Creepy Village Full of Spooky Pumpkin People: Hard Times at the Huskin’ Bee, Over the Garden Wall (2014)

My friend always knows the type of shows that I like, so when she suggested this cartoon, Over the Garden Wall, I was down to watch it.

This is going to get good…

The show follows stepbrothers Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg who were out walking in the forest and are lost. As they are trying to figure out how to get home they come across a woodsman (Christopher Lloyd) who tries to help them. He warns them of “the beast” and directs them the way to go. As they try to get home they come upon all kinds of fantastical and spooky people/creatures; and the woodsman himself might not be as helpful as they originally thought. In this world where anything could happen who can you trust? Everything in the show is cute and sweet with an undertone of something sinister.

From Twin Peaks

“Hard Times at the Huskin’ Bee” is the second episode of the series and the two brothers have been wandering in the direction the woodsman pointed out when Greg finds a bird trapped in a bramble bush. She’s a talking bird, Beatrice (Melanie Lynskey), who they met briefly in the previous episode and as Greg saved her, she is now a member of their party.

Beatrice wants to take them to Adelaide the lady of the forest to help them, but Wirt sees a sign to Pottsfield and decides to go in that direction.

We go my way!

When they arrive they find an empty village and only turkeys in the houses. They continue walking through the creepy village, and I’m like if this was me I would go running and screaming from it, I’ve seen plenty of films and read enough books to know things are not going to go well.

They hear music coming from the barn and head over there to ask for directions. When they get to the barn they find these pumpkin straw/scarecrow humanoids running about. Wirt feels safe as he think they are wearing costumes and not real pumpkins.

One girl sees Wirt and comments “aren’t you a little ripe still to be here?”

This whole thing would send me reeling, but the boys don’t leave yet. They do get freaked out when they see a gigantic pumpkin and realize that these aren’t just people having a regular festival, something fantastical and grim is going on here.

When they try to leave they are stopped and have to be punished….

That’s not good.

I was thinking that they were goin to try and smash them, but instead they force Greg, Wirt, and Beatrice to do community service.

Beatrice is still trying to get the kids to leave as she doesn’t trust these pumpkin villagers and is really worried that they have something more sinister planned; especially after the two brothers are digging holes that are the perfect dimensions and depth to be a grave.

The pumpkin people come to check to see if they are finished and Beatrice has Wirt stall them while she tries to pick the locks.

Wirt tells them he found rocks when digging so it took longer, and then continues to ramble. When Wirt sees Beatrice and Greg running away without him, he gives up and is prepared to meet his doom.

From The Wolf Man (1941)

But out of the hole comes skeletons who do not attack him but put on pumpkins and straw. It turns out they never planned to hurt the brothers, they just needed some help getting their friends.

The pumpkins tell the brothers they can stay as long as they want to, but they decline as they are both determined to get home.

I really enjoyed this, it’s the perfect blend of cute, spooky, and grim; with a fairy tale feel. I highly recommend it.

For more animated TV show episode reviews, go to “To All the Ghouls I’ve Loved Before” from 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo (1985)

For more creepy villages, go to
This Village is Full of Strange People: Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, Endless Night (2013)

Because We’re Addams: The Addams Family (1991)

Because we’re Addams

So I know, I committed a huge faux pas five years ago when I reviewed the sequel over the original film.

It was my first Horrorfest, and I hadn’t established any “rules” but was just doing whatever I watched or any films that popped in my head.

Oh, well

However, since then I have realized that just because it’s not as good as the sequel, that doesn’t mean I should ignore it.

Yes, I love The Addam’s Family. I watched the TV show, I loved everything about them, and have seen The Addam’s Family Values like a million times.

I love how kind and caring and macabre they are. It is fantastic.

So if it is such a great concept, why is the second film fantastic but the first only okay? (At least in my opinion.)

Hmm…

Well let’s do a brief synopsis:

The Addams family is zany, fun, and awesome. They used to be a giant clan, but have lost people in interesting and deadly ways throughout the years. Now they consist of Gomez Addams, his wife Morticia, and their two kids Pugsley and Wednesday. Morticia’s mother also lives with them in their old Victorian home. Along with the family is their butler Lurch and servant hand Thing.

Gomez had an older brother Fester-but he and Gomez fought and Fester took off, never to be seen again. Through the years Gomez has tried everything to find him.

And has been heartbroken at the loss of his brother, ever hoping that one day he would return.

Meanwhile, their accountant, Tully Alford, has been trying to embezzle from their treasure room. He has no other clients and owes a ton of money to a loan shark. When the loan shark comes to collect bringing her goliath of a son, Gordon, Tully gets an idea.

If they give Gordon a few alterations, he’s a dead ringer for Uncle Fester. They decide to send to the family with a story of him having amnesia in order to have him accepted. Y the Addamses and to discover where the money is.

Gordon does, but as he pretends to be Uncle Fester he starts to enjoy the Addams’ Family way of life. Will he be able to stick to the plan, or will he instead take on the role of Uncle Fester permanently?

Hmm…

So why doesn’t this film work?

Well the issues are that the storyline is boring.

