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Extending Halloween a bit longer this week on BEHIND THE LENS as we chat with documentarians BRADFORD THOMASON & BRETT WHITCOMB about THE SPIRIT OF HALLOWEENTOWN. Plus, writer\/director MATT WHITAKER discusses the powerful and important narrative film TRUTH & TREASON.<\/p>\n
But first, let\u2019s keep that Halloween feeling going with THE SPIRIT OF HALLOWEENTOWN.<\/p>\n
Who hasn\u2019t seen or doesn\u2019t know about the utterly charming HALLOWEENTOWN franchise? It became a Halloween staple from the moment it released, with Debbie Reynolds as the magical Grandma Aggie Cromwell and Kimberly J Brown as Aggie\u2019s granddaughter Marnie, along with Judith Hoag as Aggie\u2019s daughter and Marnie\u2019s mom, Joey Zimmerman as Marnie\u2019s brother Dylan, and Emily Roeske as their younger sister Sophie. So beloved, that original film spawned three sequels! But it all started in the little town of St. Helens, Oregon, where the original film was shot.<\/p>\n
And now, all these years later, Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb return to St. Helens to discover how this picturesque town of St. Helens and its Halloween happy residents decided to capitalize on the town\u2019s starring role in HALLOWEENTOWN and each year invites tourists to come and celebrate the film and Halloween with them.<\/p>\n
Brad and Brett are the perfect documentarians to bring us THE SPIRIT OF HALLOWEENTOWN. You might already know one of their acclaimed documentaries, \u201cButterfly In The Sky\u201d about PBS, Reading Rainbow and Levar Burton. If you haven\u2019t seen it already, I encourage you to do so now, especially in light of the funding cuts for PBS and wonderful educational programming like \u201cReading Rainbow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, they have trained their camera on St. Helens, documenting the colorful cast of characters that live there with everyone from the Queen of Halloweentown to a former cheerleader to the Klondike bar owner, and even the folks responsible for the Alien Museum, and explore the legacy and impact the film has had on their town. A charming character study that captures the spirit of Halloween enthusiasts as well as small-town disagreements and the drama that occurs when colorful residents disagree passionately, this is an artfully crafted documentary that will entertain both fans of HALLOWEENTOWN and fans of fascinating human behavior alike.<\/p>\n
I spoke with Brad and Brett on Halloween afternoon a few days ago to find out about the tricks and treats of THE SPIRIT OF HALLOWEENTOWN. Co-directing the film, Brad also served as editor, while Brett was the cinematographer. Highlighting the town’s month-long preparations and breaking the film down with a weekly countdown until the big parade and lighting of the town’s pumpkin on Halloween, they take us through various events and businesses, including commentary by the residents about the positive impact on businesses and the community’s enthusiasm. Of course, they also show us the flip side with some of the town\u2019s naysayers. Breaking down the \u201cmaking of\u201d, Brad and Brett also talk about interviewing the local ghost hunter and an ongoing paranormal investigation, as well as a seance, both of which we see in the film, and which add plenty of suspense. Brad goes into detail about the editing process, with both of the guys talking about collaborating and working with the townspeople, and the importance of capturing authentic stories and always keeping the spirit of Halloween and Halloweentown alive.<\/p>\n
THE SPIRIT OF HALLOWEENTOWN is currently streaming on Prime, AppleTV and YouTube<\/strong><\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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