Dr. Terror's House of Boogedy

I had been following the Doc for a bit, but what fully sold me was when he did a 3D Halloween special where he sent me some bad ass glasses to check some badassary.

Boogedy Boogedy Boo, I Love You: Disney Horror Comedy for the Kiddies  

When you watch a movie like Mr. Boogedy as a kid you’re terrified. Watching it as an adult you absolutely know that you won’t be scared. As Carleton Davis (Richard Masur) says as he’s about to enter the new family dwelling, “there are no such things as ghosts”. Still I couldn’t help but feel some apprehension. This movie absolutely had my nuts tied as a youngster. I’d wake up screaming and was convinced that the Boogedy Boogedy Boo was right around the corner, under the bed, in the hallway. The Boogedy Man was something to be feared especially if Gomez Addams/John Astin says so.

Mr. Boogedy is not exactly an easy movie to come by these days although I’m thankful that it was available on YouTube. It was part of a series put out by Disney called Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color which ran for quite some time. In its thirtieth year, we were treated to this haunted house story on network television. My family taped everything off TV in those days. I’d watch it over and over; a burned out VHS, EP setting, no quality version of what television found scary. The Disney Sunday movie series hosted by Michael Eisner was my childhood. I remember them showing Robin Hood with cartoon chasers and even the sequel to Mr. Boogedy, Bride of Boogedy. While you may be able to find this on some collected works offering from Disney the likelihood that you’ll find it in any affordable fashion is slim to none. I’ve even seen it offered on eBay by folks who don’t realize just how illegal video piracy can be. Disney please have mercy on their ignorant souls. See I’m talking about on eBay. Go find the VHS tapes if you can and if you have one for sale let Doc TERROR know HERE. 

What’s that? You have no idea what the fuck I’m talking about? No idea what Mr. Boogedy even is? Doesn’t surprise me. It’s not for the casual horror fan. Hell, it may not really be for the horror fan. It’s really for kids who need a good Halloween scare. Mr. Boogedy is the tale of a family whose patriarch is a gag store franchisee hell bent on opening a new store in the perfect location. The family picks up and moves into just about the most haunted house you ever did see; One step below the Marsten House from Salem’s Lot but just creepier than the Bates’ place. The realtor and historical society founder recants a piece of haunted house history to the family. The tale involves the ghost of Mr. Boogedy, a pilgrim who loved to scare the children of the town in life and who may or may not have sold his soul to the Devil and may or may not have acquired an invisibility cloak from which his powers are derived. It’s your classic tale of unrequited love mixed with witchcraft and dark magic. There’s even a trapped ghost family who can’t leave because of the Boogedy curse. I won’t spoil it for you as it’s really only about 45 minutes long, and you can check the whole thing out HERE in five parts:

            





The endless gags and novelties perpetrated by various family members including a faux Boogedy costume, shoe prints going up the wall, fake vomit, fake mummies, fake eggs are the things of kids humor but hey, I laughed my ass off. Then of course there are the moments that will terrify. The big booming Boogedy voice, classic haunted house organ, faux mummies coming to life, green lights, jack in the box vacuum cleaners, possession. It’s like one big cornucopia of scary things that kids find scary and non-horror lovers THINK are scary but maybe really actually aren’t. You’ll love the ghosts including Boogedy who are illuminated and seem to be able to toss lightning bolts from their finger tips using very Disney/Bed Knobs and Broomsticks style effects (even though we’re quite few years off the Landsbury classic). Beware the vacuum cleaner for it may kill you!

Richard Masur may have played Stanley in the TV adaptation of Stephen King’s IT, but for me this is where I know him. He’s in everything, but somehow I know him from a Disney flick. Figure that out. John Astin will make you laugh and then he’ll scare the pee out of you; absent minded and friendly but with hollow, sunken eyes that are sure to give the kiddies the creepies. He actually has a more frightening appearance than in his previous role as Gomez. Kristy Swanson pre-Buffy or anything else you may care about starring Kristy Swanson. I had forgotten she was even in this which really should tell you how much her performance “got me”. It even has David Faustino of Married with Children fame. Bud. Believe it or not… Benji Gregory of Alf too. Howard Witt plays Boogedy which will mean very very little for you unless you really dig 70’s television shows that may not have been ultra-popular. This is your standard veteran actor with a sprinkling of new talent 80’s TV movie cast. You won’t believe the things TV schlock perpetrated by Director Oz Scott. Take a look HERE.

It’s full of one liners and quotable lines with emphasis on making you laugh if you’re about eight years old. Again, you may need a few adult beverages in order to get a chuckle out of it although I didn’t.




“The Boogedy Man! His face was all yucky! Like a grilled cheese sandwich, or something”

 “Dad’s going to negotiate with Mr. Hamburger Face.”

 “Did anyone leave a greenlight on in the bedroom?” No? Must be Mr. Boogedy.



How about the fact that this movie takes place in Lucifer Falls or that the realty company that sells our beloved family the home is Devil May Care Realty? Yuck yuck yuck. Fonzy Bear humor gets me every time.

If you’re as much of a “big kid” as I am than this movie is a must watch for you. It’s camp. It’s funny. It’s just kinda sorta scary. You may have to sleep with the light on. Just remember that the best way to protect yourself from Boogedy is with a gigantic fly swatter or a novelty store vacuum cleaner. Also available on YouTube is the sequel Bride of Boogedy featuring the same cast, similar story… and an original score by John Astin himself. Enjoy it HERE (in parts):
Show these flicks to your kids and see if they’re still scary. Kids seem to always find Disney “horror” scary regardless of how scary they really are. Kiddies still freak out at the Watcher in the Woods. If the jump scares don’t get them the sound effects reel is sure to terrify them.


-Dr. TERROR still scared shitless after all these years. Thanks for the Nightmares.


Oh and … EAT THE EGGS!

Dr. James Terror has many aliases. Dr. Terror knows where and when you sleep. Dr. Terror knows what you had for breakfast and thinks you may want to consider milk with a lower fat content. Dr. Terror is a horror host. Dr. Terror does not work for a television network, cable company or radio program... How is Dr. Terror a horror host with no show to host in any reasonable hosting outlet? Dr. Terror hosts the world... of horror... and terror... and words you find in the Thersaurus related there to!!! :tee hee hee: Check out The Doc Here.