Halloween 2023: October 23rd

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)

When I was a kid, it seemed like “Scooby-Doo” never really went away. My family signed up for cable shortly before Cartoon Network launched, when I was all of four years old. I was glued to the channel as a kid, where the various “Scooby-Doo” iterations made up a large chunk of its programming. However, the nineties were actually something of a slower decade for the mystery-themed kids franchise. “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo” ended in 1992 and there would be little “Doo” content for several years after that. This started to change in 1998, with the debut of “Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island.” This would kick off a long-running series of direct-to-video feature films starring the talking dog and the rest of Mystery Inc. As a regular Cartoon Network watcher, I recall the film being heavily promoted. To this day, “Zombie Island” remains one of the better regarded of the many features starring these characters. 

“Zombie Island” acknowledges the gap in “Doo” productions by beginning with Mystery Inc having gone their separate ways. Daphne is hosting a popular supernatural investigation show, with Fred acting as her producer. Velma operates a book store while Shaggy and Scooby work as baggage checkers at an airport. The gang gets back together for Daphne's birthday, investigating mysteries again all over the country as part of her show. Every time, the paranormal entity turns out to be a man in a costume, like always. The group arrives at Moonscar Island, a location in the Louisiana bayou that carries a legend about a pirate, Morgan Moonscar. While staying at the pepper plantation of Simone Lemore, strange things begin to happen. Shaggy and Scooby are chased by undead pirates, voodoo dolls of the gang are discovered, and many clues point towards a curse hanging over the island. Yet are the zombies the real threat? 

I watched the various “Scooby-Doo” cartoons as a kid, because I was a child and I didn't have too many better things to do. Yet I'm not sure I'd ever call myself a fan of the franchise exactly. I appreciative the spooky vibes of the show but, even as a kid, I noticed how formulaic the “Doo” series was. Every episode follows almost the same pattern, while the characters have remained more-or-less consistent over the decades. “Zombie Island” wastes little time reuniting the quintet, removing that conflict from the story quickly. Instead, the film devotes a lot of time to its archetypal characters acting in the manner we expect. Velma analyzes clues all over the place. Daphne is given the characteristic of wanting the supernatural to be real, while Fred is a designated skeptic. Scooby and Shaggy eat enormous amounts of food, something the film returns to over and over again. It all gets tedious quickly, as the script never bothers to include many jokes. The Mystery Gang is as one-note as can be and “Zombie Island” has no interest in expanding beyond that. The supporting characters are similarly archetypal, including a Cajun boat captain, a disreputable fisherman with a pet pig, and an overly friendly local girl.

Then again, it's not like anyone goes into a “Scooby-Doo” movie expecting insightful character development. Fans expect these characters to do certain tasks in every appearance, to act in very specific ways. The appeal of “Scooby-Doo,” for me anyway, has always been the spooky locations and monsters of the week. If you can get pass the long chase scenes and many lame non-jokes, “Zombie Island” does deliver on this. The feature is certainly better animated than your typical Hanna Barbera cartoon. While long stretches of the movie look fairly bland, there are a number of moments where clearly some money was spent on the animation. The opening encounter with a monster in a castle looks good. The zombies rising from the grave, groaning and comically losing some body parts, look mildly atmospheric too. The final act also reveals some well done sequences of transforming humanoids. The sequences of moaning zombie pirates and snarling were-cats might even be a little too creepy for really young kids.

As a kid, who always loved monsters and ghost stories, I was always a little disappointed that “Scooby-Doo” so rarely featured real supernatural events. As an adult, I actually like how the show depicts skepticism, by revealing that most people preaching the existence of the supernatural are just after your money. ”Zombie Island” is somewhat controversial, among “Doo” fanatics, for featuring real monsters. It's an idea I have mixed feelings about. Kids probably do need to be taught to be critical of anyone advertising the paranormal. However, I must admit that the zombies, ghosts, voodoo, curses, and were-cats being real admittedly makes for a more entertaining movie. “Zombie Island” breaks with “Scooby” tradition by not just featuring genuine other-worldy creatures but by also making the zombies mere victims of a greater villain. The last act is weighed down with too much exposition. However, I did get a thrill out of seeing snarling panther people and shambling revenants being animated in a fairly fun, detailed fashion. 

