white sister – Halloween Shindig

TRACK #441:

Dancin’ On Midnight by White Sister

We’re gonna sneak another inclusive Halloween track in here, cause why not, right? And this one comes from a literal Halloween movie.

Now, the Halloween franchise isn’t known for its inclusive hits. Outside of incidental additions like (Don’t Fear) The Reaper or Mr. Sandman, Michael’s handlers never engaged in cross media synergy to promote their boogeyman.

In an era where Dokken and The Fat Boys were teaming up with Freddy, and Alice Cooper was swinging on vines in a hockey mask, Michael should be lauded for resisting the urge to debase his name with an MTV tie-in. Would that have been cool, though? I dunno, honestly. I mean, maybe. Really depends on the song and what band provided it. And even then, I’m still not sure. Feels wrong.

Something about Michael was always a little classier (is that the word?); like something from an older, more dignified era of horror. To be fair though, by the time Freddy hit the scene and Jason jumped on the billboard bandwagon, Michael had already seemingly packed it in. And when Michael did make his return, those guys were already hitting the home stretch.

But even on his initial return, Michael didn’t succumb to temptation. Composer and Shindig hero Allan Howarth returned himself and continued the great work he’d provided since Part II. It wasn’t until the following year, for Michael’s revenge, that the producers finally waded into the waters of licensed music.

In addition to (again) Alan Howarth’s (and again great) score, 5 additional songs appear in the movie and on the soundtrack. Tonight’s track comes from previous Shindiggers White Sister, who (with songs featured in both Fright Night and Twice Dead) are seriously threatening to become Shindig All-Stars.

At least, it would appear to be from White Sister. The song is written and performed by Dennis Churchill Dries, lead singer and bassist for White Sister, under the name Churchill. At least, that’s what the album claims and discogs agrees.

However, all the YouTube videos and even IMDb credits the song to White Sister. Why the discrepancy? Well, it’s because the movie itself credits the song to White Sister. So, The Shindig is following suit. Why the soundtrack credits the song to a band called Churchill instead of White Sister I couldn’t say, but this rose by any other name still sounds like White Sister.

The song plays, albeit briefly, at the Tower Farm Halloween Party. Double bonus! That party features some weird ass costumes too. Like this guy?

What the fuck is he, some kind of Rat Man? Also this ghost with the giant mouth is a little weird too.We’ve talked about Halloween 5 before, and say what you will, I don’t hate it. There’s an argument to be made that it’s the worst addition to the franchise. At the very least, the worst installment from the 80’s.

And that mask? Woah, buddy. I know it’s from KNB and all (Or, shit. Have you seen that new Cryptkeeper? Holy fuck.) but man is it terrible. Like the movie, it ain’t the worst (for me that would be H20’s mask) but if you told me that Nicholas Cage-ass looking thing was your worst, I wouldn’t fight ya.

But I have a soft spot for Loomis in this outing, cause he is absolutely unhinged. Screaming at a 9 year old girl the whole time and then using her as bait to catch a dude that basically just absorbs bullets? Sure, it paid off, but it didn’t have to, man. And hell, it might not have either. It was just a chain net. Heavy, OK, but what the fuck is some chain to a dude that just gets shot the fuck up and blown apart in gas explosions? The plan was a just a tad risky and pretty damn unethical, you ask me.

And while we’re on the subject, why are we making a little girl who was only last year the target on her deranged uncle – a man currently at large who routinely attacks his family on Halloween – attend a goddamn Halloween costume contest? Whose fuckin’ awful idea was that? Loomis again? Fuckin’ Cookie Woman over here? He’s the strategic genius? C’mon Haddonfield. Hasn’t this dude routinely showed he can’t be counted on in this scenario?

Either way, it’s not often Michael gets an inclusive track, and when your other options include fuckin‘ Creed from the complete shit show that is H20, The Shindig’s gotta keep it real with our old pals White Sister.

Here they are again, rockin’ a Halloween party no less, with Dancin’ On Midnight.

TRACK #237:

April (You’re No Fool) by White Sister

Originally filmed in 1984 and titled The April Fool, Killer Party wasn’t released until 1986, alongside 2 other foolishly themed slashers, April Fool’s Day and Slaughter High.

Though not terribly celebrated (from what I can tell) nor especially gory, Killer Party is a surprisingly enjoyable slasher despite, mixing elements of its contemporaries without all the rug pulling or meanness.

Slasher fans might say it’s too tame or too schizophrenic or that it takes too long for it to get to any genuine horror. They wouldn’t be wrong, but at least when it gets there, it’s real. Out of left field perhaps, Evil Dead-lite, no question, but definitely not a joke.

The characters here are fun, the actors likable and it’s got a fitting, almost Halloweeny, ambiance. The movie has a look and I vibe I just kinda dig, and it could certainly hold up to an October’s viewing.

The censors apparently had a field day with this one though, and the kills are so non-existent you’ll actually be surprised when it all doesn’t end up like April Fool’s Day. If you want something with teeth, you’d be better served sticking with Slaughter High, perhaps the most conventional (though still weird) of the 3.

But that’s not to say Killer Party doesn’t come correct at times, particularly out of the gate. Because it features this kick-ass track, the culmination of its effective double pump, April fool’s fake-out opening.

What starts out as a Creepshow-styled funeral gone awry, quickly reveals its melodrama to be the evening’s Drive-In fare of choice for 2 young neckers. It was only a movie!

The female viewer, April, excuses herself from the car to get some popcorn, but upon returning finds her date is nowhere to be found. Where could he be?

Why he’s creeping up alongside the car and looking mighty unhealthy. He suddenly brandishes a knife, thrusting it at April through the window! She flees as zombies jump out from all corners of the Drive-In parking lot.

Boom! Homeboy in the headband hits the OB-8 hard and Dollar Store Jack Burton lets his receding mullet do the talking. I dunno where I’m at anymore, but it’s definitely somewhere I wanna be.

What you now thought was the real movie reveals itself to be the Thriller-esque preamble for the zombie filled music video to White Sister’s April (You’re No Fool). Bonus!

White Sister rocks the most lavish concession lobby I’ve ever seen while April dodges her zombie attackers as we the audience just look around confused, having absolutely no fuckin’ bearings anymore whatsoever. Where the fuck are we? Where’s the movie? Who edited this, and did he fall asleep?

It’s been about 9 minutes, and our movie has just started. Ah, our main protagonist Phoebe is just watching a little MTV. “Gotcha!” says the music video. It is about April being a fool, after all.

So rock out with April, a few zombies and the boys of White Sister, mourn the lost of a much more appropriate title, and enjoy April (You’re No Fool)!

Side Note: to any hardcore fans of Killer Party who may be a little baffled as to how we’re not including the film’s superior (and reoccuring) number Best Times…patience is a virtue. It’ll be coming soon enough, and that’s no April Fool!