7Roulette - THE MIDNIGHT HOUR

When researching made-for-tv horror, this popped up the most as a fan favorite, and I can see why. With its stellar and likely expensive soundtrack and oh so many tropes, they seriously went big. It's a rom com at heart, which keeps it sweet. And anything spooky has some serious quirk, which makes it light. The romance is effective, but that's television for you. It knows how to make people fall in love.

So few movies actually take place on Halloween and this one has all the feels. With the costumes, decorations, and cemeteries, you won't be sorry to add this to your annual Halloween lineup. B

-Babes

A lot of these Made-For-TV masterpieces live a very short life; hundreds, probably thousands of features that had their debut and then faded into melancholic obscurity by Wednesday morning. Though some made a big enough impression to become Classics with legs that walk them into future generations, and apparently The Midnight Hour is one such Classic. I was only 2 years old when it premiered on NBC on the awkward date of November 1, 1985, and despite its enthusiastic following I'd never been aware of it until now, and only halfway into viewing it I was able to appreciate the hype.

In short, a group of high school kids (most in their late 20s) casually and carelessly recite an old curse in a cemetery on Halloween night. They then all take off to a party, not sticking around the graveyard long enough to realize they've resurrected zombies, vampires, werewolves, and old fashioned ghosts. We're talkin' full-blown Monster Mash here - the inhabitants of the cemetery amble off into the town, wreaking havoc and infecting citizens with their respective afflictions until the entire population is zombies, vampires, et al. It's notable (and obvious) that Thriller was just a couple years old at this point, so apart from the choreographed dance number, a lotta the makeup goes above and beyond the quality of most theatrical releases - in any decade. But for me the biggest strength is the soundtrack - a parade of pop songs that's most likely meant to mirror the vibe of American Graffiti (the voice of Wolfman Jack literally introduces the songs) but there are actually moments where the marriage of music and images reach Scorsese-levels of skillfulness. A- 

- Paul