Familiar Faces: Curse of the Top 13 Weirdest Halloween Specials 🎃

[@Werewolf_Korra]

So the story behind the authorship of the Bunnicula series is legit sad. Deborah Howe was dying of cancer and James and her wrote a book together to pass the time. She died before the first book was published, but in memorium, James has included her in the Author's credit of every sequel as well.

[@FamiliarFacesChannel]

Oh well that is sad but also kinda of Beautiful. At first I though it was going to involve some nastiness with money or something. I didn't know that. Thank you.

[@SwiftpawWolffox]

Wow, I did not know that. Sad but touching. I still have those books stored away.

[@d-manthecaptain1382]

My favorite part of the Bunnicula book is when Chester tries to kill Bunnicula with a steak through the heart, but he thinks it's like a meat kind, so he keeps weakly whacking him with a cold steak till his owners spot him and stop it.

[@immabethehero1486]

Man that was a good series!

[@Werewolf_Korra]

I love that too. The illustration remains one of the funniest things ever.

[@d-manthecaptain1382]

@@Werewolf_Korra Aw man, I don't remember my version having any illustrations

[@JICheshired]

I love the inserts of you and Hershel as the peanut gallery. And I'm glad to hear this is something that still brings a lot of joy to you.

[@Dim4323]

You can see How doug walker was inspried for the Nostalgiaween costume

[@Sonichero151]

I love how CR has so much contempt for David S Pumpkin by the time he has no choice but to mention it he's gotta bump all the other ones up just to put him at the bottom of the list

[@JokersJessterJS]

Alway love these. Watching them has become a Halloween tradition for me

[@viraltang]

likewise.

[@Dimensioneer88]

"Why is the Micro Monsters ally a girl?" My guess is they're trying to recreate the Ninja Turtles/April O'Neil dynamic.

[@adamcammack3534]

Been a miserable year but this genuinely makes me smile thanks so much FF love your work

[@diddycan]

Just when I finished rewatching the rest of your Halloween videos, you posted this.

[@TheLazyShell]

Always count on CR to bring the Halloween goods! Love being exposed to a fresh crop of (more-than-likely-obscure) specials each season!

[@tskmaster3837]

No, I get the Michael Jackson trinity, the scarecrow is from the Wiz, the changing pupils is from his Thriller video and his French military uniform is one of Jackson's more common costume motifs. If you combine them, you will summon the Moonwalker and woe will come to your enemies... and the children of your enemies. Because he'll make them orphans. Hu likes orphans.

[@Collageman90]

Phelous has got to review that Night of the Headless Horseman special in the near future cause it is so up his ally.

[@carminecdinoproductions]

Here’s a list of awesome Halloween specials that should totally happen! - Lucy Loud’s Scary Tales of Terror Halloween Spooktacular (a stand-alone hour-long anthology Halloween special of The Loud House where Lucy and her friends along with other characters tell multiple scary Halloween stories at a Halloween party and some of them involve an evil ghost chicken, a witch who turns Halloween costumed people into what their costumes represent, Lisa Loud as a mad scientist with her monster played by Lincoln Loud, a retelling of Hansel and Gretel set during Halloween with Luan Loud playing the witch, a parody of It with Luan Loud as a killer clown, etc.) - Adventure Time: Marceline’s HallOooween SpOooktacular of Scary Tales (a stand-alone hour-long anthology Halloween special of Adventure Time where Marceline tells scary Halloween stories at her Halloween party and the stories could involve monsters) - The Addams Family Halloween (a Halloween special of the 2019 animated movie “The Addams Family” and its 2021 sequel “The Addams Family 2”) - Halloween in Gravity Falls (an hour-long Halloween special of Gravity Falls set during Halloween where Dipper and Mabel return to Gravity Falls for a Halloween festival and monsters take over the town for Halloween) - The Owl House: Halloween in the Boiling Isles (a Halloween special of The Owl House where Luz brings the human holiday of Halloween to the Boiling Isles and it suddenly spreads like wildfire with costumes, candy, Jack-o-lanterns, and other stuff) - Elvira’s 13 Scary Tales of Halloween (Elvira, the queen of darkness herself hosts a Halloween party in a variety anthology Halloween special with 13 Halloween-themed renditions of classic fairy tales such as Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, and other tales) - Screame Park (an animated Halloween special set a Halloween theme park) - A Jurassic World Spooky-saurus Dinosaur Halloween Special (an animated Jurassic World Halloween special where some friends end up at the Jurassic World theme park for the Halloween season and some scary dinosaurs attack) - Terrifying Tales from Vader’s Castle: A STAR WARS Halloween Special (an animated STAR WARS Halloween special which sees some friends attend a spooky Halloween party inside a spooky haunted castle which is actually Darth Vader’s fortress) - Other Cool Halloween Specials I have ideas for

