UK Roku Channels

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day One' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you the first creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so, let's dim down those lights... for some fun & frights! :-O ;-)

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published yesterday, then you'll know that I plan to post one Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every day. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

To get things started I'm going to ease us all in gently with an educational animated short from the studios of Walt Disney which was created in 1983, and released as "Disney's Haunted Halloween", although it's actually more of a montage: featuring multiple clips from Disney's animated classics of the 1940's & 1950's and even as far back as "Lonesome Ghosts" (1937). Interspersed with further footage taken from "Disney's Halloween Treat" (1982), this 8-minute animated short discusses the origins of Hallowe'en plus various superstitions and traditions associated with it. Starring Hal Smith as (the voice of) 'Goofy', and featuring the same pumpkin host as 1982's "Disney's Halloween Treat", it's also a useful tool for teaching kids about "stranger danger" in preparation for when they go out to "Trick or Treat" for candy (or, "sweets", to you and me) on All Hallows' Eve. The reason I've decided to go with this particular animation, for the inaugural post in my month-long blogathon for this year, is that it's the 35th anniversary of the original release for "Disney's Haunted Halloween" in 1983.

From the moment the opening narrative begins, with "The bats are out tonight. The ghosts are getting ready. Things will give you such a fright, I hope your nerves are steady!" you are instantly drawn-in and, if your own children are just starting to get curious about Hallowe'en, much like 'Goofy' in this educational animated short... they may just learn a thing or two about the origins of this special day. Afterall, who can resist a talking pumpkin teaching you about ancient Druids who staunchly believed that the spirits of the dead returned to Earth on this mystical night and so would dress-up like ghosts, hoping that the "real" spirits would leave them alone!?! Curious to know more? Here's the video:-

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted yesterday, to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that can walk you through the process step-by-step! ;-) :-D

YOUTUBE..........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

Whichever platform you decide to watch this video on, just remember the lesson(s) of the pumpkin host from "Disney's Haunted Halloween" and, if ever you go out to "Trick or Treat" around your neighbourhood when the time comes for Hallowe'en, be sure to heed this warning message:

"The call is going out for you... yes, there are ghouls that lie in wait. They know exactly what to do, they're on the prowl and you're the bait... YOU'RE THE BAIT!" :-O ;-) :-D

Meanwhile, if you'd like to know more about the origins of Hallowe'en - as celebrated by the Druids of Ireland and England many centuries ago - then (perhaps) this article from the October edition of "Boys' Life" (1963) will shed a little more light on some of the customs associated with Hallowe'en:-

HINT:- Please CLICK on the above image TO ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Two' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

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ONE LAST THING, BEFORE I GO: Don't forget that, aside from the Hallowe'en / Horror-themed ghastliness going on around these parts for the next month, you can also keep up with the UK Roku action (as it happens) by checking-out my regular 'Weekly RoundUp' posts each weekend where you will find up-to-the-minute info on all things Roku-related is posted on a weekly basis (well, almost).

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Two' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so, let's dim down those lights... for more fun & frights! :-O ;-)

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published two days ago, you'll know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every day. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day One' of this month-long blogathon, you might recall a brief reference to a vintage Hallowe'en cartoon classic by Walt Disney, called "Lonesome Ghosts" (1937), that provided some of the clips for the video I shared yesterday. Anyhow, by way of coincidence, it's going to be that particular spooky short which I'll be covering in this sophomore post from the series. Another strange coincidence, given this particular character starred in "Disney's Haunted Halloween" from my last post, is that 'Goofy' teams-up with his pals 'Mickey Mouse' and 'Donald Duck' to form the trio of ghost chasers - collectively known as the "Ajax Ghost Exterminators" - who are summoned by the titular "Lonesome Ghosts" to come and 'exterminate' their old haunted house! :-O ;-) :-D

Oddly enough, this cartoon was originally released closer to Christmas than Hallowe'en - arriving in movie theatres on 24th December 1937 - suggesting that, rather like Charles Dickens, Walt Disney enjoyed a good ghost story over the festive holiday period... and don't we all!?!! Anyway, the story revolves around a quartet of phantoms who find themselves sitting around the haunted house, from which they had (presumably) chased-away the former occupants, now thoroughly bored and in dire need of delivering a good scare. They soon come-up with the idea, having seen an ad in the paper, to invite some "ghostbusters" over to toy around with. As it happens, the trio of spirit chasers who come to investigate are Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck and, armed with a shotgun, a fishing net, plus a fire axe, they attempt to track down and get rid of the four "Lonesome Ghosts" whom they had been called-in to deal with. As you may expect, they barely get through the door when the phantoms begin their mischievous pranks with each of the exterminators getting their own "set piece" at the hands of the ghosts as they dish-out their ghoulish brand of torment. Be sure to watch out for the very memorable quote from 'Goofy' during this animated short which may well have inspired the writers of the 1980's movie "Ghostbusters" and provided the line "I ain't afraid of no ghosts!" for the song by Ray Parker Jr. in 1984. It might not be Venkman, Stanz and Spengler... but Mickey, Goofy & Donald do (unwittingly) manage to scare-off their ghostly tormentors and, if you wish to know how they do it, you'll just have to sit back and watch the video, which I'm sharing here as part of today's post:-

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted two days ago, to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that can walk you through the process step-by-step! ;-) :-D

HINT: Please CLICK on the above image TO ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

Meanwhile, shown below are a couple of the posters which were used to promote this animated short film. Interestingly, Disney Studios briefly stopped producing one sheets for their shorts when 'Disney' signed with distributor 'RKO' in 1937... although they did start again in late 1938. The second of the two images is of the 'RKO Radio Pictures' silkscreen 30" x 40" poster, which is known to be very rare and highly sought after by collectors of such memorabilia. When the 'RKO' poster last went under the hammer at Heritage auctions it was believed to be the only known copy of the 30" X 40" poster for this short which pictures Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy:-

ABOVE:- Movie Poster for "Lonesome Ghosts" (1937)

BELOW:- RKO Radio Pictures Poster for "Lonesome Ghosts" (1937)

AS BEFORE: Please CLICK on the above images TO ENLARGE THEM for easier viewing !!

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Three' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

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Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Three' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim down the lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published three days ago, you'll know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every day. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Two' of this month-long blogathon, you might recall a brief reference to how a quote by one of our trio of ghost chasers - the "Ajax Ghost Exterminators" - who (themselves) could have provided some inspiration for the 1984 feature-length film "Ghostbusters", may well have been the origin of the line "I ain't afraid of no ghosts!" in the song by Ray Parker Jr. from the soundtrack to that very same film. Anyhow, a couple of years after that movie was released, along came animation's answer to that film... in the shape of "The Real Ghostbusters" cartoon series which, starting in 1986, lasted for six years and provided kids with almost 150 enjoyable episodes! :-)

During the first two years that the series ran, there were a couple of Hallowe'en-themed episodes: the first being “When Halloween Was Forever”, which originally aired in 1986, and; the second one was an episode called “Halloween II 1/2”, that originally aired in 1987, while both featured a character by the name of 'Samhain' as the main antagonist in the story. However, when the time came around for a third Hallowe'en-themed episode, the decision was taken to air "The Halloween Door" in prime-time on the 'ABC' network... with the idea being that, instead of just broadcasting it as a part of the regular Saturday morning TV line-up, an 8pm time-slot would enable parents to watch it with their children. To mark the occasion, the show was treated to both a custom opening, and a custom closing segment, but the icing on the Hallowe'en cake was to be this specially-designed custom title card:-

In this episode, the Ghostbusters are confronted by 'Crowley' - who happens to be the chairman of an organisation known as Citizens United Against Halloween (and Lots of Other Stuff We Don't Like) - and he asks for their assistance in putting an end to Hallowe'en plus all the celebrations that go with it. Following the encounter, one of the PKE meters belonging to the Ghostbusters is stolen after they decline to help 'Crowley' realise his ambition. However, by using the stolen meter, 'Crowley' plans to finish building his "Electronic Positronic Anti-Halloween Machine" and then set about erasing every aspect of Hallowe'en from the world... from costumes, to Jack-O-Lanterns, and even candy! :-O :-(

Unfortunately, along the way, he breaks a seal and inadvertently opens "The Halloween Door" which is a gateway to another dimension, where demons were sent after leaving Earth, resulting from an old contract made with the ancient Druids. The subsequent re-opening of "The Halloween Door" left our planet vulnerable to numerous ghosts and demons, including their leader: the rampaging Boogaloo, whose body is made-up of a multitude of faces, and all of them fully intent on wreaking havoc and destruction upon us - meaning the Ghostbusters were going to be very busy this Halloween night! ;-)

The fact that "The Halloween Door" talks about the meaning of Hallowe'en, with the writers placing the sort of emphasis on Hallowe'en that is usually reserved for Christmas - i.e. that the holiday is overly-commercialised and how many people just don't "get it" anymore - only makes it more special because it helps everyone get into the (ahem) "spirit" of things (if you'll pardon the pun). Of course, it still oozed with the kind of charm that made "The Real Ghostbusters" series so popular to begin with, but the underlying message about the "true meaning" of Hallowe'en added grown-up sensibilities that ensured this prime-time 'TV Special' would appeal to parents and other adults just as much. Although this episode might be considered (by some) as merely a sugar-coated retelling of the 'Christmas' story, there's no denying that it's a fun watch and helps further set the mood as we continue to count down the days until October 31st. So, if you've not seen it before - or wish to see it again - here it is:-

Unlike the previous videos that I've shared (thus far) in this series of posts, "The Halloween Door" did not seem to be available via 'YouTube' and, as a result, the version I am sharing with you today is hosted on the 'Vimeo' website. Of course, in addition to watching this embedded video of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your phone or tablet by using the 'Vimeo' app(s) for both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms on your mobile devices. For those who prefer to watch on their big screen television, there is also a Roku channel for 'Vimeo' which is available via the built-in 'Channel Store', found under "Streaming Channels" from the 'Home' menu of your Roku streaming media player, and the channel icon [aka 'HD Poster' image] to look out for is as follows:-

VIMEO....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

TOP TIP: The built-in 'Search' function within the Roku channel for 'Vimeo' is a fairly basic affair and does not permit you to search easily by 'Username' - in this case: "user69913965", also known as "antavious mitchell" - or the unique identifier (which is "244739496" for the video shown above) - so your best hope of finding "The Halloween Door" within the 'Vimeo' channel on your Roku device is to use the exact title provided by the uploader... so, in this case, you would need to type in all (or part) of the following text: "The Real Ghostbusters 509 The Halloween Door [MeR-DeR]" which is shown (in full) across the top of the embedded video included in this post. Experience has taught me that not all the video titles will be included within the 'Vimeo' search results so, if you adopt the same method when searching for another video from their website, your chosen title may not show-up at all. That said, having personally tested this one myself, I can confirm that you will see it listed as the sole title shown in the 'Search' results if you type-in "The Real Ghostbusters 509" (you can ignore the rest) and also that you should be able to stream it on your Roku device(s) in it's entirety, without any issues! :-)

On whichever platform you decide to watch this video, be sure to watch-out for the musical numbers that are featured in this episode. The first, performed by the Ghostbusters themselves, talks about the "holiday" of Hallowe'en and the wonder that it brings. The second of the two full-length tunes which you will hear is from the 'Boogaloo' character, voiced by none other than Brian O'Neal. Interestingly, Brian was a former member of 'The BusBoys' who performed the song "Cleanin' Up The Town" for the original 1984 "Ghostbusters" movie soundtrack... further enhancing the pedigree of this episode!

Meanwhile, if you're wondering where you've heard the name 'Crowley' before, aside from in this episode of "The Real Ghostbusters" where the character is a giant demon, whose body is made-up of a multitude of faces, then - in the context of Hallowe'en, at least - it might be down to the existence of one 'Aleister Crowley', who was a well-known British occult figure and Satanist many decades ago. It appears the writer of this episode, J. Michael Straczynski, avoided reviving the 'Samhain' character of previous Hallowe'en episodes and (instead) used 'Crowley' as the villain, to mock the "parent groups" who were very active at that time. Other interesting tidbits of trivia include the scene, narrated by the episode's bad guy 'Crowley' - when the Electronic Positronic Anti-Halloween Machine starts getting rid of Halloween - being an homage to "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas", and; another, in which the 'Stay Puft Marshmallow Man' appears among the crowd, in the "Boogaloo's Back In Town" sequence, by way of an homage to both the 1984 "Ghostbusters" movie - as well as all the Hallowe'en Parade(s) that take place in the United States each year - providing yet another nod to Halloween's past! ;-) :-D

As if that wasn't enough, writer J. Michael Straczynski is known to have pointed-out (during a visual commentary) that the destruction of the Containment Unit is stylistically lifted from a similar scene in the first "Ghostbusters" film. Likewise, when 'Peter' says he's been waiting for five years to "slime" the character, 'Slimer', the fact that the "Ghostbusters" film was released in 1984 and that quote was first uttered during the original broadcast of this episode, on 29th October 1989, means he's spot-on!

