Revisiting Garfield's Halloween Adventure (1985)

It’s Halloween! Garfield is taking over the town and your candy.

Based on the comics by Jim Davis, Garfield’s Halloween Adventure is a 1985 television special. Garfield and Odie dress in their best costumes and go trick-or-treating. While out on their nightly adventures, they are caught in a ghostly secret that could ruin their evening.

I was the biggest fan of Garfield as a kid. For my birthday one year, all I asked for was a Garfield book. Garfield’s Halloween Adventure is a fun special that gets into the Halloween spirit. The special has a captivating narrative, excellent animation, and it’s a heartwarming tale about friendship and adventure.

You can never go wrong with Garfield the cat. Garfield loves who he is. The late Lorenzo Music was splendid in his voice work as the sarcastic and fat cat. Aside from Garfield, Odie is another favorite character. Dogs make the world a happy place.

Garfield and Odie go on an adventure around the neighborhood on Halloween night. The dynamic between Garfield and Odie has always been my favorite. Jim Davis or the specials created subtle moments of friendship between them.

Garfield and Odie’s friendship is the most underrated aspect of the comics. Sure, Garfield finds pleasure in torturing Odie and claims that he has no respect for the dog but there is a deep sense of friendship between the pair. The Halloween special emphasizes their friendship and how loyal they are to each other.

I was not expecting songs to be in the special the first time I watched this. ‘Scaredy Cat’ is one of my favorites. I assume the songs are filler or Phil Roman was trying to do something different from the comic. The memorable tunes not only enhance the overall viewing experience but also serve as a melodic reminder of the enduring magic of the season.

The short mixes humor and suspense. Garfield has funny one-liners. The dynamic between Garfield and Odie also works in funny moments. The one scene I always laugh at is Garfield and Odie running around for a place to hide only for a quick edit of Garfield annoyingly telling Odie not to hide in a plant.

One of the standout elements of Garfield's Halloween Adventure is its animation. Even with its release almost 40 years ago, the classic hand-drawn animation is innovative and has vivid imagery. Hand-drawn animation should never disappear. I miss animated films using this style. This style has more experimental value than audiences think.

One criticism that I have about the animation is that the ghosts are too bright and it’s hard to see their features. The backgrounds are hand-drawn by artists. The animation captures the essence of Halloween, infusing each frame with an irresistible blend of spookiness and playfulness.

The special is different from the comic, cutting small moments or dialogue. In the comic, there’s a funny gag that I am a bit disappointed was not added to the special. The pirate on Garfield’s hat changes expressions and reacts to situations. Granted, artists may have believed that it would have been a distraction but at least it’s in the comic.

Speaking of changes, an important segment was cut entirely from the short that involved the ghosts and Garfiend and Odie’s trip back home. The short just ends without resolving the ghost tale. It made the comic more impactful.

It’s been a while since I have watched this special. The short brought back several memories of my childhood. Garfield’s Halloween Adventure is a entertaining special, especially for younger audiences. Find the short and watch it during Halloween.