Discussion for Episode 9: Halloween

General discussion about the nineteen episodes of "My So-Called Life". Note: Our episode guide can be found here.
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Natasha (candygirl)
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 14th 2003, 4:25 pm

I dressed up and went trick or treating well into my 20s. The dressing up is easy to explain - I still think it's fun! Plus people who throw Halloween parties tend to get annoyed if you show up without a costume. The trick or treating though - my explanation is that I had a much younger sister (9 years younger) so I took her and her friends out trick or treating for many years. I figured as long as I had to freeze my butt off, I might as well get some candy too. Luckily that Oil of Olay kept me looking young enough that I was never questioned when I held out my pillowcase for candy.

:D
Last edited by Natasha (candygirl) on Mar 15th 2003, 1:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Megs » Mar 14th 2003, 4:44 pm

Yeah, I dressed up (for work) the past two years. :oops:

Last year I was an angel. Complete with halo, white wig, and wings. At least I won a gift certificate to The Melting Pot for that!
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Post by LilmizRENTHEAD » Mar 15th 2003, 12:55 am

So...if I repeat things people have already said, don't attack me...I can't remember EVERYTHING ya'll posted on here.

Ok, so, let's see here...
I kind of LIKE that effect thing, with the door slamming shut...it's definitly creepy, and then, when she's sitting on the floor...there's the rose. Most definitly cool.

I think the whole point of Jordan showing up to class is to show the difference between him and Nicky. The whole episode, you were seeing similarities between them, most evidently when Angela sees Nicky leaning against the window, then when "frankenstein" gets in her way, it's suddenly Jordan Catalano. Jordan decideds to take his future into his own hands, and do something good for himself for a change. Unlike Nicky, who "threw his life away."

I enjoy the repetition throughout the episode...it kinda adds to the 'creepy' factor. Like, Rickie and Rayanne humming/singing 'Blue Moon', and then it being played at the Hop. Also, the repetition of the line "at least I'll know I'm alive," is very creepy, when you think about it.

The best two lines of the episode goes to Rickie and Brian. I love when Angela asks what Rickie knows about "Nicky Catalano"; and he says "I don't know much about either of them." I laughed, it's kind of strange...he knows that Jordan never cuts shop, and he usually goes to gym on thursdays so you can catch him on the North side of the gym as 5th period lets out.
Brian also gets a good one in there...because, ya know, he left his keys in Rickie's pants. *snickers uncontrollably*

Skeevy moment where I FREAK out: Rayanne cuts her legs shaving. EW...erlack. Not a pretty picture...I hate blood.

A Very Angela Thing To Do: When Jordan comes to class, and Angela opens to the book, to find a rose; a sign from Nicky Driscoll...she doesn't freak. She does that slight smile that she's always doing. It's simply perfect.

Quick Thoughts: 1)What's the use of a hankerchief without the rest of the dress? Kinda hard to pull the thing out of the top of, say, a turtleneck, or a sweatshirt.
2)I'm beginning to think the shop lady went to school with Nicky. She's kinda...freaky. Maybe she's even one of those girls...ya never know.

Ok...I think I'm done now...
...for now...
~*Jo
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 15th 2003, 1:54 am

As far as Brian leaving his keys in his pants, I was kind of annoyed with him. He made a big deal of telling Rickie to wash this clothes before returning them, but Brian obviously wasn't courteous enough to wash his clothes before letting Rickie borrow them. If he had, his keys wouldn't have been in the pockets. My conclusion: Brian doesn't want Rickie cooties but doesn't mind if Rickie gets Brian cooties.

I believe Patty is keeping the handkerchief as a souvenir, not as something she would actually use. I am the same kind of person - I have seashells and bottlecaps and ticket stubs from all kinds of stuff that I want to remember, but lord knows I'll never actually DO anything with any of it. To anyone else, it looks like a box of junk but to me it's a box of memories. For once, Patty is doing something that is impractical - she is paying extra to keep a little square of fabric that serves no functional purpose. She will probably keep it in a lacquered box on her dressing table and take it out every once in a while when she is feeling nostalgic.
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Post by Nostradamus » Mar 15th 2003, 4:44 am

