everyday is halloween!

trick or treat [1952]

this 10-minute animation pits donald duck, witch hazel & donald's nephews huey, dewey & louie in a tested battle of wills.  it goes like this.  the younger ducks are trick 'r treating halloween night.  they hit up their uncle's place, whom we see inside donald's house with a massive larder filled with all kinds treats.  but instead of giving the boys their treat donald drops lit firecrackers in their treat bags, which go KABOOM, & finishes them off dropping water on their heads.

dejected & depressed the youngsters sit on a curb.  when witch hazel, flying on her broom, sees the gloom on the young ducks, sitting forlorn on the street, she stops to see what's the matter.  the boys are stoked to see a real witch.  delighted to be recognized hazel agrees to help the trio get their deserved treats from their mean old uncle.  hijinks deluxe!  donald is such a cad.  he thinks hazel is a fake witch & plays a trick on her too by dropping a pail of water on her head.  

curses!  soon she enlists the ducks to help make a potion.  the scene recalls the famous witch scene in Macbeth with an accompanying song as well.  soon hazel loads the potion into a sprayer.  she spritzes a jack o'lantern & other objects into life to torment donald.  the elder duck responds by locking his treats larder & swallowing the key.  only to his detriment because hazel then bewitches donald to physically kick down his own larder door.

boom!  the moral, don't be a greedy gus!  especially on Halloween!  you gotta share your spoils!  this short film is a treat with all the magic of animation & musical scores made manifestly by the House of the Mouse.  it is a delightful short.  & the jack o'lantern in this movie even gets the last boo!  remember halloween is when the veil between the living & the dead is at its thinnest.  be careful who you might piss off on halloween night.  she or he might be a witch, & as the great screaming jay hawkins says, he or she just might 'put a spell on you!'

boo!