Also known as “A Pumpkin Full of Nonsense,” this animated short from the eighties is probably one of the more bizarre product tie ins I’ve ever seen. While it’s traditionally known as a Halloween special, the idea of Halloween is only minimal in what is a more unusual fantasy adventure. The entire narrative lives and breathes by the implementation of the trademark letter tiles, in so many unusual and baffling ways.
Tag Archives: TV Movie
Double, Double, Toil, and Trouble (1993)
In the 1990’s, there were two blonde moppets that took over the world, and their names were Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen. They were twin actresses known for their role in the hit family sitcom “Full House.” As they grew up they became so popular that they were transformed in to cash cows, producing everything from music, merchandise, clothes lines, and of course movie vehicles. One of their first was “Double, Double, Toil, and Trouble,” a Halloween adventure with the pair of blonde, dead eyed girls battling their wicked aunt.
Sharknado (2013): 10th Anniversary Edition
The Pop Culture Phenomenon That Took The World By Storm Comes Back to 500+ Cinemas Nationwide, fully Remastered, for Two Nights Only On August 15th & 16th. Tickets are available for purchase.
Back in 2013 a lot of people gave The Asylum guff, and could not predict the kind of pop culture sensation they would eventually produce. “Sharknado” is that classic bit of pop culture camp lightning in a bottle like “Snakes on a Plane” or “Birdemic” where the public is just infatuated with the sheer absurdity of it all. “Sharknado” took a lot of the media by storm back in 2013, leaning heavily in to its ridiculous premise to produce what is—well, still just an okay bit of cult cinema. The Asylum with Anthony C. Ferrante knew what they were giving us, and it shows in every scene of their movie.
The Tomb of Dracula (Yami no Teiō: Kyūketsuki Dorakyura) (1985)
DRACULA WEEK
Also known as “Dracula Sovereign of the Damned,” and “The Emperor of Darkness: The Vampire Dracula,” Toei’s “Tomb of Dracula” is loosely adapted from the “The Tomb of Dracula” Marvel Book comic series published from 1972 to 1979. I like to think the Marvel comics are so much better than what Toei has offered fans, as they squeeze in all of those stories in to such a hastily made ninety minute movie. And you can tell there’s so much here added in a rush as the movie is so badly made.
Dan Curtis’ Dracula (1974)
DRACULA WEEK
Also known as “Dracula,” and “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” Dan Curtis, the creator of “Dark Shadows” adapts (I use the term loosely) the bare essentials of Bram Stoker’s iconic novel. I say “the bare essentials” because for a movie written by Richard Matheson, there isn’t much that the movie strives for beside delivering a Dracula movie and nothing else. There’s no re-interpretation, or any kind of drastic changes to the narrative, save for Jonathan Harker’s fate, which is quite gruesome.
The Slumber Party (2023)
I imagine the board meeting at Disney Channel went “What if we did “The Hangover”–but G rated?” And what we got was “The Slumber Party.” Director Veronica Rodriguez lays all of her influences out for the audience from minute one, even involving a small group of friends that make a pact that results in a night that neither of them can recall. It’s almost verbatim sans any and all adult content. Not that that’s a bad thing in particular, as thankfully “The Slumber Party” is quite good. The fact it’s blatantly derivative of the aforementioned movie is outweighed by the charisma of its cast, and its lively energy.
Reality (2023)
Director Tina Satter’s account of the interrogation of agent Reality Winner is perhaps one of the more tense thrillers of the year. It’s filled with so much suspense and tension from the moment Reality Winner pulls up to her drive way. Although the movie is simplistic and relies on a very small cast, Tina Satter is able to evoke a ton of really edge of the seat interplay between the characters. Based on the play “Is This a Room,” the dialogue is based almost completely on the transcripts between the federal agents and Reality Winner, and the respective cast is remarkable.