Once Upon a Halloween

In 2004, rather than just putting "Disney's Halloween Treat" on DVD, Disney decided to try putting together a new Halloween anthology - "Once Upon a Halloween." One can hardly blame them - obviously, if they're going to put out an anthology that includes a compilation of villain clips, they're going to want Gaston, Scar, and Ursula in there more than they want that jerk butler from The Aristocrats.

So this is another Halloween anthology that I assumed would just be a few of the same villain clips, plus maybe a few from the 90s. I'm pleased to say I was wrong - this is one cool Halloween special.

THe framing device here is the Wicked Witch from Snow White (seen only in shadows in CGI sequences) talking to a talking cauldron. Halloween has come, and she asks the cauldron's help to enlist all of the other villains to help her take over the holiday.

First of all, the cauldron explains its origin - it's one of the cauldrons one owned by the three witches from "The Black Cauldron." "THE BLACK CAULDRON!" Perhaps Disney's scariest movie, but not one that they usually want to acknowledge the existence of. Here, it's the first clip. Next up comes one of PISTOL PETE. It ain't scary, but I love that Disney is using these old clips instead of the same predictable ones. Next up are a handful of other villain clips (new and old), including a long scene of the zombie soldiers from "Black Cauldon."

I still wish they'd put the early 80s "Disney Halloween" on DVD, but if you're in the mood for a solid Disney Halloween anthology, not just a nostalgia trip, this one should do the job nicely.

First 10 minutes: