Bedknobs, Broomsticks And Oscars

On this day in 1971, Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks premiered in London. To celebrate this magical musical, Dean Brinkerhoff and I produced an episode of our YouTube series, Digging the Details, to honor  the film's 50th last year and the 50th anniversary of its Oscar nominations and win this year. Please click below as Dean and I dig such details as the special effects, the Sherman Brothers songs, the Special Edition, and more. Please click here and watch as Dean and I discuss this wonderfully witchy Disney movie. 

The Munsters And Their Kool Karriage On Colorforms

A new Munsters movie (starring Daniel Roebuck in an excellent turn as the Count aka Grandpa) brings to mind the original TV series and the merch it inspired. Here's a look at the beautifully presented Colorforms Cartoon Kit featuring the cool Munster Koach. Perfect to drive us on our way during our Countdown To Halloween 2022. 

Sixty Amazing Years

Spider-Man was introduced in August 1962, and he's met up with some pretty horrific characters over the decades. so to celebrate 60 Amazing Years of the amazing arachnid-dude with one of his most monsterific comic books, from July 1974, just for our Countdown To Halloween 2022. Keep on swinging, Spidey—and stay spooky. 

TCM Star Of The Month: Robots!

Each October, Turner Classic Movies selects as its Star of the Month a Monster (or Monsters). The usual suspects (true superstars, all) such as Dracula and the Frankenstein monster have been represented, so now it's time to turn the spotlight on a different kind of creature: the robot. Imaginative choice, as there have been a number of mechanical figures running amok across the screen. Click here for more info. 

Spooky Is the Spooky Season's Spooks-person

Casper's "tuff little" counterpart Spooky was the star of several comic-book series, including the "Giant Size" publication, Spooky's Spooktown. This issue (#33, January 1970) boasts a Halloween-themed cover where Spooky gets spooked by a trick-or-treater decked out in a Spooky costume (officially licensed, no doubt). Don't you think this funny little spook should be the official spooks-person of the spooky season? I do. After all, his very name says "spooky." 

Zoot Goes Batty And Other Muppet Madness For Halloween

The beautifully produced Muppet memorabilia created by Hallmark during the 1980s gives both collectors and Muppet fans in general some merrily scary Halloween fun. Perfect for a Countdown to Halloween peek, we have already celebrated some of this spooky-time merch here and here in Tulgey Wood. Today, for Countdown to Halloween 2022, here are some fun stickers just for Halloween (copyright by HA! [Henson Associates]). The emphasis is on Kermit and Miss Piggy (no surprise there), but also on hand is the rarely represented Zoot, who finds not a sour note but a bevy of bats emitting from his sax. Hallmark remains a Muppet licensee today, thanks to their Disney deal. Be sure and stop by here at Tulgey Wood all where the porch light is on all through October for you trick-or-treaters. 

Happy 40th To The Not So Fearsome Figment

Happy October to one and all! And October 1st means it’s 31 days until Halloween, so we have a whole month of the fun and frightful ahead of us to help us Countdown to Halloween. And what better way to do than by participating in the Countdown to Halloween blogathon! To get things striated let's take a look at the fearsome fictional beastie, the dragon. These scary monsters are often portrayed of as fearful and serious...for proof of that, look no further than Walt Disney Sleeping Beauty (1959) and Game of Thrones. But I just had to include our friendly little dragon because today is Figments 40th anniversary, as EPCOT opened 4o years ago today. So Happy October, Happy Halloween time, Happy 40th to EPCOT...and especially, Happy 40th to Figment for all the happiness this unique and delightful Disney character has brought to us. Be sure and come back tomorrow and all through October for our Countdown to Halloween 2022! #CountdowntoHalloween2022

Jack-O-Lantern Comin' At Yah—And So Is October 1, 2022

Keeping an eye open? You should be, because today is the last day of September... and that means that tomorrow begins the Countdown to Halloween 2022! And just in case things have crept up on you, like Porky (or is that Porky's lesser known nephew, Cicero?) is sneaking up on Bugs (ironically, he's usually the prankster) on this cover of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies (#61 November 1946), attributed to Dan Gormley, you can keep track of October right here in Tulgey Wood. Come on back—costume not required—tomorrow for the start of the spooky season and all the Halloween fun. #CountdownToHalloween2022

Happy Halloween From The Bizarre World Of Tim Burton

We've reached the end of our Countdown to Halloween 2021, so to celebrate the big day itself, we needed something special, a tricky sort of treat. This is not a Nightmare Before Christmas post but is about a spooky tale from the wild imagination of Tim Burton. While he was still at Disney creating experimental shorts and featurettes, Tim created one of his least well-known productions, Hansel and Gretel from 1983. Seen only twice (not once, as is usually reported) on Disney Channel (then known as The Disney Channel) on the anthology series Disney Studio Showcase, Hansel and Gretel was first cablecast on October 29, 1983, and then an encore presentation on the very appropriate date of October 31st.  This TV special-like show was paired with Burton's stop motion masterpiece Vincent, and was hosted by (who else?) Vincent Price. See some shots from this very stylized production below, some shots of Tim presenting his art, and also being assaulted by the Hansel and Gretel creepy puppet Hansel and Gretel character, Dan Dan the Gingerbread Man. And for the fearsomely awesome finale, here is brand new for October 2021 interpretation of Dan Dan by artist, writer and historian Dean Brinkerhoff. Be sure and follow Dean's Instagram account for more Brinkerhoff art. Happy Halloween! 

So Entertaining—It's Criminal

A rarity from the past is this stylish promotional booklet marketing the PBS TV series Mystery!, the famed anthology series, from its first season in 1980. Though there is impressive art throughout promoting the various programs (Rumpole of the Bailey was a stalwart from the start), the main interest here is the macabre art by Edward Gorey, who also created the famous animated main titles for the long-running series. Just another artifact I dug up for our Countdown to Halloween.