My impression of the costume shop and it's proprietress is enhanced by my favorite author, Terry Pratchett. In his Discworld series, Pratchett theorized that there is a kind of phantom specialty shop which materializes for a brief period of time for the sole purpose of selling one or two magical items to a specific person or persons before vanishing back into the ether. Anyone passing by the shop would recall that it had always been there, though if they thought very hard they might wonder if it had always been there yesterday. These shops require a certain sort of proprietor, usually either a wizened guru or a sarcastic curmudgeon. Other examples of these establishments include the one in Gremlins that sold Billy the Mogwai, any number of them in various Outer Limits and/or Twilight Zone episodes, and the one that sold Homer an accursed Krusty doll...
Owner: "Take this object, but beware it carries a terrible curse!"
Homer: *worried* "Ooooh, that's bad."
Owner: "But it comes with a free Frogurt!"
Homer: *relieved* "That's good."
Owner: "The Frogurt is also cursed!"
Homer: *worried* "That's bad."
Owner: "But you get your choice of topping!"
Homer: *relieved* "That's good."
Owner: "The topping contains Potassium Benzoate!"
Homer: *stares*
Owner: "That's bad!"
:P
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Post by TomSpeed » Mar 15th 2003, 4:28 pm

The woman who owns the costume shop reminds me the devil in Stephen King's Needful Things. He has the things people need and desire. He gives them those things for a price. The woman isn't necessarily evil, but she definitely is other-wordly. She also seems to provide people with just what they need.

I think Patty keeps the hankerchief as a type of memento of the great time Graham and she has together. She will keep it locked away where she keeps other important things in her life. She will open the box every once in awhile to remember the good times. Men usually aren't as sentimental. We aren't much into keepsakes. I have a couple of them. One is a program from a homecoming football game in high school. The second is a picture of my second grade class. I went to the football game with a girl I loved at the time. In the class picture, I am standing next a girl. She was my first crush. Everyone else is looking at the camera except me. I'm looking at her. Sigh!
candygirl wrote:As far as Brian leaving his keys in his pants, I was kind of annoyed with him. He made a big deal of telling Rickie to wash this clothes before returning them, but Brian obviously wasn't courteous enough to wash his clothes before letting Rickie borrow them. If he had, his keys wouldn't have been in the pockets. My conclusion: Brian doesn't want Rickie cooties but doesn't mind if Rickie gets Brian cooties.
Rickie offers to wash Brian's clothes. Brian tells them how to wash them after Rickie says that he will wash them. Also it's not uncommon for men to leave keys and such in their pockets when they wash clothes. I try to check my pockets when I wash, but I don't always check everything.

Also, how did Rickie get Brian's clothes in the first place? Did they talk about Rickie wearing Brian's clothes the day before Halloween? Or does Brian keep extra clothes in his locker at school?

Oh, I need to point out that Angela wears the retro eyeglasses in "Halloween" as part of her costume. Of course, they are really vintage eyeglasses worn years later. The glasses, clothes, and the way Rayanne does her hair make Angela look very different. Maybe it's because I wear glasses now and wore glasses in high school, too, but I think she looks hot. Anyway, I can't always write something profound.
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Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
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Post by meggrrrl » Mar 16th 2003, 12:50 am

Hi all! I just posted an intro under the "newbies introduce yourself here" thread.... been looking for somewhere to jump in, but I can't think of much worthwhile to say, so I'll just start blabbing --

I hate to join this group on a negative note, but I am one of the folks on the anti-Halloween (and anti-so-called angels) side of the fence. Of corse this episode is pure genius compared to 99% of tv, but to me, it didn't quite stand up to the rest of the shows. A little corny to me, what with the "mystery" of Nicky, etc.

There were a few genius moments, though. The moment where you see Danielle dressed as Angela comes to mind. How sweet, to think of the little sister having to explain to everyone who gives her candy who she is dressed as. I dressed as Angela that year too, and absolutely no one got it. Then again, I lived in a very "urban" part of Baltimore; I was probably the only one in a 10 mile radius who watched the show.

One thing that I noticed while watching these episodes, this one in particular, after such a long time: am I the only one who thinks Graham is hot? I feel totally gross even admitting that, like he's my dad or something. But lucky Patty, he's always so - how shall I say? Ready to go! I should get that pirate costume for my husband!

Meg

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Post by Nostradamus » Mar 16th 2003, 1:17 am

In a rare error, William E. Blais states in his "Angela's World" analysis of this episode:
A "blue moon," the second full moon within a calendar month, occurs infrequently, hence the term "once in a blue moon" to describe an event that is unusual or happens only rarely. In 1994, Halloween fell during the phase of a blue moon.
As you can see in this link, there was no blue moon in any month of that year.

