‘Every Other Day Is Halloween’ Blu-Ray Review – A Love Letter To The Legacy Of Horror Hosts

Newly High Definition version with a second full length documentary Bald Headed Blues. Amazing and funny true life story of television personality Dick Dyszel, whose popular television characters, “Count Gore De Vol” and “Captain 20,” continue to inspire generations of fans and artists. Featuring Steve Niles,Jeff Krulik (Heavy Metal Parking Lot), & more.

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Video Quality

Every Other Day Is Halloween is presented on Blu-Ray with a new high definition transfer which looks about as good as you could possibly hope. While it is difficult to pinpoint an exact source, this appears to have been shot on video using consumer grade equipment. This is to say, the film is one that was never going to look shiny and new, but it looks about as strong as the source will allow. While maybe not as aesthetically pleasing as some discs, having this movie presented on Blu-Ray does allow the movie to exist in its most satisfying state. 

This is a very solid transfer that eliminates nearly all of the unintended deficits while persevering the original look. When you consider the enterprising way in which the movie was shot, it is impressive how appealing everything looks. There does not appear to be any issues with compression artifacts or any other such digital anomalies. The track does show off some passing detail in the clothing of the subjects and in the makeup and facial features. Colors present as vivid as the original format will allow. This presentation is the most accurate to what audiences may have experienced when it was first released, if not better.  

Audio Quality

The new Blu-Ray is presented with an LPCM 2.0 track which suits the material as well as you would hope. The words of the subjects are the prime focus of the movie, and they mostly come through quite well in relation to the competing sounds. The newer talking head interviews hold up with less distortion than the archival material from the broadcasts with less stability. The instances where music is utilized comes through with a nice fidelity. There are some sound issues due to the source material, but the most important thing is that the track remains faithful to the intention of the creative team. English subtitles are provided for those who desire them. This one sounds as good as it possibly can with this Blu-Ray. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary #1: Director C.W. Prather and subjects Dick Dyszel and Jerry Moore provide their slightly chaotic first commentary track from 2009 in which they give context to certain moments on screen, share memories of certain figures who pop up, reveal how certain moments came together, and more that makes for a fun overall experience. 

• Audio Commentary #2: Director C.W. Prather and subject Dick Dyszel return for their second commentary track from 2021. This track has a slightly more subdued energy without Moore. While you might expect these tracks to share a lot of overlap, there is a lot to be gained from the perspective they have earned from living with this movie for many years. 

• Audio Commentary #3: Dick Dyszel provides one final commentary track on his own which manages to find yet more new insights despite there being quite a bit of overlap with the first two tracks. 

• Looking For The Punchline: An 88-minute virtual conversation between Dick Dyszel and his fellow horror hosts Arch Campbell, John Dimes (Dr. Sarcofiguy), Leanna Chamish (Boo dePest), Mike Ensley (Baron Mondo Con Doren), and Marlena Midnite. There are some very rewarding reflections in which these subjects discuss the ups and downs of television horror hosting. 

• 50 Years and Counting: A 25-minute short documentary by C.W. Prather which gives you an update on Dick Dyszel, the impact of Every Other Day Is Halloween, his work at conventions, the place of horror hosts in the modern era and more. 

• Bald-Headed Blues: An entire additional 89-minute documentary from C.W. Prather from 2012 which is the story of John Dimes and the creation of his alter ego – Dr. Sarcofiguy. If you enjoy the main feature, you should have a grand time with this one. 

•  Archives: A collection of footage from the personal archive of Dick Dyszel.

• • Captain (18:50)

• • Clown (16:28)

• • Count (1:43:38)

• • More Archives (20:47)

Final Thoughts

Every Other Day Is Halloween is a fun love-letter to the impact of horror hosts and their place in the entertainment landscape. Dick Dyszel is a colorful personality who made an impact on a generation of kids and adults thanks to his willingness to make the “weird” more acceptable for a larger audience. Not only does he provide an engaging entry point into the wild west of the public television space of decades past, but an equally lively bunch of subjects come forth to relay how they were changed through watching his show. It is very shaggy and obviously shot on a limited budget, but the underlying passion helps you look over certain limitations. Brink and MVD Entertainment have released a Blu-Ray that sports a solid A/V presentation and a host of special features that greatly enhance the experience. Fans of the grand tradition of horror hosts should really enjoy this journey. Recommended 

Every Other Day Is Halloween is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Brink and MVD Entertainment have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.