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Poster for The Haunted History of Halloween

The Haunted History of Halloween

1997 · 50 min

A cozy, gently spooky stroll through holiday folklore, more curious than chilling, easy to half-watch while carving pumpkins.

Genres
Documentary
Overview
The origins of Halloween are explored in this engrossing program on the subject. A ghoulish array of costumes, make up, and decoration descend on communities every year on October 31st, but few people are aware of how the celebration came to exist. Harry Smith attempts to get to the bottom of the mystery in THE HAUNTED HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN, which delves into the 3,000 years of hoopla that traditionally unfolds when October comes around. As the history is explained, so are various failed attempts to co-opt the festival by various religious groups; but the most compelling revelation is how little the festival has changed over the centuries. A marvelous way to gain a historical perspective on this entertaining holiday, Smith's program is almost as fun as carving a pumpkin, donning a spooky costume, and undertaking a little trick or treating!
How it feels
Light, eerie and whimsical. Measured and easy to follow.
About
Faith, memory, identity, family
Content
No violence, gore, sexual content or swearing.
Note
Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Genres
Documentary
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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Full breakdown
Tone
  • lightstrength 2 of 3
  • eeriestrength 1 of 3
  • whimsicalstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
easy-watch, 2 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Places
None
Era
contemporary
Audience
family
Content intensity
  • Gore none
  • Language none
  • Violence none
  • Sex none
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action0
Horror2
Humour4
Realism8
Romance0
Tension1
Darkness2
Complexity3
Emotional weight2

Cast

Where to watch in the US

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No streaming, rental or purchase options are known in the US.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres
documentary
Written by
Jeff Swimmer
Starring
Jamie Lee Curtis, Garrison Keillor, Art Linkletter, Liza Minnelli, Harry Smith
Runtime
50 min
Country
United States of America
Languages
English

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