[@CartoonTriper]

A real treat to see a new entry of Halloween Specials when I was rewatching the past ones

[@Enshohma]

You truly do find some amazing obscurities alongside your excellent commentary: 1313 Mockingbird Lane does kind-of-suck and not in a fun vampire way at that. Plus, I love your new Halloween sidekick! Bring him / her back for anytime you review horror or monster material.

[@arielfangirlmendez]

If eerie indiana had a reboot on netflix we have a problem

[@mackenziegivens6061]

If I had to compare this to the original show, I'd say the OG is the fun, passionate, "welcome to the madness" goth who wants to make everyone feel seen and heard. While Mockingbird Lane is the moody, stereotypical, "no one understands me" goth that would rather brood and angst in the corner thinking they're cooler than they really are.

[@Kaveeteh]

it says alot when the Rob Zombie reboot of the Munsters looks more true to the source material than the Mockingbird Lane project did

[@DemonicRemption]

@PharohBacon When did Rob Zombie reboot The Munsters.

[@avremirine8986]

Honestly this is the first time I heard of David S. Pumpkins.

[@versus22REALLY]

Clue Penguin has some dip lore no joke. There's also a fan project call Penguinronpa that pretty good.

[@BugsyFoga]

Awesome to see a new top 10.

[@jackson5056]

“Hallowaiian” looks like what the never made “Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian” would’ve looked like.

[@moonstoneuniverse8516]

I loved the monster in my pocket pilot Lovable characters, great story telling and creative.

[@TheZipperDragon]

Bruh, Thicc Misty...C.R. is so good at his job.

[@Dimensioneer88]

So according to Saberspark's review of Hallowaiian, the Jaguar Man was straight up a character design taken from another movie, a steampunk Wizard of Oz rip-off, but the whole reason the movie and even studio was made ... was to promote bread rolls! A BREAD company made a MOVIE STUDIO just for the sake of promoting BREAD!

[@galacticglamourgirl]

Fear and Laughter in Burbank is my favourite segment from the reboot. Not only was the animation and comedy top notch, it showed a new side to my favourite Warner sibling!

[@SoulStarSketchin]

31:20. I never thought to see a legendary meme return in the year of 2021 but you’ve proven me wrong once again!

[@animevampierangel131]

I love that Mark Hamill does so many random voice roles

[@nathanstanfield4695]

Waiting with baited breath for this years list, I hope it's still coming.

[@Takisan111]

Holy crap I completely forgot about Mockingbird Lane. I saw it when it first aired and then proceeded to never think about it again. I remember going into it not realizing it was a Munsters reboot and it just pissed me off the more I watched. And I did want to like it since it started with a werewolf.

[@fifinostalgia]

While I absolutely LOVE these lists, I think you should do another forgotten Christmas special list. I mean its been like what 6 years? I'm sure the bargain bins have a few holiday oddities to take the piss out of.

[@thenerdbeast7375]

The bit about Club Penguin not airing on the Disney Channel in favor of making it an online exclusive is kind of ironic how it looks like Disney Channel is shutting down around the world in favor of Disney+

[@cocheeseknox7440]

Love the transition. Especially with the Calamity Girls as the Totally Spies.

[@Pinka13]

Another weird thing about Hallowaiin... It was advertised on packs of Hawaiian Rolls that was a tie-in for some contest to win a trip to Hawaii. I swear I'm *not* making this up!

[@FamiliarFacesChannel]

So the movie was actually sponsored by Hawaii Rolls I thought that was a joke?!

[@Demolitiondude]

I'm actually reading reading bunnicula to my stepdaughter.

[@mynameiswayne3779]

Yes!!!! New list 🤘🏾 the great pumkin has rewarded my loyalty 🤘🏾🤣

[@fireblade696]

I’ll explain that club penguin “lore” you were confused about to you. Gary secretly works for this agency called the Elite Penguin Force. They keep the island safe from villains that attack them. The leader of the agency was secret for a while in game until her secret identity was revealed in a special in game event. Also, am unsure if the special is canon to the game, but Gary does have a great uncle named Gariwald who appeared in a Halloween event where you had to help Gary fight an evil ghost who took over the island’s hotel with the help of the ghost of Gariwald, so Gariwald has a lot to do with ghosts in the lore. The ghost you fight in game is not in this special though.

