Welcome to the Kid’s Made For TV Halloween

 I honestly can think of a better title.

When I was still in elementary school (nearly thirty years ago…shivers), I took an early October trip to Disney World. This was before Halloween had really taken off into the phenomenon at theme parks it is today and Disney World was focused on its 25th anniversary celebrations (yes, I saw the Pink Castle).

While on that trip, I first road the Tower of Terror…and didn’t like it. I was pretty young and it was before Disney had changed the ride to its modern (less intense) setting. I much preferred the spooky Haunted Mansion.

However, since it was close to Halloween, Disney played its first (made for TV) movie about one of its park ride, The Tower of Terror (1997), on one of their channels. It starred Steve Gutenberg (whom I knew from Three Men and a Baby) and a very young Kirsten Dunst. Did it scare me? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Much more than the ride. 

For a long time I thought the movie was a fever dream. It was rarely shown on TV and might have become part of childhood lore without the advent of the Internet. In the early Wild West days of YouTube, I found someone who uploaded the whole movie - in multiple ten minute parts. It was eventually taken down (like many of those early YouTube bootlegged movies) and I struggled to find a copy, even through Amazon, until I found a bare bones DVD at Target. I grabbed a copy.

Guys, this movie still hasn’t been added to Disney+. 

The Haunted Mansion has TWO theatrical movies! Why can’t we get a new Tower of Terror. The ride has as much of a cult following as Haunted Mansion.

I digress.  

The Tower of Terror isn't the only made for TV movie that shaped my childhood. It especially isn't the only Halloween themed made for TV movie that I anxiously hoped to see year after year. So today, I bring you a list of made for TV and direct to video/DVD movies that shaped younger years during the month of October. 

This list will not include long episodes of shows (sorry "House of Villains" fans) nor will I include anything I can't fully prove existed (I guess this means I have to leave off the "Are You Afraid of the Dark" TV movie I swear existed). All of these movies were made in the 1990s to early 2000s. These are in no particular order. 