:o
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Post by Nothingman » Mar 16th 2003, 6:58 pm

I've been having a hard time jumping in on the discussion of this episode, so I went back watched it again trying to come to some conclusions. I found myself a little bored from the time Brain traps them in the school to when they leave the next morning. With the exception Rayanne and Brians conversations. Rayanne does great work with Brian as he calls his mom to explain why he won't be coming home. Angela is apparently under Nikky's cosmic spell as she wonders off for no other apparent reason. The Nikky story is interesting the first few times, but has little to do with the rest of the characters. I watch the episodes over and over because of the main characters, when Angela is wondering around in her cosmic spell, i'm left waiting for them to get back to real story. There are some intersting parallels between Jordon and Nicky, but I think we get them loud and clear without all the special affects.

I think the rest of the episode is great. Seeing how everyone deals with the issue of wearing costumes at school always makes me smile. Watching poor Brian come up with excuses for showing up that night at the flag pole is so sad. He just wants to hang out with Angela and have a little excitment. I have to agree that Angela wearing the vintage classes is cute. I think the whole costume makes her look even more innocent.

One thing that always bugs me is the last scene when Angela finds the rose in her book and it shows a close up of her reaction. Her face seems really washed out and her hair looks faded. I think it's just bad lighting. Makes me wonder if they added that scene in as an after thought.

Perhaps more profound insight will come to me later...
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Post by TomSpeed » Mar 18th 2003, 12:42 am

I agree that the last closeup of Angela when she finds the rose does look odd. Filming it out of sequence could cause it to look that way. The Crimson Glow hair dye seems more washed out. I never noticed that she had so many freckles either. I'm not sure why they would let a long period of time pass during the filming of an episode. A couple of episodes were filmed out of sequence. I don't think "Halloween" was involved though.
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Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
http://www.last.fm/user/TomSpeed/

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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 18th 2003, 12:54 am

Actually, episode 10 (Other People's Mothers) was filmed before episode 9 (Halloween).

:D
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Post by TomSpeed » Mar 18th 2003, 1:06 am

candygirl wrote:Actually, episode 10 (Other People's Mothers) was filmed before episode 9 (Halloween).

:D
Yep. That's what I get for posting first and checking later.

But the last scene in "Halloween" still looks like an afterthought. Maybe they intended it to look that way to suggest that finding the rose is all in Angela's head?
TomSpeed

Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
http://www.last.fm/user/TomSpeed/

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On Costumes

Post by Nostradamus » Mar 22nd 2003, 8:21 pm

Rayanne's vamp clothing and makeup look very Anime to me. In some the scenes she almost appears to have been drawn onto the frame.

Brian and Jordan are the only main characters who do not wear costumes -- reflective of their their open-faced personalities?
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 22nd 2003, 8:47 pm

Perhaps - or maybe it's their surface unwillingness to change or pretend to be something they aren't.

I find it interesting that Angela voiceovers:
When I was little I, like, worshipped Halloween. And truthfully, part of me still does. 'Cause it's your one chance all year to be someone else. I wanna be someone else, but to wear, like, an actual costume to school is too scary.
She then tells Patty, "I just don't see the point of wearing a costume."

Based on these two statements, Angela seems set on not wearing a costume, but all it takes to convince her is Rayanne shoving some clothes at her and pushing her into a bathroom stall to change. Maybe it helps that Rayanne says, "They're actual. It's not a costume."

:wink:

At this point, Angela is still letting Rayanne be the dominant force in their friendship, although the other way to look at it is that Angela was trying to rationalize not dressing up for Halloween and all she needed was the opportunity to do it (because she wanted to deep down). Or maybe it was the peer pressure. Given that up to that point in the episode, the only person within her circle who she had seen that wasn't dressed up was Brian Krakow, maybe she decided it was better to join in with Rayanne, Rickie, and Sharon.

:D

March Madness affecting my logic skills - I will stop talking in circles. For now anyway.
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Post by TomSpeed » Mar 23rd 2003, 4:45 pm

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Brian doesn't dress in a costume because he is incapable of having fun. People who are overly-intellectual such as Brian tend to rationalize themselves out of doing anything out of the ordinary, unexpected, or fun. Unfortunately, they also tend to be very lonely. Sometimes, they can get caught up in things and have fun despite themselves, if they have some friends to help them along.
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Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
http://www.last.fm/user/TomSpeed/

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