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Four' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

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Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Four' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim down the lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published four days ago, you'll know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every day. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Three' of this month-long blogathon, you might recall a brief reference to the 'Stay Puft Marshmallow Man' from the "Boogaloo's Back In Town" sequence to "The Halloween Door" episode of 'The Real Ghostbusters', by way of an homage to the original 1984 "Ghostbusters" movie. Those of you who remember that film will know that the character portraying "Mr. Stay Puft" was dressed-up as a sailor... a fact re-inforced by this quote from 'Dr. Venkman' who, upon seeing the Marshmallow Man, states: "This Mr. Stay Puft is okay. He's a sailor; in New York". Now, in animation terms, probably the most well-known sailor of them all was 'Popeye the Sailor'... and, tenuous though the link may be, it's 'Popeye' who is the subject of today's creepy classic! :-D

While many will remember 'Popeye' for his never-ending series of battles with 'Bluto' there were, from time-to-time, other adversaries who would find themselves on the receiving-end of the sailor's spinach-fuelled punches... and, in this particular episode, it was the ghosts, ghouls, and other strange paranormal critters that fell foul of the one-eyed, pipe-smoking sea dog in a tale that'll make you say:

The story begins with 'Popeye' arriving at a deserted beach for a picnic with his beloved 'Olive Oyl', and burger-loving friend 'Wimpy', when they chance upon an old shipwreck which looks beaten and battered, as well as being weathered over time, with tattered sails, just lying there in a rather decrepit condition. In fact, all the signs pointed to this being a ghost ship - even the one on the side of it! :-O

Despite all of the warning signs, 'Popeye' decides that he wants to "investigates" the wreck, because he doesn't believe in ghosts. However, no sooner have the trio climbed aboard the abandoned vessel, the ghost ship rights itself and heads-out to sea... while the "stowaway" spooks do their best to scare the new passengers. At first, the spirits are playful and tease 'Popeye' with a game of what can only be described as "musical planks" but then things start to get cruel... when they begin tormenting 'Wimpy' with food that he is unable to eat which, for him, must be worse than walking the plank! :-(

While exploring the ship, 'Olive Oyl' falls into a barrell of flour and comes out looking like a ghost - yes, that old chestnut - only she looks so convincing that both 'Popeye' and 'Wimpy' mistake her for being another of the spooks that are out to get them. Rather disturbingly, 'Popeye' lays into the spirit he gives chase to, and beats-up 'Olive Oyl' by mistake, before suddenly realising what happened and easing-off. Instead of apologising (as he should) the sailor simply exclaims: "I told ya' there ain't no ghosts!” but, as it turns-out, he would have more ghastly foes than 'Olive Oyl' to contend with! :-O

After that, 'Popeye' and his cohorts must endure all manner of supernatural onslaughts but, with this being the world of animated film, they are able to come-up with a number of ingenious ways to fight back against the tide of terror. One of my personal favourites is when 'Popeye' manages to lure some ghosts into an "ice box" (aka a "walk-in freezer", to you and me), with the end result being that they are turned to "ice", which was a pretty "cool" way to get rid of them! :-P ;-) Needless to say, however, it was not enough to rely on cunning tricks to get the better of the remaining ghastly ghouls... and, eventually, 'Popeye' resorts to eating some of his trusty spinach just so he can get the added strength he needs. This helps him defeat a drudge* of skeletons, whom he easily dispatches by turning them into dice - way to roll those bones, Popeye... get it!?!! :-P ;-) :-D As if that wasn't enough, at one point, 'Popeye' even manages to beat the ocean into submission - pretty impressive stuff, eh!?! :-D
[*collective noun taken from this source of supernatural nouns of assembly]

Released 27th July 1934 (but thoroughly deserving of "Hallowe'en in July" status in any given year) this spook-tastic animated short was directed by Dave Fleischer, with Willard Bowsky as animator, and featured William Costello as (the voice of) 'Popeye', alongside Mae Questel as (the voice of) his love interest, 'Olive Oyl', though both were uncredited for their work in this cartoon at the time. It's a wonderfully atmospheric s(p)lice of "horror" animation that deserves to be seen by all - so here it is:-

As with the creepy cartoon classics shared for 'Day One' and 'Day Two' of this month-long blogathon in honour of the Hallowe'en season, this "Shiver Me Timbers!" episode of 'Popeye the Sailor' is free to stream on this blog, courtesy of the 'YouTube' website. Of course... in addition to this embedded version of the cartoon included here, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted four days ago, to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to cast from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article by 'Roku Support', found on the Roku website, that can walk you through the process step-by-step! ;-)

Meanwhile, here's another fan poster I came across while searching 'Google Images' for this post:-

Although technically inaccurate... since this particular cartoon does not feature 'Bluto', as mentioned earlier in the post, I still liked the look of it enough to include it here - hopefully you do, too!?! :-D

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Five' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Five' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim down the lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published five days ago, you'll know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every day. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Four' of this month-long blogathon, you might recall that I made reference to a sequence involving "musical planks" in the 'Popeye' cartoon I shared. During this brief segment, just after the two-minute mark, a somewhat bemused (if slightly disgruntled) 'Popeye' can be heard to say: "Hey! What is this? A haunted house, or somethin', huh?" and, while in his case it turned out to be more of a "Ghost Ship" than a "Haunted House", by some strange coincidence the subject of today's post just happens to be a spooky short called "The Haunted House" from 1929:-

This creepy cartoon classic begins with a superb opening sequence in which, on a dark and stormy night, we see 'Mickey Mouse' battling the elements in an attempt to find shelter. Such is the ferocity of the storm that, when he does chance upon a dwelling, even the house can be seen to "flex" in the wind. Short on options... 'Mickey' is forced to seek refuge in this dilapidated old mansion but once inside, with the door mysteriously locked behind him, he soon realises the house is far from empty and that the (g)hosts are keen to be entertained by the new arrival. A cloaked skeleton, resembling the 'Grim Reaper', orders 'Mickey' to "Play!" for their amusement... while the other skeletons dance to the tune that 'Mickey' is playing on a harmonium and, such is their enjoyment of this spirited symphony, they do not want poor 'Mickey' to stop - seemingly content to have him play for all eternity. So, if you wish to know the outcome of this tale, you'll need to play, Play... PLAY the video shared below:-

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted five days ago, to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that can walk you through the process step-by-step! ;-) :-D

Mickey Strikes A Match To Light-Up A Dark Corridor, Revealing The Phantom

The Hooded Figure Bears Down On Mickey, Now Cornered In A Room

When This Guy Says "Play!", You'd Better Go Ahead And PLAY!

Elsewhere in this animated short, the more astute among you may observe a few familiar frames that have been "borrowed" from elsewhere and simply recycled for the purposes of this animated short. If you happen to be an aficionado of either Ub Iwerks, or Walt Disney, then you will no doubt recognise parts of the "dancing" scenes were lifted from "Disney's Silly Symphonies: The Skeleton Dance" but such practices are fairly common when producing hand-drawn animated films with such regularity as they were in the days when this creepy cartoon classic was made. Incidentally, for the record, this was first released on 2nd December 1929 and has the honour of being the first "horror" cartoon to star the character of 'Mickey Mouse'... although he was soon to make further forays into the genre with 1930's "The Gorilla Mystery" and then "The Mad Doctor" (1933) a few years afterwards. While some may dismiss this work as just another song-and-dance routine, à la "Silly Symphonies" series plus similar early animations featuring 'Mickey Mouse', in my opinion this spooky animated short does manage to evoke some genuine feelings of "horror" - particularly during the earlier scenes - and, coupled with my previous observations, believe it's worthy of a place in anyone's Hallowe'en cartoon playlist! :-D

Unfortunately, posters for this creepy cartoon classic were a bit thin on the ground and the best I was able to come up with were two generic posters from the period... one of which does (at least) bear the title of this animated short, while the other could have been used to promote pretty much any title by the same studio featuring the 'Mickey Mouse' character. Anyway, for better or worse, here they are:-

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse in "Haunted House" (1929) [Generic Poster]

Celebrity Productions Present A Mickey Mouse Sound Cartoon [Generic Poster]

*********************************************

Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Six' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Six' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim down the lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published six days ago, you'll know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every day. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Five' of this month-long blogathon, you might recall that I made reference to certain frames during various scenes where the skeletons are "dancing" were lifted from "Disney's Silly Symphonies: The Skeleton Dance" which was released just a few months earlier in 1929. So for the benefit of those who may never have seen it, and those (like me) who never tire of watching it year after year, I've decided to share "The Skeleton Dance" in full for today's post:-

This creepy cartoon classic begins with a superb opening sequence in which, on a dark and windy night beneath a full moon, we see an owl being spooked by a branch of the tree in which it perches, and; a colony of bats flee a bell tower as the church clock strikes midnight, plus; a dog howling into the night sky, while two cats get into a fight on top of some tombstones in the graveyard. However, they are soon frightened out of their skins when a skeleton rises-up from behind another gravestone causing the two fraidy-cats to flee in terror. This clears the way for the skeleton to come out and play in the graveyard... although the merriment is briefly interrupted when the hoot of an owl sends the skeleton running for cover. Realising what had caused the alarm, the skeleton hurls it's skull at the owl which shocks the poor bird who loses it's feathers as a consequence. After the skeleton and it's skull are re-united, other skeletons appear and "The Skeleton Dance" begins in earnest. The entire choreography is both amazing and amusing but, don't just take my word for it, see it for yourself:-

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted six days ago, to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that can walk you through the process step-by-step! ;-) :-D

You get even more of a feel for the spooky imagery that features throughout "The Skeleton Dance" from this still frame collage which was done by Emma, who publishes the 'Little Gothic Horrors' blog, and includes no less than eight images from this must-see Walt Disney animated short:-

PHOTO CREDIT: The Skeleton Dance (1929) [Still Frame Collage]

IMAGE SOURCE: Little Gothic Horrors

Being in the Southern Hemisphere - living in Australia with her husband, son, and a little cat called Phoebe - Emma and her family have no choice but to celebrate Halloween in the warmth of the late Spring / early Summer months, so I'm sure she'd appreciate it if you stopped by her blog and left a brief comment to wish them a "Happy Hallowe'en" and see how they celebrate "Down Under"! :-D

Meanwhile, below are some more items of movie memorabilia associated with "The Skeleton Dance" that I found on 'Google Images' while researching this post. While the original tagline may no longer hold true - i.e. that it remains "The greatest talking picture novelty ever screened!" - this comically clever cartoon classic with music (by Carl Stalling and Edvard Grieg), complete with full sound and original effects, has certainly lived-up to the billing of "A laugh riot from start to finish!" as promised on the original poster displayed in movie theatres at the time of it's release back in August 1929! :-D

PHOTO CREDIT: The Skeleton Dance (1929) [Movie Poster]

PHOTO CREDIT: The Skeleton Dance (1929) [Alternate Poster]

PHOTO CREDIT: The Skeleton Dance (1929) [Publicity Photo]

Though it might seem, from the above publicity photo, that the skeletons are dancing to a well-known nursery rhyme: "Ring a Ring o' Roses" [aka "Ring Around The Rosies"], the music used for this short was actually a musical twist on the traditional 'Foxtrot' around Edvard Grieg’s “March of the Trolls” with a playful nod to late-medieval "Danse Macabre" iconography. It has been well-documented that this Disney classic was adapted from Camille Saint-Saëns’ composition "Danse Macabre" which is a very fitting connection, given how "The Skeleton Dance" was one of Disney's first forays into a world of the "macabre" that yielded many memorable animated titles over the years. What made this one so special was the way it mixed "horror" elements with the more whimsical comedy touches for which Disney became so popular with audiences. If you think about it... owls, bats, spiders, cats, skeletons and skulls are perfect ingredients for any "horror" but, in this case, the skeletons only want to dance and use the cats - as well as their own bones - as musical instruments, all of which adds to the fun. It may have been only the first "Silly Symphony" they made, but remains one of the best to this day! :-)

*********************************************

Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Seven' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Hi, everyone !!

Owing to my having to publish an extra post today, by way of fulfilling my commitment to this year's "Countdown To Halloween" month-long blogathon, I'm going to have to delay my coverage of all the Roku-specific and/or Roku-related news from the past seven days until I can find the time to catch-up on what's "missing" from this first edition of the current 'Weekly RoundUp' post. As has become the norm, under these circumstances, I have (at least) provided you with a complete list of all the latest new additions to the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store from the last week. With any luck, I'll be able to compile these introductory paragraphs of news stories bit-by-bit, over the course of the next two or three days so, if you check this post again in a few days, you should find it's been updated by then! ;-)

Anyway, with no other Roku-related news to share with you at this time, I'm now going to focus on the equally important matter of bringing you details for all the latest new Roku channels (apps) which were released during the seven days since my last 'Weekly RoundUp' post was published and, with a decent crop of forty-five new Roku channels to browse through, that should be enough to keep you occupied while I assemble the odd snippets of Roku-related news I found for you in the past week! :-)

Firstly, though, I'd just like to mention (on a not entirely un-related note) that I have now added links to some (though, still not all) of the 'Roku Guide' reviews that were previously "missing" for many of the new Roku channels released in the last few weeks... most of the additions were for Roku channels that were released last week but there were also a bunch more added to my 'Weekly RoundUp' post of two weeks ago so, if you'd like to see an independent appraisal of those apps, be sure to check-out the relevant posts (see links above), which (themselves) contains a link to the previous week's post (and so-on, and so-forth), for details of where to find them. Unfortunately, there are more "missing" links to 'Roku Guide' reviews for every single one of the new Roku apps that were published during the last seven days... which means, much like many other posts from recent months, I am going to have to leave it for you to access those on your own. As of seven months ago, you can choose to do that either via the built-in channel store on your Roku device(s)... or else, by following the links in each post to the relevant channel description(s) from the Roku Web Channel Store. Meanwhile, once the "missing" reviews have been published by 'Roku Guide', I will (as I have done previously) ensure that I add the relevant links to each post. Apologies (as always) for any inconvenience that may be caused by the absence of active links to an independent review for all of these new apps but, like I say, it's entirely out of my hands. Hopefully they'll get chance to catch-up on them sometime in the coming week, because otherwise I may have to start doing my own reviews!?! :-O ;-) :-)

Still, back to the list... which, as always, will help you to identify the very latest apps that have been added to Roku devices in the UK. Other websites offering Roku channel listings will base their contents on the Roku USA Channel Store, which means they also include apps that are unavailable to UK Roku users. So, like I've said before... if you really want to know what's available channel-wise, for owners of Roku devices in the UK, you need to be reading this blog each and every week! ;-) :-)

With twice the number of active links to check out, not just for this week... but each and every post that has been previously published as part of my 'Weekly RoundUp' series over the last five years, there's a *lot* of reading to catch-up on. So, without further ado, here's my 'Weekly RoundUp' of all new Roku channels released between 30th September 2018 and 6th October 2018:-

PLUTO TV - IT'S FREE TV (UK Version)...........................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

THE CRAFT BEER CHANNEL...............................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

AWESOME PHOTO TV....................COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "PHOTO APPS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

HAUNTED TV WITH SCARY SOUNDS..................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

ROMANTIC MOVIE CHANNEL..........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

THE HAUNTED TV MUSIC EDITION.....................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

DANIEL FERNANDEZ - MAGIC!.............................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

SMART IS THE NEW SEXY - FACTS........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

SLICK SLIME SAM - KIDS CRAFTS!.....................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

JOHN PAUL PET.........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

DIGHA.....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

HIT MUSIC 80s....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

REMITE TV............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

AMEN TV................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

AMBIENT PLANET RELAX....COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

DOMINICAN NETWORKS...COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

HUMMINGBIRDS.............................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

TORNADOES............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

ALASKA HUNTING AND FISHING.........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

THUNDERSTORM....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

PHOTOGRAPHY NOW......COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "PHOTO APPS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

HALLOWEEN HAUNTED WINDOW 2018............................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

HAUNTED HOUSE NEXT DOOR 2018...................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

AFROKIDS TV CHANNEL......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "KIDS & FAMILY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

HALLOWEEN SCREAM..................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

XSTREAM GRINDHOUSE AND MORE.......COST: £1.99 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

EDWARD SHIN TV......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

iTRAVEL2000 CITY GUIDES...............................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "TRAVEL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

AUTHOR OF SALVATION....................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

SHIFT HD....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

iLEMBE TV...................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

UNAFRAID SHOW...............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPORTS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

RETRO VIDEO VAULT........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

G.WAYNE TV............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "COMEDY" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

CONFERENCE CAROLINAS DN.........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPORTS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

JEALOUS ANIMALS................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

CAVE OF WONDERS...........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "GAMES" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

ALMAMLAKA TV................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

HURRICANES...........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

KELBY ONE...........................COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

VICTORYLIFE.TV.......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

SANDY BEACH TV..................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

HALLOWEEN PARTY PACK 2018.....................COST: £2.99 (MONTHLY) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

GIANT PANDA PODCAST..........................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "EDUCATIONAL" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

MODERN WHIZ......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Seven' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim down the lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published one week ago today, you'll know I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every day. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Six' of this month-long blogathon, you might recall that it featured a still frame image of a spider dangling from it's cobweb. Now, the one thing missing from that cobweb was a fly... but that's not a problem for the spider in charge of an establishment which is set-up to provide overnight accommodation "For Flies Only", such as "The Cobweb Hotel" that just so happens to be the subject for today's creepy cartoon classic - so, come into my parlour, please do!