It is something we have seen many times before and you knew immediately how it would end.

Meh.

The storyline is amazing in the sequel! You never knew what was going to happen with the kids, the adults, or Debbie.

In this

In this film the characters are more sedate, while in the sequel they go all out. To be fair I think the director, writer, and actors weren’t sure how far they could go.

It isn’t horrible, but it just isn’t as fun. Especially in comparison to the sequel.

The only thing I really loved about this film was I thought it was cute when Margaret Alford and Cousin It get together, especially how at first she was all “I can’t stand the Addams”, but in the end becomes one.

Aw!

And Raúl Juliá. He was such an amazing actor and he was Gomez Addams. I could watch hour after hour after hour of him being Gomez Addams and never get tired of it.

If they had made a third film (not The Addams Family Reunion), that was just Raúl Juliá being Gomez Addams I would have paid to watch that over and over.

Sadly he passed away at an early age. So sad as we lost a talented star.

It’s not a bad film to watch, but in my opinion the sequel is amazing.

To start Horrorfest VI, from the beginning, go to One of Our Guests is a Werewolf, I Know It.: The Beast Must Die (1974)

For the previous post, go to Why Didn’t You Stop Me, Sam? You Know How Much I Hated Her! Why Didn’t You Stop Me?: The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)

For more on The Addams Family, go to Someone Very Special: The Addam’s Family Values (1993)

For more Horror-Comedies, go to I Died for You! I Came Back from the Dead for You! I Love You!: My Boyfriend’s Back (1993)

That’s What We’re Trying to Find out! We’re Trying to Find Out Who Killed Him, and Where, and With What!: Clue (1985)

That’s what we’re trying to find out! We’re trying to find out who killed him, and where, and with what!

So last year I had planned to review this film as it had just reached its 30th anniversary, but unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to and it was pushed back to this year.

I love the game Clue. I have been playing it as a child and still do. Out of everything this is my game. I didn’t read/watch all those mysteries for nothing!

I rarely ever lose, that’s how good I am at this.

I’m on FIRE!

So one day after playing, my friend Stella asked if we had ever seen the film version of the game.

What

I DIDN’T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A FILM!!! We decided that we must watch it immediately.

So six strangers are invited to a mansion on a hill. There they meet the English Butler, Wadsworth (Tim Curry), and French maid Yvette (Colleen Camp). It turns out that all are being blackmailed and have been invited here.

Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren) is the owner of an escort business and was found out by Mr. Boddy. Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn) has had five husbands who “disappeared”, the last having “killed” himself by cutting off his head and manhood. Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd) lost his psychiatric license when he slept with his patients. Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull) has been caught in the act with prostitutes, Mr. Green (Michael McKean) is a homosexual, and Mrs Peacock (Eileen Brennan) was taking bribes.

When Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving) shows up, he gives each of the six invited guests a weapon.

Mr. Boddy reveals his plan:

Mr. Boddy: In your hands, you each have a lethal weapon. If you denounce me to the police, you will also be exposed and humiliated. I’ll see to that in court. But, if one of you kills Wadsworth now, no one but the seven of us will ever know. He has the key to the front door, which he said would only be opened over his dead body. I suggest we take him up on that offer. The only way to avoid finding yourselves on the front pages is for one of you to kill Wadsworth. NOW.

The lights go out but Wadsworth hasn’t been killed, instead it was Mr. Boddy. With all having a reason to kill him, there is only one question.

I won’t continue as this is a film you should see on your own. It is comedic, mysterious, and has a good sense of drama. The only thing I didn’t care for was that the characters don’t dress in the colors they are in the game. The beginning introduction moves a bit slow, although the dialogue is fast, but otherwise I thought it was a fun film.

I love Tim Curry, so he was a favorite in this.

To start Horrorfest V from the beginning, go to Who You Gonna Call?: Ghostbusters (1984)

For the previous post, go to But If Any of It Fell Into the Wrong Hands…:Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II, Secret of the Ooze (1991)

For more on Clue, go to She’s Still Preoccupied With 1985

For more Horror-Comedy, go to We’ve Seen Dracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s Monster: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

For more mysteries, go to A Murder Has Been Committed on Your Property: Death Comes to Pemberley, Episode One (2013)

For more Tim Curry, go to Haunted Harmonies of Halloween: Top 5 Songs to Play on Halloween

For more Christopher Lloyd, go to The Future is NOW!: Happy Back to the Future Day!

For more ’80s films, go to I’m…a Werewolf: Teen Wolf (1985)

The Future is NOW!: Happy Back to the Future Day!

Hey everyone. I know I have been terribly behind in my Horrorfest posting. The problem is that lately I have had a LOT going on, and trying to juggle means something usually falls behind. I promise that I WILL catch up and have those 31 posts completed!

I also decided that instead of working on Horrorfest or things for work, I would instead go to the Back to the Future trilogy showing at my local theater.

Well, not just decided. I had my tickets purchased months ago. It’s my absolute favorite movie so I had to see it!

