Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...
... and welcome to 'Day Seventeen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" where I aim to bring you another creepy cartoon classic from the plethora of spooky animated shorts that have been released throughout the course of film history - any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so let's dim down the lights, for some more fun & frights! :-O
If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published seventeen days ago, you'll know I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D
Likewise... if you read my posts from 'Day Three' and 'Day Ten' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall that they each featured a slightly longer animated short film than the usual creepy classics (of around 5-10 minutes) which I've been sharing on most days in this series of posts. The reason for this is that I decided to dedicate each Wednesday to what I'm calling my "MIDWEEK MEGATOON" and these films will typically be in the region of 20-30 minutes duration. Last week was a seventies Halloween cartoon, called "Witch's Night Out", from Canada... but this week I'm going to share one of my favourite animated specials from the nineties, entitled "A Pinky And The Brain Halloween"!
Released on 19th October 1997, and directed by Kirk Tingblad, it was based on a storyline written by Wendell Morris and Tom Sheppard, while featuring Maurice LaMarche as (the voice of) 'The Brain', Rob Paulsen as (the voice of) 'Pinky', plus Garry Marshall as (the voice of) 'Mr. Itch' [aka 'The Devil'] with Roddy McDowall as (the voice of) 'Snowball', John Tesh (as himself), Jeff Glen Bennett as (the voice of) 'Baloney', Billy West as (the voice of) 'The Receptionist', and Tress MacNeille as (the voice of) 'Greta', not forgetting the musical contribution of Carl Johnson and Tim Kelly for the theme tune.
The story begins with various kids out to "Trick or Treat" their neighbours on the night of Halloween but, before too long, we see some of the children being hypnotised by a pumpkin which had started to talk to them as they set-off down the path. It turns out that this pumpkin is connected to an elaborate network, called the "Jackolantronic Broadcasting System", which 'The Brain' is using from his base at the 'Acme Labs Pumpkin Patch' to turn all of the trick or treaters into "unwitting puppets" as part of his "intricate scheme of world domination", brainwashing each and every one of them into believing his message that "...I Am The Brain, And You Will Do Whatever I Say!" :-O ;-) :-D
However, in typical "Pinky And The Brain" fashion, it doesn't take long for the two of them to be at loggerheads about an explosive overload - caused by 'Pinky' getting chocolate on the transmitter - and the two mice are forced to postpone their plan for "world domination" until they manage to get things up & running again. While 'Brain' pontificates over the preparations that are needed, the mice become aware of a stranger sitting nearby who greets them, and introduces himself as 'Mr. Itch', before giving them a demonstration of his supernatural powers. He then offers to give 'Brain' complete control over the world, in exchange for his soul... because, as it says on his business card, 'Mr. Itch' is a proprietor of lost souls - and he's prepared to do anything to seal the deal - being the devil that he is! :-O ;-) :-D
Although tempted by the offer, 'Brain' thinks long and hard about the consequences of effectively selling his soul in exchange for control of the world and ultimately chooses not to accept. However, not long afterwards, he finds himself the undisputed, beloved ruler of the planet and can't think why. Then 'The Brain' discovers that his friend 'Pinky' signed a contract with 'Mr. Itch' to give his soul up so 'Brain' could fulfil his dream of world domination. Needless to say, it isn't long before 'Mr. Itch' calls to collect on the deal and 'Pinky' is taken away to spend a eternity of torture in 'Hades' but, with no 'Pinky' by his side, 'The Brain' soon realises that life isn't quite so fulfilling as "King of the World" without his friend there to share it with him. In the end, he decides to go and rescue 'Pinky' from the torments of hell but, to discover if he succeeded in his quest, you'll need to watch the video below:-
Unlike previous videos I've shared in this series of posts, "A Pinky And The Brain Halloween" did not seem to be available via 'YouTube' and, as a result, the version I am sharing with you today is hosted on the 'Vimeo' website. Of course, in addition to watching this embedded video of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your phone or tablet by using the 'Vimeo' app(s) for both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms on your mobile devices. For those who prefer to watch on their big screen television, there is also a Roku channel for 'Vimeo' which is available via the built-in 'Channel Store', found under "Streaming Channels" from the 'Home' menu of your Roku streaming media player, and the channel icon [aka 'HD Poster' image] to look out for is as follows:-
VIMEO....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
