'The Midnight Hour': A Forgotten 80s Halloween Classic

The Midnight Hour debuted on ABC in 1985, but it wasn't until a few years later when I caught a rerun of it on cable (actually, on Lifetime, when the "television for women" network was known for repeating Reagan era TV movies). And since then, it became one of those vaguely remembered pieces of pop culture I was intrigued by.

The plot was simple: Teens unleash evil spirits on their small town on Halloween night, and the crap. Hits. The. Fan.

The campiness was so good that, if it were a pint of Haagen Dazs, it would be devoured it in one spoonful. Dick Van Patten as a dentist-turned-demon? Shari Belafonte as a vamp? Peter DeLuise as an undead jock? Pure 80s bliss. And let's not forget a pre-TNG LeVar Burton as Vinnie, one of the luckless pranksters who meets his demise in a foggy cemetery -- right before the unforgettably awesome choreographed zombie dance number.

Thank the YouTube gods for making this available to rewatch. I know what I'm doing before going to bed tonight and grabbing a handful of M&Ms...


@TheFirstEcho