For animation nerds, “Zombie Island” does feature plenty of recognizable voices. Veteran vocal performers like Billy West, Tara Strong, Mark Hamill, Jim Cummings, and Cam Clarke and Frank Welker are all here. Adrienne Barbeau also appears as the primary villainess, adding a little more novelty to the horror ambiance here. “Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island” must've sold well for Warner Bros., as they've released one or two new “Scooby-Doo” feature cartoons every year since. (Including a direct sequel to this one in 2019.) Many of those films also features actual monsters, so I guess this one was pretty influential in the “Doo” world. Your patience for this series' shenanigans will largely dictate how much fun you have with this one. My tolerance for “Scooby” clichés are limited but there's enough novelty, some decently animated bits of kid-friendly horror movie nonsense, and some obnoxiously catchy songs for me to give this one a half-hearted recommendation. If nothing else, re-watching this was less embarrassing than “Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School.” [6/10]

Encounter of the Spooky Kind (1980)

Gui da gui

If Hong Kong films could be said to have added any monster to the cinematic bestiary, it would probably be the jiangshi. Due to being reanimated corpses that suck life force, instead of blood, they are often referred to as Chinese vampires. Yet these revenants are also characterized by their funeral garb, rotting appearances, and stiff, jumping movement. This is why the creatures are also known as “hopping corpses.” Jiangshi became a common feature in Hong Kong movies starting with 1980's “Encounter of the Spooky Kind,” which would kick off a whole wave of films featuring the mythological monsters. Starring and directed by martial arts icon Sammo Hung, the film has recently become more widely available here in the West. 

Rickshaw driver Cheung suspects his wife to cheating on him with his employer, Master Tam. This is true and Tam fears that the affair might be discovered. He employs a sorcerer named Chin Hoi, to dispose of Cheung. Cheung is dared into spending two nights in a haunted house, avoiding a jiangshi both times with the help of Tsui, Chin Hoi's virtuous brother. Framed for his wife's disappearance, Cheung goes on the run with Tsui. The priest teaches him magic and the two soon confront Tam and Chin Hoi in a spiritual duel. 

If you know who Sammo Hung is, you probably know he is a life-long friend and frequent collaborator of Jackie Chan. Hung and Chan popularized the idea of combining martial arts and slapstick comedy together, which continues here. As someone much more familiar with Chan than Sammo, I was amused to see him pull one of Jackie's trademark moves here: Picking up a random object – a stool, in this case – to defend himself. Either way, the kung-fu on display here is obviously top notch. Cheung's fight with a roomful of sword-wielding guards is an exciting display of acrobatics. The climatic duel is where the comedic elements really come to the surface, as Hung is possessed by the spirit of the Monkey King. He mimics ape-like movements, while chattering the whole time and mugging generously for the camera. 

As incredibly well-done and effortlessly entertaining as the comedic fight scenes in “Encounter of the Spooky Kind” are, the highlight of the movie probably remains the spookier elements. The peak of which is Cheung's encounter with the jiangshi. (Played by another frequent Chan collaborator, Yuen Biao.) Biao stiffly moves his arms back and forth, leaping up and down, while Hung skillfully avoids contact with the ghoul. “Spooky Kind” has a loose plot, basically being a series of set-pieces that shove Sammo into different spooky scenarios. Such as an especially inexplicable, but extremely fun, scene where he meets a corpse that mimics his movements. A cat then jumps over the body and it attacks him, which I'm sure made sense to Hong Kong viewers. There's some great ambiance in the haunted house, a cool opening involving skeletons in a jar, and an exceedingly goofy sequence with a ghost reflected in a mirror. I was really pleased to see just how much “Encounter of the Spooky Kind” embraces the supernatural elements of its story.

