Post Ted Turner purchase of Hanna-Barbera is quite interesting mostly for how varied their projects had ended up being. This case from 1991 an animated- live-action hybrid special called "The Last Halloween". Which aired on CBS.
They also must have gotten some access to Ted Turner's vault of money because they used CGI instead of hand drawn animation. Since it's 1991, it's not the prettiest CGI. (It might have wowed someone though)
On Mars they've run out of coobi (I thought this was a family picture, well...) and they've sent 4 martians to (spins wheel) Earth. (of course it's always Earth, like really why not Venus or Pluto or something, why always Earth, we didn't deserve this!) Cut. Anyway, the special goes to a place called Crystal Falls. It also takes place on Halloween )because March 29th is busy day.) Our main characters are , Michael and Jeanie a brother and sister. They are almost run over by a strange rich lady in the second minute. (Would have made this special dark... and short.) There's also a dog, who is a good boy.
Not pictured: the dog/ Copyright Warner Media, I think
Another subplot, the town has a candy factory that seems to be on last legs because it's powered by water and the lake is drying up. (Apparently other power sources cost money) Which is why this special is called the Last Halloween. (not because everyone gets killed by aliens) Meanwhile the dog finds the alien ship that landed . The alien designs are very early 90's CGI.
Ahhh 90's/ Copyright Warner Media , I think
Gleep, Romtu, Scoota,and Bing are the names of the aliens. For Gleep they got song writer Paul Williams to voice, while H&B went into their talent pool to voice the other three, and by that I mean the voice of Romtu is the original voice of Scooby Doo, Don Messick, and the voice of Fred from Scooby-Doo, Frank Welker does the voice of Scoota and Bing. The aliens end up in Crystal Falls and yeah no one notices them because sure alright. (They also had a kid dress up like Fred Flintstone and go Yabba Dabba Doo to the camera because Hanna and Barbera made that)
HANNA AND BARBERA ALSO MADE THE FLINTSTONES / Copyright Warner
The main two kids figure out that these four are Martians (from Mars). This special is 21 minutes long but it has time for Jeanie to explain what mothers are to the aliens. So,what's coobi you may be asking. (I wasn't asking.) Coobi is candy ( Coobi is people!) They go trick or treating. This one lady decides to check who's under a costume ,because that's what normal people do, and pulls off the martian's head. (Thus killing it and causing Mars to "War of the Worlds" the Earth and wiping us out!) I love her laugh, though. Also one of the aliens thinks a boy with glasses in a dress his mother. (what?)
Mother? / Copyright Warner Media
Rich lady is named Mrs. Gizbourne, wants to stay young and is looking for a bug to extract something from them to stay looking young and beautiful. Importantly, she is played by Rhea Perlman and her assistant is played by Richard Moll (Bull from "Night Court") so H&B was spending Ted Turner's money well.
She wants to live on bug juice/ Copyright Warner Media
Michael explains to the aliens that the factory may be closing because the lake is dying. (What I said above) The aliens split up with with Michael, Jeanie, and Bing are in group. Bing searches (yes! we did it!) for candy, but goes to Mrs.Gizbourne's house. A bad idea! Hans the assistant takes Bing thinking he's a bug. If you thought the factory thing wasn't going anywhere well, YOU WERE WRONG. The crazy lady is taking the water. (Shameful really) They tell their father that yes she is stealing the water from the lake. Also candy factory has candy. They let the aliens take the candy. Mrs. Gizbourne and Hans are found out and arrested. ( That was easy) Also Jeanie is now the aliens' mother. She gave part of her costume to the aliens showing character growth or something.
The sad news is that crazy woman ruined the lake because mean. Michael finally skips a stone 3 times and magic happens with water back in the lake. (That or the aliens helped.) So happy ending for all. (Even the dog) Even the fun thing about this special is that William Hanna himself was narrator.
Eh, you know it's not bad. Yeah, it was strange and I think it might fit better for younger kids but it's not awful. The CGI is badly dated, but it's because its from 1990, so yeah it will be. The special is pretty fun to watch a little goofy but it's better than bland. I really like the kids escape the henchman then tell their father and then he goes and the bad guys get arrested, it's not something you see much in media. Yeah, check it out, it's an alright special nothing major or exciting.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN from Joshuaonline/Mychiller
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