For as long as I can remember, one of my dreams has been to see Back to the Future on the big screen. I am incandescently happy that I have achieved this and I am telling you, I will be riding this happiness high for a long time. It’s like I don’t even care what the rest of the year holds, my day was completely made this night.

So Back to the Future was as awesome as always. Michel J. Fox was utter perfection, perfection that was beautifully magnified on the big screen.

And then to only increase the awesomeness, before they showed Back to the Future: Part II they had a fake ad for Hoverboards, and a teaser trailer for Jaws 19.

I have to say too, that when watching Back to the Future: Part II, there was actually quite a lot that is similar to our times today. Not everything, but quite a lot. The architecture of the new courthouse had the classic columns, but if you look at it closely it has a lot of glass, being similar to architecture made today.

The clothes, while not being able to scrunch and fit you, dry off, etc; were not too far off. Definitely an ’80s vibe, and we all know the ’80s are totally back. And the short, peroxide blonde hair of the girl in the ’80s Cafe was the Miley Cyrus hairdo, before she was born. And look closely at those clothes again, aren’t there pieces that make you think of hipsters and Lady Gaga?

Just not the stuff these guys are wearing.

Not to mention they had glasses that could watch TV and use to talk. Sound like anything we have today? Or the ability to take calls on their TV, video chatting? Pretty cool! And look at those giant flat screen TVs everywhere in the house.

No hoverboards like this, but someday.

And of course, the third film rounding it out quite nicely!

It was an amazing film series, and an even more magical experience getting to see the films and have a lifelong dream fulfilled.

Now I got back from seeing this at 11pm. But as Marty, Jennifer, and Doc all go to October 21, 2015 4:29pm, I’m posting at that time.

Happy Back to the Future Day!

For more on Back to the Future, go to Back in Time: Happy 30th Anniversary Back to the Future

For more Holiday posts, go to Na Na Na Na Batman!

Back in Time: Happy 30th Anniversary Back to the Future

Hooray! Today marks the 30th anniversary of my favorite movie ever, and one of the higest grossing films of 1985! Back to the Future!

How do I describe how awesome this movie is? I mean it it so amazing!

I just love, love, love it.

Now what is incredible about this film is that Steven Spielberg and Rob Zemeckis really wanted Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly. The only problem? He was working on the TV show Family Ties, which refused to give him a hiatus. Michael J. Fox was too sweet to leave the show that gave him a chance when no one would, (read more in his memoir Lucky Man), but also wanted to do the film. What’s a guy to do?

When the two directors wouldn’t leave him alone and sent him a script, which Michael J. Fox absolutely loved, he went back to Family Ties and asked again. This time they agreeed to it, BUT it had to be done on Michael J. Fox’s time. So he would go to the studio in the morning, work all day on Family Ties, a car would pick him up, and he would work late into the early morning on Back to the Future.

Michael J. Fox talks about how at some times he would become horribly confused and forget which movie he was in. That schedule had to be excruciating, but Mike, we all thank you for the glorious end project you did. You are Marty, and you were amazing! (Still are)

And of course his gamble paid off as the film made him a huge star. Look you can even buy an action figure of him.

So Let me briefly recap the film series for anyone who hasn’t seen it.

The film is a combo of Science-fiction, historical fiction, the ’50s, and the ’80s. All things I love and hold dear. Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), is the youngest of the McFly household and growing up in 1985. He wants to be a musician but is afraid of failing. He’s close friends with amateur scientist and millionare, Dr. Emmet Brown, Doc for short. Doc has finally created the time machine he’s been working on for 30 years. And put it in a Delorean.

Before he can set out on his trip through time, Doc is killed by the terrorists he bamboozled for uranium (needed to work the time machine). Marty jumps in the car and takes off, accidentally going back to 1955 and messing up his parent meeting and their love at first sight moment. If he doesn’t get them back together, he’s history.

What’s not to love? Comedy, romance, science-fiction, great music, clothes, 2 songs by Huey Lewis (and a cameo), Michael J. Fox? Plus amazing gags!

So is this is fantastic film? Oh, yes!

And I watch it over, and over, and over…

After the first time I saw this film, I immediately became obsessed with it. I memorized every single line in the films. I would comb through the TV listings, and watch it every, single time it came on. One time I even got up at 4:00 am! That’s commitment right there. And why not be obsessed with it? Duh, it’s AWESOME!

I visited Universal Studios in 2012 and was devastated to see that they had hardly anything from Back to the Future. The clock tower was destroyed in that big fire, the ride had been taken out for “newer” things, and you couldn’t find any cool souvenirs. When I went in 2013, things were different. Universal Studios has a studio museum that they constantly move props in and out and they had a whole Back to the Future collection. I was having a ball, in fact I wanted to climb over the plexiglass and sit in the Deloran.

Here are the clock tower building plans

And the beautiful car

Yes that was so amazing! And today, to honor this cinematic classic, I am going to marathon the three films! 🙂 And I suggest you do the same.

Yep, we are going to go back in time.

For more Back to the Future, go to Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Roads

For more anniversary posts, go to You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Screen: Happy 40th to Jaws

For more ’80s films, go to Don’t You Forget About Me