Well, I think we all do, and since this is the first post in my second 31 Days of Halloween Blogfest, I don't see how we can choose anything but:
This always has been, and always will be, one of my very favorite scary movies of all time. I don't care how many sequels pop up, or reboots, or ripoffs. This is the Gold Standard. You should see it, or see it again.
LGOOH Halloween Blogfest Blowout Extras!
Here's the TV Guide ad for the World Television Premiere of Halloween on Friday, October 30th, 1981.
I'm not sure if I'd managed to rent Halloween - ON BETA - by this time - but even if home video had appeared in our house by this time, it was still a rare thing, so any chance to see a movie like this would have me glued to the TV. In addition, I'd somehow heard that they were adding new scenes to the television airing "to tie it in better with the sequel" but really to get the running time back up after cutting out the R rated stuff. That's right. Back in those days the network would pay money to add footage to a flick and have less commercials. Paging Ripley's!
Here is the opening minute of the NBC airing:
And so it begins! Until the next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Oh my God, I Looovvvee this movie. It is always played at my annual Fright Fest. You're right. It is the Gold Standard for slasher pics and horror flicks. The first time I saw this, I was like 14 and we were at my friend Rick's house for a Halloween party. It was the Year We Were Told We Were Too Old for Trick or Treating. I dressed like a space hooker with silver lame platforms, a mini dress with big plastic button things, a fur stoll and alien ear headband. I also died my hair green in a nod to the green-skinned girls from Star Trek.
ReplyDeleteAhem, that should be dyed my hair LOL.
ReplyDeleteYet another film I hadn't seen until we met. Now, I'm still not a horror guy--but I DO appreciate the craft that goes into a film like this.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure the same premise could work today. Add security lighting, On-Star, cellular phones or concealed carry, and hack n' slashers are sorely outgunned.
Also, love your monster-mash-up banner.
Very cool!
P.S. I wonder if Netflix has the Cat and the Canary. Still want to see that...
Melissa - yeah, you cannot go wrong with this movie and it deserves a yearly watch - it will probably lead off the Crazy Movie Weekend: Halloween Horror Edition planned for later this month, in fact...I remember being told I Was Too Old for Trick or Treating too! What a terrible year! And I couldn't even comfort myself with a space hooker outfit!
ReplyDeleteJOE!!! So very very glad (to borrow from Commandant Lassard)you've dropped back by the Blogosphere! I know you've had a wonderful, productive, and travel-filled summer, so I can't be anything but thrilled for you - but man it's been a long time since you've been by! Hope to see more of you! You know, I wrote a Halloween 9 script - and it had to deal with some of those things you mentioned - I pride myself that I THINK I managed to take care of all of the newfangled safety items without grinding the movie to a halt or getting silly. Maybe I'll do another script excerpt post during the 2011 Halloween Blogfest Blowout - and snip a bit of Halloween 9 to post! Good luck on Cat and the Canary as well!
Script excerpt! Yes!
ReplyDeleteI see TV Guide incorrectly referenced John as the man who brought us "Prom Night"- tsk, tsk! I LOVE that movie as well but Jamie Lee was the only connection, of course.
ReplyDeleteSomeone on another website is selling the original TV Guide ad when Prom Night premiered on NBC, and that's what brought me here. This is good stuff! I guess they were the station to get all the exclusives at the time.