Produced by Max Fleischer - or, perhaps, that should be Fly-scher?! - and directed by Dave Fleischer, it was originally released on 15th May 1936 as part of the "Color Classics" series. Animation duties were handled by David Tendlar and William Sturm, while the music used for the soundtrack to this animated short came courtesy of Sammy Timberg and Bob Royhberg with sound by Western Electric.

The cartoon opens with a raspy-voiced spider singing about the swell service and other great reasons to "Spend the night at the Cobweb Hotel"... which is part of a miniature world, believed to have been created around one of the Fleischers' actual desks, in which the setting is an open writing desk where the individual cubby holes provide the "rooms" and everyday furnishings like a phone, fountain pen, typewriter, paper clips, and even aspirin, are all made use-of in ways that they wouldn't be under most normal circumstances. The entire operation is geared towards attracting flies to stay at the "hotel", so that the spider has a constant supply of food with which to fill his belly. By the time the song is over, a couple of newlywed flies have flown into the lobby and decide to stay there. Here's what happened:-

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted seven days ago, to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that can walk you through the process step-by-step! ;-) :-D

"Spend The Night At The Cobweb Hotel... You'll Find That The Service Is Swell!"

"Come Into My Parlour... Said The Spider To The (Newlywed) Flies!"

Hmmm... Room '13' - Unlucky For Some - Don't Say I Didn't Warn You!

Most Flies Tend To Stick Around "The Cobweb Hotel" For Longer Than They Anticipated!

Aside from the great animation... one of the highlights for me, in this creepy cartoon classic, is the song which the spider sings at the very start because, given the dark intent behind the whole facade, the wording, along with the tune used to carry them, make "The Cobweb Hotel" sound very inviting! Here's a transcription of the lyrics, so you can see for yourselves what I mean:-

Spend the night at the Cobweb Hotel.

You'll find that the service is swell.

Now you needn't be shy.

I won't harm a fly.

Spend the night at the Cobweb Hotel.

Come into my parlor, please do.

In a while, all your cares will be through.

There'll be no rent to pay.

'Cause you'll be here to stay.

Spend the night at the Cobweb Hotel.

Do bear in mind that the words (as I've shown them) may not be absolutely spot-on... but I only had the 'YouTube' soundtrack to go by when attempting to decipher them. Not easy, when the spider has a "singing voice" as rough as this - don't get me wrong, I love it... and it definitely adds to the magic of this cartoon but, boy, did I have to listen closely to get what I did! :-) Even so, if anyone finds an error in my transcription, please feel free to leave a comment with any corrections you think are needed! ;-)

*********************************************

Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Eight' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Eight' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim down the lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published eight days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Seven' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall that it featured a spooky animated short called "The Cobweb Hotel" which provided some rather specialised accommodation "For Flies Only", although the spider who ran the establishment was somewhat cruel. Anyhow, by a strange coincidence, the creepy cartoon classic that I have chosen to share with you for today's post is also set in a hotel - the "Dry Gulch Hotel", to be precise - which despite the name, plus the fact it's part of a ghost town in the middle of nowhere, "looks like a perfectly splendid place to spend the night"... according to one of the new arrivals in town - his travelling companion, however, has other ideas about the place and has further "Claws For Alarm" as the night unfolds! :-O

Released on 22nd May, and directed by Charles M. Jones [known as "Chuck Jones" by many] this vintage 'Merrie Melodies' cartoon featured the voice characterisations of Mel Blanc, along with the musical direction of Carl Stalling, and was produced by Warner Bros. Pictures prior to it's release in 1954... although the opening credit of 'MCMLIII' suggests it was completed in 1953, the year before:

The story begins with Porky Pig and Sylvester the Cat driving through the wilderness when they spot some buildings in the distance which hint at "civilisation" being within reach once more. They turn off the main road and head into town which, through Porky's eyes, seems a nice enough place:-

Sylvester, on the other hand, has an entirely different view of their surroundings and (understandably) feels slightly more cautious about the possibility of spending the night in this particular location:-

Porky doesn't realise that the old hotel, where he and Sylvester are about to spend the night, is really part of a ghost town... and despite the protestations of his feline companion, decides to check-in and set about finding an empty room that they can use. Once again, much like when the newlywed flies were shown their accommodation at "The Cobweb Hotel" in yesterday's post, the vacant room which Porky and Sylvester discover is lucky 'Number 13' - not that this bothered 'Porky' too much! :-D

Anyway, while Porky remains oblivious to any danger(s) a terrified Sylvester does his best to protect the both of them - much like he did during their stay at a creepy mansion in "Scaredy Cat" released some six years prior to this - but despite his attempts to make 'Porky' aware of the situation they are in, Sylvester was constantly ridiculed and doubted over the presence of the murderous mice! :-O :-)

Knowing what he did, it was clear that 'Sylvester' was not going to get any sleep that night... so, while 'Porky' put his head down for the night - blissfully unaware of the troubles they faced - determined to get some rest, 'Sylvester' had no choice but to stay awake and avert any danger that may befall them. But, to discover whether they made it through the night, you'll just have to watch this creepy classic:-

Unlike the previous videos that I've shared (thus far) in this series of posts, "Claws For Alarm" did not seem to be available via 'YouTube' or 'Vimeo' and, as a result, the version I am sharing with you today is hosted on the 'Dailymotion' website. Of course, in addition to watching the embedded video of this cartoon right here on my blog, you can also choose to stream it on your phone or tablet by using the 'Dailymotion' app(s) for both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms on your mobile devices. For those who prefer to watch on their big screen television, there is also a private channel for 'Daily Motion' which is available using the "Add channel with a code" option, that can be found in the 'Manage Account' section of the Roku website. Just use ACCESS CODE: dailymotion to install it

DAILY MOTION PRIVATE CHANNEL..........................................ACCESS CODE: dailymotion

*** N.B. this channel can not be found within the built-in channel store on Roku devices !! ***

HINT: If you are uncertain as to how you go about installing a private channel on your Roku device, you will find full instructions in my "SPECIAL MONTH-LONG BLOGATHON PREVIEW" post as to what needs to be done. For those who may be worried about things being too "tech-y", there's not really much to it... and, once you have signed-in to your Roku account via a desktop web browser, it is quite a simple procedure to type in the (above) access code and have the app automatically added to the selection of channels found under the 'Home' screen of your Roku device(s). Should you have any difficulty, and are unable to finish the process with the instructions from my blogathon preview, just leave a comment below - saying what stage of the process you are stuck on - and I'll do my best to offer some further suggestions as to where you may be going wrong. If you're unable to install the 'Daily Motion' private channel, for whatever reason, you can always just watch the cartoon here! :-D

EXTRA TIP: The built-in 'Search' function within the private channel for 'Daily Motion' is a fairly basic affair and does not permit you to search easily by 'Username' - in this case: "cartoonNetworks", also known as "Cartoon Network" - or the unique identifier (which is "x1z2fzb" for the video above) - so your best hope of finding "Claws For Alarm" within the 'Daily Motion' private channel on your Roku device is to use the exact title provided by the uploader... so, in this case, you would need to type in all (or part) of the following text: "Sylvester The Cat - (Ep. 44) - Claws For Alarm" which is shown (in full) across the middle of the embedded video included in this post. Experience has taught me that not all the video titles will be included within the 'Daily Motion' search results so, if you adopt the same method when searching for another video from their website, your chosen title may not show-up at all. That said, having personally tested this one myself, I can confirm that you will see it listed and that you should be able to stream it on Roku device(s) in it's entirety, without issues! :-)

On whichever platform you decide to watch this video, be sure to watch-out for the scene in which 'Sylvester' races to the aid of 'Porky', who has been strung-up with a noose around his neck while he was asleep in his bed, but... having cut the rope with a razor blade, has his motives questioned by the now wide-awake 'Porky' as to why he is hovering over his friend with a noose and a cut-throat razor in his hands. Here's a few more still frame images, to show-off the gorgeous visuals in this cartoon:-

Another amusing sequence of events comes when, having stayed-up all night protecting himself and 'Porky' from harm, 'Syslvester' hears how well-rested 'Porky' feels... before then being told that they might be staying for a week, or ten days, to get really well rested-up. Needless to say, 'Sylvester' does not take too kindly to the thought, as you can tell from his expression in the still frame image below:-

Desperate not to spend one more night in that creepy old hotel, at the mercy of those sadistic mice, 'Sylvester' uses the butt of his rifle to knock-out 'Porky' and drag him outside to their car so they can get as far away as possible before he realises what has happened. Having put a reasonable distance between themselves and the 'Dry Gulch Hotel', the relief on Sylvester's face is clear to see...

However, what 'Sylvester' failed to notice - and what we (the viewers) soon discover upon seeing a brief glimpse of the speedometer in the car dashboard - is that some of those homicidal mice have actually stowed-away in the vehicle, and are peering-out menacingly from the gaps in the speedo where you would otherwise expect to see the odometer readings for the vehicles mileage! :-O ;-)

It is this unexpected ending - i.e. not the "happy ever after" goofy type of ending, as was used to end the earlier (similar) cartoon "Scaredy Cat" (1948) - which I believe makes "Claws For Alarm" better than that first attempt with the concept of "killer" mice. This time around, there is a definite sense of foreboding... with 'Sylvester' unwittingly bringing along the murderous mice from whom they were attempting to flee in the first place. It also makes you wonder about the "real life" root causes for so many (relatively) modern towns having been abandoned and become the "ghost towns" of today! :-O

*********************************************

Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Nine' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Nine' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim down the lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published nine days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Eight' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall that it both began and ended with 'Sylvester' plus 'Porky' (in varying states of consciousness) driving along a deserted highway in their car. In their case, aside from being an animated drawing, the car was just a regular vehicle with no cartoon-ish characteristics in and of itself. However, the same cannot be said of the automobiles used in today's creepy cartoon classic... where 'Flip the Frog' is called upon to try and solve "The Cuckoo Murder Case" but the journey to the scene of the crime, for both 'Flip' and the police squad car which is also in attendance, proves to be just the start of the dangers they'll face! :-O

Originally released on 18th October 1930, and directed by Ub Iwerks, while the musical score for this cartoon was handled by Carl W. Stalling who had previously been 'Musical Director' for all the early "Mickey Mouse" plus "Silly Symphony" cartoons. Produced by Ub Iwerks, along with Pat Powers, the story begins inside a dark & creepy house where an ominous-looking figure lurks in the shadows.

As the clock on the wall strikes midnight, and the sleeping cuckoo inside is awoken from it's slumber to announce the hour, an unknown assailant fires a gun and the bullet (after a quick u-turn in mid-air) goes right through the cuckoo - leaving a gaping hole in it's middle. After taking a minute to examine the hole, peeking right the way through as well as looking in and around it, the bird drops dead! :-(

Noticing that all was not well, the clock decides to raise the alarm and, reaching over to the phone on the wall, places a call for help. In an inspired piece of animation, we see the clock peeling digits from it's own face in order to "dial" the necessary number. This, along with further animated actions by the clock, including the hands being used in a variety of ways, is one of many highlights in this short! :-D

The number dialled by the clock turns-out to be that for "Sherlock Flip", a private detective, who is in a deep slumber of his own at the time the phone starts to ring. In fact, the phone on the wall of Flip's office has such a hard time of trying to rouse the detective to answer the call that it utters some "cuss" word before bashing 'Flip' on his deerstalker hat with the receiver to get his attention! :-O ;-) :-)

Having accepted the case, 'Flip' grabs his rifle, handgun, magnifying glass plus some handcuffs off of the wall in his office - along with his credentials: presumably a 'diploma' of some sort from whatever detective school he attended previously - and heads outside to summon his ~~dog~~ car from it's resting place inside the ~~kennel~~ garage in the yard. A quick whistle is all it takes for his trusty companion to come "running" to his side and, after a quick yank of it's ~~tongue~~ crank handle, they are soon off to investigate. Unfortunately, the weather is foul and they must take precautions on the wet roads:-

Eventually, however, they do arrive on the scene... and a thoroughly drenched 'Flip' is washed-out of his car on a mini tidal wave caused by the water exiting the door when he opens it. Even so, when he catches sight of the delapidated house they've been called to, he thinks twice about going-in!

Ultimately, despite several attempts to turn around and leave, 'Flip' is "sucked" into the house and has little or no choice but to continue with his investigation. While it might sound like the little frog has already had a lot to contend with, this is just the start of his troubles, as you will soon discover when you see today's spooky short in which 'Flip the Frog' tries to solve "The Cuckoo Murder Case"! :-O

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted nine days ago, to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that can walk you through the process step-by-step! ;-) :-D

ABOVE: The Cat Wails Like A Police Siren... As The Cop Turns It's Tail Round And Round!

