Halloween-themed movies and TV shows arrive on Blu-ray and DVD
Some of these Halloween-themed horror shows, some for adults and many for teens and young children, began arriving in early September. But I just didn’t have the heart to think about trick-or-treaters until October. So here we go.
“Horror Classics, Volume 1” (Warner/Blu-ray, 1959-70, four discs, four movies). Vivid Blu-ray upgrades for four movies from the color reboots of Universal’s classic monster flicks by the British Hammer Films studio. Hammer effectively reinvented movie horror in the 1960s and upped the ante in terms of violence and sex — though it’s still nothing close to what dominates the genre today. Three of these are sequels, and since this is Volume 1 it would have been nice to have the first of Hammer’s Frankenstein and Dracula films, but perhaps they’ll arrive with Volume 2.
Following its huge success with “Curse of Frankenstein” and “Horror of Dracula,” the studio released “The Mummy” (1959, not rated) with its two biggest in-house stars, Christopher Lee as the title character and Peter Cushing as the archaeologist who digs him up and lives to regret it.
“Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed” (1969, PG-13) is the fifth (and one of the best) in Hammer’s Frankenstein series with Cushing as the Baron, attempting to transplant his dying friend’s brain into a new body.
And finally, two sequels in Hammer’s Dracula franchise, the fourth and fifth in the series, both starring Lee: “Dracula Has Risen From the Grave” (1968, G), with the Count accidentally resuscitated and out for revenge when his castle is exorcised, and “Taste the Blood of Dracula” (1970, R for violence and sex, re-rated from PG), in which the bloodsucker is more of a supporting character in a tale of Satanists bringing him back to life. “Grave” is quite good; “Blood” is one of the series’ weaker entries.
“R.L. Stine’s Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls” (Universal/DVD/Digital, 2015, PG). This straight-to-video, teen-friendly fright flick (invoking the titles of two horror-movie classics, “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” and “Carnival of Souls”) is liberally laced with comedy as Dr. Hysteria’s traveling horror show arrives in Danville for the small town’s annual Halloween and Harvest Festival.
Four high school friends are disturbed to find that the show’s zombies and witches seem a little too real. Then one in the group (Dove Cameron) discovers they are kidnapped teenagers from around the country who have been transformed after Dr. Hysteria captures their souls.
“Midnight Masquerade” (Cinedigm/DVD/Digital, 2015). Hallmark Channel fairytale, a variation on “Cinderella” with a Halloween twist, has a young businesswoman (Autumn Reeser) inheriting a billion-dollar candy company, then being romanced by a lawyer (Christopher Russell) in a firm that is suing her.
“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Monster Musical” (Disney/DVD, 2013-15, three episodes, bonus episode of “Minnie’s Bow Toons”: “Tricky Treats”; reusable Halloween mini-tote). The main calling card here is the title cartoon, “Mickey’s Monster Musical,” in which Mickey’s ancestor Count Mickula shows up. Also here are “Mickey’s Pirate Adventure” and “Mickey’s Farm Fun-Fair.” And, of course, Donald Duck, Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck and Pluto are also on hand.
“Monster High: Boo York, Boo York” (Universal/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital, 2015, “Ever After High” special). “Boo York” is a feature-length musical cartoon (with eight original songs) in the “Monster High” toy/’toon franchise, with Cleo de Nile and friends heading to a party celebrating the return of a magical comet, but Cleo’s evil sister Nefera intends to harness the comet’s powers. Also here is the “Ever After High” Netflix special “Spring Unsprung,” based on a webisode series.
“Littlest Pet Shop: Halloween Fest” (Shout! Kids/Hasbro/DVD, 2013-14, five episodes, sing-alongs; pumpkin carving stencil). Episodes from this animated children’s show are “Door-Jammed,” “Eight Arms to Hold You,” “Pawlm Reading,” “War of the Weirds” and “The Very Littlest Pet Shop.” (Is the underside of a paw really a “pawlm”?)
“Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot: Mystery in Care-a-Lot” (Lionsgate/DVD, 2012, three episodes). Episodes from the animated children’s series include themes related (however remotely) to Halloween: “Nightbears,” “Sleuth of Bears” and “Welcome to Grump-a-Lot.”
“Saban’s Power Rangers Trickster Treat” (Lionsgate/DVD, 1994-2013, four episodes). Episodes are “Raising Spirits” from the “Power Rangers Megaforce” series, “Trickster Treat” from “Power Rangers Samurai,” “Zedd’s Monster Mash” from “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” and “It Came From Angel Grove” from “Power Rangers Zeo.”
“20 Halloween Stories” (Scholastic/Cinedigm/DVD, 2015). These animated stories with a tinge of spookiness are intended for children ages 3-8. Included are “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Creepy Carrots,” “The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything” and many more.