Here’s a Halloween treat in the truest sense. Another selection from 1985 that’s also a made for TV moivie, The Midnight Hour.
A veritable festival of Halloween, this film takes place (like all great Halloween films should) exclusively on the Eve of All Saints.
Like some other Halloween films on the list, generic New England creepsville Pitchford Cove has it’s own haunted history, and the film begins with the telling of that tale in school. Seems a witch named Lucinda Cavender was put to death there by the Witchfinder General 300 years ago.
So naturally, 5 high school morons jack that authentic witch gear from the museum for their Halloween costumes. While knee deep in B and E, they also discover a crazy ancient scroll. So, yeah, they decide to head for the local cemetery and read from that scroll, like any one of you might.
As you may expect, this promptly resurrects Lucinda and just about every other corpse in the graveyard. And where do all zombies go on Halloween? Why they’ll crash the big Halloween party being held at Lucinda’s old Mansion. Mayhem, vampirism, zombification and dancing ensue.
Though made-for-TV, the only real tip-off there is the lack of gore or language and perhaps the presence of so many television stars. Otherwise, this just feels like a PG-13 horror movie that’s semi-family friendly.
And the cast is nuts, check it:
- Shari Belafonte, daughter of the singer Harry Belafonte
- LeVar Burton, Star Trek’s Geordi La Forge and Reading Rainbow host,
- Peter DeLuise, 21 Jumpstreet tough guy
- Kevin McCarthy from the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers and UHF
- Kurtwood Smith aka Clarence Fucking Boddiker,
- Dick Van Patten!
- and even the voice of Wolfman Jack as the DJ.
Are you kidding me? That’s insane. And I guarantee you’ll see a few other faces you recognize but can’t place.
You’re getting heavy Halloween party action, a Halloween dance number, exploding graves, Trick or Treating, a old jerk who hates Halloween, costume robbery, zombies, vampires, and did I catch a werewolf in there too? It’s got everything you need for a slightly rough around the edges family Halloween night.
While certainly not the best, The Midnight hour is one of the most Halloweeny selections you could come by, and is essential Halloween material.
As Wolfman’s jack would say: “It’s Halloween, so we’re gonna be rockin’ till The Midnight Hour!”