BELOW: The Cat Spews Water From It's Mouth... As The Cop Pumps Up And Down On It's Tail!

There are so many humorous (and clever) scenes like this, throughout the cartoon, that you'll likely want to watch it more than once - just in case you missed something, the first time around. Another of my favourite moments is when 'Flip' is searching around the house, at the scene of the crime, and his shadow tries to get in front of him to lead the investigation. Having been told, more than once, to get back in line... 'Flip' ultimately decides to shut his shadow inside a cupboard and teach it a lesson! :-D

There's a few other very amusing scenes including one where, during his sleuthing, 'Flip' is hit from behind (several times) by the pendulum on the clock and on seeing the suit of armour behind him as he turns around, believing the knight to be responsible for the repeated prodding, he gets into a bit of a tangle before realising his mistake. He later gets scared at the sight of what he thinks is a piano that is somehow playing itself... but is soon relieved to discover it's a couple of tiny, critters dancing on the strings inside the piano, which is causing the instrument to appear like it's playing on it's own! :-)

ABOVE: Yes, That Old Chestnut - Somebody Hiding In A Suit Of Armour... Or Not!

BELOW: Well, I Never... So, There WAS Somebody Playing The Piano After All - PHEW!

Anyway, after taking a long tumble up the stairs... followed by an even longer one back down them, 'Flip the Frog', in the guise of "Sherlock Flip" private detective, does eventually manage to track the murderer down when he winds-up in the basement of the house and notices a "grim" looking shadow on the wall. He approaches the "Death"-like figure, cloaked in a "Grim Reaper" styled robe, just as he is crossing the cuckoo off his list of victims. Then, as he turns the page to find out who's next... both he and 'Flip' have a "moment" of realisation and spring into action. At first 'Flip' whistles to try and distract his attacker, but to no avail. Luckily when his assailant lunges forward, however, 'Flip' does manage to (somehow) give him the slip and, like anyone in those circumstances, flees for his life! :-D

What's That In The Shadows? Why, It's Mr. Grim... He's A Reaper In The Village!

What's That? The Cuckoo's "OUT"... Now, Hold On - That's Just Not Cricket!

What Do You Mean, I'm Next? That's Not Me... I'm Afraid You're Mistaken, Sir!

I Know... How About A Game Of "Name That Tune"? I'll Whistle It, And You Guess The Song!

Stuff That For A Laugh, I'm Outta Here! Frogs First... Men With Large Scythes Can Stay!

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any original film posters for this animated short... the chances are that there weren't any - either that, or none that have survived to be "digitised" at any rate - however I did spot a few photos for the 16mm film version, including a still frame plus front and rear shots of the packaging which the 16mm reels came in that had "The Cuckoo Murder Case" written on the box:-

Flip The Frog in "The Cuckoo Murder Case" (1930) [16mm Still Frame Image]

Flip The Frog Animated Cartoons - 8mm / 16mm Film Reels [Packshot - Front]

Flip The Frog Animated Cartoons - 8mm / 16mm Film Reels [Packshot - Rear]

*********************************************

Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Ten' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Ten' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim down the lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published ten days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Three' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall that it featured a slightly longer animated film than the usual spooky shorts (of around 5-10 minutes) which I've been sharing on most days in this series of posts. The reason for this is that I decided to dedicate each Wednesday to what I'm calling my "MIDWEEK MEGATOON" and these films will typically be in the region of 20-30 minutes duration. Last week it was an episode of 'The Real Ghostbusters' from 1989, called "The Halloween Door", but this week I'm going all the way back to the seventies for an even more obscure gem from Canada... which celebrates it's 40th anniversary later this month! :-D

"Witch's Night Out" tells the story of 'Small' and 'Tender' who are looking forward to Halloween and the prospect of terrifying the neighbourhood in their scary masks. As they discuss their love for the spooky celebration we see a woman pass by who, upon hearing the topic of their conversation, stops to inform the two youngsters about her own feelings on the matter... proclaiming: "I hate Hallowe'en! Bleuurghhh!" - a sentiment which is soon supported by the next adult to arrive on the scene who says it's "Rotten... Rotten, Rotten, Rotten!" and, by some strange coincidence, that character's name is also 'Rotten' - something he lives up to at every opportunity - while the Halloween 'killjoy' of a woman to whom he spoke went by the equally appropriate name of 'Malicious', which suited her down to the ground as well. The astonishment of 'Small' and 'Tender' at what they had just heard was clear for all to see... but, fortunately, the next person to happen along - a goodly gentleman by the name of, you guessed it, 'Goodly' - was quick to reassure everyone present that Hallowe'en is for children and that you wouldn't expect to see adults running around in silly costumes. Then along comes a nice lady by the name of (surprise, surprise) 'Nicely' who adds that, although "dressing-up" may be considered a sign of immaturity, surely Hallowe'en could be "nice" for everybody. No prizes for guessing what the odd couple of 'Rotten' and 'Malicious' thought about what 'Nicely' had to say about Hallowe'en! ;-) :-)

Left to Right: Malicious, Rotten, Goodly, Small, Tender and Nicely

After a brief discussion among the adults, it is decided that they should do something for Hallowe'en and they settle on the prospect of throwing a party in an old abandoned house on the edge of town. It is not long before 'Goodly' has persuaded 'Rotten' to go with him and check the place out... despite it being well-known that the house in question is supposedly "haunted", and neither of them is exactly keen to pay it a visit. Nevertheless, they do... and we soon learn that there is a witch living there who is upset about being "unemployed" on account of there being no demand for magic anymore. Those feelings about being a "washed-up witch" are soon set aside when she overhears their conversation about hosting a party in her house... and she begins to feel quite excited at the thought of it all! :-D

Meanwhile, Small and Tender are out "trick-or-treating" with the rest of the neighbourhood kids but, despite their best efforts at trying to look scary, they can't help but feel a little disappointed at how the town folk all seem to recognise them for who they are and, as a result, are not frightened of them. In the end they decide to head for home, and cut their losses, but they wished they'd had a better time of it while they were out. As they lay in bed talking it over... their babysitter, 'Bazooey', arrives to look after them and, when he reads them a book about a 'Fairy Godmother', they soon forget their woes and start to fantasise about having someone like that to grant their wishes which, for 'Small', means becoming a "real" wolfman and, for 'Tender', the opportunity to become a "real" ghost for the night!

Meanwhile, from way across town, the witch has heard the childrens' wishes and flies through the night sky to go and grant them. Despite crashing through the window, she arrives in one piece and proceeds to offer them her services. Needless to say, 'Bazooey' is not keen on the idea... because he is the one responsible for the safety of the children. However, having seen a demonstration of how they can be easily changed back and forth from monster to child (and vice versa) he even entertains the notion of becoming Frankenstein's monster himself. Soon the three of them are transformed! :-O

After that, they all go to the party... and, once they make their entrance, the other guests are terrified and run for the exit. The witch gets trampled underfoot in the crush and, when things calm down, it also becomes clear that her magic wand has gone missing during the commotion. Unfortunately, the loss / theft of the wand means that she cannot return 'Small', 'Tender', and 'Bazooey' to their human form. So, from there onwards, the story follows their attempts to find and recover the wand for the witch but, rather than reveal the rest of the plot, let's just say that some valuable lessons were learned about Hallowe'en by all of the people involved in this story... both adults and children alike! ;-) :-)

While in fact made in 1977 (according to the 'MCMLXXVII' credit) this animated television special was only originally first broadcast by 'NBC' on 27th October 1978. Based on a story & script written by John Leach (who also produced and directed this Halloween-themed cartoon) along with co-writer Jean Rankin (who doubled as Background Illustrator), this Canadian-made TV Special was animated by Terry Godfrey, Keith Ingham, John Leach and Yanina Volski-Cohen. This spooky classic featured the voices of Gilda Radner (as "The Godmother") and Bob Church (as Rotten), alongside John Leach (as Goodly), Naomi Leach (as Tender), Tony Molesworth (as Small), plus the amazing vocal talent of Catherine O'Hara (as Malicious) and Fiona Reid (as Nicely), with Gerry Salsberg (as Bazooey). If some of the character names sound familiar, that might be because they were also used for an earlier animated production from Leach & Rankin, called "The Gift of Winter", which was another special - but, this time, for the Xmas holiday period - released some four years prior to this Halloween special.

Produced in a Toronto Studio, the music credit for "Witch's Night Out" - that included the stand-out cut "Halloween Witch Magic" in the (unreleased) soundtrack - went to Peter Rochon, who had also provided the music for "The Gift of Winter" some four years prior, with all titles being composed and produced by Peter Rochon. Taking it as a whole, the unique character designs and overall techniques used to produce this animation - coupled with the fun theme tune and Hallowe'en-based storyline - make it a worthy contender for any Halloween-themed cartoon playlist. So if, like me, you've been unable to track-down a copy of "Witch’s Night Out" on DVD, then this 'YouTube' video uploaded by "Deco Star Prints" - saved from a VHS copy of the 1978 classic - is one of very few means through which you are likely to get to watch it... especially if you happen to reside in the United Kingdom!

PLEASE BE AWARE: That, since this digital copy originates from an old VHS tape, there are signs of the typical wear and tear which are to be expected with a forty year old video. For the most part, these are confined to the intro / opening title sequence and are the sort of thing you would normally have corrected by adjusting the tracking on your VCR back in the day but, since that's not an option with 'YouTube' videos, you'll just have to live with it. On a more positive note, as I mentioned before, this type of distraction (i.e. lines of white noise in the video) is thankfully infrequent and limited to the upper portion of the viewing area (in the main) plus, unlike other copies which were recorded at the time of broadcast, this video has no commercial interruptions so (hopefully) what (very few) defects there are won't be enough to spoil your overall enjoyment of this Halloween cartoon! ;-) :-)

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted ten days ago, to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that can walk you through the process step-by-step! ;-) :-D

Witch's Night Out (1978) - Family Home Entertainment (FHE) VHS Cover

Witch's Night Out (1978) [Contemporary Fan Poster]

Witch's Night Out (1978) [DVD Cover]

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Eleven' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Eleven' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim those lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - that I published eleven days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Ten' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall that it featured a witch who had a valuable lesson to impart, on the subject of Hallowe'en, and began with some youngsters getting ready to "Trick or Treat" the neighbours. Well, by some strange coincidence, there's also a witch in today's creepy cartoon classic... and the title of this short is"Trick or Treat"! :-)

Now, if you still don't recognise the origin of this vintage animated short, I'm sure you will recognise who the star is once you see the opening sequence... which features a likeness of the character painted in white across a garden fence - as per the still frame image shown below - so, can you tell who it is?

Yes, it's none other than 'Donald Duck'... and the caricature that's daubed on the fence is no doubt a bit darker than normal to signify that this is a Hallowe'en episode and 'Donald' is a little more sinister than usual - dare I say, even toocruel at times - when it comes to greeting Huey, Dewey and Louie as they arrive on his doorstep hoping to fill their "Trick or Treat" bags but get more than they bargained for from 'Uncle Donald', who takes even more delight than normal in pranking his nephews! :-O

Huey, Duey, and Luey... en route to "Trick or Treat" at Uncle Donald's House

Donald Waits For His Nephews To Arrive, With A Large Bowl Of Candy At The Ready...

...And Then Comes The Knock At The Door... "Trick Or Treat" !!

But, Instead Of Handing Out Candy... Donald Slips Firecrackers In Their Bags !!

Then, Safety-Minded - As Any Good Uncle Should Be - He Douses The Flames...

...Then Cruelly Laughs, And Points A Finger, When They Get A Soaking !!

As the triplets sit in the gutter, feeling dejected, along comes 'Witch Hazel' on her trusty broomstick called 'Beelzebub' and says to Huey, Dewey and Louie: "I saw the whole thing, kids!" plus, on seeing their excitement at being in the presence of a "real" witch, she offers to help them get their candy! :-)

Witch Hazel Tries The "Sweet" Approach, To Try And Win Donald Over...

But, Unfortunately, That Doesn't Work... And Witch Hazel Gets An Even Worse Soaking !!

If you think that's bad enough, worse was yet to come... but, rather than reveal any more of the plot at this stage, why don't you sit back and enjoy this Hallowe'en episode of "Donald Duck" yourselves, courtesy of this 'YouTube' video, which was kindly uploaded by 'The Long 4' for everybody to see:-

PLEASE NOTE:- That, while there is also an 'HD version' floating about online, the higher quality is only offered at the cost of a (slightly) cropped image. From what I can tell, it looks like the picture on that copy has been zoomed-in prior to uploading. What I will say is that, if you're not bothered by the prospect of not seeing the full image on-screen, the colours in the 'HD' version really do "pop" and are far better than in the low quality embedded video above. However, for the purposes of this post, I wanted to share a video which showed the full picture (as the animators intended) so, for that reason, I decided to sacrifice the (cropped/zoomed) higher quality for the sake of seeing the whole thing! ;-)

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted eleven days ago, to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that walks you through the process step-by-step! ;-)

YOUTUBE..........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

On whichever platform you decide to stream this video, listen-out for the recurring theme tune that accompanies different sections of this animated short. In addition to being heard during the opening sequence for this cartoon, the song is reprised (with additional verses & lyrics) just after the 4-minute mark... and again (briefly) from around 07m 46s until the end credits roll. Written by Paul J. Smith (who also composed the "Leave it to Beaver" theme, plus some feature-length Disney classics such as "Pinocchio", and "Cinderella", to name but two) the song "Trick or Treat for Halloween” is extremely catchy and will doubtless get stuck in your head for ages after you hear it. Full credit goes to the artist for doing such a great job with this track... and, if you'd like to discover more about "The Mellomen", there is a dedicated page on 'Wikipedia' which is as good a place as any to start. Meanwhile, in case you would like to sing along, I've transcribed the lyrics for all three sections of the song below:-

Lyrics to "TRICK OR TREAT FOR HALLOWEEN" by The Mellomen

PART ONE - from 00m 00s to 00m 30s:

Trick or Treat
Trick or Treat
Trick or Treat for Halloween
Better give a treat that's good to eat
If you want to keep life serene

Trick or Treat (Trick or Treat)
Trick or Treat (Trick or Treat)
Trick or Treat the whole night through
Little scallawags
With fiendish gags
Can make it tough on you

So when ghosts and goblins by the score
Ring the bell on your front door
Better not be stingy or
Your nightmares will come true...

