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‘Garfield’s Halloween Adventure’ is Better than ‘The Great Pumpkin’

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Garfield's Halloween Adventure

It’s that time of year again when Halloween specials from our childhood are being re-broadcast to the masses and a whole new generation will be introduced to the seminal classic It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Few things are more synonymous with the Halloween season than Charlie Brown in his misshapen ghost costume announcing “I got a rock” while out trick or treating with his friends.

While I would never begrudge Peanuts fans their trip down memory lane–I myself take that trip at least once or twice every Halloween season–there is another, and dare I say, superior Halloween special that unfortunately does not receive the same airtime as its counterpart.

I’m talking about Garfield’s Halloween Adventure, and while it may not be the top of everyone’s list for holiday viewing, it was a brilliant Halloween special that deserves the same attention as Linus in the pumpkin patch.

I know, I know, I can actually see some of you getting ready to throw handfuls of pumpkin guts at me, but hear me out.

Garfield’s Halloween Adventure, initially titled Garfield in Disguise, was first released back in 1985, and it was the first television special featuring everyone’s favorite lasagna-loving cat based on original material rather than drawing from previous comic strips.

Garfield creator Jim Davis wrote the special and in 2014 he told the The A.V. Club that he wanted to start the special off with something familiar. Garfield being Garfield getting ready to go trick or treating obsessed with getting “candy, candy, candy.” But after that, he wanted to take it to a place that would “at least scare 4-year-olds.”

In order to do that, he had to get Garfield and Odie away from the familiarity and safety of home.

The idea worked like a charm.

Spying a creepy old house in the distance, Garfield and Odie climb onto a boat and make their way up to the old manor where they are confronted by a creepy old man who tells them a story of pirate treasure and angry spirits out to reclaim what was theirs.

Sounds a lot like The Fog to me, and soon enough, Garfield and Odie find themselves abandoned in the old house with strange and terrifying pirate ghosts surrounding them. This is where Garfield’s Halloween Adventure really begins to prove itself in the realm of Halloween specials.

While The Great Pumpkin was really quite beautifully made with a gorgeous color palette, they stuck to a much safer script. There’s trick or treating, bobbing for apples, and a healthy dose of the expected picking on Charlie Brown from his constant failure as a trick or treater to using the back of his bald head to sketch out a design for a jack o’lantern.

Aside from some rustling in the pumpkin patch, however, they never tried to conjure up the genuinely spooky spirit of the holiday they were celebrating.

Even when Garfield and Odie first set out to trick or treat, however, Davis and company were mining the creepy. The duo meets a series of fellow trick or treaters under the same ghost costume, all of which are actually monsters underneath. There’s also that incredible spooky performance by C. Lindsay Workman as the Old Man to look forward to in each viewing.

Davis also sticks to his narrative unlike The Great Pumpkin, which chose to give viewers an inexplicable interlude with Snoopy’s air-fight with the Red Baron in the center of their special.

Don’t get me wrong, that scene is iconic and for good reason, but it just never seemed to really fit and ultimately felt a bit like filler.

I’m not here to change your mind. I’m not here to tell you that It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is bad. The special has a devout following for a reason. I just think it’s undeniable that Jim Davis gave us something better with Garfield’s Halloween Adventure.

Still, while the former receives annual broadcasts, the latter hasn’t seen much airtime since 2015. Garfield fans can, however, rent/purchase the special on Amazon.

Which one will you be watching this Halloween season?

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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