"Sesame Street Magical Halloween Adventure" is a Halloween-themed television special aired in 1988 as part of the long-running children's program "Sesame Street." The special follows the popular characters from Sesame Street as they embark on a magical adventure on the eve of Halloween. In this special, Big Bird, dressed as a vampire, accidentally throws a boombox into Oscar the Grouch's trash can and is transported to a mysterious place called "Count von Count's Halloween Castle." Elmo, dressed as a magician, and their friends join Big Bird on this unexpected and exciting adventure. Upon arrival at the castle, the group encounters Count von Count, a friendly vampire who loves to count everything. He explains that they are all trapped in his castle due to a magic spell.
Q: Why did you choose the Cape?
A: For some time I’ve been fascinated with the idea of "a finer place" (see Lucy Lynch and Bobby Marconi in Bridge of Sighs). I’m talking about both fiction and real life. Why do people believe that happiness is more likely to find you in one place than another? It has something with what you can and can’t afford, what you think you’ll one day be able to swing if things go well. Except that even when they go well, you discover it’s still unaffordable, which gives the desired place a magical quality. The faster you run toward it, the faster it runs away from you. I chose the Cape because it’s always been expensive and just keeps getting more so, but it could have been any number of similar places. For Griffin’s parents, two academics, a house on the Cape would have always been just beyond their reach. One of their many dubious genetic gifts to Griffin is a sense that happiness is always on the horizon, never where you’re standing. Very American, I think.
A It probably won t surprise readers to discover that both my daughters were married during the time I was writing this book, which, if it does well, will pay for their weddings. Griffin has been tooling around for nearly a year with his father s ashes in the trunk, but his mother is very much alive and not shy about calling on his cell phone.
He explains that they are all trapped in his castle due to a magic spell. The only way to break the spell and return home is to find the "Spellbreaker's Stone." As they explore the castle, the characters encounter various Halloween-themed obstacles, including a room filled with dancing jack-o'-lanterns and a spooky library full of animated books.
That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo
A t 57 and facing his "middle-aged meltdown", Jack Griffin, the "congenitally unhappy" hero of That Old Cape Magic, is a professor of writing at a New England college and an ex-Hollywood screenwriter, bi-coastal traits he shares with author Richard Russo. Russo's 2001 novel Empire Falls won the Pulitzer Prize, but he also has several movie scripts under his belt, so it's not too surprising that the novel is so ready for its close-up. Russo gives his characters lots of sight gags; a farcical rehearsal dinner for Jack's daughter's wedding, which lands half the family in ER; pages of screen-dialogue for key scenes; and even a gallant old slapper girlfriend who asks Jack to write a movie with "a girl like me in it" and cast Susan Sarandon.
Jack blames his embittered view of this "fundamentally crappy world" on his internal struggle between the prosperous hack and the aspiring serious novelist. "Crappy" is also one of the many all-purpose terms of scorn he has inherited from his despised parents, both professors of English with "an unearned sense of entitlement" who could not accept their own academic exile to the "mid-fucking-west" instead of the Ivy League. Cynical Dad was an easy grader who barely noticed his students unless he was seducing them; intellectual snob Mom conscientiously got to know her students well enough to "dislike them as individuals". Both looked down on Jack's chosen career as "writing crappy movies".
The professors Griffin found a brief annual respite on Cape Cod, where they spent "one glorious month, each summer. Sun. Sand. Water. Gin. Followed by 11 months of misery." In the first part of Russo's novel, Jack goes back to the Cape looking for the cottage where he spent a childhood holiday with a perfect family as neighbours, which he is trying to recapture in a short story called "The Summer of the Brownings". But there are signs that this trip is doomed. Jack can't sleep, has quarrelled with his wife, and spends most of the time arguing on his mobile with his mother: old, retired, widowed, but snide as ever. By the second part of the book, Jack's marriage and work are on the rocks, and he is schlepping the ashes of both parents in identical urns, looking for a suitable place to dump them along with the burdens of his past.
Russo gives Jack two good, if over-explicitly named, angels to guide him through the land of lost content: his wife, Joy, who cheerily makes the best of all life's circumstances; and Sunny Kim, the childhood friend of his daughter, Laura, who has always carried a torch for her. At Laura's wedding to another man, Sunny bears his disappointment manfully, counts his blessings as a second-generation Korean-American, and mildly chastises Jack for self-pity. But as Jack realises, rereading his fictional tribute to the Brownings, "the only characters that rang true, felt real" were based on his awful parents. The petulant but hilarious Griffins steal every scene from the estimable but colourless Sunny and Joy.