PART TWO - from 04m 06s to 04m 50s:

Trick or Treat
Trick or Treat
Trick or Treat for Halloween
When the pumpkin shells
Cast evil spells
Your little white house turns green
Your little white house turns green
Your little white house turns green

Every post
Is a ghost
If you've got a witch's brew
And if you want your gate to circulate
Ho ho! We can do that too!

Trick or Treat (Trick or Treat)
Trick or Treat (Trick or Treat)
Trick or Treat for Halloween
When ghosts and goblins by the score
Ring the bell on your front door
You'd better not be stingy or
Your nightmares will come true...

PART THREE - from 07m 46s to 08m 08s:

So when ghosts and goblins by the score
Ring your bell or pound your door
Better not be stingy or…

BOOO!

Since we're on the subject of the music from this animated short, now seems as good a time as any to share a screenshot image of the front cover to the sheet music of "Trick or Treat for Halloween" and, as an added bonus, an excerpt from the official comic book that features the words to the song being sung by a chorus of ghosts in the night sky, as 'Donald Duck' watches them from his window below:-

Donald Duck - Trick Or Treat (1952) [Sheet Music Cover]

Donald Duck - Trick Or Treat (1952) [Comic Book Art by Carl Barks]

*********************************************

Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Twelve' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" that you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Twelve' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim those lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - that I published twelve days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Eleven' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall that it featured a witch by the name of "Witch Hazel", involved in a tale that was set on Hallowe'en, who found herself in the midst of a "Trick or Treat" caper that required the use of a little magic to get by. Oddly enough, today's spooky short is also set on Hallowe'en and features a "Trick Or Treat" plotline that involves a character by the name of "Witch Hazel" but, instead of mixing potions to deal with a "quacking rogue" of a duck, this one has to contend with a rabbit who is dressed-up as a witch! :-O

Released on 25th February, and directed by "Chuck" Jones [aka Charles M. Jones] this vintage 'Looney Tunes' cartoon featured the voice characterisations of Mel Blanc, along with the musical direction of Milt Franklyn, and was produced by Warner Bros. Pictures Inc. prior to it's initial release in 1956... although the 'MCMLV' copyright date suggests it was completed in 1955, the year before:

The story (written by Tedd Pierce) begins with confirmation that it is set on 31st October, which has been marked on a calendar as "Halloween" and double-underlined so as to stress the importance of that date for the occupant of the house. This, we assume, must be 'Witch Hazel'... if the (admittedly) brief glimpse of the mailbox outside the house (during the opening credits) and the slightly longer look at a certificate from the "Malevolent Order of Witches" bearing her name are anything to go by...

When we get to see 'Witch Hazel' in person, she is busy at her cauldron - no doubt concocting some kind of strange brew - and singing-away to herself as she goes about her business. Listen closely to the lyrics and you will hear some of the "ingredients" that are (presumably) going into that hot pot:-

“A cup of arsenic, a spider, some glue…a lizard's gizzard, an eel's ear or two”

Not forgetting, of course, "for little folks, some poisoned oak" will no doubt have the desired effect! Having gathered the necessary ingredient, from her witch's larder of 'Toad Whortle', plus 'Wolf Bane', and such like... 'Witch Hazel' returns to her cauldron but, on the way back, she stops to enquire of the magic mirror on the wall as to "who is the ugliest one of all?" - no prizes for guessing that answer! ;-)

"For Little Folks, Some Poisoned Oak"... Or "Poison Ivy", If That's All You Have!

"Magic Mirror On The Wall... Who Is The Ugliest One Of All?"

This particular sequence reminds me a bit of "Snow White"... and it wouldn't surprise me to learn how this spooky short might well have parodied that particular Disney classic for this aspect of the story - either way, it's quite cleverly done... and the "Magic Mirror" does not disappoint her! :-D

"By my troth, I will avow, there's none that's uglier than thou!"

This news pleases 'Witch Hazel' no end, as she's afraid of getting pretty as she grows older... in fact, the very thought of being "pretty" tickles her pink, and she creases-up in a fit of laughter. Meanwhile we see a shadowy figure walking the path outside, who we soon discover to be that of 'Bugs Bunny' dressed-up to "Trick Or Treat" in a witch's mask, plus costume, and carrying his "candy bag" in front of him as he goes. Having stopped beside a mailbox belonging to 'Witch Hazel', he pauses to reflect on things and says: "Boy, this trick-or-treatin' is a pretty nice racket. Pity it only comes once a year!"

"Boy, this trick-or-treatin' is a pretty nice racket. Pity it only comes once a year!"

Needless to say, just as 'Witch Hazel' is wishing she had some "guests" to finish-up her "goop", there is a knock at the door... and when she answers, it's 'Bugs Bunny' with his mask back on, enquiring of her: "Evening, Granny... do you have any goodies for a Hallowe'en witch?" and so the story goes on. However, rather than reveal any more of the plot at this stage, why not watch it for yourselves? ;-) :-)

Unlike the previous videos that I've shared (thus far) in this series of posts, "Broom-Stick Bunny" did not seem to be available via 'YouTube' or 'Vimeo' and, as a result, the version I am sharing with you today is hosted on the 'Dailymotion' website. Of course, in addition to watching the embedded video of this cartoon right here on my blog, you can also choose to stream it on your phone or tablet by using the 'Dailymotion' app(s) for both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms on your mobile devices. For those who prefer to watch on their big screen television, there is also a private channel for 'Daily Motion' which is available using the "Add channel with a code" option, that can be found in the 'Manage Account' section of the Roku website. Just use ACCESS CODE: dailymotion to install it

DAILY MOTION PRIVATE CHANNEL..........................................ACCESS CODE: dailymotion

*** N.B. this channel can not be found within the built-in channel store on Roku devices !! ***

HINT: If you are uncertain as to how you go about installing a private channel on your Roku device, you will find full instructions in my "SPECIAL MONTH-LONG BLOGATHON PREVIEW" post as to what needs to be done. For those who may be worried about things being too "tech-y", there's not really much to it... and, once you have signed-in to your Roku account via a desktop web browser, it is quite a simple procedure to type in the (above) access code and have the app automatically added to the selection of channels found under the 'Home' screen of your Roku device(s). Should you have any difficulty, and are unable to finish the process with the instructions from my blogathon preview, just leave a comment below - saying what stage of the process you are stuck on - and I'll do my best to offer some further suggestions as to where you may be going wrong. If you're unable to install the 'Daily Motion' private channel, for whatever reason, you can always just watch the cartoon here! :-D

EXTRA TIP: The built-in 'Search' function within the private channel for 'Daily Motion' is a fairly basic affair and does not permit you to search easily by 'Username' - in this case: "bugs-bunny1", also known as "Bugs Bunny" - or the unique identifier (which is "x2oqe1k" for the video above) - so your best hope of finding "Broom-Stick Bunny" within the 'Daily Motion' private channel on your Roku device is to use the exact title provided by the uploader... so, in this case, you would need to type in all (or part) of the following text: "Bugs Bunny - Broom-Stick Bunny" which is shown (in full) across the middle of the embedded video included in this post. Experience has taught me that not all the video titles will be included within the 'Daily Motion' search results so, if you adopt the same method when searching for another video from their website, your chosen title may not show-up at all. That said, having personally tested this one myself, I can confirm that you will see it listed and that you should be able to stream it on Roku device(s) in it's entirety, without issues! :-)

On whichever platform you decide to watch this video, be sure to watch-out for the scene in which the curious 'Witch Hazel' is super keen to learn the ~~beauty~~ ugliness regimen of her guest and even goes so far as to say: "I warn you, dearie... I'm going to worm all your ugly secrets out of you!" then continues with the classic line: "Tell me. Who undoes your hair?", and so it goes on. In addition to the great exchanges of dialogue, there are some terrific sight gags as well as a few puns thrown-in just for good measure... with the afore-mentioned credentials from the "Malevolent Order of Witches" being a prime example of the many excellent touches added to this cartoon, aside from the animation itself. Surely one of the crowning glories has to be the vocal performance of June Foray who, if you recall, also provided her vocal talents for the other 'Witch Hazel' character in "Trick Or Treat" (1952) which I posted about yesterday. According to her audio commentary on the DVD box set, June Foray was not only the voice for 'Witch Hazel', but also the "model" for the "beautified" witch we see flying-off on her broomstick, being chased by the genie from the magic mirror at the end of this creepy classic!

*********************************************

Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Thirteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" that you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Hi, everyone !!

Much like with my 'Weekly RoundUp' from last week, due to having to publish an extra post today as part of my commitment to this year's "Countdown To Halloween" month-long blogathon, I'm once more going to have to delay my coverage of all the Roku-specific and/or Roku-related news from the past seven days until I can find the time to catch-up on what's "missing" from this first edition of the current 'Weekly RoundUp' post. As has become the norm, under these circumstances, I have (at least) provided you with a complete list of all the latest new additions to the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store from the last week. With any luck, I'll be able to compile these introductory paragraphs of news stories bit-by-bit, over the course of the next two or three days so, if you check this post again in a few days, you should (hopefully) find it's been updated - if not, I'll get round to it as & when I can! ;-)

Anyway, with no other Roku-related news to share with you at this time, I'm now going to focus on the equally important matter of bringing you details for all the latest new Roku channels (apps) which were released during the seven days since my last 'Weekly RoundUp' post was published and, with a decent crop of forty new Roku channels to browse through, that should be more than enough to keep you occupied while I assemble the odd snippets of Roku-related news I found for you this week! :-)

Firstly, though, I'd just like to mention (on a not entirely un-related note) that I have now added links to some (though, still not all) of the 'Roku Guide' reviews that were previously "missing" for many of the new Roku channels released in the last few weeks... most of the additions were for Roku channels that were released two weeks ago but there were also a dozen or so added to my 'Weekly RoundUp' post from last week so, if you'd like to see an independent appraisal of those apps, be sure to check-out the relevant posts (see links above), which (themselves) contains a link to the previous week's post (and so-on, and so-forth), for details of where to find them. Unfortunately, there are more "missing" links to 'Roku Guide' reviews for all but one of the new Roku apps that were published in the last seven days... which means, much like many other posts from recent months, I am going to have to leave it for you to access those on your own. As of seven months ago, you can choose to do that either via the built-in channel store on your Roku device(s)... or else, by following the links in each post to the relevant channel description(s) from the Roku Web Channel Store. Meanwhile, once the "missing" reviews have been published by 'Roku Guide', I will (as I have done previously) ensure that I add the relevant links to each post. Apologies (as always) for any inconvenience that may be caused by the absence of active links to an independent review for so many of these new apps but, like I say, it's entirely out of my hands. Hopefully they'll get chance to catch-up on them sometime in the coming week, because otherwise I may have to start doing my own reviews!?! :-O ;-) :-)

Still, back to the list... which, as always, will help you to identify the very latest apps that have been added to Roku devices in the UK. Other websites offering Roku channel listings will base their contents on the Roku USA Channel Store, which means they also include apps that are unavailable to UK Roku users. So, like I've said before... if you really want to know what's available channel-wise, for owners of Roku devices in the UK, you need to be reading this blog each and every week! ;-) :-)

With twice the number of active links to check out, not just for this week... but each and every post that has been previously published as part of my 'Weekly RoundUp' series over the last five years, there's a *lot* of reading to catch-up on. So, without further ado, here's my 'Weekly RoundUp' of all new Roku channels released between 7th October 2018 and 13th October 2018:-

DESI TV USA..............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

PLEASE NOTE:- That, because the above channel was originally released as a "US-only" Roku app back in February 2017, 'Desi TV USA' is not listed within the "Just Added" category (i.e. genre) of the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store. This means you will need to look for it in the "International" category if you wish to locate it within the built-in channel store - found under "Streaming Channels" from the main menu on the 'Home' screen of Roku streaming media players - but the quickest way to find and install this app is to search for it by name, using the cross-platform Roku 'Search' function, via either the 'Home' screen menu or the 'Channel Store' menu, of compatible Roku devices. That or click the link above (below, and to the left of) the channel icon for 'Desi TV USA', to be taken to the relevant page of the Roku Web Channel Store, so you can add it to your Roku account online, just as you can by following a similar process with any of the channels in this 'Weekly RoundUp' post! ;-) :-)

FUTURISM..............................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCI & TECH" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

KAPANG TV..........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

RATHERGOOD....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

ASHLYE KYLE TV..................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

CASH BUYERS AND SELLERS.....................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "APPS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

DRIVE-IN FILM....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

NAPULE 4 YOU..........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

PCHATMAN NETWORK............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

NATHAN KRESS.................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

PIRATE SHIPS....................................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

ECUADOR TV........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

PARACHUTE SWOOPING.......................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPECIAL INTEREST" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

BEST SEAFOOD RECIPES.................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FOOD" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

SOPHISTICATED APE RADIO PLUS.................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

SPAIN.............................................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

OWLS..............................................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

KSUN TV CITY OF SUN PRAIRIE WI...................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "NEWS & WEATHER" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

PERÚ TV................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

NCCAA NETWORK..............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPORTS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

FLY FISHING SCREENSAVER..........COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

APEX SPORTS.......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SPORTS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

HAITIAN MOBILE TV................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

SPOOKY HALLOWEEN...................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

FLOWERING HERBS........................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

BOLIVIA TV...........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

GOLF SCREENSAVER......................COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

SILMO.....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "INTERNATIONAL" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

THE ARCHIVE......................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

THE GRAPEVINE.................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

BIRD HUNTING SCREENSAVER.....COST: £1.49 (ONE-OFF PAYMENT) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "SCREENSAVERS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN RELEASED***

EXETER TV - TOWN OF EXETER, NH.............................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

LANORA MEANS MINISTRIES..........................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

PLEASE NOTE:- There was a previous "US-only" channel, also called "LaNora Means Ministries", for which the 'Roku Guide' review can be found here. At this moment in time, however, there doesn't appear to be an equivalent 'Roku Guide' review for the latest incarnation of this channel. Needless to say, given the channel icon [aka 'HD Poster' image] is the same for both versions, the likelihood is the original review will apply equally well for the newer one as it does for the initial release. Meanwhile, if a new and/or revised 'Roku Guide' review does get published, I'll add a link to update this article.

