It wouldn't be Halloween with out Dracula (though honestly, I want a Dracula Christmas special) and so there's a Halloween special , that we found that is about Dracula and Halloween. It's called " The Halloween that Almost wasn't" or " The Night Dracula Saved the World" , which I think is much cooler title. It came out in 1979 and first aired on ABC. It starred Judd Hirsh, who you may know from the 1989 sitcom , "Dear John", or more famously "Taxi". So let's lookback (boo ...no sorry I am not being a ghost I am booing that )
Dracula and Igor (who apparently keeps getting hired away from Dr. Frankenstin in these movies) see a news report that Count Dracula has called all the other monsters of the world (well that universe is indeed dusturbing) and this confirms a rumor that Halloween is going away. (Judging from the title it almost wasn't,) Dracula is perturbed by this. There is a family watching in Transylvania (what? they have great schools) and they also hear the news that Halloween could be gone soon. The parents explain to their kids , and I guess indirectly us the audience (Yeah you are being watched!) about how old is Halloween, why their are jack-o-laterns , why people get dressed up. Dracula is un happy that they are suggesting that he wants to end Halloween ,because he wouldn't do that because that's his "National Holiday".
"Really good tax rate, as well"
The other monsters start to appear at Dracula's , like a wolfman , Herman Munster ...ok kidding Frankenstein's monster , the king of the living dead who is a zombie (ok then ) , a mummy (not sure which one ) ,and a witch played by Mariette Hartley. Dracula makes his grand appearance to tell the monsters that they aren't scary anymore. (To be fair , the Mummy stopped being scary when it was going so slow) He wants to be their "horrible selves" or be replaced. The Witch says that she quits. Her reason is that she is tired of being a witch, the jokes ,tired of not being loved (awwww) and tired of Dracula, it was her who started the rumor about Dracula's Halloween ending plan. The Witch has a list of demands that she wants ole' Drac to follow.
"I want better health coverage , Dracula"
The Witch wants to be an all the marketing (well that's a thing, what universe is this?) , to be sweet to be the other monsters and be sweet to them, become co-leader of the monster world. Dracula says no and she leaves. Dracula turns into a bat to talk to her , but she tells him that he will be dead because of the sun. (his one weakness) The next night, the monsters are watching the news who apparently has been watching this movie too says that unless the witch flies past the moon tonight, there's no Halloween anymore. (Wait why? , what ? how? Ummm why place so much power in a witch for a holiday? uhhh what?) The monsters and Dracula go to the witch and capture her. Dracula wants to have a chat with her but she makes the three musketeers appear from her painting (well that's a thing). Igor takes her broom (I hope she doesn't have a spare) she's in a room and Dracula is trying to get in, and Igor needs to whisper next time, because everyone can hear him. Dracula turns into a tiny bat and sneaks into the room ,but since she heard the plan she was ready to chase him out.
It's Dracula!!!!
Hmm that moon looks fake ....
Since it's the 1970's the special ends with Disco dancing ... with Dracula and the witch. The other monsters are dancing there too.
Dance Dance away !
That's the special, it did give me some genuine laughs and it had some great timing, and the acting for Dracula was great. It's a nice special to watch with the family and ends with disco, so I was pleasantly surprised.
That's the lookback tune in next time when Herman Munster and Sabrina the Teenage witch offer demands to Dracula for better parking.
You can watch it here (look for parts 2 and 3)