In one of his tougher-minded novels like Straight Man or Bridge of Sighs, Russo might have let Jack make his peace with his parents by identifying with their relentless irony and self-mocking intelligence. But although Jack thinks he is above the narrative arcs, neat third-act resolutions and happy endings of "a well-constructed screenplay", and although Russo meditates on memory, ageing, inheritance, marriage, desire and the meaning of happiness throughout That Old Cape Magic, Death in Venice it ain't. Instead it's a midlife romcom, written with humour and assurance. And why insist that every novel aspire to tragic disillusion? There's enough of the old Cape magic here to keep most readers entertained until the movie comes out.
Elaine Showalter's A Jury of her Peers is published by Virago. To order That Old Cape Magic for £11.99 with free UK p&p call Guardian book service on 0330 333 6846 or go to theguardian.com/bookshop
That Old Cape Magic might tentatively be described as a dark comedy, full of pointed satire at the bourgeoisie posturing of folks like the elder Griffins. However, the emotional force of the novel lies in Russo's alternation of moments of hilarity with others of deep melancholy and regret. In some ways, That Old Cape Magic attempts a late-life bildungsroman, the coming into wisdom of its near-retirement age protagonist – a span of human experience that is very rarely the focus of novels.
Along the way, they meet many famous faces from classic horror films, such as Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolfman, who help them in their quest to find the Spellbreaker's Stone. Throughout the adventure, the characters learn important lessons about friendship, bravery, and problem-solving. They work together to overcome their fears and help one another during challenging situations. The special also incorporates educational elements, such as counting and vocabulary lessons, which are consistent with the show's educational mission. The climax of the special occurs when the group finally finds the Spellbreaker's Stone. Using their knowledge and skills, they manage to overcome the final obstacle and break the spell. As a result, they are transported back to Sesame Street, just in time for Halloween festivities. "Sesame Street Magical Halloween Adventure" is a delightful and entertaining special that captures the spirit of Halloween in a fun and educational way. It appeals to young audiences by combining engaging storytelling, beloved characters, and important life lessons. This television special continues to be a beloved Halloween tradition for Sesame Street fans of all ages..
Reviews for "Unlock the Secrets of Halloween in Sesame Street's Magical Halloween Adventure"
1. John - 1 star - I was extremely disappointed with "Sesame Street Magical Halloweeb Adventure". The storyline was weak, and it seemed like the writers were more interested in selling merchandise than delivering quality content. The animation was lackluster, and the characters felt forced, lacking the charm that made the original Sesame Street so enjoyable. Overall, I found it to be a wasted opportunity and not worth the time or money.
2. Sarah - 2 stars - As a long-time fan of Sesame Street, I was looking forward to "Sesame Street Magical Halloweeb Adventure" but was sorely disappointed. The plot was confusing and disjointed, making it difficult to follow along. The songs were forgettable and didn't have the catchy melodies that the show is known for. The animation also felt cheap and rushed, lacking the attention to detail that children deserve. I had high hopes for this special, but unfortunately, it fell short of expectations.
3. Lisa - 2 stars - I found "Sesame Street Magical Halloweeb Adventure" to be underwhelming. The jokes were repetitive and didn't appeal to both children and adults like the show usually does. The pacing was off, and the special seemed to drag on longer than necessary. Additionally, the messages about friendship and inclusion, which are typically handled with finesse, felt forced and heavy-handed. Overall, it lacked the magic and charm that Sesame Street is known for, leaving me feeling disappointed.
4. Mark - 1 star - "Sesame Street Magical Halloweeb Adventure" was a complete letdown. The plot was predictable and lacked originality, making it unengaging for both children and adults. The characters' voices seemed off, and the dialogue felt forced. It's a shame because Sesame Street has such a rich history of educational and entertaining content. However, this special failed to deliver, leaving me feeling unsatisfied and wishing for better storytelling.
5. Michelle - 2 stars - I'm a huge Sesame Street fan, but "Sesame Street Magical Halloweeb Adventure" just didn't hit the mark for me. The animation style was different from what I was used to, and it took away from the overall experience. The plot felt contrived and lacked substance, failing to hold my attention. Although there were some fun moments, they were overshadowed by the overall disappointment of the special. I wished for a more engaging and memorable Halloween-themed episode from Sesame Street.