MOTHERS BBQ.................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FOOD" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

PLEASE NOTE:- That, in addition to the above 'Mothers BBQ' channel, there is an existing app for a similarly named Roku channel, called "Mother's BBQ" (with an apostrophe), and much like the app for "LaNora Means Ministries" (outlined above) a 'Roku Guide' review of the original channel can be found online here. Again... there doesn't appear to be an equivalent 'Roku Guide' review for the latest incarnation of this channel so, given the app icon [aka 'HD Poster' image] is also the same for both versions of this Roku channel, the likelihood is that the original review will apply equally well for the newer one as it does for the initial release. As before, if a new and/or revised 'Roku Guide' review is published, at any time in the future, I will be sure to add the "missing" link to update this article.

AYITI TV BOX.....................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "MUSIC" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

BODY FX...........................COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FITNESS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

SUPREME MASTER TV..............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "LIFESTYLE" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

A CLEAR TRUMPET.............................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "RELIGIOUS" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

RETRO COMEDY HALLOWEEN THEATER......COST: £0.69 (ONE-OFF FEE) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FILM & TV" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

AHLTV (ICE HOCKEY)....COST: FREE (n.b. may require additional fees) [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "FITNESS" in the Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

ADDITIONAL INFO:- The 'AHL' (American Hockey League) is a professional ice hockey league, based in the United States and Canada, that serves as the primary developmental league for the 'NHL' (National Hockey League). Since the 2010–11 season, every single team in the AHL has an affiliation agreement with one 'NHL' team… so if you're a fan of the AHL / NHL, or ice hockey in general, this is probably another channel you won't want to miss - you can install it online via the link above! :-D

The creation of AHLTV marks the latest expansion of the American Hockey League's long-standing relationship with HockeyTech. You'll find a full schedule for AHLTV published on the AHL website.

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

...and welcome to 'Day Thirteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim those lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - that I published thirteen days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Twelve' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall that it featured a witch, by the name of "Witch Hazel", who (at the start of the cartoon) was brewing-up some "goup" in a cauldron. Like most (if not all) witches, she was being kept company by a cat who was doubtless enjoying the warmth of the fire beneath the cauldron. Anyhow, since cats have been the object for much of the mystique surrounding Hallowe'en, I thought I'd make them the subject of my creepy cartoon classic for today's post. The fact that it's also 'Day 13', with echoes of "lucky thirteen" and all the good & bad luck that has been attributed to our feline ~~overlords~~ friends down the years, only added weight to the argument for sharing this piece of animation on a day such as this! :-D

"Look Into My Eyes, Look Into My Eyes... You Are Feeling Sleepy!"

Today's animated short comes from 'Season 2' of "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" series but, rather than share the whole animated film - which runs to almost an hour - I'm going to focus on just a small five-minute segment of it. Besides which, not all of "The Great Cat Family" (1956) can be considered worthy of inclusion in a Halloween-themed post anyway... because the host talks about the wider cat "family", primarily focusing on lions and domestic cats, for the majority of the episode. So, instead, we're going to concentrate on the specific part of the history and folklore of felines that deals with their association to witchcraft, the supernatural, and their role during the Black Plague! :-O

Rats Devoured Food Supplies... And Spread The "Black Death"!

During the Middle Ages, cats were commonplace... but, aside from their role as a domestic pet, their service to mankind reached almost immeasurable proportions. In fact, their contribution was so great that it actually changed the course of human history! Although almost one quarter of the population in Europe was wiped-out, during the time of the Black Plague, the death toll would have been much higher were it not for the help of our feline friends in ridding our towns and cities of these vermin!

Graveyards Were Full To Capacity... Such Was The Devastation Of The Plague!

The rats killed more people during that time than have died during all of the wars in known history.
Mankind's greatest single weapon against this army of death and destruction was the cat. Naturally equipped for hunting in the dark underworld of the rat, cats would use their sensitive whiskers to feel their way through the darkness... and used their velvet paws to creep-up silently on their prey! :-D

The Shadow Of A Cat Stalking It's Prey Into The Cellar!

Had the many millions of rats been left to multiply, they could have completely overrun civilisation. However, cats were not always rewarded for their service to humankind. There was a black chapter in history when they were condemned and persecuted. A dark age when the world was haunted by fear and superstition. During those times, it was believed that evil spirits travelled the earth in human form and thousands of innocent people were either hanged, or burned at the stake, for witchcraft or sorcery. They were persecuted by the ignorant and the superstitious, with idle gossip growing into wild rumours that quickly spread through towns and villages. Another example of the general ignorance which abounded in those times was the belief that storms were caused by those possessed of supernatural powers and that anyone who travelled by night could be accused of black magic! :-O

The Gallows Awaited Those Who Were Condemned to Death for Practicing Witchcraft!

Storms Were Caused By People Who Possessed Supernatural Powers...

...And Night Was The Time Of Evil Spirits And Witchcraft!

As creatures of the night, this led to cats being eyed with suspicion... and there were many folk who believed that their silent and mysterious ways were a result of evil spirits. It was widely thought that the steady, soul-piercing gaze of a cat was the work of the devil. Even something as innocent as a cat suddenly leaping into the air having felt a hot coal brush against it, as it fell from the hearth, could be the start of another demonic tale of evil-doing, as you will see when you watch this cartoon classic:-

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted thirteen days ago... to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that walks you through the process step-by-step! ;-)

A Black Cat Is Startled By A Hot Coal Tumbling Out Of The Fireplace... And Leaps Into The Air!

Which The Old Maid Sees As: "All At Once, He Turned Into A Terrible Demon!"

...And So, Cast Out As "The Devil", The Cat Seeks Solace In A Tree!

Of course, it didn't just end there... oh, no! Once the word got around, cats were condemned as devils and consequently blamed for all the evils of the world. Hundreds of witch hunters then set-out to kill these witches and demons whom they deemed to be "wearing the form of a cat" - poor kitties! :-(

Once Worshipped As A God... The Cat Was Condemned As A Devil

Witch-Hunters Set Out To Destroy These Witches And Demons Wearing The Form Of A Cat

During this reign of terror, hundreds of thousands of cats perished... and the domestic cat, as we know it, was (at that time) threatened with extinction. Fortunately for us, some did survive to carry on their species and resume their rightful place within human society. Not forgetting the legacy of spooky stories they've been involved with, that make each and every Hallowe'en a lot more fun! :-D

A Witch Leans On Her Broom... Gazing Down At Her Black Cat [Vintage Hallowe'en Postcard]

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a promotional poster for "The Great Cat Family" (1956)... but I did come across an image of the front cover from a Disney comic book that was published to go along with the episode. I've also thrown-in some other cat-related Hallowe'en imagery... including some more still frame images from today's creepy cartoon classic, as well as a few odds and ends such as Halloween die-cut decorations, plus a vintage-styled enamel pin that I spotted in a 'Google Image' search while researching this article... and thought they matched the overall theme of the post! ;-) :-)

Walt Disney's "The Great Cat Family" (1956) [Dell Comic Book Cover]

Beistle Black Cat Retro-Style Enamel Pin [Vintage Halloween Accessory]

Many Believed The Cats' Silent And Mysterious Ways Were The Result Of Evil Spirits!

"It Was The Evil Eye, I Tell You!"

"The Steady, Soul-Piercing Gaze Of A Cat Must Be The Work Of The Devil!"

Beistle Die-Cut Black Cat Wall Decoration (1968) [Vintage Halloween Decor]

If for nothing else, I hope you enjoyed the gorgeous vintage animation in today's spooky short. I know it wasn't a complete cartoon, as per the others I've shared previously in this blogathon, but the colours used for the visuals in this segment of "The Great Cat Family" just had something about them which oozed Hallowe'en and, with the added bonus of being somewhat educational, I thought there was sufficient "spook" factor in this piece of animation for it to merit inclusion in this series of posts!

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Fourteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" that you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

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Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

...and welcome to 'Day Fourteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim those lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - that I published fourteen days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my post from 'Day Thirteen' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall that it featured a cat which got a nasty fright while curled-up in front of the fireplace. Anyway, believe it or not, today's creepy cartoon classic features another "Fraidy Cat" in the form of a very familiar old cartoon character: Tom (the cat) who, while listening to the radio in the comfort of the living room, is so shaken-up by the "Witching Hour" story that Jerry (the mouse) decides to play on his fears! :-O :-)

Co-directed by William Hanna with Joseph Barbera and first released in theatres on 17th January, 1942 this "Fraidy Cat" episode of "Tom and Jerry" was produced by Fred Quimby on behalf of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer company, with colour by Technicolor, and has the dubious honour of being the first "Tom and Jerry" cartoon in which 'Tom' can be heard to yelp in pain. Hardly surprising given how this spooky short begins with a "horror" story that has quite a dramatic effect on poor old Tom!

Tom Is Terrified By The Ghostly Tale On The Radio...

It's Enough To Make Your Hair Stand On End...

Send Icy Shivers Down Your Spine...

...And Cause Your Heart To Leap Into Your Throat !!

Jerry, meanwhile, has been observing the whole thing and is quietly laughing away to himself. As the "Witching Hour" radio show reaches it's grim conclusion, 'Tom' makes a dash for cover as he hears an evil scream and winds-up hiding in a vase of flowers... presumably feeling he'll be safer in there? :-/ Continuing to listen, from the "safety" of the vase, the titular "Fraidy Cat" sighs with relief when the radio host says: "And that, my dear children, concludes this evening's Witching Hour" but has to gulp before managing a nodded "yes" to the final question: "And you do believe in ghosts...don't you?" :-O

Jerry Finds It Highly Amusing That Tom Is Such A "Fraidy Cat"

While A Terrified Tom Tries To Make A Brave Face Of It...

Before Hiding In A Vase - "They Won't Get Me In Here... Will They?"

"And You Do Believe In Ghosts... Don't You?"

Sensing Tom's continued state of anxiety, he decides to have some fun and torment the "Fraidy Cat" even further. Making his way over to the window... he pulls on the roller blind, over-extending it and causing the blind to snap shut and spin round on itself. The resultant flapping noise scares 'Tom' who goes into hiding once more. Eventually he realises what had given him such a start and breathes a sigh of relief that it was not (as he had first thought) a ghost. Further shenanigans follow when 'Jerry' spots 'Tom' curled-up on a radiator and seizes the opportunity to fully open the valve which leads to a cloud of hot steam rising-up and scorching poor old 'Tom' on the back. He leaps into the air and yelps out loud in pain, then runs towards a closet - panting heavily as he clings to the door - and tries to calm down again. Behind him is an upright vacuum cleaner, covered in an old night-shirt, that looks rather ghost-like even though it's totally lifeless at this point. Nevertheless, it's enough to give 'Jerry' more food for thought... and he plays with the switch, making the vacuum cleaner turn on and off so as to make the night-shirt move, bringing the "ghost" to life in both sight and sound. Hearing these scary noises behind him, but without turning around, 'Tom' knows something very terrifying is there. After making several panicked gestures towards the "ghost", the "Fraidy Cat" faints so 'Jerry' stops the vacuum and goes to bring 'Tom' round again by spraying water on him. Woken suddenly, 'Tom' spits water from his mouth, and shakes it from his ears, before sighing with relief that the noise had stopped. However, it wasn't long before 'Jerry' had brought the "ghost" to life again... only this time, he pushes it towards 'Tom' - who thinks he's being chased by the ghost - and his tail gets sucked-up by the vacuum cleaner. It's not long before all of his "nine lives" are sucked out of him too... but, to find out if 'Tom' survives this ghostly encounter, you'll just have to watch today's cartoon classic:-

Unlike the previous videos that I've shared (thus far) in this series of posts, "Fraidy Cat" (1942) did not seem to be available via 'YouTube' and, as a result, the version I am sharing with you today is hosted on the 'Vimeo' website. Of course, in addition to watching this embedded video of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your phone or tablet by using the 'Vimeo' app(s) for both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms on your mobile devices. For those who prefer to watch on their big screen television, there is also a Roku channel for 'Vimeo' which is available via the built-in 'Channel Store', found under "Streaming Channels" from the 'Home' menu of your Roku streaming media player, and the channel icon [aka 'HD Poster' image] to look out for is as follows:-

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Fifteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" that you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

...and welcome to 'Day Fifteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim those lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - that I published fifteen days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you happen to have read my earlier posts from 'Day Thirteen' and 'Day Fourteen' of this month-long blogathon, you might recall that they each featured cats which were suffering some form of torment, be it real or done in jest. Either way, I've decided that today's creepy cartoon classic will be one which gives cats the upper hand in what goes on. Much like a cat will chase a mouse or a rat, it is quite a common sight for a dog to be seen chasing a cat... but, for today's spooky short, we see one rather well-known canine get his comeuppance for kitty-chasing in "Pluto's Judgement Day"! :-O

Released on 31st August 1935 as another "Mickey Mouse" cartoon, this Walt Disney produced short was actually more of a vehicle for "Pluto the Pup" - his canine companion - with 'Mickey' having no more than a "cameo" in this particular piece of animation. Directed by David Hand, who had already shown his affinity for macabre themes in an earlier animated short called "The Mad Doctor" (1933), "Pluto's Judgement Day" is another prime example of the darker, more disturbing works of animation with which Disney were associated in the years prior to "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937). Even the moody organ music, that alternates with the usual (more jazzy) score, which can be heard over the opening credits hints that the viewer is in for no ordinary "Mickey and Pluto" story... while newly-introduced (at the time) character, "The Calico Kit", ensures Pluto's place in the doghouse! :-)

The Calico Kit Leads Pluto Into A Whole Heap Of Trouble !!

What starts out as a seemingly obvious tale of "dog chases cat" soon takes a darker tone when that chase results in a broken window on Mickey's house and the newspaper - which 'Mickey' was reading at the time - left with a giant gaping hole torn right through the middle of it... not to mention plenty of muddy paw prints (from both puppy and kitten) all over the carpet - and all over 'Mickey'! :-O :-D

The Calico Kit Leaps Through An Open Window To Escape...

But Knocks The Wood Below The Window... Causing It To Slam Shut Right Before Pluto !!

But It Was Too Late For Pluto To Stop... And He Smashes Through The Window !!

Then Goes Right Through Mickey's Newspaper... Still In Pursuit Of The Calico Kit !!

Until Mickey Steps-In And Rescues The Calico Kit !!

Before Scolding Pluto For Chasing The Poor Little Kitty !!

