My Top 10 Special Halloween Characters

 

   When it comes to characters associated with the Halloween season, some of the first to come to mind are classic monsters in the vein of Dracula and Frankenstein, or contemporary horror villains like Michael Myers and Jigsaw, but for me personally … my favorite characters to associate with the holiday come from the various specials we generally watch around Halloween. There are countless characters from Christmas specials that have become staples of its respected holiday, and I feel there’s an equal amount of Halloween characters that deserve the same recognition. As such, for this October season, I’m counting down my personal top 10 favorite characters from Halloween specials.

 

#10 Casper from the 1995 movie “Casper” 

  The titular friendly Ghost first made appearances in a line of children’s books back in 1939, and eventually he became an animated mascot in his 1945 cartoons shorts. I for one was introduced to him through Universals 1995 live action “Casper” movie, and weather the movie holds-up, or was even good can be debated, I do think the character himself has only gotten better with age. 

For his time, Casper was one of the very first computer-generated characters to star in a film. The effects themselves still look great, but beyond that, there’s so much personality and detail in his expressions and mannerisms, to the point where he conveys a real screen presence. Even though I know he’s just a special effect, he still feels real, and the vocal performance from child actor Malachi Pearson likewise brought this Ghost to life. While I’ve always had mixed feelings about the movie as a whole, the character has always stuck with me as a holiday icon, and perfect to kick-off my countdown of favorites.        

 

#9 Marni Cromwell from “Halloweentown”

      Next, we transition from a friendly Ghost to a friendly Witch. Disney channel’s first two “Halloweentown” movies were childhood favorites of mine, and I always found myself relating to the teenage Marni Cromwell more then most other leads from Halloween specials. 

Just like her, I was obsessed with the holiday, got giddy over the various creatures of the season, and the thought of descending from a “Halloweentown” was something I amusingly fantasized about as a kid. Beyond that, actress Kimberly J. Brown was absolutely delightful in the role, and her performance only got better in the sequel. “Halloweentown 2: Kalabar's Revenge” also introduced her signature purple sorcerous costume, which has become a staple of the franchise. While the characters giddy nature could admittedly get a little cringe at times, she never the less stands as the childhood lead I always imagined myself being best friends with back when I was a kid.    

 

#8 Sparky from “FrankenWeenie” 

  Tim Burton has a tradition of featuring dead dog characters in his spooky stop-motion films, including the ghost dog Zero from “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, the skeleton dog Scraps from “Corps Bride”, and even the experimented pet dog Abercrombie from his short film “Vincent” ... it was only a matter of time for Burton to make a lead character out of a stop-motion zombie dog. 

While the character was originally featured in a live action short film of the same name, his theatrical decedent took the rains as the beating heart of the movie, and thankfully, he steals the show with his signature cute-factor, and charming personality. He’s wide-eyed, energetic, and conveys the right amount of emotion needed for this ghoulish dog to leave a positive impression. Despite begin a Frankenstein-esk creature, I just want to reach into the TV screen and take this dog home as my own pet. The connection between the boy and the dog also works, and the two share some genuinely touching scenes together. Personally, even though he’s not marketed as frequently as Jack Skellington, I’ve come to view Sparky as a Halloween mascot in his own right.

 

#7 Madam Liotta from “The Haunted Mansion” 

   Disney’s original spooky theme park attraction of The Haunted Mansion had quiet the assortment of ghostly characters … but none more iconic than the enchanted severed head of Madam Liotta. Naturally, she’d be the most noteworthy character featured in the 2003 Disney movie. 

In this film, Madame Leota is played by Jennifer Tilly … which is an interesting casting choice to say the least. I think most people associate her with comedies like 1997’s “Liar Liar”, but this was personally the film that introduced me to the actress, and I thought she was solid in the role. Actually, it was just a treat to finally see the most iconic character from the ride have a main role in a live action film. She was fun to watch, she had a quirky personality that wasn’t insultingly annoying, and the effects for her design actually still look good to this day. She’s basically a severed head in a green sphere, and every time I see her, I’m instantly reminded of that scene from “The Wizard of Oz”, with the Wicked Witches face appearing in the crystal ball.        

 

#6 The Other Mother from “Coraline” 

   In this spooky animated children’s adventure, a young girl named Coraline finds a paradise world that parallels her own boring life at home. Ruling over this realm is an entity claiming to be Coraline’s mother from the other side, who’s secretly luring the child into a death trap … all through the promises of love and joy. 

I think that the scariest villains are the ones that don’t seem threatening until it’s too late. Case in point with the sinister other mother, who at first glance seems like the nicer, more loving parent when really, she’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Actually, she’s more like a giant spider, but same principle. Once she reveals her true form, it leads to one of the most spectacular monster designs I’ve ever seen. Both monstrous and manipulative, the other mother is simply the stuff of nightmares for kids, and makes them appreciate the real parents they have.

 

#5 The Headless Horsman from Disney’s “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” 

   On his way home from a Halloween party, one Ichabod Crane crosses paths with the legendary Headless Horsman. While the character originally came from the “Sleepy Hollow” novel by Washington Irving, I’ll always remember this villain best from the animated Disney classic. The climactic final chase alone is often regarded as one of the spookiest scenes from any of Disney’s animated pictures, as well as kid’s films in general. 

