Get ready for a heavy dose of nostalgia, autumn wind, and old-school horror! In this very special late-night, lights-off Halloween episode of Retro Sleepover, the crew turns back the clock to 1988. This week, we aren't talking streaming, DVDs, or VHS—we're diving straight into the unique experience of watching a network television broadcast of a horror classic right from your living room. Joining host Ron Marti are regular horror crew staples Jay of the Dead and Gillman Joel for a deep-dive discussion on the television broadcast cut of Halloween II (1981) as it aired on WLVI in the Boston area. In this episode, we explore how watching 1980s network television cuts of classic slashers (Halloween II, The Terminator, Dawn of the Dead) created a unique viewing experience complete with local commercials, broadcast censors, and altered runtimes.The crew debates the merits of Rick Rosenthal's 1981 hospital-bound sequel, discussing its pacing, atmosphere, and why some fans hold it as the ultimate seasonal favorite. This includes a breakdown of the classic deleted scenes featured in the television cuts versus the theatrical version—including extra gore, alternate character fates, and the infamous missing hospital staff scene. Join us for a trip down memory lane reliving vintage late-night television commercial breaks, public service announcements, and local New England broadcast quirks from October 1988. Links & Resources Mentioned Halloween II (1981) WLVI TV Cut (October 1988 Broadcast): Archive.org Recording Link Halloween II 10-Minute Deleted Scenes Archive: Deleted Scenes Jay of the Dead's Podcasts: New Horror Movies - Horror Movie Weekly - Considering the Cinema - Movie Podcast Weekly Gillman Joel's Channel: Mom and Pop Video Shop - Spooky Flix Fest 2026 "Always remember the past, live in the present, and look forward to the future. We'll see you at the next sleepover!" Contact the Show: Email: retrosleepover@gmail.com Facebook: Retro Sleepover on Facebook
Welcome back! Open your bag up for me to drop in a treat in the form of a small discusssion about trick-o-treat bags of the past! Fast Food pails? No thank you. Pillowcases? I admire your optimism, but put them aside. Today, we are taking a fun-sized look at those icons of the past. Whether you got them from the grocery store, a restaurant or a gas station, bright yellow or orange trick-or-treat bags would bring you right to the Hallowen season. If you were lucky, your trick-or-treat bag of choice would give you tirck-or-treating rules to live by. Wear bright clothing! Don't get hit by cars! Don't eat razorblades! All rules we should live by every day, not just on Halloween.
Welcome back to another late-night, glow-in-the-dark edition of Retro Sleepover, where we're dimming the lights, popping a fresh VHS tape into the VCR, and cracking open a cold soda to soak in pure, uncut Halloween nostalgia . Tonight's episode wraps you entirely in that crisp, late-September evening air, setting the mood with the static hum of retro horror news, warm memories of midnight creature features, and the unmistakable screech of late-1980s animated Halloween decorations lurking in store aisles . Our main feature: a deep dive into the lost, magical world of classic Halloween promotions . We revisit the glory days of cardboard store standees, mail-in sweepstakes, and legendary horror hostesses taking over soda displays after being deemed a little too scandalous for beer campaigns . Were you the infamous walk-on for A Nightmare on Elm Street 4? How creepy is Grimace? Grab your plastic trick-or-treat bucket, turn down the lights, and press play.
Happy Halloween season! My porch light light is on, so come and knock on my door, I have a treat for you! Throughout the season we will be delivering these fun-sized episodes into your McBoo pail about little snippets of Halloween past for you to devour between our larger episodes. In our first Trick or Treat of the season, we discuss Kooky Spooks - the Halloween costume/makeup fad from the late 70s that lasted until the early 90s in some form or fashion. Remember those commercials that had kids dressed up with what was basically beach balls on their heads? Welcome to Kooky Spooks!
Happy 1-Year Anniversary to Retro Sleepover! To celebrate a full year on the air, host Ron Martin wraps up the summer series by diving deep into the ultimate childhood rite of passage: the sleepover. From the high-stakes ritual of claiming the best sleeping bag spot to late-night video store runs, off-brand soda, and staying up way past 2:00 AM, this episode explores why sleepovers were the one time as kids we felt in complete control of our own narrative. Hear personal stories from Ron and his plethora of guests, Doc Shock, Darien Brock and Jay of the Dead. Some stop by for the sleepover while others call in. Great stories are told from an ill-fated first sleepover, to the revenge of a hand all the way to solving a decades old mystery in West Virgnia! There's even original music making its podcast debut. You'll never look at Excitebike the same way again. Find Doc Shock on the following podcasts: Jay of the Dead's New Horror Movies Considering the Cinema Land of the Creeps The DVD Infatuation Podcast Find Darien Brock on The Padded Room Podcast Find Jay of the Dead on the following shows: Jay of the Dead's New Horror Movies Considering the Cinema Movie Podcast Weekly Horror Movie Weekly As always, if you like the content, share, subscribe, leave a review and tell a friend!!!