Thursday, October 30, 2014

Hide and Go "Boo"

It was a beautiful, sunny, chilly day when I got up this morning. I watched a couple of horror and Halloween-oriented TV shows while I had breakfast. Richie has to face his fear of the local "Haunted" house in a second-season Happy Days episode. Joanie thinks he'll lose his head if he attends Ralph's party there. Fonzie reminds him that urban legends are usually nothing to be afraid of. When the party really gets scary, it's Richie who reveals the very live culprits behind the goings-on.

Ghosts and urban legends are also causing trouble for the staff of radio station WENN. In the third season Remember WENN episode "The Ghost of WENN," diva actress Hilary Booth seems to be stalked by a spirit with a fondness for stuffed birds and cranberry jelly. Meanwhile, cowardly actor and announcer Mackie Bloom has heard that the last man who read page 13 of the horror script they're doing died on the air...and he's afraid he'll be next.

Moved to The Backyardigans as I got ready for work. Uniqua and Pablo think "It's Great To Be a Ghost" when they pretend to be able to turn invisible and appear in paintings. Tyrone isn't sure he agrees. The whole ghost thing makes him nervous. When Tasha turns up and claims she can't be scared, it's the least-likely kid who finally does frighten her.

Max & Ruby have their own fun with Halloween and ghost stories. In "Max's Halloween," Ruby wants Max to be a little prince to go with her Cinderella. As usual, Max has his own ideas. He'd rather be a scary vampire! And in "Ghost Bunny," Ruby tries to keep Max out of the way with toys and treats while she and the other Bunny Scouts tell spooky stories around the campfire. Max badly wants to hear them, though...and he's the one who ultimately gives the girls a scare.

Work was pretty much the same as Monday...quiet on-and-off for most of the day. It wasn't even that busy during rush hour. Most people are probably waiting for the beginning of the month. My relief was right on time, and I was in and out.

When I got home, I changed into regular clothes. I had leftover chili for dinner, then vacuumed while watching Arsenic and Old Lace. Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) is a drama critic who just got married to the girl next door (Priscilla Lane). He takes her back to Brooklyn, where his two maiden aunts are taking care of his uncle (John Alexander) who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt. When the night's through, Teddy may end up being the most sane person around. It turns out his aunts are killing old men with no families and having Teddy bury them in the basement. Then, Mortimer's criminal brother Jonathan (Raymond Massey) and his doctor (Peter Lorre) turn up, toting a few bodies of their own. While Mortimer tries to figure out how to get out of this mess, the local cop (Jack Carson) doesn't understand what's going on with these nice old ladies.

Like Ghostbusters, this Halloween-set black comedy is a nice alternative for people who like their horror spooky but not bloody. As good as Grant and Massey are as the brothers on the opposite sides of the law and sanity, Alexander walks away with the movie as the delightfully delusional uncle.

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