TOP TIP: The built-in 'Search' function within the Roku channel for 'Vimeo' is a fairly basic affair and does not permit you to search easily by 'Username' - in this case: "user20516127", also known as "HalloweenShows.net" - or the unique identifier (which is "73726196" for the video shown above) - so your best hope of finding this "Pinky And The Brain" episode within the 'Vimeo' channel on your Roku device is to use the exact title provided by the uploader... so, in this case, you would need to type in all (or part) of the following: "Pinky And The Brain - A Pinky And The Brain Halloween" which is shown (in full) across the top of the embedded video included in this post. Experience has taught me that not all the video titles will be included within the 'Vimeo' search results so, if you adopt the same method when searching for another video from their website, your chosen title may not show-up at all. That said, having personally tested this one myself, I can confirm that you will see it listed among the 'Search' results which are displayed on the right-hand side of your screen once you have typed-in "Pinky And" (you can ignore the rest) and that it should stream without any issues! :-)
On whichever platform you decide to watch this video, be sure to keep an eye out for all the hidden references in this creepy cartoon classic. For starters, in the very first shot of the opening sequence, there is a street sign which says "Tingblad Dr" (short for "Tingblad Drive", in case you're wondering) and, as mentioned previously, 'Tingblad' (or, "Kirk Tingblad", to be even more precise) was the man who directed this animated film. My guess is... that it's a lot easier to get a street named after you in your own cartoon than it is in real life - even so, it's a pretty nice touch from the animators. Not long after that, you'll see a reference to a sixties cartoon series, called "The Flintstones", with one of the kids dressed-up as 'Fred Flintstone' as he crosses the street to "Trick or Treat" at the next house. Also, if you look in the upper right corner (during the scene with 'Fred Flintstone' crossing the road) you'll see two more kids in costume: one dressed head-to-toe in pink, and; the other looking like a brain. In case you hadn't guessed it, this was a reference to "Pinky And The Brain" - the two mice who starred in today's creepy cartoon classic episode: "A Pinky And The Brain Halloween"! :-) As if that wasn't enough, there's another reference (this time included in the dialogue) where, as three kids discuss what's been put in their "Trick or Treat" bags, one of them - who has liquid seeping through the bottom of his bag - says "I got a bowl of soup!"... which parodies the line: "I got a rock!" that was used for "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966). To emphasise the reference, the kid is also dressed-up in a ghost costume - just like the one worn by 'Charlie Brown' over 30-years before! :-D
There were a couple more kids shown during this "Trick Or Treat" sequence that I wasn't able to get a reference for... you'll see them in the centre right hand side of the screenshot below. Unfortunately there is no way to get a better view of them, since they are only in the shot for a fraction of a second, but one of them seems to be wearing a red baseball cap (back-to-front) and looks like he has a clown nose. Does anyone have any idea if there is a reference to any book, cartoon, TV show, or movie that I'm not seeing in this costume? Or are they just a couple of random, surplus characters!?! If you think you might know, please leave a comment below - as I'd be curious to hear your thoughts! ;-) :-D
Other than that, I was really impressed with some of the backgrounds used for this animated film. In particular, there were a few great scenes during the opening credits which I thought worthy of seeing again here. The Halloween atmosphere they generate is incredible... so I hope you like them, too! :-D
While we're on the subject of artwork, I thought I'd conclude today's post by sharing some excellent contemporary fan art that I came across on 'DeviantArt' while researching this article. The piece is by someone calling themselves 'Infindibulator' and can be seen in the screenshot below:-
If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published seventeen days ago, you'll know I plan to post a Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one vintage cartoon classic with spooky overtones each and every time. With recommendations for thirty-one of the most spook-tacular shorts I can find, by the end of the month, this means you'll have plenty of great choices for your creepy cartoon viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring lots of laughs & screams come October 31st! :-D
Likewise... if you read my posts from 'Day Three' and 'Day Ten' of this month-long blogathon, you may recall that they each featured a slightly longer animated short film than the usual creepy classics (of around 5-10 minutes) which I've been sharing on most days in this series of posts. The reason for this is that I decided to dedicate each Wednesday to what I'm calling my "MIDWEEK MEGATOON" and these films will typically be in the region of 20-30 minutes duration. Last week was a seventies Halloween cartoon, called "Witch's Night Out", from Canada... but this week I'm going to share one of my favourite animated specials from the nineties, entitled "A Pinky And The Brain Halloween"!
Released on 19th October 1997, and directed by Kirk Tingblad, it was based on a storyline written by Wendell Morris and Tom Sheppard, while featuring Maurice LaMarche as (the voice of) 'The Brain', Rob Paulsen as (the voice of) 'Pinky', plus Garry Marshall as (the voice of) 'Mr. Itch' [aka 'The Devil'] with Roddy McDowall as (the voice of) 'Snowball', John Tesh (as himself), Jeff Glen Bennett as (the voice of) 'Baloney', Billy West as (the voice of) 'The Receptionist', and Tress MacNeille as (the voice of) 'Greta', not forgetting the musical contribution of Carl Johnson and Tim Kelly for the theme tune.
