Nox Arcana - Season Of The Witch Review

"All Hallow's Eve. Deep within the Haunted Forest, beyond the old gypsy camp, shadows gather in a place known as Raven's Hollow. Strange chants echo through the trees and join rhythmic drumming, summoning forth creatures of the night. No one enters these woods after dark, for this night begins the Season of the Witch. Nox Arcana invites you on a musical journey into the shadowy realm of witchcraft with spellbinding melodies and wicked orchestrations to enchant the witching hour."

When I delve into the world of Nox Arcana I make sure I allow myself to become lost in the material. It's an experience where you must shut the world off and allow the music to take you on a journey. Due to this I really find it difficult to go track by track as,with any Nox Arcana album, you must base an opinion on the journey it takes you on. I take the theme and let the music take me away. In this case, Joseph Vargo accomplished the goal that he set off on.


We're immediately transported to deep in the dark forest where we are welcomed to Raven's Hollow. As we travel down the path it's as if the magical arts are explained to us as we pass a carnival of gypsies and watch as a coven of witches are dancing around a cauldron. I feel as if the very essence of the forest is joining in these practices and the spirits of nature are watching on in celebration. We bear witness to their rituals and chants as a privilege as we are allowed to learn just a little of ancient Samhain practice that others have made their mission to destroy.

This is essential to a Nox Arcana collection, a fan of ethereal music, or for the more magically inclined. Like the previous "Gothic" I deemed a masterpiece on my short lived website FrightConnect, I feel Nox Arcana is looking forward and not sliding backwards with tremendous music that will be all year worthy listening. Expect this at a local haunted attraction, and blaring from my home on autumn nights.

Forgotten Halloween:"The Last Halloween" Television Special

"The Last Halloween" was released in 1991 from Hanna-Barbera and aired on CBS, and I'll be honest, I've met no one who remembers this 30 minute special.However, I do remember it and took a look at it this season...

It's interesting to note that William Hanna himself, co-founder of Hanna Barbera, did the narration for this special. It's Halloween and a brother and sister are preparing to go trick or treating. Their mother died when they were younger which for thirty minutes you're uncomfortably reminded of constantly. In fact, one of the first lines said is the boy chastising his sister for wearing the same Halloween costume year after year even though their deceased mother made it for her and the girl feels close to her that way..Ok...so anyway..Cruella De Vil arrives.

 Rhea Pearlman informs the kids not to come to her creepy old mansion on the hill for Halloween because you would desperately want to trick or treat at a creepy old mansion on a hill. The kids Grandfather owns a candy factory which is the only job in town. They go visit and they're told that this is...wait for it..THE LAST HALLOWEEN! Crystal Lake.........Crystal Lake powers the factory and it's gone dry. But here come the aliens..

Now these aliens look somewhat good for CGI aliens in 1991.They are on the hunt for coobi, which is Martian for candy. The kids inform the aliens they've come on the right night. So, coincidences in hand, they go trick or treating blending in with all the kids of the town the same way no one could tell Clark Kent was Superman with the glasses on.

We find out the bad guys (shockingly) are the ones draining the lake because they're on the hunt for insects that they've found out hold the secret for eternal youth. They end up kidnapping one of the aliens. Now, the kids get him back, they find the dad, evil plans destroyed, lake returns with wish, and aliens leave. If that seemed like a grossly rapid summary, it basically goes that fast. It's a twenty two minute special that needed to be an hour special. There's no way to cram that much into such a short period of time without confusion, and that's sort of what it becomes.

It's never been released on any format but you can find it on YouTube. I actually recommend this. It's corny, slightly frustrating, but it's so short anyone can sit through it. If you're interested in forgotten Halloween specials, go check this one out now. There's more than enough here to at least make you glad you discovered it.

Forgotten Halloween: "The Night Dracula Saved The World" Television Special

In 1979 Dracula saved the world. Well, Dracula giving in to demands saved Halloween but who would notice? "The Night Dracula Saved The World" AKA "The Halloween That Almost Wasn't" is a television special that many may remember as it aired for about 20 years before Disney decided that "Twitches" was what the kids really wanted. While watching a news report (and learning actual history of the holiday as told to a concerned child by her parents in little bits) we discover Halloween may have to be cancelled. The newscaster suspects it may be due to the population no longer thinking monsters are scary and are only used as simple comic relief. (AMEN)

  Soon monsters around the world are assembled. We have Dracula himself played by Alex from "Taxi." He absolutely went all out for this and acts like he's waited his whole life to don the fangs. We also have the Wolfman, The Mummy, a zombie, and Frankenstein's Monster. Then we meet the Witch.

 Dracula calls on the gang to stop entertaining the population and start scaring them again. We find out The witch is the one sabotaging Halloween by not being willing to fly over the moon to kick off the night until Dracula meets her list of demands. Above all else, she wants to be the symbol for the holiday and not Dracula. This leads to him refusing to meet the demands because he thinks of himself as the king of the monsters.She then basically tells him where to stick his coffin and flies off to her castle.

This leads the gang to go to her castle and try to force her to change her mind. When she discovers what the day means for so many kids, she does indeed change her opinion. Dracula ultimately decides to meet the demands due to her change of heart, and due to this, we are treated to a horrible disco scene as the end credits roll in which Dracula does a better Travolta than Travolta does Travolta.

Ultimately this short film holds up beautifully. You'll have a good time with this. The ridiculously dated disco scene is a product of its time but doesn't interfere with the a great pro Halloween message that many people need to think about today. It's hard to not be entertained by this unless the idea of monster slapstick angers you. I'm not a huge fan of that type of thing, but in this case, no harm no foul. It's one of those specials that for some reason is not on any format except for a super rare expensive VHS copy. So,for now, YouTube would be your destination to find this. It's highly recommended.