[@masqueradenoir5767]

Pokemon X and Y has a pretty cute Halloween episode where the main cast arrive in a town that is celebrating a holiday called the Gourgeist Festival which is basically just Halloween with a different name

[@dragon1130]

Always a pleasure to see a...Familiar Face. Loved this series way back in the day. I still enjoy this show.

[@secondratefilmschool]

Been looking forward to this year's episode!

[@d-manthecaptain1382]

The reason the Woody Woodpecker short goes into color is because most people back then had black and white TVs, so there was so reason for any of the new footage to be recorded in color, it wasn't till the 60's that colored TVs became real big. I guess they considered the animated segment important enough to do in color, despite that fact it wouldn't be seen that way. It's like how with Mickey Mouse Club all the newly created animation was done in color, but all the live action footage was always done in black and white, I guess they might've also figured that if they did the scenes that were to be repeated often in color, then they wouldn't need to reanimate them if color became a thing. You can find the theme song for Mickey Mouse Club in color, but you'll never find full colored prints of the early episodes, because they just don't exist. Also, no wonder you've never heard of Homer Pigeon, he only ever appeared in two cartoons. There's also a third cartoon with a character who has the same name, but with how different they are in look and setting, the fact that naming a pigeon Homer is a really obvious pun to make, I'm pretty sure it's a different character. I'm pretty sure (not counting the Walter Lantz segments of the Woody Woodpecker shows in which Lantz and Woody interreact) that was the only made for TV Woody Woodpecker cartoon made by the original studio, if so, then it must've been a real important learning experience for them in working with low budget animation. They created cartoons of increasingly small budgets all the way up to 1972.

[@van8ryan]

Looking forward to the day when WISHBONE's Sleepy Hollow special shows up on this list

[@pallydan893]

Which was also about Sleepy Hollow, and considering CR acknowledged how that story has made his lists every year, I'm surprised he's never covered it yet.

[@pallydan893]

Reread your comment, I misread Sleepy Hollow as Halloween Special

[@sebastianmoreno5814]

For the record, huge agree on David S Pumpkins. He was a mistake. A huge mistake.

[@nathanstanfield4695]

I adore Hershel. Also that art style in the David S Pumpkins special makes me think of F is for Family more than anything. Really thought it might be the same studio until I looked it up.

[@crcoghill]

Praying for that opening bit is real when he meant "i have next years list already thought up" cause... that clock is ticking. no rush. i know CR loves he's lists and Halloween weirdo movies/specials.

[@Dimensioneer88]

Would you consider Doug's Halloween Adventure for next year? That one is not stop non-sensical things.

[@FamiliarFacesChannel]

oh yeah the one with a real phantom...maybe.

[@Real_Bossclips]

I like the 8 year pay off of you finally getting to talk about the FOX version of Sleepy Hallow. Yeah boyeeeee!

[@ravenblack9335]

Thank you for making another one! I watch your Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas list episodes every year during the holidays. Fills me with such nostalgia and warm feelings! :)

[@underwolf6730]

It's just not Halloween without some Familiar Faces!!! 🎃🎃🎃

[@byoutifulmonster]

This is the best Birthday Gift i could have asked for!

[@klaymen22]

Wolfmon, my new favorite Digimon

[@Rocketboy1313]

I agree with you about the brilliant set up of the "Monster in my Pocket" special. I recall catching this, "Hawaiian Slammers", and a number of other failed pilots on some kind of marathon some holiday weekend. I was a massive fan of the cards, having a complete set that is in a folder somewhere in my parents house (and that is probably worth a small fortune) and I was the first kid to ever rent the game from a locally owned video store, so the owner of the store gave me the tiny orange monster toy that came with the game.

[@nathanforester5993]

I definitely think MJ's face in the moon is a nod to the Dangerous album cover. The cat is definitely likely a Thriller nod because MJ turned into a cat-creature in the music video and also the scarecrow is a nod to The Wiz where Michael did indeed play the scarecrow. Jim Hanks does most of the video game and toy voice work for Woody in the Toy Story franchise when Tom isn't available. And also now Rob Zombie has his own Munsters that is about the family but just focuses on Herman married Lilly.

[@pallydan893]

Maybe the military spider is a very subtle reference to the Jackson Five? The individual being force into a part of a larger group. It's a stretch I know.