1. The Tower of Terror - since I started this post with a rambling explanation on my early memories and quest to find this movie, I might as well mention it first. This movie is spooky with a few intense scenes (spoilers: the elevator falls at a couple of points in the plot). Though there isn't any reference to the TV show "The Twilight Zone" - which the ride supposedly lives in - it keeps a lot of the same plot points in the ride's story. Kids over the age of 7 or 8 should be okay to see it. Sadly, Disney has given this movie the "Disney House of Mouse" treatment and pretends it doesn't exist.
2. Halloweentown 1, 2, and High - Nothing says Halloween more to a 90s and 2000s kid than one of the Halloweentown movies. I'm particularly fond of the first two movies (maybe because I really liked Marnie and Luke as a couple). I'm including Halloweentown High because it's one of my sibling's favorites. I'm glad Debbie Reynolds was in these movies as she brings a bit of cozy class among all the fun camp. No Halloween is complete without watching at least one of the movies. We do not acknowledge Return to Halloweentown. 
3. Don't Look Under the Bed - Disney Channel Original Movies are going to pop up a lot on this list and this is one of the best in their horror category. Though not scary for adults, this movie was eventually pulled from the October rotation because of parents complaining about how the movie scared their kids. There are plenty of intense scenes, especially when Boogeyman/Boogey-person shows up. This movie is primarily about how forcing kids to grow up too fast is bad for their emotional development (it's not explicitly stated, but it is heavily implied) and that children shouldn't have to step into an adult role when they are clearly not ready for it. It was one of my favorites as a kid and I honestly thought it was lost media until Disney+ finally added it to its library. 
4. Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman - if ever there was a love letter to the Universal Wolfman movies, this is that movie - which might surprise some of you. Alvin, Simon, and Theodor are in a school production of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", but when Alvin is banded from all things spooky due to nightmares, Theodor steps up into the Mr. Hyde role. At first timid, Theodor's attitude changes overnight after getting bitten by a "dog". Alvin and Simon visit Madam Raya - an Elvira like character - who tell them to bop Theodor on the head with something silver to save him. Luckily, their next door name, Mr. Lawrence Talbot, has a cane with a silver wolf head that was originally a bullet that killed his great grandfather. Are you seeing where this plot is going? I still enjoy this movie and watch it every year (I have it on DVD). The songs are kind of catchy and there's plenty of fun chaos with only a couple of intense moments. This is a good introduction horror movie to little ones. 
5. Scooby Doo on Zombie Island/Scooby Doo and the Witch's Ghost - technically these are two separate movies, but I'm counting them together because they are part of the four movie series that kicked off the 2000s revamp of Scooby Doo. They are not long episodes. They are stand alone movies that share a universe. Zombie Island is a straight up horror movie. As the name implies there are zombies roaming an island. Many a parent thought they were putting on a fun Scooby Doo movie only to scar their kid for life with Zombie Island. Witch's Ghost isn't as scary as Zombie Island, but this movie is all about the fall. It takes place in a small New England town haunted by a witch who reminiscent of the Salem witch trials. This movie also introduced the Hex Girls - an eco goth band with witchy vibes. Witch's Ghost takes some liberties with witchcraft as a modern religious movement (um, no Wiccans are not a hereditary group and popped up in the early 1900s). I'd recommend these movies for older kids. 
6. Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire - part of me still finds it funny that Mr. Sheffield from "The Nanny" played a vampire trying to date Sabrina the Teenage Witch's Aunt Hilda in this 2000 Disney Channel Original Movie. When a divorced mother of three is set up by two of her children on a date with a mysterious man to get her out of the house (because she had rightfully grounded them), craziness ensues when the mysterious man turns out to be a vampire. Lizzie McGuire's dad...I mean...Malachi Van Helsing comes to help the kids save their mom. I haven't rewatched this one recently, but I do remember being very worried for the mom while she was in a trance. Also, seeing all these actors I was familiar with from other shows I enjoyed was a lot of fun. Good for a family movie night.
7. Twitches/Twitches Too - I can't leave two of my favorite witches off this list. Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry star as two long lost twin sister and heirs to a magical kingdom, sent to the non-magical Earth (our world) to be kept safe until they are unexpectedly reunited around their 21st birthday. Together they learn of their magical and royal roots while working to fulfil a prophecy that might turn deadly. It's a fun fantasy story that is light on the scares, but qualifies as a part of the Halloween lineup. Alex/Artemis was my favorite growing up because of her awesome writing powers and her association with the moon and all things nighttime. This movie is particularly good for your more feminine leaning kids. 
8. The Scream Team - apparently this movie was supposed to be a backdoor pilot to a TV show that was never picked up, which means I can include it on this list. Scream Team has a great cast including Kat Dennings, Eric Idle, Tommy Davidson, and the great Kathy Najimy. This movie is about death and accepting when a loved one leaves us unexpectedly. Idle, Davidson, and Najimy are ghosts helping two kids, who recently lost their grandfather, find their grandfather's ghost and get him to cross over to the next life - all while avoiding a fire welding angry ghost named Zachariah Smith. It's a heartwarming and fun take on a serious and sad subject. 10 out of 10, I recommend, though maybe for kids over the age of 7.
9. Phantom of the Megaplex - I love this Disney Channel Original Movie and was disappointed when Disney stopped showing it regularly in October. Not only is Micky Rooney a great addition to the cast, he brings a certain charisma and nostalgia for older movies that elevates the story from simply silly to meaningful. The movie roughly follows the plot of Phantom of the Opera (if you think of oldest brother, Pete, as the Christine of the story...that might be giving too much away). There's a phantom running around causing mayhem on the night of a major movie premiere. Siblings, Pete (who actually works at the Megaplex), Karen, and Brian are on the case to find out who the mysterious phantom is. Hopefully they can dodge the cinema sitter, love rivals, and actual responsibility to catch the phantom in the act. It's just a shame that Pete's manager is MIA for most of the night after "firing" the previous theater's owner, Movie Mason (he didn't actually work at the Megaplex, but "volunteered" to help with the premiere preparations). This movie is all about the love of classic cinema and how movies themselves are magic. One of my all time favorite lines comes from Movie Mason: "When we arrive in this world, magic is all around us. You simply have to see a baby discover a butterfly or a toddler splash in the bath for the first time. Yet, as the years pass, simple pleasures aren't quite so simple to find. Myths and legends fall away. Santa's secrets are revealed. Card tricks lose their fascination. True wonder is hard to come by. But there's always... magic at the movies". It's sweet and not really that scary. Good for kids all ages. 
10. It - Yes, I'm talking about the 1990 Steven King TV miniseries. Yes, I'm counting it. There wasn't a kid in the 90s or 2000s how didn't know someone who saw this movie way too young and swore it was the scariest thing they had ever seen. It was a staple of Halloween sleepovers and caused a generation of kids to be wary of clowns. But let's be real, the 1990 It isn't scary. The 2017 and 2019 movies are much, much better. The 1990 version is campy and funny. Not that I recommend showing a ten year old this movie (because that's how it's now advertised as). However, this made for TV movie was a staple of my childhood - not that I wanted my parents to know I'd seen it. I also didn't find it scary as a kid (probably because my first actual horror movie - which I was also way too young to watch - was Arachnophobia, which set the bar high for spider horror). I do think that it's a good intro horror movie for the more mature preteens to Steven King. Plus it has Tim Curry in it and he was a major part of any 90s kid's childhood.

Are there any made for TV movies you remember for the Halloween season? I have some vague memories of TV movies on ABC Family that I swear existed (like the "Are You Afraid of the Dark" movie), but can't remember the names or plots of - just that they were scary. Are there some modern TV/direct to streaming movies that you enjoy during the Halloween season? My sibling loves Under Wraps (2021). Let me know in the comments. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Until next week. 

Welcome to Non-Horror Fall Movies

 Happy October everyone!

Spooky season is in full swing (even if it unofficially started in August - sigh). I've started compiling my horror movies and Halloween decorations. I'm buying all things pumpkin spice and everything nice. And I just saw Clue at the Kennedy Center.

Wait that last one doesn't scream October movie. It's not scary. It's funny...even with all the murder and mayhem. 