The story begins with various kids out to "Trick or Treat" their neighbours on the night of Halloween but, before too long, we see some of the children being hypnotised by a pumpkin which had started to talk to them as they set-off down the path. It turns out that this pumpkin is connected to an elaborate network, called the "Jackolantronic Broadcasting System", which 'The Brain' is using from his base at the 'Acme Labs Pumpkin Patch' to turn all of the trick or treaters into "unwitting puppets" as part of his "intricate scheme of world domination", brainwashing each and every one of them into believing his message that "...I Am The Brain, And You Will Do Whatever I Say!" :-O ;-) :-D
The Kids Get Hypnotised By A Talking Pumpkin, As They "Trick Or Treat" Door-To-Door !!
"I Am The Brain... And You Will Do Whatever I Say!"
Meanwhile, Back At The Acme Labs Pumpkin Patch...
...Pinky And The Brain Use Their Jackolantronic Broadcasting System To Control The Kids!
However, in typical "Pinky And The Brain" fashion, it doesn't take long for the two of them to be at loggerheads about an explosive overload - caused by 'Pinky' getting chocolate on the transmitter - and the two mice are forced to postpone their plan for "world domination" until they manage to get things up & running again. While 'Brain' pontificates over the preparations that are needed, the mice become aware of a stranger sitting nearby who greets them, and introduces himself as 'Mr. Itch', before giving them a demonstration of his supernatural powers. He then offers to give 'Brain' complete control over the world, in exchange for his soul... because, as it says on his business card, 'Mr. Itch' is a proprietor of lost souls - and he's prepared to do anything to seal the deal - being the devil that he is! :-O ;-) :-D
An Explosive Overload, Caused By Pinky's Chocolate, Brings A Premature End To Their Plans!
While They Prepare To Get Set-Up For Another Attempt, They Encounter A Stranger...
Who Introduces Himself As "Mister Itch", And Demonstrates His Powers...
Before Offering 'Brain' Control Of The World... In Exchange For His Soul!
Although tempted by the offer, 'Brain' thinks long and hard about the consequences of effectively selling his soul in exchange for control of the world and ultimately chooses not to accept. However, not long afterwards, he finds himself the undisputed, beloved ruler of the planet and can't think why. Then 'The Brain' discovers that his friend 'Pinky' signed a contract with 'Mr. Itch' to give his soul up so 'Brain' could fulfil his dream of world domination. Needless to say, it isn't long before 'Mr. Itch' calls to collect on the deal and 'Pinky' is taken away to spend a eternity of torture in 'Hades' but, with no 'Pinky' by his side, 'The Brain' soon realises that life isn't quite so fulfilling as "King of the World" without his friend there to share it with him. In the end, he decides to go and rescue 'Pinky' from the torments of hell but, to discover if he succeeded in his quest, you'll need to watch the video below:-
Unlike previous videos I've shared in this series of posts, "A Pinky And The Brain Halloween" did not seem to be available via 'YouTube' and, as a result, the version I am sharing with you today is hosted on the 'Vimeo' website. Of course, in addition to watching this embedded video of the cartoon right here on this blog, you can also choose to stream it on your phone or tablet by using the 'Vimeo' app(s) for both the iOS (Apple) plus Android platforms on your mobile devices. For those who prefer to watch on their big screen television, there is also a Roku channel for 'Vimeo' which is available via the built-in 'Channel Store', found under "Streaming Channels" from the 'Home' menu of your Roku streaming media player, and the channel icon [aka 'HD Poster' image] to look out for is as follows:-
VIMEO....................................................................................COST: FREE [Roku Guide Review]
***FILED UNDER: "WEB VIDEO" in Roku UK Channel Store WHEN FIRST RELEASED***
TOP TIP: The built-in 'Search' function within the Roku channel for 'Vimeo' is a fairly basic affair and does not permit you to search easily by 'Username' - in this case: "user20516127", also known as "HalloweenShows.net" - or the unique identifier (which is "73726196" for the video shown above) - so your best hope of finding this "Pinky And The Brain" episode within the 'Vimeo' channel on your Roku device is to use the exact title provided by the uploader... so, in this case, you would need to type in all (or part) of the following: "Pinky And The Brain - A Pinky And The Brain Halloween" which is shown (in full) across the top of the embedded video included in this post. Experience has taught me that not all the video titles will be included within the 'Vimeo' search results so, if you adopt the same method when searching for another video from their website, your chosen title may not show-up at all. That said, having personally tested this one myself, I can confirm that you will see it listed among the 'Search' results which are displayed on the right-hand side of your screen once you have typed-in "Pinky And" (you can ignore the rest) and that it should stream without any issues! :-)
