The Lookback : Jack O Lantern (from Rankin Bass)

Halloween The Flashback 

          One thing Halloween is known for is Jack O Lanterns , so of course we need a special about them, and the kings of Christmas, Rankin Bass, were the ones to do so. From their series of specials called  "Festival of Family Classics" , which featured many fairy tails and children's stories as animated specials did a special called "Jack O Lateran" and that is our Lookback.

      Two kids visit their grandpa and ask him to tell a story about Jack O' Lateran ,(well good job special right to the point) , so Grandpa tells the story of when he was a kid. (In my day , we had to ...)

Grandpa please tell us about the war/copyright Rankin Bass

His family was very poor trying to farm the land , that grandpa still lives on.  Michael (Grandfather's name) and Coleen , his sister want to help make the farm work..  Michael gets the idea to take a pumpkin and make a head for a scare crow.  (Also the animals talk , not the humans but you get the point)   The pumpkin starts talking (with an Irish accent, for some reason) because it's not a pumpkin it's a leprechaun named Jack O' Lantern. (what am I watching?)

Hmm farming is hard/copyright Rankin Bass 

fear me Children !/Copyright Rankin Bass 

     Jack tells the kids them that a witch, ghost, goblins, and a warlock are messing up their crops , not the crows, because they want the land. Jack says he will help them with their problem. Around (a very well lit ) midnight  the kids and Jack wait for the arrival of the mass of spooks.  Jack counters the witch's attacks.  The Witch sets the brush on fire and Jack counters that with a rain storm.(Water 1 Fire 0)  She later tries some frost  and Jack uses the midnight sun from the north pole (what?)  to get rid of the frost.  The Witch figures it out that it's Jack O'Lantern.  (Either that or Santa)

Not the happiest of couples/ copyright Rankin Bass

    The Witch decides to target the kids  to get Jack out of her way , as Jack hides the kids when starts her plan. The Witch's reluctant husband  takes the kids while Jack is distracted.  She reveals that she has Michael and Colleen captured, her goal is his pot of cold or the kids, so he accepts this and gets out of the pumpkin.  Billy the goat (don't ask)  rams the warlock into the barn wall and the cow gets them out of the ropes.  Jack gets back into his pumpkin and fights off the ghosts and the witch and warlock.

They get all tied up/ copyright Rankin Bass 

     Jack makes a deal with the kids , in return for a nice warm home  he will give them a nice well flourished land.  Michael  says ever since then Jack has stayed with the family at farm.  The two grand kids don't believe it , then Jack talks.

Classy dress nights/copyright Rankin Bass

   That's the special, now our review: It was a  wonderful special with some of the nice Rankin Bass specials animation. It does remind me of their "Twas the Night before Christmas" special in animation.  The story was interesting and simple but that doesn't hurt it,

That's the lookback , tune in next time when we search our pumpkins for Leprechauns , and their pot of gold. we aren't going to take it mind you.