Horror and science fiction have always been a part of the television canvas, and constant attempts have been made over the years to produce classic entertainment. Some have fallen by the wayside, while others became mainstream phenomena. With “TV Terrors,” we take a look back at the many genre efforts from the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s, exploring some shows that became cult classics, and others that sank into obscurity.
This month we head back to the ’90s to relive The Last Halloween!
- Aired on October 28th, 1991
- Aired on CBS
It’s hard to believe that 1991 was thirty years ago, as it feels just like yesterday when I, at the age of seven, sat down to watch the TV movie “The Last Halloween” before bed time. What’s so peculiar about “The Last Halloween” is that it seemed to get a hefty push from the MARS company as the foursome of aliens that star in the short film were apparently being propped up as mascots. I vividly remember seeing the special promoted on the back of a bag of chocolate chips, and they even had their own ads at some point.
It seemed like we were going to see so much more from them with an ad campaign and perhaps the same push that the Energizer Bunny or the Noid were given. The live action special is centered on Crystal Lake, a small town with an economy reliant on their massive candy factory. Their only problems are mad scientist Mrs. Gizborne (every town should have one) and her assistant Hans (the two characters played enthusiastically by Rhea Perlman and Richard Moll), who are experimenting on bugs to find the secret to eternal youth.
To do so, they’re illegally draining the town’s lake, making it impossible to produce candy and fuel the town’s economy. In response, the town of Crystal Lake has to eventually shut down and begin moving its residents elsewhere (hence the title). Young Jeanie and her big brother Michael (a very young Will Estes) are celebrating their “Last Halloween” and one night, by fate, four small Martians crash land in the woods. The aliens are in desperate search of “coobi,” a mineral that could help their planet and give them enough fuel to get back home.
The friendly travelers are known as Gleep, a multicolored cat-like Martian; Romtu, the de facto leader who is colored blue and dons a giant helmet; Scoota, who wears a silver helmet that acts as a “coob-a-meter”; and Bing, a springy gold creature who squeaks every time it moves. Of course the “coobi” can be found on Earth, and they happen to land on the right night as what they call “coobi” is what we know as–dramatic pause–CANDY! We have it in abundance and of course the pair of siblings offer to help them grab as much of the mineral as possible so they can go home safely.
But they have to outwit the evil Mrs. Gizborne and her assistant Hans, both of whom want the aliens for nefarious purposes. All four of the martians were voiced by legendary voice actors Frank Welker, Don Messick, and Paul Williams, and yes, were very similar to ET (including the candy tie in). The aliens get the majority of the focus and garner some interesting exposition– or as much as you can fit into a half hour. They’re charming and likable heroes, and they’re well fleshed out within the admittedly minimal narrative.
After one primetime airing (and a few other airings) on CBS, the special faded into obscurity and we never really saw these characters again. That’s quite the surprise when you consider that “The Last Halloween” is very unique in many ways. For starters, it was produced and narrated by William Hanna of Hanna-Barbera fame. This was his only live action project, all the while the special effects were taken up by none other than Industrial Light & Magic alongside Pacific Data Images. Also in lieu of hand drawn animation, or puppets, the foursome of alien stars are fully computer animated which, in 1991, was quite the spectacle.
There’s no real explanation for why “The Last Halloween” disappeared after Halloween of 1991, or why it was largely forgotten. It seems the MARS company were planning a big ad campaign in 1993 (titled the “Mission To Mars” campaign), and teamed with CBS to get the foursome out in the collective ether as they were being propped up to become bonafide mascots (according to CollectingCandy.com) for the MARS company. The movie was meant to function as a prequel/back story for the charming Martians before they were unleashed on the public.
Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. It’s sad since “The Last Halloween” plays out like a great Scholastic kids novel you would have picked up at a school book fair. It’s simple, wholesome fun, and it’s endearing, even down to its dated (but impressive for its time) CGI. I wish CBS had invested more in these characters, even without the backing of the MARS Company. With or without the rose colored nostalgia, “The Last Halloween” could definitely cast a spell on a new generation of Halloween loving kids.
Is It On DVD/Blu-ray/Streaming? Sadly the special has never been released on any form of media (including VHS), and has been unavailable for viewing since 1991. Thankfully the original special can still be found in its uncut form on YouTube, however. There’s no real demand for its revival, but it’d be nice if someday it could be included on a compilation from Mill Creek or Shout! Factory.