On whichever platform you decide to watch this video, be sure to keep an eye out for all the hidden references in this creepy cartoon classic. For starters, in the very first shot of the opening sequence, there is a street sign which says "Tingblad Dr" (short for "Tingblad Drive", in case you're wondering) and, as mentioned previously, 'Tingblad' (or, "Kirk Tingblad", to be even more precise) was the man who directed this animated film. My guess is... that it's a lot easier to get a street named after you in your own cartoon than it is in real life - even so, it's a pretty nice touch from the animators. Not long after that, you'll see a reference to a sixties cartoon series, called "The Flintstones", with one of the kids dressed-up as 'Fred Flintstone' as he crosses the street to "Trick or Treat" at the next house. Also, if you look in the upper right corner (during the scene with 'Fred Flintstone' crossing the road) you'll see two more kids in costume: one dressed head-to-toe in pink, and; the other looking like a brain. In case you hadn't guessed it, this was a reference to "Pinky And The Brain" - the two mice who starred in today's creepy cartoon classic episode: "A Pinky And The Brain Halloween"! :-) As if that wasn't enough, there's another reference (this time included in the dialogue) where, as three kids discuss what's been put in their "Trick or Treat" bags, one of them - who has liquid seeping through the bottom of his bag - says "I got a bowl of soup!"... which parodies the line: "I got a rock!" that was used for "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966). To emphasise the reference, the kid is also dressed-up in a ghost costume - just like the one worn by 'Charlie Brown' over 30-years before! :-D
"TINGBLAD DR" Street Sign - Named After Director Kirk Tingblad
Fred Flintstone of "The Flintstones" (Bottom Right) / Pinky And The Brain (Upper Right)
Kid In Ghost Costume: "I Got A Bowl Of Soup!"
- Parodies "I Got A Rock!" From "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" -
There were a couple more kids shown during this "Trick Or Treat" sequence that I wasn't able to get a reference for... you'll see them in the centre right hand side of the screenshot below. Unfortunately there is no way to get a better view of them, since they are only in the shot for a fraction of a second, but one of them seems to be wearing a red baseball cap (back-to-front) and looks like he has a clown nose. Does anyone have any idea if there is a reference to any book, cartoon, TV show, or movie that I'm not seeing in this costume? Or are they just a couple of random, surplus characters!?! If you think you might know, please leave a comment below - as I'd be curious to hear your thoughts! ;-) :-D
Is There A Reference I'm Missing, With The Kid In The Red Baseball Cap?
Other than that, I was really impressed with some of the backgrounds used for this animated film. In particular, there were a few great scenes during the opening credits which I thought worthy of seeing again here. The Halloween atmosphere they generate is incredible... so I hope you like them, too! :-D
While we're on the subject of artwork, I thought I'd conclude today's post by sharing some excellent contemporary fan art that I came across on 'DeviantArt' while researching this article. The piece is by someone calling themselves 'Infindibulator' and can be seen in the screenshot below:-
"Trick or... WORLD!" by 'Infindibulator' on [Contemporary Fan Art]
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Anyhow, that's all I've got time for today... but do remember to come back again tomorrow, for my next creepy cartoon recommendation from the archives of animated film history, when I will suggest another spooky short for 'Day Eighteen' of "Abnor Mal's Guide To Creepy Cartoon Classics on Roku" that you can stream right here on this blog - as well as through the equivalent channel on your Roku player(s). Meanwhile... please be sure to visit the "Countdown To Hallowe'en" website & show your support for this annual online Hallowe'en extravaganza PLUS don't forget to use the links you find there and check out all the other 'Cryptkeepers' taking part this year. I know they'll appreciate it, if you visit their blogs and share your thoughts on the contribution(s) they've made.
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ONE LAST THING, BEFORE I GO: Don't forget that, aside from the Hallowe'en / Horror-themed ghastliness going on around these parts for the next month, you can also keep up with the UK Roku action (as it happens) by checking-out my regular 'Weekly RoundUp' posts each weekend where you will find up-to-the-minute info on all things Roku-related is posted on a weekly basis (well, almost).
Until the next time, then...
That's all folks !!
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