Very Much In The Dog House, Pluto Decides To Take A Nap !!

At this point, you could be forgiven for thinking that this is all very run-of-the-mill stuff... and not really suited for Hallowe'en viewing. However, you could not be more wrong... because much like us, when we go to sleep, anything weighing on the sub-conscious mind can lead to bad dreams - or even nightmares, in the worst cases - and that's just what happens to 'Pluto' in this dark & disturbing short. Not long after he goes to sleep, 'Pluto' starts to dream and is visited by a "ghost cat" who lures him out of the house to a place that can only be described as a "Devil-Cat" version of "Castle Greyskull" where he is swallowed-up into a dark cave before descending, in a helter-skelter like fashion, to the depths of the earth. Once he has come to a stop, he is quickly marked-out as "Public Enemy No.1" and clapped in irons (with a series of ball & chain restraints) before then being put on trial in front of an all-feline judge & jury with demon-like 'Cat Prosecutor' whose ears stick up like little devil horns. The outcome seems to be a foregone conclusion, with a "loaded" jury and a menacing prosecutor who makes it clear in no uncertain terms saying: "We're gonna prove ya guilty. Just try and get acquitted"!

In His Dreams, Pluto Is Visited By A Ghost Cat... Who Lures Him Down To Kitty-Cat Hell !!

...Which Just Happens To Look Like Castle Greyskull... Stone-Cold "Devil Cat" Version !!

Once Inside The Evil Feline Lair... Pluto Is Quickly Marked-Out As "Public Enemy No.1"

...And Shackled With A Snake-Like Series Of "Ball & Chain" Restraints!!

Chained To A Rock, Pluto Must Face A Demonic Cat Jury !!

Plus A Demon-Like 'Cat Prosecutor', Dressed In Red... With Ears Like Devil Horns !!

With the cat jurors hissing their disapproval for Pluto, following the warning by the 'Cat Prosecutor', the 'Cat Judge' then yells down from on high to "Swear-In The Prisoner" and the trial proper begins. The whole thing is conducted in a "Silly Symphony"style, with plenty of rhyme and song to go along with the gorgeous animation. Aside from the beautiful backgrounds, the sequence is shot with stark use of lighting to produce the long shadow effect that's more synonymous with "Film Noir" and/or the "Universal" horror classics than with what we have come to associate with Disney since then. All of this combines to truly make it feel like the stuff of nightmares... and that's what makes it great! :-D

The Cat Jury Hisses Their Disapproval For Pluto... Before The Trial Has Even Begun !!

Then The Cat Judge Yells "Swear-In The Prisoner"... And The Trial Gets Underway !!

Rather than reveal any more of the plot at this stage, I thought I'd leave it for you to hear the case for the prosecution - together with the whole string of "evidence" presented by a series of key witnesses - by watching the video I've embedded below. That way, you'll know the whole backstory prior to the jury convening, at the end of the hearing, to determine the ultimate fate of 'Pluto' when the sentence is passed by the 'Cat Judge' once the members of the all-feline jury have revealed their findings:-

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on my blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted fifteen days ago... to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that walks you through the process step-by-step! ;-)

“Sic Semper Tyrannis”... Or, "Ever thus to tyrants" !!

Meanwhile, in terms of memorabilia associated with this title, although I came up short in my attempt to find an original film poster for "Pluto's Judgement Day" (1935) - i.e. one that dated from the time period during which it was originally released - I did manage to find some good images of an original production animation drawing that was auctioned by Howard Lowery. Sadly, given the context of this post, the photos feature 'Mickey Mouse' rather than 'Pluto', or the 'Cat Prosecutor', or any of the other feline characters from this short, but I thought I'd include them anyway as a point of interest! ;-) :-)

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Sixteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" that you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

...and welcome to 'Day Sixteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim those lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - that I published sixteen days ago, you will know that I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my previous post from 'Day Fifteen' of this month-long blogathon, you might recall that it featured a doggie in distress by the name of 'Pluto' who was having a bit of a nightmare. By sheer coincidence, today's creepy cartoon classic also features a doggie in distress... although the underworld he is drawn into revolves around a secret society, rather than a demonic cat colony, but they are no less vicious or cruel - as you'll soon find out when you watch "Bimbo's Initiation"! :-O ;-)

Released on 24th July 1931, and directed by Dave Fleischer, this Max Fleischer produced animated short starred 'Bimbo' the dog alongside 'Betty Boop' plus a host of other characters who made-up the "Mystic Order of the Koo-Koo-Ma-Hatcha" - a secret society who also claimed (during the chorus in the title sequence) to be "...members of Do-It-Or-Die!" - and, boy, does this one get dark fast! :-O

Sure, things start-out innocent enough... with 'Bimbo' pictured whistling away to himself as he skips along the street to his own merry beat but then, all of a sudden, he disappears down a manhole and is subsequently locked-in by a cheeky chap (who, incidentally, bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain 'Mickey Mouse' character) that uses a giant padlock to ensure that 'Bimbo' can't climb out of the hole. Not that he stood a chance of doing-so when he was sliding at break-neck speed down a chute that looked like it was bound for nowhere but hell - and how true that turned-out to be! :-O :-D

Bimbo Steps On A Loose Manhole Cover... And Quickly Disappears Below Ground!

...Then A Character Resembling 'Mickey Mouse' Makes Sure He Stays There!

Meanwhile Bimbo Slides Uncontrollably Down A Long, Winding (And Bumpy) Chute!

It wasn't so much that 'Bimbo' slipped down into "Hell" but rather that the sinister figures who would soon greet him as he reached the bottom of the chute, with a hefty thump, were fully prepared to put him through hell if he didn't agree to become a member of their secret society. When 'Bimbo' lands in the midst of their underground clubhouse, he has good cause to be alarmed. The bearded members of the secret order are stood around him, each holding a board with a large nail protruding from the end, and with candles melted on top of their heads they look fairly menacing. Almost immediately, one of the fraternity asks 'Bimbo' to join them, saying: "Wanna be a member? Wanna be a member?", but the petrified pooch replies, "No!", and (in retrospect) this turns out to have been thewronganswer! :-O

"By the mystic order of the… Koo-Koo-Ma-Hatcha! Koo-Koo-Ma-Hatcha!"

"Wanna be a member? Wanna be a member?"

When Bimbo Refuses To Join, He Is Ejected From Their Clubhouse...

But, When He Turns Around To Make For The Exit... He Is Prevented From Leaving!

And The Members Of The Secret Order Gather To Laugh At His Misfortune!

As it turns out, this is just the start of his ordeal... because, from this point on, Bimbo is put through a series of hellish situations that I can only liken to something from the movie "Inception", in so much as nothing is what it seems as 'Bimbo' makes his way from room to room enduring all kinds of hell. If you think of it as being like a shorter version of the horror film, "Saw", but in a 'cartoon' format, then you will be on the right lines to know what kind of viewing experience you are letting yourself in for. As 'Bimbo' attempts to flee the nightmarish world he now finds himself in, he must endure a number of "Jigsaw" styled torture rooms that feature a series of deathtraps ranging from decapitation by axe, to being crushed by moving walls and, in another nod to "Inception", a spinning room with the added danger of a "man-eating" knife that comes through the wall. Every door that 'Bimbo' goes through in this house of horrors only leads to another potential pitfall, with seemingly no prospect of escape. To see if 'Bimbo' makes it through in one piece, press "Play" and enjoy today's creepy cartoon classic:-

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted sixteen days ago... to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that walks you through the process step-by-step! ;-)

YOUTUBE..........................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

On whichever platform you decide to stream this video, watch out for the scene where 'Bimbo' has to choose between four doors in order to escape the room he's in. One of them opens to reveal a skeleton on the phone, much like if he was in a phone box (i.e. a phone booth) back in the day, and before the door closes again we hear him say: "Mae, I've got a bone to pick with you!", which was actually put in as a name-check to Mae Questel - who provided the voice characterisation for 'Betty Boop' in this cartoon - and, when you get to see 'Betty Boop' look-out for her dog-like ears and nose... which were a feature in her earlier animated shorts, before the switch was made to the now familiar earrings that she still wears to this day. It could be argued that 'Betty Boop' showing-up at the end to perform her dance routine was as much of an ordeal for 'Bimbo' as any of the tortures he'd suffered previously... but, as far as I'm concerned, 'Betty' should be applauded for introducing the idea of "twerking" when she begins her little "booty-shaking" session just prior to the ending of this spooky animated short! ;-)

Despite the light-hearted conclusion, however, this Fleischer Studios "Talkartoons" animated cartoon short will be remembered for the surreal, nightmarish atmosphere it brought to our screens. In what was to be the final "Betty Boop" cartoon to be animated by the character's co-creator, Grim Natwick, they managed to produce what Leonard Maltin described as "the 'darkest' of all" Fleischer cartoons. As recently as 1994 - over sixty years after it's initial release - "Bimbo's Initiation" was voted-in at #37 of the "50 Greatest Cartoons of All Time" by members of the animation industry and doubtless was an inspiration to many of them. Given how Steven Spielberg thought enough of this short to add a segment of it to "Twighlight Zone - The Movie", you know this marks it out as one of the classics!

Another interesting aspect of this animated short is the reference to a secret society, which seems to reflect the connection between Max Fleischer and Walt Disney in so much as Disney was a member of the 'Freemasons', while Fleischer was not. According to some sources, Fleischer was approached to join but said "no" to the offer... which might explain why Disney went on to be the more successful of the two one-time colleagues. It might also account for the 'Mickey Mouse' lookalike who locks the manhole cover shut after 'Bimbo' disappears down it during the opening sequence? Whatever the real reason for featuring among the plot-lines for "Bimbo's Initiation", it made for a great story! ;-) :-)

One last point I would like to draw your attention to, in respect of this particular animated short, is how the meaning of the word "Bimbo" has changed over the years. At the time this cartoon was made in the 1930's, it was a slang term for a "tough guy" - or, in this case, a dog - who enjoyed fighting. In more recent years, of course, it has taken-on an altogether different meaning... and, given the facts, it makes you wonder whether the association with 'Bimbo' (the dog) and 'Betty Boop', being the type of character she was/is, didn't somehow effect the change of use resulting in how we use the term now.

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of film history, when I share a slightly longer MIDWEEK MEGATOON for 'Day 17' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" that you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

... and welcome to 'Day Seventeen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated shorts that have been released throughout the course of film history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim down the lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published seventeen days ago, you'll know I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my posts from 'Day Three' and 'Day Ten' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall that they each featured a slightly longer animated short film than the usual creepy classics (of around 5-10 minutes) which I've been sharing on most days in this series of posts. The reason for this is that I decided to dedicate each Wednesday to what I'm calling my "MIDWEEK MEGATOON" and these films will typically be in the region of 20-30 minutes duration. Last week was a seventies Halloween cartoon, called "Witch's Night Out", from Canada... but this week I'm going to share one of my favourite animated specials from the nineties, entitled "A Pinky And The Brain Halloween"!

Released on 19th October 1997, and directed by Kirk Tingblad, it was based on a storyline written by Wendell Morris and Tom Sheppard, while featuring Maurice LaMarche as (the voice of) 'The Brain', Rob Paulsen as (the voice of) 'Pinky', plus Garry Marshall as (the voice of) 'Mr. Itch' [aka 'The Devil'] with Roddy McDowall as (the voice of) 'Snowball', John Tesh (as himself), Jeff Glen Bennett as (the voice of) 'Baloney', Billy West as (the voice of) 'The Receptionist', and Tress MacNeille as (the voice of) 'Greta', not forgetting the musical contribution of Carl Johnson and Tim Kelly for the theme tune.

The story begins with various kids out to "Trick or Treat" their neighbours on the night of Halloween but, before too long, we see some of the children being hypnotised by a pumpkin which had started to talk to them as they set-off down the path. It turns out that this pumpkin is connected to an elaborate network, called the "Jackolantronic Broadcasting System", which 'The Brain' is using from his base at the 'Acme Labs Pumpkin Patch' to turn all of the trick or treaters into "unwitting puppets" as part of his "intricate scheme of world domination", brainwashing each and every one of them into believing his message that "...I Am The Brain, And You Will Do Whatever I Say!" :-O ;-) :-D

The Kids Get Hypnotised By A Talking Pumpkin, As They "Trick Or Treat" Door-To-Door !!

"I Am The Brain... And You Will Do Whatever I Say!"

Meanwhile, Back At The Acme Labs Pumpkin Patch...

...Pinky And The Brain Use Their Jackolantronic Broadcasting System To Control The Kids!

However, in typical "Pinky And The Brain" fashion, it doesn't take long for the two of them to be at loggerheads about an explosive overload - caused by 'Pinky' getting chocolate on the transmitter - and the two mice are forced to postpone their plan for "world domination" until they manage to get things up & running again. While 'Brain' pontificates over the preparations that are needed, the mice become aware of a stranger sitting nearby who greets them, and introduces himself as 'Mr. Itch', before giving them a demonstration of his supernatural powers. He then offers to give 'Brain' complete control over the world, in exchange for his soul... because, as it says on his business card, 'Mr. Itch' is a proprietor of lost souls - and he's prepared to do anything to seal the deal - being the devil that he is! :-O ;-) :-D

An Explosive Overload, Caused By Pinky's Chocolate, Brings A Premature End To Their Plans!

While They Prepare To Get Set-Up For Another Attempt, They Encounter A Stranger...

Who Introduces Himself As "Mister Itch", And Demonstrates His Powers...

Before Offering 'Brain' Control Of The World... In Exchange For His Soul!