[@nathanforester5993]

@@pallydan893 In the This Is It concert movie that was supposed to be a comeback concert, there is a spider that Michael crawls out of, it must possibly be a reference to that too. Part of it does remind me of History era Michael too since Michael's History era attire was very soldier-esque and he had a few dancing soldiers, or soldier backup dancers on the History tour.

[@AnimeAngel88]

@@pallydan893 It actually makes sense considering what his father made the family go through to get into the music industry.

[@nathanforester5993]

@@AnimeAngel88 Yeah, that adds up. And the outfit is definitely a nod to the History era in my opinion given the outfits he had in that period were very soldier-like and he had soldiers as back up dancers.

[@CapedJoel]

A new CR Top 10 Video. I must have done something very very good to deserve this :)

[@SwiftpawWolffox]

Part of the reason the Bunnicula series was good even if a big departure from the book series was because it was handled in part by the same guy that did Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy.

[@emilyhogan4973]

The Hallowian movie had a tie in with Kings Hawaiian sweet bread, which is why the panther man is giving them rolls for Halloween.

[@Neyebureturns]

I’m glad to see this back, a great Halloween tradition

[@xiao668]

Glad you're still making these! They're a Halloween tradition for me!

[@PrimRooks]

An hour-long FF video, let’s do this!!

[@danwilliams1989]

I wouldn’t mind seeing a Monsters in my Pocket reboot.

[@owenslaughter9438]

God I have been waiting for years for you ro get to Bunnicula! Awesome video, doesn't quite feel like the spooky season with out a CR Halloween Specials list.

[@charlesman8722]

It’s not Halloween till CRs ones a year upload

[@darkmyro]

the adams family is also kinda making fun of "the other" they're weird people from a weird place that moved the suburbs. though though they both have their strengths. The munsters feel more like a normal family, while the adams lean into the subtext more. I feel the connection with the munsters more, but I find the Adams more entertaining usually.

[@aidanhever3369]

The Legend of Hallowaiian looks like a mix between Rapsittie Street Kids with the cancelled sequel of Beetlejuice.

[@GreenPowerStar]

Love watching these each Halloween and learning about more and more obscure Halloween specials. ...though the scariest part was hearing you call Club Penguin "Penguin Club". The name's super not important, but it still threw me off every time you said it, lol.

[@Dimensioneer88]

Another weird one I just remembered: The Kenan and Kel movie, Two Heads Are Better Than None.

[@mewdreamer]

It's always fun to see your Holiday special lists. I always learn more about specials I've never seen before and it's a good way to get more into the Halloween mood.

[@171QA]

Hearing that you’re doing another one of these countdowns next year is the best treat of all.

[@xkennyPLx]

So when's Herschel getting his own show?

[@Sandlot1992]

It's that time again! (plus that Monsters in my Pocket special feels more like a dropped pilot and despite this being an ABC weekend special and was released in the same year I was born in!) btw, Paxton Whitehead voiced the Invisible Man, not Tony Jay!

[@madmachanicest9955]

dame it I'm really disappointed that failed monsters reboot did not get off the ground. Not because I think it would be good but I a big fan of the actor playing Herman for his time on sliders

[@liamjay6844]

I vividly remember that CG Sleepy Hollow when I was a kid, never saw it outside of an advert and a VHS copy at a car boot sale.

[@vertajeanproductions1839]

I feel like TNG's Night Terrors is being overlooked but good list.

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

I wonder if adventure time was inspired by bunnicula with Marcy drinking red

[@atlanime]

21:07 NO GOOD SON OF A BUS DRIVER!!!

[@Werewolf_Korra]

"And do check out that new series... By any means necessary." Chad be going as a pirate this Halloween.

[@Dimensioneer88]

I just found out Spookley had a Christmas sequel called Spookley and the Christmas Kittens.

[@KitCloud1]

So this is far later then I meant it to be, I just want to say that this is another great list of obscure holiday themed specials and I'm so grateful you keep making these despite the fact that the youtube channel doesn't get nearly as many views as you deserve. Weird to think TOS had a Howloween special like that and your insight into why makes a whole lot of sense. Howloween on ice isn't so much a surprise that it exists, more that it's still going. And David S pumpkin is exactly the kind of I wouldn't want to watch it on it's own but it's kind of hilarious in this list, which to a large degree is entirely on your delivery making it entertaining. Wishing you loads of luck with the channel and your own animation projects.

