This late-80's special edition of "DTV" was only aired once on network TV, to my knowledge, and never released on video. It aired as a prime time special on 10/30/87; I seem to remember watching it at my neighbor's house. I was in first grade. Ah, memories. For many years, it was known as exceptionally rare - having a VHS tape of it (grandma taped it for me and found the video at her place 20 years later) made me a real king in the world of Halloween specials. Now, of course, it's on youtube for all to enjoy.
DTV was sort of Disney's answer to MTV, taking classic songs (mostly rock n roll oldies) and making videos for them out of clips of old shorts from the Disney vault. It was a good way to put their classic material to use (rather than just letting it sit in the vault, which is pretty much what they do with it now).
The special featured some vaguely Halloween-oriented pop songs set to classic Disney animation, including the obvious picks (Monster Mash, Thriller) and some less obvious (ELO's Evil Woman, Pat Benetar's You Better Run). Then, having scared you, it wishes you away on an "up" note - The Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams." Remember when that song WASN'T Scary? Was there ever such a time? It was a sort of creepy song, in a way, even before Marilyn Manson did it.
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5 comments:
This was only aired ONCE? Dude, I have it on tape! Along with ALL the other Disney specials you've written about. Yeah, I'm that awesome.
Seriously though, this is an incredible blog my friend, and you deserve kudos. Let me know if you need help finding info on any Halloween specials, I fancy myself something of an expert. Actually, I have a version of Sleepy Hollow that's not on your list. It's CGI and entitled The Night of the Headless Horseman. Not the greatest adaptation, but it's got a great voice cast and some genuinely creepy moments. Ever see it?
Not sure if this was a Disney Halloween special or not, but I've been trying to track down a made for TV movie (or maybe TV episode?) that I very, very distinctly remember from my childhood in the late 80s, and I think it was a Disney thing.
Basic plot: a boy goes on a school field trip to an art/archaeology museum. There's an Aztec idol in the museum that catches the boy's attention -- he lingers while the rest of his classmates move on, and drops something in front of it. He kneels down to pick up the dropped object, but by kneeling down (and maybe reading an inscription?) activates an Aztec magic that turns him into a living version of the idol (bright red in color, I think). There's another boy who does the same with another statue, turns into a bright blue idol, and I think there's a battle of some sort. Don't remember how the story ends, but I do remember that the title credits used the "Monster Mash" song.
Does this ring a bell at all? Any advice on where to go to track down this strange but wonderful bit of childhood?
GO BASIL!!!!
Looks like I wasn't the only one that kept the original tv recording on tape (and then a transfer as a computer file).
Now I believe, Andrew, the movie/special you are talking about was actually a My Pet Monster live action movie/special, based off the doll line and had its own Saturday morning cartoon.
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