(The Disneycember logo is shown, before showing clips from Mr. Boogedy)
Doug (vo): Let me take you back in time a little bit. It's the mid-80s, and advertised on the Disney Sunday Movie is Mr. Boogedy. What the hell is it? We didn't know, but it was advertised like mad. Any time you turn on the TV, there was a commercial for Mr. Boogedy. So, I remember watching it, liking it okay, but not really remembering much except for, well, Mr. Boogedy himself. The whole film built up his appearance, so I guess it makes sense that it would leave the biggest impact. Years later, when Disney+ became a thing, I, of course, saw it on there. And I just had to remember, what was the rest of the movie like? I mean, I guess it must've been boring if it wasn't in my memory for very long. Well, I put it on, and it was one of the craziest goddamn things I've ever seen. This film is amazing! It's hard to even describe why it's so great, it's just...beyond bizarre! Everybody acts weird, everybody talks strange, every little detail is so odd, it's impossible not to love it. Just look at the film's opening scene.
(The film's opening scene is shown, showing Jennifer Davis preparing to move to a new house)
Jennifer: I don't see why we have to move to the middle of nowhere with a bunch of... (Sits next to her father, who is wearing a fake mustache and glasses on his face)
Doug (vo): What the hell is this? And look at the following scene.
(The following scene plays, showing the new house in the middle of a thunderstorm, as lightning strikes in the manner of a horror film)
Doug (vo; laughs): Do those two back-to-back even look like they're from the same film? I swear, every five minutes that passes raises a dozen questions, but I truly mean that in the best way. This movie is so entertaining.
Story and review[]
Doug (vo): The film centers around a family moving into an old haunted house. Where, you might ask? Lucifer Falls, of course. That sounds like a welcoming town. Just look at the guy they sent in to be the welcome wagon.
(Another scene is shown, showing a man named Neil Witherspoon meeting with the family)
Neil Witherspoon: Boogedy! Boogedy! Boogedy! Boo! (Immediately walks away and leaves)
Doug (vo; laughs): I can't. It's gonna make me pee! In most films like this, the family is like dry wood. They're so uninteresting, and they're just there to play off of the scary things that happen. But the father owns a novelty gag shop, and he loves his job, not just him, the entire family adores it. Every second, they're playing pranks on each other, trying out new jokes, trying to get the jump on each other so they can gauge their reactions. Even when slimy footprints are found on the walls, all the father can think is, "I can totally sell these." Just listen to the mother's laugh when they introduce this lame vacuum prank.
(The mother's strange, wheezy laugh is shown)
Doug (vo): I kind of love these people. As you'd expect, though, things start moving on their own, and the kids go to see if there's any weird history to the house. Not only do they look into the book of records to get the information they need, but it's a pop-up book. What? What? (Laughs) What? Look at the way they shoot this flashback. Have you ever seen anything this wacky, especially in a film that's supposed to be scary? Speaking of which, the house is apparently haunted by a man named Mr. Boogedy. The kids go tell the parents, but, of course, they don't believe them. However, everything starts to move, right in front of them. Yeah, that's right. Mummies come alive, and hands start moving, and, well, I guess it's time to move. "Oh, wait, why?" Yeah! The father wants to stay, and there's no reason for it! He just likes haunted houses, I guess, so they agree to sleep in the living room or den or whatever...what does it matter? The ghosts are still gonna go in there!
(Clips focusing on Mr. Boogedy himself are shown)
Doug (vo): The movie ends with a showdown between the family and Mr. Boogedy. And, I don't know, maybe it's just me, but to the film's credit, he kind of looks exactly like I imagined the Boogedy Man would look. And he acts, I guess to a kid, kind of creepy. I remember I was a little creeped out by him, not scared, just a little creeped out. But as an adult, he's hilarious. Literally, all he says is various versions of the word "Boogedy".
Mr. Boogedy: Boogedy! Boogedy! Boogedy, Boogedy, Boogedy!
Doug (vo): I guess what else would the Boogedy Man say?
(Various clips resume showing)
Doug (vo): This is one of those films where it doesn't matter if you love it or hate it. You can tell it's trying to entertain you every single second. Everyone is trying their best to either get a laugh or get a scream. As a kid, you'll probably get some screams. As an adult, you're gonna get a ton of laughs. On top of that, the buildup for Mr. Boogedy is actually pretty well-handled. The special's not very long, only 45 minutes, in fact. But it kind of reminded me of Disney's Sleepy Hollow. There's a good buildup to the monster at the end, and I think for the way they're building it up and what they're building up, I actually see it as a good delivery. There's also a side story with these two other ghosts, and that's actually paced out rather well, too. The film surprisingly moves at a good click. John Astin goes back and forth between this legit intimidating character and something like Torgo or Gomez Adams. I just can't take my eyes off him, he's so much fun.
Final thought[]
Doug (vo): More people need to know about it, and a lot of folks have Disney+, so you can see it for free. Go, check it out. It's nuts, it's crazy, and it's wonderful. Whether it's Christmas, Halloween, or whatever time of the year it is, there is always a good reason to put on Mr. Boogedy.
(Another shot focusing on Mr. Boogedy himself is shown)