The latest Purple Stuff Podcast is here, and this one could only be served in the cold, black heart of the Halloween season. (Well, I guess we could’ve released it in April or May, but it sure wouldn’t hit the same.)

Join us as we march through the October 1987 network television premiere of FRIGHT NIGHT, as aired on a Fox affiliate in Wisconsin, complete with cheesy bumpers and oh-so-’80s TV commercials.

This ran just a few days before Halloween that year, and what a perfect flick for the season. Jay came at this with the perspective of a longtime fan, but I’m a shameful Fright Night newbie… and I fell in love with this wonderful movie. Chris Sarandon as a shark-toothed vampire who’s obsessed with Marcy D’Arcy? God, yes!

We’re gonna walk you through our favorite moments, talk about Fright Night trivia, and even dip into some of those vintage TV commercials. It’s almost as good as watching the whole broadcast in 1987!

Click here to listen to this month’s show!

…which you can also find on Spotify, or Apple, or wherever else you listen to podcasts.

As a reminder, The Purple Stuff Podcast is also on Patreon, where you can get access to our huge catalog of monthly bonus episodes. October’s is coming up soon, and it’s very Halloweeny! Thanks to all who support us over there!

PS: While we can’t show you the movie, we did put together this montage including the intro, bumpers, and some of the glorious TV commercials. (H/T to SpookySkunk for this!)

Thanks so much for listening, and for sharing the show around! We hope this episode adds a little something to your Halloween season. Pair it with apple cider and a pumpkin donut, and you’re set!

Posted by Matt on 10/14/24
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Welcome to Dino Drac’s Mausoleum of Madness! Here you’ll find daily drops of creepy collectibles from my personal collection, all never previously seen on the site. Everything from eerie ephemera to terrifying toys. There are some major gems waiting to be featured here! Updated throughout the season!

#37: Hostess Monster Cakes Box! (1995)

While I’m thrilled that Hostess still delivers the Halloween goods, I miss how creative they used to get with the packaging. Whereas today’s boxes of spooky treats are built to fall in line with Hostess’s everyday branding, there was a point when they used Halloween as an excuse to go completely berserk.

This particular box, from 1995, might be my all-time favorite. Hostess Monster Cakes, mascotted by a veritable Who’s Who of Halloween horrors. Rarely have I seen something that so perfectly captures the aesthetic of Halloween in the mid ‘90s, when no amount of touches were “too many touches,” and when every font looked like it was drawn at gunpoint.

#36: I Vant To Bite Your Finger! (1979)

On today’s internet, a random passerby might conclude that images of this board game are AI creations. Nope, it really happened, and it really was named I Vant To Bite Your Finger.

This was the game where a big plastic Dracula would almost-literally bite your finger, and even draw “blood” thanks to a pair of tiny red markers. It’s all in good fun when you see how it actually works, but I imagine that some kids were terrified by the idea of a toy that could eat you.

The prices on I Vant To Bite Your Finger are pretty high nowadays, probably because it works better as decoration for adult collectors than it ever did as a game for kids. Imagine that box in a glass cabinet with some tucked-away LED strips adding a red glow. Perfection!

#35: Count Chocula Sample Box! (1992)

A few years ago, some friends and I were lamenting the fact that General Mills never released the Monster Cereals in those single-serve one-ounce boxes. You know, the Kellogg’s “Fun Pak” style. Well, as it turned out, they kinda did!

From 1992, this sample-sized box of Count Chocula was originally packaged with a same-sized box of Kix. I’m not sure how they were distributed, but they were never sold in stores. This was, to my knowledge, the only time in history that Count Chocula was ever packaged this way, and I don’t believe that his Monster Cereal cohorts were ever given the same treatment.

It’s such a cute little box, and I still think it’s a great idea. Say General Mills released a cellophane-wrapped set of all of the Monster Cereals in these tiny boxes next year. You’re telling me you wouldn’t be all over that? Read More…

Posted by Matt on 10/05/24
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The wait is over! It’s time for one of The Purple Stuff Podcast’s most important annual traditions, where we give your Halloween playlists a boost with song suggestions that you probably never considered before. Yes indeed, it’s time for SPOOKY SONGS, VOLUME ELEVEN!

Me and Jay from Sludge Central have been at this for around a decade now, and it’s still one of our favorite shows to do. This deep into the series, it’s more challenging than ever to find killer songs that we haven’t already covered – so we had to turn over a lot of rocks to dig out the good stuff. I think we succeeded!

Join us as we celebrate another ten terrifying tracks that would be perfect for your Halloween playlist. Featured artists include Jon Mikl Thor, the Crypt Keeper, and The Chipmunks!

Click here to listen to this month’s show!

…which you can also find on Apple, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

As a reminder, The Purple Stuff Podcast is also on Patreon, where you can grab an exclusive bonus episode, every month. (We just dropped the latest one, where we name some of the hottest Halloween food promotions coming our way this October.)

Thanks so much for listening, and for sharing the show around! This latest episode actually counts as September’s – we had to push it off, because I’ve been sick. But that means you’ve still got more Halloween action coming from The Purple Stuff Podcast this month, so stay tuned! Happy October!

Posted by Matt on 10/01/24
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