Episode 66 - BEETLEJUICE

Beetlejuice is an example of collaborative filmmaking at its finest, combining a wonderfully weird script, startling visual realizations of director Tim Burton's macabre vision, and virtuosic comedy from the likes of Catherine O'Hara and Michael Keaton. It's a shambling story that feels made up on the fly, but to fans--much like the outpouring of appreciation for the movie's perverse title character--the blemishes simply contribute to a greater overall charm.

Brian Rudloff returns to help us unfurl our freak flags as we examine a movie that looms large in early nightmares and latter-day nostalgia alike.

Beetlejuice (1988)
Directed by Tim Burton
Produced by Michael Bender, Richard Hashimoto, and Larry Wilson
Written by Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren
Starring Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones, Winona Ryder, Glenn Shadix, Sylvia Sidney, and Michael Keaton

Episode 44 - THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

Charles Dickens' fable about a mean old miser who learns the meaning of Christmas is one of the most picked-over stories in the Western canon. (Heck, we even covered a version of it last year.) But perhaps that's what makes it such a wonderful vehicle for the mischievous Muppets, finding ways to breathe new life--and a vaudeville flair--into a familiar tale.

Much more than a holiday novelty, The Muppet Christmas Carol is an ingratiating insta-classic: one of the most elegant expressions of the ineffable "Christmas spirit" ever seen onscreen. Special guest Brian Rudloff joins us once more to see if we can make that spirit last all year.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Directed by Brian Henson
Produced by Martin G. Baker and Brian Henson
Written by Jerry Juhl
Based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Starring Michael Caine, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, and Steven Mackintosh

Episode 40 - MICHAEL JACKSON'S THRILLER and MICHAEL JACKSON'S GHOSTS

Just in time for Mischief Night, it's a bonus double feature episode starring the celebrity who best embodies the season's brew of impish glee and creeping anxiety: Michael Jackson.

The King of Pop's iconic Thriller set a new standard for the music video, taking a serious approach to its scary subject matter with a noted horror director (John Landis) and a legendary makeup artist (Rick Baker).  Years later, Jackson tried to capture that magic again with the lavish, bombastic Ghosts, this time invoking the personal boogeymen who criticized his eccentric lifestyle.

Do we think MJ's Halloween offerings are tricks or treats?  Find out in our 2015 Halloween Special!

Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983)

Directed by John Landis

Written by John Landis and Michael Jackson

Starring Michael Jackson, Ola Ray, and Vincent Price

Michael Jackson's Ghosts (1996)

Directed by Stan Winston

Screenplay by Stan Winston and Mick Garris

Concept by Michael Jackson and Stephen King

Starring Michael Jackson

Episode 39 - CASPER

Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci ain't 'fraid of no ghosts in this underrated adaptation that takes some of the most anodyne characters in comics history and drops them into a zany, pop-culture quoting haunted house farce.

Showcasing cutting-edge (for the time) CGI characters, Casper takes advantage of movie technology to bring the dead to cartoonish life while sneaking in some wry gallows humor and a surprisingly mature message about grief and letting go of loved ones.  So please, remember us this way: waxing poetic about yet another '90s film featuring Devon Sawa.

Casper (1995)
Directed by Brad Silberling
Produced by Colin Watson, Jeff Franklin, and Steve Waterman
Written by Sherri Stoner and Deanna Oliver
Based on the Casper the Friendly Ghost by Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo
Starring Bill Pullman, Christina Ricci, Cathy Moriarty, Eric Idle, Malachi Pearson, Joe Nipote, Joe Alaskey, Brad Garrett, and Devon Sawa