Clue isn't a Halloween movie (or in my case a fun play), but it's aerosphere is full of horror cliches without the scares. A group of people are having a party in a big spooky mansion, a thunderstorm is raging outside, murderer (or seven) are on the loose, and there are secret passages galore. The mansion looks is decorated and lit in a way that invokes warm oranges and dark velvet greens that are associated with a fall color palate. 

The Clue play is very similar to the movie - with about 200% camp and physical comedy. Mr. Green totally steals the show, but Wadsworth and Miss. Scarlett get some great zingers in there too. I also loved their interpretations of Colonel Mustard, with his ability to mix up words, and Mrs. Peacock's "old woman" act. Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Evette, and the Cook are also great performances. Each are given their iconic scenes to reenact. The motorist and the cop, though briefly on stage, have great presence. And the singing telegram girl is perfectly hilarious (her body keeps moving every time the front doors open - I swear this is not a spoiler).

It is also similar to the movie in that it's time at the Kennedy Center was at the start of the Fall season - similar to it's TV run in the 1990s and early 2000s. Many of us 90s kids first saw the movie version of Clue either while flipping between channels in late September or as a rental during a back-to-school sleepover. Seeing Clue on TV meant that school was back in session and Halloween was just around the corner.

Much like Clue, there are several other movies that may not intuitively be seen as part of the Fall season. Either they were often on TV during the month of September or their atmosphere is like a warm apple cider on a crips day. So, here are some of my non-horror fall movies to get a bit cozy with.

1. Clue - I already wrote a bit about this movie and the new play. Clue is such a nostalgia cult classic with a subtle fall feel. 10 out of 10, would recommend.
2. The Princess Bride - for the cult classic romantics out there, the Princess Bride is the perfect movie. For those of us who spent a lot of time watching ABC Family in the 90s and 2000s, the Princess Bride was often shown on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It was one of the first movies my generation learned all the lines too.
3. Matilda - a perfect back-to-school movie for my elementary school self, this movie actually scared me quite a bit as a kid. However, it was guaranteed to be on TV multiple times on multiple weekends during the start of a new school year. I find myself reaching for Matilda right after Labor Day every year, since I don't go to school anymore myself.
4. Jumanji - I'm talking about the 90s version, not the 2010s one. The original Jumanji is full of the same fall atmosphere as Clue, but likely actually takes place in the summer/fall transition period. The style is very 90s Fall fashion and it also was shown quite a bit in September. But this isn't the only Robin Williams entry.
5. Hook - I'll admit that Hook actually takes place in the winter time while everyone is in London. However, much like the previously mentioned movies, this was on all the time in September in the 90s and 2000s. As soon as September hits, I start thinking about Peter and Wendy growing up into adults. I also never fail to cry when Peter starts talking about when he ran away as a baby (not sure why they chose to have him run away as a baby, but it's sad). Hook is one of my favorite fall movies about never growing up and believing in yourself.
6. Dead Poet's Society - one of the few "mature" films on this list, I saw Dead Poet's Society in my 20s. The atmosphere is 100% back-to-school fall. This is another with Robin Williams, but this time its a much more serious role. "Oh captain, my captain" I will never forget this movie during the Fall season.
7. Labyrinth - don't be surprised by this entry, I love Labyrinth. I've always thought of this movie as a coming of age story for a girl trying to navigate the pressures of being a teenager in a world that hates teen girls. You've got a labyrinth built like a maze (a true labyrinth only has one path that takes you to its center and then leads you back out) symbolizing the confusing emotions and feelings teen girls are feeling. You've got the pressure to complete tasks you probably shouldn't be responsible for (saving her brother could symbolize parentification, and creepy old guys creeping on you (hello Jareth). There's a lot to love about this movie and it just looks like fall. From the orange and brown Labyrinth walls, to the Bog of Eternal stench set, and even the puppets this movie looks like something a farm with a corn maze might have.
8. Practical Magic - this is not a horror movie, but it is one about witches, ghosts, and sisterhood (it also takes place in March, but who cares). I love Practical Magic during the October season. It's all about how to be a witch without any of the (extreme) terror. There's even a bit of romance. 
9. Knives Out - this movie's aesthetic is all about fall. The leaves are on the ground, everyone is in sweaters, and hot drinks have been poured. Also there's a mystery afoot. This one isn't a product of nostalgia (at least not right now it isn't). Knives Out is a fall movie minus the Halloween horrors.
10. The Fantastic Mr. Fox - technically this could be considered a Thanksgiving movie (they do have a Thanksgiving dinner at one point), but this movie just looks and feels like fall. The color palate is reds, oranges, and warm yellows with leaves on the ground and the young foxes are in school. This movie is all about the Fall. 

So these are some movies that I consider fall classics without the horror elements (Practical Magic has some, but not enough to qualify as a horror movie). So if you're not a horror fan, check out these movies during the spooky season. They'll put you in the mood for cozy sweaters, apple cider, and pumpkin spice with everything nice tasting.

Let me know your favorite Fall movie in the comments. I know I missed a few. Until the next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.