[@Omeganed0]

Oh, I remember that Headless Horsman movie. I was unfamiliar with the actual story, so I thought the ending was kinda of anticlimactic. Honestly I think unintentionally creepy 2000's CGI tends to set an unsettling, eerie tone. It's a weird balancing act where it makes a product somewhat unappealing, but if you stay with it it can set a perfect creepy atmosphere.

[@ekrenz5268]

The best time of the year is here again!

[@DGilVids]

More weird Halloween specials!!! Yeah!

[@jaggerguth4391]

25:04 My Best Guess: The Sequel is a James Bond Spoof Involving Herbert P. Bear, Tusk, Skip, Shellbeard, and Proto Bot Teaming up to Destroy Penguin Island.

[@wolfclaw719]

From what I can tell Hallowaiein or however you spell it was made or at least commissioned by a Hawaiin food company to advertise the strange pastries the Jaguar-man hands out and the kids gush over like their Turkish delights from a queen in the closet or something.

[@dylansharp8471]

Now I'm wondering were the Amphibia Girls as the Totally Spies and that Rick and Morty girl as Misty came from.

[@ChookaaFindlebean]

Yoooo I had that Monster in my Pocket special on vhs, watched it all the time as a kid

[@Werewolf_Korra]

Just a suggestion, but the Disney Channel Halloween Trifecta is worth bringing up. Lizzie Maguire's Night of the Day of the Dead, That's So Raven's Don't Have a Cow, and Even Steven's A Very Scary Story. Lizzie Maguire's kinda has a Ghost and Mr. Chicken thing, where it seems scary at first, but the second time through, you recognize the bit. Also, it's got legit Halloween stuff. Lizzie's friend where's a cat in the hat costume, Monster Mash plays at the party. Pepsi cans are just sitting in the fridge. It's an IP nightmare. And you could make a critical joke of how Hillary Duff tried to basically sell her child to Disney. That's So Raven's a transformation story, with Chelsea and Raven turning into cows at a Halloween party. It's an out there concept to do a Halloween TF about cows, and also it has inspired... Stuff... As only two teenage girls turning into milky bovines can. And the final one is legit scary. Ren goes crazy and lobotomizes her entire high school, turning them into eyeless, polite zombies. Of course, they all have "it was all a dream" endings. A prank on a bully, a vision of the future, and Shia Lebeouf trying to scare Beans. But surprisingly interesting concepts for Disney sitcoms.

[@bexstar]

That David S. Pumpkins at the end is truly terrifying.

[@BoyNamedSue4]

Awesome work as always

[@Cameroo]

So glad you have a few more of these up your sleeve. 🎃

[@Falcovsleon21]

11:43 Maybe it's me but for some reason all that I can think of when I see this is "I'm a human being!" For context, that's a line The Blob in Clayfighter 63 1/3 screams when he's being attacked. 24:43 And then a group by the name of Silvagunner started making high quality rips of the music but that's another story. EDIT: Waitaminute, I just noticed something. 39:56 a peppy, cheerful girl makes friends with the supernatural and a voice cast of familiar actors known for roles in cartoons. Maybe this is a stretch but was this possible inspiration for The Ghost and Molly McGee?

[@felixleidig8307]

yesterday i saw your old videos in a row

[@arkinyte13]

These videos are a Halloween tradition for me thanks!!

[@Skullkan6]

35:35 Oh by god you've created a waifu.

[@carminecdinoproductions]

Ooooooooo Another spooky Halloween specials video!

[@47Cartoonguy]

Oh fuck I forgot all about that Munsters reboot never seen it but judging by the those clips. We dodged a bullet

[@Werewolf_Korra]

I could see Monster in My Pocket return as a sort of mystery box toy, like vinyl figures. You would have a carrying case/starter pack/playset of Monster Mountain, with the main monsters, and each subsequent monster would have their own little cell.

[@davidjackdls]

I wait all year for these specials, glad to see them and excited already for next year!

[@DemonicRemption]

8:02- 8:05 Oh, so that's why Seras Victoria's coffin was filled with soil from England...

[@mrs.wontkins9294]

Great list love the OST nod Chekov was my favorite growing up.

[@briancomiskey9824]

The return of the curse of the Halloween specials (a la Mr. Show)

[@briancomiskey9824]

"Please everyone, we must know what it is we're supposed to be afraid of "

[@JoeKerr019]

Happy Halloween laddy o

[@Werewolf_Korra]

19:40 this is giving the show too much credit, but maybe Grandpa wanted to keep the scout master's blood for himself.