Granted, the film's combination of tones and genre might rub some the wrong way. All throughout the film, Sammo Hung's character is chastised for being fat. The film ends in an especially baffling moment, taking a hard right-turn into sexist violence literally seconds before the credit. Throughout it all though is the conviction of the totally professional cast. Hung's combination of goofy mugging and physical prowess makes him an oddly compelling hero, someone you can root for as well as laugh at. Jonny Chan sweats and growls as the villain, while Chung Fat plays it totally straight as Tsui. If you're going to buy into a movie like this, the theatrical acting and unexpected tonal whiplashes – especially if you're watching the dub, which seems to be intentionally farcical – become part of the appeal. 

The action is great, the comedic is frequently amusing, and the horror elements scratch a particular itch for me. A similarly committed cast and cinematography seals the deal. “Encounter of the Spooky Kind” is a hoot, from beginning to end. Hung would star in a sequel ten years later but that was only after producing the long-running “Mr. Vampire” series, which further popularized the jiangshi in Hong Kong cinema. By the start of the nineties, the hopping corpses were practically a subgenre unto their own in Hong Kong, with the creatures showing up in films occasionally in the years afterwards as well. I'll definitely have to check out some of those other titles, assuming they are half-as-entertaining as the wild, effortlessly fun “Encounter of the Spooky Kind.” [7/10]

Into the Dark: Good Boy

Out of the previous three installments of “Into the Dark” I've watched, I've only really disliked one. However, the general lack of buzz around Blumhouse and Hulu's monthly feature-length episodes didn't encourage me to watch more. However, “Good Boy” – released in September of 2020 to tie in with Responsible Pet Ownership Month – did catch my eye. It was directed by Tyler MacIntyre, of the delightful “Tragedy Girls” and “Patchwork.” The cast was also stacked, with a starring role for Judy Greer and supporting parts for Steve Guttenberg, Ellen Wong, and Maria Conchita Alonso. I decided this dose of doggy derangement was worth a look. 

Maggie is a struggling journalist, whose biological clock is ticking something fierce. Her paper is going digital only, her doctor has questions about her fertility, and she can't find a decent man. Feeling overwhelmed, Maggie decides to adopt an emotional support dog. She names the little mutt Reuben and quickly falls in love with him, the two becoming inseparable. While out on a bad date, the sleazebag man is brutally killed after Reuben runs outside. Maggie writes a story about the incident and it becomes a hit. She also receives romantic attention from handsome cop, Nate. Whenever someone is really stressing Maggie out, Reuben has a way of making them disappear. Yet Maggie is reluctant to do something about her beloved dog murdering people, especially when it's improving her life.

People get crazy about their dogs and I completely understand why. I love my little Spooky girl, after all. Dogs give you a life time of companionship and will never judge you the way people do. Yet some folk's definitely get a little weird about their pets. This gray area is fertile ground for horror. “Good Boy” nicely explores this. The way Maggie instantly falls for Reuben, simply because he's a warm and loving face when she needs one the most, is fantastically conveyed. That her dog fills a hole in Maggie's life couldn't be more apparent. He's not just an emotional support pet. He's a crutch, that replaces other human connections for Maggie. This is made very apparent in one of the episode's final moments, and also it's most striking image. Of course, Maggie doesn't just make excuses for her murderous pooch. She covers for him and, eventually, eggs on his killings. That kind of codependence is bound to get toxic for any relationship, whether it's between people or animals. It also doesn't hurt that Chico – the little guy playing Reuben – is absolutely adorable and quite an expressive actor. You immediately relate to Maggie's need to protect him.

“Good Boy” is also a display for Judy Greer, a talented actress too often relegated to supporting roles. Greer is excellent at showing the anxiety that Maggie feels all the time, as well as the relief that comes when her pup is in her life. She's, overall, extremely funny and likable in the part. Considering the script follows the character from normal person to one step below an actual serial killer, that's important. We relate to Maggie's problems. To the anxiety she has over failing in her career, loosing her home, never finding a partner, and never starting a family. Really, all of Maggie's fears boil down to a primordial fear of not being loved. No wonder a dog is exactly what she needed. Even when the character is starting to become a bit unhinged, Greer remains a relatable presence. 

