a DVD-R, and my world hasn’t been the same since.

Basically, the Tom and Jerry Halloween Special is an anthology of various cartoons with Halloween themes, featuring Tom and Jerry, Popeye, Bugs Bunny, and a friendly little ghost reminiscent of Casper.

In between the cartoons, Josh Jarboe and Audra Lee tell extremely corny jokes, play pranks on one another, give trick or treating tips, and give us a brief lecture concerning the history of Halloween, as well as the story of Jack (of Jack-O-Lantern fame). The cartoons are cute and entertaining, and our two awkward hosts manage to hold our attention throughout. Also, the music that plays over the end credits is awesome. I wish that I could find out what it was. Both Soundhound and Shazam have failed me in my quest to find both the artist and title of the track. I guess I’ll never know.

Tom and Jerry Halloween Special aired every year from 1987 to 1992. It hasn’t seen the light of day since. Personally, I think that it is one of the best Halloween specials ever made. 

Watch the special in its entirety in the SCREENING ROOM! You can download the end credits theme song for your Halloween playlist! 

"Disney DTV" was a series produced by Walt Disney Productions in the eighties, which was the kiddie equivalent to MTV. Basically, the episodes consisted of a compilation of music videos featuring popular songs of the time, which were set to clips of Disney cartoons that were edited and synchronized with the music.

In 1987, Disney aired "Disney’s DTV Monster Hits" on Halloween night. My mother taped it for me on an old videocassette, and I watched it year round, over and over again. It is still one of my favorite Halloween specials, and not a year goes by that I don’t watch it at least twice.

"DTV Monster Hits" is hosted by the Magic Mirror (character actor, Jeffrey Jones, camping it up big time) and is co-hosted by Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Witch Hazel. Together, they introduce each of the music videos. We are also treated to an animated short, “Trick or Treat”, as well as an extended clip fromThe Great Mouse Detective, which was the latest Disney feature at the time. The heffalumps and woozles of The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh also make an appearance.

The songs featured in the music videos are as follows:

• Michael Jackson: “Thriller”
• Ray Parker, Jr.: “Ghostbusters”
• Creedence Clearwater Revival : “Bad Moon Rising”
• Bobby “Boris” Pickett featuring The Crypt-Kickers: “Monster Mash”
• Rockwell: “Somebody’s Watching Me”
• Electric Light Orchestra: “Evil Woman”
• Stevie Wonder: “Superstition”
• Pat Benatar: “You Better Run”
• Spike Jones & His City Slickers: “That Old Black Magic”
• Daryl Hall: “Dreamtime”
• From “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”: Heffalumps & Woozles
• The Eurythmics: “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”

"Disney’s DTV Monster Hits" will always have a special place in my heart. It is a precious relic from my childhood that never saw an official release on either VHS or DVD. That’s too bad, because, while it may be incredibly dated, it is a program that should be sought out and appreciated, especially if you are a child of the eighties! There is so much to love here. All of the songs are great, the animated clips are endearing, and Jeffrey Jones has one hell of a time in his role as the wise-cracking Magic Mirror. The highlight of the entire show is the music video for “Ghostbusters”, featuring Mickey, Goofy, and Donald as ghost hunters. Many of the sound effects in this particular cartoon were included in the “Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House” vinyl LP that Disney released in the sixties!

If you love Halloween as much as I do, you’ll want to seek out this rare gem for yourself. Or you can just watch it in the SCREENING ROOM here at Halloween Retro 101!