The Cult-Favorite Horror Movie That Channels the Halloween Spirit in a Totally Unique Way

As someone who was born in the 80s and grew up in the golden age of VHS tapes and local TV stations, I can wholeheartedly say that the WNUF Halloween Special is like a time machine straight to my childhood. It’s not just another Halloween movie; it’s a love letter to the bygone era when staying home on October 31st meant watching spooky programming all night long.

Halloween means various things to different people. For children, it’s a fun opportunity to don costumes representing their favorite characters and collect an excessive amount of candy by knocking on doors. For teenagers and young adults, Halloween serves as a time to socialize with friends at parties filled with light-hearted festivities. Adults may either oversee their children as they go trick-or-treating or indulge in marathons of horror films. The 2013 movie “WNUF Halloween Special” specifically appeals to a certain group of people who remember watching low-budget event programming designed to scare audiences on Halloween night. While not everyone might relate to “WNUF“, for those who do, it offers a nostalgic throwback and a unique way to celebrate All Hallow’s Eve.

On the spooky night of Halloween, 1987, the WNUF Halloween Special unfolds with a news broadcast where presenters in Halloween costumes share fake news stories. They chat about various local happenings such as a dentist giving cash for candies and police offering safety tips for trick-or-treating. As the show progresses, it presents Frank Stewart (Paul Fahrenkopf), an anchor who embarks on a live investigation into a house rumored to be haunted.

Back in the day, the 1992 movie “Ghostwatch” was one of the pioneers that dared to mimic the ambiance of a live television investigation. Fast forward to today, we’ve got “Late Night with the Devil,” featuring David Dastmalchian as a talk show host who stirs controversy by inviting a supposedly possessed girl on Halloween. But what truly sets the “WNUF Halloween Special” apart is its clever blend of commercials and interstitials that both honor and challenge the spirit of All Hallow’s Eve.

In olden times, before the era of streaming and home video, people who loved horror or Halloween had no other choice but to depend on television networks for their entertainment. This meant that they had to tolerate movies being cut for content, as well as frequent interruptions by commercials during which national brands advertised their products, along with local businesses. During the 80s and 90s, many companies capitalized on the Halloween spirit by creating themed commercials, so even though viewers were annoyed when programs got interrupted, they could still enjoy advertisements featuring spooky themes like a Reese’s peanut butter cup commercial with a vampire theme or an ad for a local haunted house. This helped maintain the eerie mood.

The movie titled WNUF was created by Chris LaMartina, Jimmy George, and Jamie Nash, and it presents itself as a 1987 broadcast recording. A common query among viewers of found-footage horror films is who edited this supposedly discovered footage, but the creators of WNUF went to great lengths to ensure authenticity, even producing dozens of mock advertisements for fictional brands. These ads range from local pharmacies promoting Halloween makeup to horror hotlines, and farms, all in keeping with the era’s style. Not every commercial has a spooky theme; some advertise upcoming sitcom episodes or promote music compilations. Additionally, themed network identification bumpers are included to fully transport the viewer into the concept.

Speaking candidly, the WNUF Halloween Special was more than just a labor of love; it was a true work of passion. On a meager budget of $1,500, LaMartina dedicated countless hours and days to create each 30-second segment. This dedication was evident in the new footage he filmed or the skillful editing of stock footage that looked authentically reminiscent of ’80s promotional material.

Back in 2020, as a film enthusiast, I shared my approach to creating our unique ’80s themed commercials with ComicBook. The footage for these ads came from three primary sources: stock footage that could convincingly portray the ’80s aesthetic, clips from filmmakers we knew had ’80s footage and were friendly enough to let us use it freely, and public domain-style footage. Essentially, a group of talented writers, including Pat Storck who was exceptional, contributed scripts for commercials. I’d show them the available clips and assign tasks based on their strengths. For instance, “Pat, could you write a commercial using this arcade footage? Or, I can get my friend Joe Mitra to record heavy metal songs. How about coming up with a list of fake bands for an ’80s heavy metal compilation ad?” I had clear ideas for the types of commercials I wanted to produce, and then it was all about maximizing every piece of footage available, just like making use of every part of the buffalo.

He explained, “During that period, I was a bachelor residing in the basement. I worked as a video editor at a marketing firm and lived there. My routine consisted of waking up, editing a commercial, returning to my office during lunch break since it was close by, editing another commercial upon my return, then heading home at night for more editing before falling asleep. If the commercials primarily used stock footage, I could complete three per day. It was simple work; from script to screen, WNUF was made in just nine months, which was quite impressive – it felt like a massive, dream-like project.

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For those who love Halloween, there’s no dearth of content to watch each October. However, among these options, there’s arguably just one that recaptures the nostalgia of watching TV on Halloween night and all the cherished memories associated with it, and that’s the WNUF Halloween Special.

2024-10-26 20:06

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