Although tempted by the offer, 'Brain' thinks long and hard about the consequences of effectively selling his soul in exchange for control of the world and ultimately chooses not to accept. However, not long afterwards, he finds himself the undisputed, beloved ruler of the planet and can't think why. Then 'The Brain' discovers that his friend 'Pinky' signed a contract with 'Mr. Itch' to give his soul up so 'Brain' could fulfil his dream of world domination. Needless to say, it isn't long before 'Mr. Itch' calls to collect on the deal and 'Pinky' is taken away to spend a eternity of torture in 'Hades' but, with no 'Pinky' by his side, 'The Brain' soon realises that life isn't quite so fulfilling as "King of the World" without his friend there to share it with him. In the end, he decides to go and rescue 'Pinky' from the torments of hell but, to discover if he succeeded in his quest, you'll need to watch the video below:-

Unlike previous videos I've shared in this series of posts, "A Pinky And The Brain Halloween" did not seem to be available via 'YouTube' and, as a result, the version I am sharing with you today is hosted on the 'Vimeo' website. Of course, in addition to watching this embedded video of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your phone or tablet by using the 'Vimeo' app(s) for both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms on your mobile devices. For those who prefer to watch on their big screen television, there is also a Roku channel for 'Vimeo' which is available via the built-in 'Channel Store', found under "Streaming Channels" from the 'Home' menu of your Roku streaming media player, and the channel icon [aka 'HD Poster' image] to look out for is as follows:-

VIMEO....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]

***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***

TOP TIP: The built-in 'Search' function within the Roku channel for 'Vimeo' is a fairly basic affair and does not permit you to search easily by 'Username' - in this case: "user20516127", also known as "HalloweenShows.net" - or the unique identifier (which is "73726196" for the video shown above) - so your best hope of finding this "Pinky And The Brain" episode within the 'Vimeo' channel on your Roku device is to use the exact title provided by the uploader... so, in this case, you would need to type in all (or part) of the following: "Pinky And The Brain - A Pinky And The Brain Halloween" which is shown (in full) across the top of the embedded video included in this post. Experience has taught me that not all the video titles will be included within the 'Vimeo' search results so, if you adopt the same method when searching for another video from their website, your chosen title may not show-up at all. That said, having personally tested this one myself, I can confirm that you will see it listed among the 'Search' results on your screen if you type-in "Pinky And The Brain Halloween" (you can ignore the rest) and that it should stream on your Roku device(s) without any issues! ;-) :-)

On whichever platform you decide to watch this video, be sure to keep an eye out for all the hidden references in this creepy cartoon classic. For starters, in the very first shot of the opening sequence, there is a street sign which says "Tingblad Dr" (short for "Tingblad Drive", in case you're wondering) and, as mentioned previously, 'Tingblad' (or, "Kirk Tingblad", to be even more precise) was the man who directed this animated film. My guess is... that it's a lot easier to get a street named after you in your own cartoon than it is in real life - even so, it's a pretty nice touch from the animators. Not long after that, you'll see a reference to a sixties cartoon series, called "The Flintstones", with one of the kids dressed-up as 'Fred Flintstone' as he crosses the street to "Trick or Treat" at the next house. Also, if you look in the upper right corner (during the scene with 'Fred Flintstone' crossing the road) you'll see two more kids in costume: one dressed head-to-toe in pink, and; the other looking like a brain. In case you hadn't guessed it, this was a reference to "Pinky And The Brain" - the two mice who starred in today's creepy cartoon classic episode: "A Pinky And The Brain Halloween"! :-) As if that wasn't enough, there's another reference (this time included in the dialogue) where, as three kids discuss what's been put in their "Trick or Treat" bags, one of them - who has liquid seeping through the bottom of his bag - says "I got a bowl of soup!"... which parodies the line: "I got a rock!" that was used for "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966). To emphasise the reference, the kid is also dressed-up in a ghost costume - just like the one worn by 'Charlie Brown' over 30-years before! :-D

"TINGBLAD DR" Street Sign - Named After Director Kirk Tingblad

Fred Flintstone of "The Flintstones" (Bottom Right) / Pinky And The Brain (Upper Right)

Kid In Ghost Costume: "I Got A Bowl Of Soup!"

- Parodies "I Got A Rock!" From "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" -

There were a couple more kids shown during this "Trick Or Treat" sequence that I wasn't able to get a reference for... you'll see them in the centre right hand side of the screenshot below. Unfortunately there is no way to get a better view of them, since they are only in the shot for a fraction of a second, but one of them seems to be wearing a red baseball cap (back-to-front) and looks like he has a clown nose. Does anyone have any idea if there is a reference to any book, cartoon, TV show, or movie that I'm not seeing in this costume? Or are they just a couple of random, surplus characters!?! If you think you might know, please leave a comment below - as I'd be curious to hear your thoughts! ;-) :-D

Is There A Reference I'm Missing, With The Kid In The Red Baseball Cap?

Other than that, I was really impressed with some of the backgrounds used for this animated film. In particular, there were a few great scenes during the opening credits which I thought worthy of seeing again here. The Halloween atmosphere they generate is incredible... so I hope you like them, too! :-D

While we're on the subject of artwork, I thought I'd conclude today's post by sharing some excellent contemporary fan art that I came across on 'DeviantArt' while researching this article. The piece is by someone calling themselves 'Infindibulator' and can be seen in the screenshot below:-

"Trick or... WORLD!" by 'Infindibulator' on [Contemporary Fan Art]

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Eighteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" that you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...

...and welcome to 'Day Eighteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated short films that have been released throughout the course of animation history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim those lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O

If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - that I published eighteen days ago, you will know I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D

Likewise... if you read my previous post on 'Day Seventeen' of this month-long blogathon, you might recall that it featured a couple of laboratory mice: one called "The Brain", the other named "Pinky", and together they created "A Pinky And The Brain Halloween" with lots of fun references to look for. Speaking of which, if you've been following this series of posts, you will no doubt be aware that I've been creating each new post with some kind of reference that links it to the previous one. Yesterday, when I heard the name 'Pinky' being mentioned constantly, I was reminded of an old comic strip that read: "Today, my E.S.P. says... Enjoy Sailing Pinky!" and the 'Pinky' who had that thought was also featured in a cartoon series from the sixties and seventies, called "The Pink Panther", which is how I came-up with the idea for today's creepy cartoon classic. There were a couple of episodes that sprang to mind for a Halloween-themed "Pink Panther" episode... but, the one that I decided to settle on was the more recent of the two and goes by the rather unusual title of "Pink Plasma" - whether it came to me as a matter of extra-sensory perception, or not, I cannot say... but I hope you like it! ;-) :-)

Released on 8th August 1975, and directed by Arthur "Art" Leonardi, it was based on a storyline by John W. Dunn, while featuring original characters created by Blake Edwards, and background art by Richard H. "Dick" Thomas. Animation duties were handled by Don Williams with Bob Richardson, Virgil Ross, and John V. Gibbs while, sonically speaking, the music for the soundtrack was composed by Walter Greene - save for the "Pink Panther" theme, for which credit goes to Henry Mancini. Those familiar with the character will know 'Pinky' has no "voice" but, interestingly, vocal characterisation for 'Dracula', plus the 'Invisible Monster', and the 'Laughing Skull' were all provided by the director.

This Mirisch Films, Inc. presentation begins with "The Pink Panther", otherwise known as 'Pinky, backpacking through the mountains of Europe... sporting a Swiss Alpine Hat and walking staff. He stops at a sign which says: "Transylvania Lodge - Boarders Welcome" and, with a storm about to set in, he decides to seek shelter there for the night. However, as soon as 'Pinky' sets-off, the sign for the lodge falls to the ground revealing another one underneath the first saying: "Danger! Vampire Castle" with a "Laughing Skull" on it... for added menace. Looks like Pinky's E.S.P. has failed him this time!

'Pinky' Stops At A Sign Saying "Transylvania Lodge - Boarders Welcome"...

And, With A Storm Setting-In, Decides To Spend The Night There...

...Not Realising That The "Transylvania Lodge" Is Actually A "Vampire Castle" !!

Having arrived at his destination, no sooner has 'Pinky' crossed the threshold when the first signs of danger start to show. Firstly, his backpack is cut from his back when he passes a suit of armour and a large axe comes crashing down - just missing his head - and severs the straps, leaving the bag to drop to the floor just moments afterwards. He then eyes a second suit of armour, positioned nearby, with a healthy dose of suspicion... and wisely decides to leave his bag there, rather than risk decapitation for a second time. Good job he did, because the second axe fell soon after! Meanwhile, as he continues along the stone passageway, an arm appears through a hole in the ground that has opened-up behind 'Pinky' and hurls a knife at his back. Fortunately for 'Pinky', it misses and flies over his head to finish up buried in a stone wall. Such was the force of the throw that a painting fell to the floor as the blade struck the stone wall on which it was hanging. At this point, 'Pinky' takes a much-needed breather to recover from the two or three close shaves that have already befallen him! :-D

'Pinky' Arrives At His Destination And Crosses The Moat To The Gate Beyond...

But, No Sooner Is He Inside... When An Axe Comes Crashing Down In His Direction !!

Shortly After The Incident With The Axe, 'Pinky' Has A Knife Thrown At Him...

...But, Luckily, It Misses - And Winds-Up In A Stone Wall, Causing A Painting To Fall !!

Having recovered his composure, 'Pinky' continues to explore his surroundings... but is shocked to discover a coffin propped-up against a wall. Wishing to do the right thing, he decides to grab a shovel and give the coffin (along with whomever lay inside) a decent resting place. Having dug the hole, he buries the coffin - watched by a colony of rats, a lizard, and a spider - then rolls-up his Swiss Alpine Hat to create a horn-like instrument and begins to play the "Last Post" in honour of the deceased.

'Pinky' Spots A Coffin, Which He Believes Belongs In The Ground...

So, Out Of Respect, He Grabs A Shovel To Dig A Grave In Which To Bury It...

Watched By A Colony Of Rats, Plus A Lizard, And A Spider... He Plays The "Last Post" !!

Not long after the burial is complete, a nearby clock indicates that it's 'Sunset' by sounding an alarm. There then follows a loud rumbling sound and the coffin - which has not long been buried - lifts the stone floor and is spewed out of the earth in which it lays. As the rats scurry-off, sensing imminent danger, the coffin lid opens and out leaps a body, dressed-up like 'Dracula' and looking annoyed! :-O

After The Burial, Just As The Clock Indicates 'Sunset', An Alarm Sounds...

At The Same Time, A Loud Rumbling Is Heard... And The Coffin Surfaces !!

After Which The Lid Opens... And Out Leaps An Angry-Looking Vampire !!

Although he's already been through a lot, by this stage, the trouble is really only just beginning for 'Pinky'... who must endure endless attempts on his life as the night wears-on. Before the sun rises again, 'Pinky' must face-up to an invisible Yeti-like monster, plus the castle ghosts, and even spots a man-eating shark in the moat - although the shark seems more interested in a different kind of prey! To find out if 'Pinky' survives the night, and manages to escape, press "Play" on the video below:-

Of course, in addition to watching this embedded version of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your big screen television by using the "cast" function built-in to the 'YouTube' app(s) for mobile devices on both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms. For those who may have missed my special hallowe'en blogathon preview posted eighteen days ago... to "cast" the video to your Roku player and/or NowTV device(s), you will first need to have the Roku channel (app) for 'YouTube' installed to act as a receiver for the stream you are casting. If you're not sure how to go about casting from your mobile device to your Roku there's a help article from 'Roku Support', which can be found on the official Roku website, that walks you through the process step-by-step! ;-)

Another scene that I'm quite fond of is where 'Dracula' looks into a mirror to straighten-up his suit in the moments after he rises from his coffin at sunset. I'm sure most of you are familiar with the belief (from ancient folklore) that a vampire cannot see it's reflection... but, in this animated short, we get to enjoy the sight of a body-less suit apparently straightening itself out while also seeing the vampire do the necessary adjustments himself from our perspective as viewers of this piece of animation - thus:-

Incidentally, if you're wondering why on earth there would be a man-eating shark swimming around the moat of this 'Vampire Castle', you might want to think about a certain feature-length movie that was doing the rounds in cinemas (i.e. movie theatres) during 1975, which created quite a stir! ;-) :-D

"Welcome To The ~~Vampire Castle~~ Transylvania Lodge... Please Beware Of The Shark!"

Given how "sharks" were all the rage that year, I'm assuming the producers of this animated short did whatever they could to create a shark "tie-in" with their titles - including "Pink Plasma" that featured in today's post as my creepy cartoon classic for 'Day 18' in this "Halloween Countdown" for 2018. In honour of this occasion, I'd also like to remind readers of this blog that there's only 13 days to go...

Meanwhile, in terms of memorabilia associated with today's toon, although I came up short in trying to find an original film poster for "Pink Plasma" (1975) - i.e. one that dated from the time when it was originally released - I did manage to find one good image for 'Page 1' of the original storyboard from this production and I thought I'd include it anyway as a point of interest. If you look at the title card, you will see that the letter 'M' in the word "PLASMA" has been replaced by the image of a bat whose head and wings are used to form the shape of the "missing" letter. Personally, I would have liked to see this in the final (finished) version but, for whatever reason, they dropped it and (instead) used the one shown previously (near the start of the images) in this post. Also of interest (to me, at least) were the alternative titles - namely, "Pink Corpuscles" and "Count Pinkula" - that were handwritten below the title card image on the storyboard. It's not clear whether these were working titles, or proposals on alternatives to "Pink Plasma"... but, if anyone knows for sure, please leave a comment below! ;-) :-)

The Pink Panther - "Pink Plasma" (1975) - Page 1 of 33 from Production Storyboard

HINT:- Please CLICK on the above image TO ENLARGE IT for easier viewing !!

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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day 19' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" that you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website and show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.

*********************************************

Until the next time, then...

That's all folks !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 01: Gettin' Goofy Over The Origins of Halloween !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 02: Ghostbustin' with Ajax Ghost Exterminators !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 03: MIDWEEK MEGATOON "The Halloween Door"

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 04: Shiver Me Timbers... It's A G-Gh-Ghost Ship !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 05: Harmonium And Mouse In A Haunted House !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 06: 'Dem Bones Dance With Delight At Midnight !!

Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #291

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 07: Welcome to the lobby... of the Cobweb Hotel !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 08: Murderous Mice Provide "Claws For Alarm" !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 09: Frog Nearly 'Croaks' In "Cuckoo Murder Case"

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 10: MIDWEEK MEGATOON "Witch's Night Out" !!!!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 11: Trick or Treat... Bless their little black hearts !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 12: A Cup Of Arsenic, A Spider, And Some Glue...

Roku UK Channel Store - Weekly RoundUp #292

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 13: Rats, Cats, Witchcraft & The Black Plague... !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 14: You believe in ghosts, don't you... Fraidy Cat?!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 15: Cat Court Condemns Canine For Kitty Crime !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 16: Koo-Koo-Ma-Hatcha... Wanna Be A Member?!!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 17: MIDWEEK MEGATOON "Pinky & The Brain" !!

Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku - Day 18: Transylvania Lodge... Beware Of The Shark !!