And what a treat it is. Hosted by The Grand Pumpkin, we look back on some of the more "spooktacular" moments from various Disney movies and cartoons, spotlighting kooky villains and spooky situations. First up on the agenda, The Grand Pumpkin's dear old friend, Mad Madame Mim, recalling the time she and Merlin engaged in a Wizard's duel. Changing into various animals to get the better of one another, and well, when it comes to Merlin, when you mess with the goat, you get the horns. Literally. Next, we see that clip of Night on Bald Mountain from Fantasia. Beautifully animated and that music is captivating, and doesn't Chernabog look absolutely frightening? Following that eye and ear candy, we are shown a time where Mickey's imagination got the better of him when he hears a strange sound in his basement. So, rifle in hand, he ventures downstairs and is sure someone is following him. It's actually a pair of boots that got snagged by his gun, but Mickey is sure it's a killer and hides in the furnace. As if the mouse wasn't having enough trouble in his house, we are now treated to the time Ajax the gorilla escaped from the city zoo and terrorized Donald. This being right after his nephews pulled a prank on him by dressing as a gorilla. So when the real one shows up, Donald thinks it's another prank, but soon learns otherwise. A convenient radio broadcast suggests mastering any animal by looking him straight in the eye. Donald tries this, but only sees his own gravestone. So he stuffs an umbrella in its mouth and runs.
Ajax continues to terrorize Donald and chases him all over his enormous house, until finally he finds himself trapped in a collapsible table. That's when the radio announcer chimes in and says tear gas is all that can subdue Ajax. Luckily the boys happen to have some lying around, so they toss it at the murderous primate, causing him to burst into tears. Donald too. Next, we join to Pluto who, after chasing some obnoxious cats out of the yard, is experiencing fatigue and is trying to sleep, but Figaro won't stop pestering him. Eventually the sand dog finally arrives and puts him to sleep... you know what I mean. As he snoozes, Pluto dreams of being put on trial by a bunch of cats who instantaneously find him guilty. Going back to infamous villains, Captain Hook is next in the spotlight as we recall the time he captured Wendy, John, Michael and the Lost Boys, and left a wrapped "surprise package" for Peter, making him think it was from Wendy. Little did he know the package was a time bomb. Thankfully Tinkerbell overheard and came to the rescue just in time. Remember when Cruella De Vil gave a furious road chase after the 101 dalmatians who tried to disguise themselves as Labradors? Man, who's the daredevil who gave her a license? So, after we see the wicked queen give Snow White a poisoned apple, we recall the time Lady was harassed by two cunning Siamese cats. Finally, we hear the story of the Headless Horseman who stalks the woods at night. This is very unsettling to Ichabod Crane, who has to ride home in said woods. At first everything is quiet...too quiet. Suddenly, the Horseman strikes! Good lord, he's terrifying! The air filled with his menacing cackle, a sharp sword in hand ready to lop off poor Ichabod's head. The stalwart man raced for his life, knowing that once he crossed the bridge, he'd be safe. But he didn't count on the Headless Horseman throwing his flaming pumpkin head through the covered bridge at him. Odds are, he didn't make it. Well, see you tomorrow...maybe.
Ah, pure Disney nostalgia. If you like the movies and cartoons spotlighted here, and you're a fan of Halloween, this is a must. I remember this special exposed me on to The Sword in the Stone and 101 Dalmatians, showing the two most memorable scenes from the movies. I've seen a total of two versions of this special. The first one had a shortened intro and excluded the Sleepy Hollow segment, and instead ended with a cartoon of Mickey, Donald and Goofy trying to rid a house of ghosts. So this Halloween, I definitely recommend Disney's Halloween Treat, from back in the days when the company actually stood for something. Wonderful animation, beautiful music, extraordinary stories and situations, it's Disney at its finest. Check it out, show it to your kids, expose them to the true Disney classics. Don't worry if it seems scary for them, it's only cartoons, and besides, being scared sometimes is good for you. Happy Halloween!
