FILM REVIEW: ‘WNUF Halloween Special’

An eerie evening of Tricks and Treats…

Dir: Chris LaMartina

US, 2013

I had been sleeping on this one for a number of years, a buddy recently inspired me to finally get to spending the evening with the fictional WNUF staff after we discussed our shared love of watching old Halloween commercial compilations on Youtube. After a quick search, I found that WNUF Halloween Special is a digitally elusive film, not currently available on any streaming services to my knowledge. So I had to pick up a physical copy, oh darn! I got the blu-ray from the fine folks at TerrorVision. This second edition features a vintage ad variant for the slipcover, whereas the first release had a VHS style slipcover. It’s a wonderful release, and is limited so you can buy it here if you choose to do so. 

Unlike most blu-ray releases I will not be discussing hi-def image transfers because, well you know, the movie is supposed to be a video recording of a lost news special. While it certainly did have the audio and visual aesthetics of taped a TV program, picture and sound quality were both quite warm and clear. The crew showed a great display of restraint in not pushing the effect too far. One note I will add- there is most definitely a tape hiss present throughout the runtime. It did not in any way hinder my joyful experience, just a heads up!

As for the movie itself, the setup is charmingly simple! A recording of a newscast with a special Halloween night broadcast that follows a reporter, paranormal experts, and a priest into a supposedly haunted house. Inevitably, chaos ensues. The small, colorful cast play brilliantly off each other. Reporter Frank is dry, sarcastic, and jaded. Paranormal researchers Dr. Louis and Claire Berger (obvious Ed and Lorraine Warren spoofs) are awkward and socially inept, and Father Matheson is an anxious mess. There is a crackling organic comedy to the interactions and dialogue. WNUF is a very funny movie, but never becomes a parody. Everything is played straight and dry. Meta humor and self awareness, which can turn a comedy into a headache, never boil to the surface. Every laugh comes from a genuine conversation, argument, or visual gag, no elaborate set pieces or absurdist screenplay necessary.

Another large portion contributing to the movie’s comedy are the commercials, honestly the highlight of the viewing experience. The level of detail is truly astonishing and it does feel like watching TV many years prior. Combined with the news reports, interviews and bumper screens, they exist to provide the heartland realism of the film. Many have described it as cozy, and to be honest, I can’t really disagree.

I usually have a disdain for “nostalgic” entertainment aimed at anyone between the ages of 20 and 40, but watching this movie never hits those same notes of insufferability. It’s not making a statement of “look how great it was” or “ it was so much better then”, rather just saying “this period in time existed, let’s make a movie set then”. The project never crosses into pretentious pandering, it just wants the viewer to have a good time, and it does so successfully. For a night when you miss Halloween, just put WNUF Halloween Special on and get cozy.