In his previous features, Tyler MacIntyre nicely balanced horror, comedy, and compelling character work. This continues in “Good Boy.” The episode draws quite a lot of humor from contrasting Reuben's utterly unassuming appearance with his murderous actions. Such as when he scarfs down a human finger, while Maggie chastises him to “drop it.” Smartly, MacIntyre keeps most of the carnage off-screen, realizing that a murderous puppy dog is probably more laughable than frightening. This also builds a decent deal of mystery around what exactly Reuben is, which is never quite answered. The more blatant attempts at horror – a few jump scares, a nightmare sequence – fall flat. The real horror here, of Maggie loosing the one person who loves her, is based in the smart writing.

In other words, “Good Boy” is strong enough that it probably deserved better than to be buried within a little watched Hulu program. If this had been dropped into theaters, or even released as a stand alone feature, it probably would've gotten decent notices. It's even photographed pretty well, mostly in those black-and-white dream sequences. There's a nice sarcastic streak throughout the story, most evident in the amusingly silly supporting parts from Guttenberg, Wong, and Alonso. However, the heart of the tale – the bond between human and dog – makes sure this one has some pathos as well. Lastly, would I dispose of the evidence if Spooky Girl tore someone apart for me? I mean, I like my dog way more than a lot of people I could name, so... [7/10]

The Legend of the Pope Lick Monster (1988)

Earlier this year, Skeptoid Podcast did an episode digging into the urban legend of the Pope Lick Monster. That is one of several half-human, half-goat monsters said to haunt American back roads. (My old stomping grounds of Clinton, Maryland is home to probably the second most famous Goatman.) What makes the Pope Lick Goatman notorious is that people have died looking for it. The monster is said to haunt an isolated train trestle bridge out in the woods near Louisville, Kentucky. There's been at least five examples of teenagers climbing up onto the bridge only to discover there's no easy way down when a train is coming. It's a sad example of folklore leading to people losing their lives and a dark reminder to always put common sense above the thrills of legend tripping. More dispiriting is how cryptozoologists and other proponents of the paranormal have sensationalized these actual deaths as evidence of the monster's existence. 

Skeptoid concluded that the story of the Pope Lick Monster was further propagated outside the small neighborhood of Fisherville, Kentucky thanks to Ron Schildknecht's 1989 short film, "Legend of the Pope Lick Monster." It follows three teenagers — Clancy, Ben, and Katie — bored and a little drunk on a Friday night. Clancy tells the story of what the script calls the Sheepman. They drive out to the bridge and Clancy goads Ben into climbing up into the trestle. There, Ben discovers the Sheepman is more than just a legend. And that the bridge is still frequently used by trains. 

"Legend of the Pope Lick Monster" is definitely a film student project. It's a fairly amateurish production. The acting is extremely hammy, especially from Clancy Dixon. He improvises an obnoxiously catchy song about being a redneck, which plays in its entirety twice. All of the actors are visibly way too old to be playing high school students. The special effects used to create the Sheepman are underwhelming, especially when the film foolishly zooms in on its face. That's a monster that probably should've stayed in the shadows. Even at only sixteen minutes long, the short feels a bit extended past a comfortable run time. 

Despite its evident shortcomings, "Legend of the Pope Lick Monster" does get an A for effort. The black-and-white cinematography, provided by Schildknecht himself, is quite good. The shots of the small town at night set the mood nicely and, once the film gets to the bridge, it really starts to move. This one plays the urban legend totally straight, even being told as a story directly to the viewer, which pleases a folklore aficionado like myself. Even if the unlikely climax probably encouraged more than one person to foolishly explore the bridge in real life. That aside, this is an amateurish effort made with enough youthful, monster kid energy to get a mild thumbs-up from me. [6.5/10]