While I personally fond the buildup scarier, it’s still a really fun sequence, and The Headless Horseman is still a spectacle to view on screen. I could easily see how he might frighten younger viewers, especially with him swinging his sword around trying to decapitate pore Ichabod. With his menacing laugh, bright red cape, creepy looking red eyed horse, and of cores his flaming pumpkin, he’s always stood out to me as a seasonal mascot in the same vein as either Dracula or Frankenstein. His wicked laugh is also one of my all-time favorites, especially in this one moment when Ichabod gets a close-up look at his headless body while he’s letting out an evil chuckle.

 

#4 Winifred Sanderson from “Hocus Pocus” 

   Love it or hate it, Disney’s 1993 picture “Hocus Pocus” as a secure spot in the Halloween “Cult-Classic” hall of fame, and the vileness Sanderson Sisters have become mascots in their own distinct way. For me personally, it’s Bette Midler who absolutely shines as the lead Witch named Winifred Sanderson, and while some may remember her best for her roles in comedies like 1996’s “The First Wives Club”, or musicals like “Beaches”, I’ll always remember her best as one of my favorite Halloween villains. 

Her curly red hair, green attire, sharp fingernails and electrical powers have always stood out as iconic to me, and I’d go so far as to label her as one of my favorite villains from the 90’s. Every time she’s on screen, Bette Midler is insanely committed to the role, and probably dose more then what the script even gave her. I love her energy, I love her range of acting, and I just love the theatrics of this performance. Clearly, she is having the time of her life, and the actress has stated several times that of all the movies she's stared in, "Hocus Pocus" remains her favorite.

 

#3 BeetleJuice from “Beetlejuice” 

  From playing Mr. Mom, to Batman, to Birdman … Michael Keaton is one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors. All these years later, my absolute favorite performance of Michael Keaton’s is his relentlessly energized portrayal of the gross-out demean named Beetlejuice. 

Despite only appearing on screen for seventeen minuets, I find this Michael Keaton’s funniest and most entertaining character performance. He’s barley even recognizable under his Academy Award winning make-up, but beyond that, he simply disappears in the role, and makes Beetlejuice come to life like no other character he portrayed before or sense. The character himself is such a unique mix of a clown, a zombie, a monster, and all kinds of kooky elements all rolled into one package. While most monstrous Halloween characters can be rounded into select creature categories, Beetlejuice remains one of a kind, and portrayed brilliantly by a one-of-a-kind actor.    

 

#2 Mavis from “Hotel Transylvania”

  While Adam Sandler’s Dracula portrayal is exceptionally good, my personal favorite character from the 2012 Halloween special is Dracula’s doubter Mavis, who I think belongs right up there with Jack Skellington as one of the great iconic animated Halloween characters. She’s voiced by Selena Gomez, who I’ve never called myself a fan of, but she’s great in the role. Also, just like with Dracula, the performance through the animation is excellent. She conveys all the right emotions, and Mavis herself is just irresistibly cute. 

I’d go so far to say that she surpasses more than half of the Disney Princesses, both on the cute scale, and for just being an enduring character. This is a girl with a contagiously cheerful personality, but the character is also layered with personal conflicts, as well as subtle drama that make us sympathize with her in just the right amounts. Granted, her back story is nothing original. In fact, it almost feels like a cut and pace of “The Little Mermaid” half the time, especially with the overbearing parent refusing to let her child explore the larger world, and is forbidden to make contact with humans. Regardless, the familiar backstory works in this film, largely because she has absolute perfect chemistry with her father. The relationship between the two mixes charm, zany fun, and subtle touching humanity all in one excellent package.

 

Before I reveal my #1 favorite, here are some quick Honorable Mentions …

The Hex Girls (Scooby-Doo and the Witches Ghost)

Emily (Corpse Bride)

Norman (ParaNorman)

Wednesday Adams from (The Adams Family)

Slappy (Goosebumps)

 

#1 Jack Skeleton from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” 

     Big surprise … taking the top spot is the Pumpkin King himself … Jack Skellington! Being honest, he might just be my all-time favorite holiday character, as he’s a figurehead for both Christmas and Halloween ... which is awesome. I adore his design, as there’s more to him than just a basic Skellington. His skull looks more like a ghost face, and yet, despite not having any eyes, he still conveys a variety of expressions and emotions. 

His attire is like a cross between Beetlejuice and Dracula, with a nice little bat bowtie bringing it together. He’s also kind of a fun Santa Claus in his own right. Even though he’s in the wrong, there’s something about his passion and joy on display that just makes him a delightful Santa … even if he’s unleashing all kids of spooky gifts on kids. Heck, even after he realizes the errors of his ways, I love that he still took pride in the experience as something life changing. If it weren’t for Jack Skellington, I don’t think this movie would have stuck with kids as well as it did. He’s an instantly recognizable holiday icon, and despite both his ghoulish demeanor and selfish interests, he’s still a very curious, soft spoken, and wide-eyed individual. Even if you don’t think he’s the absolute best, I feel Jack Skellington earns a badge as one of the all-time great holiday mascots ... and my personal favorite!

Thus, we conclude my countdown, thanks for reading … and continue to enjoy whichever Holiday Themed characters you Love!