‘Boo to You Too! Winnie the Pooh’: A fuzzy, adorable Halloween flick (review)

There are few things we love as much as Halloween, but one of them is our favorite fuzzy bear, Winnie the Pooh. We all know the story of Pooh Bear: he lives in the Hundred Acre Woods with his ragtag group of friends, Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, Gopher, and Eeyore. Considering their usual antics, it’s assured Halloween won’t be traditional. For an unusual, lovable October treat, turn to none other than the 1996 TV special “Boo to You Too! Winnie the Pooh.”

It’s Halloween night, and the Hundred Acre Wood has dressed appropriately, with multi-colored leaves swirling, bare-limbed trees, and a cloudy sky. While the gang is getting dressed, Pooh (Jim Cummings) discovers Piglet (John Fiedler) is nowhere to be found. The poor little guy is cowering at home, trying to be brave. Ultimately, Piglet divulges that he’s rather frightened over the Halloween scariness, and his friends opt for a “Hallow-wasnt” party with Piglet, since his absence will mean it can’t be Halloween. Presumably, being with Piglet would then restore the full Halloween title, but in true Pooh Bear fashion, he still refers to the holiday as Hallow-wasnt.
If you grew up in the 90’s, you remember Saturday mornings spent glued to the TV watching cartoons, especially the adorable “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.” We can all agree this is the greatest iteration of the friendly, bumbling bear. True to the spirit of the series, “Boo to You Too! Winnie the Pooh” maintains the staples of the Pooh universe: Piglet gets scared repeatedly and each time unnecessarily. Tigger (Jim Cummings) bounces poor Piglet, which thankfully doesn’t result in any bodily harm (seriously, that’s one resilient pig). As per usual, Rabbit’s (Ken Sansom) garden gets obliterated, this time a seasonal pumpkin patch. The Pooh formula this time has a distinctly Halloween veneer, a pleasant autumnal touch.

As with most Disney creations, there are a few song numbers, including “I Wanna Scare Myself.” They’re fun and the visuals are quite original, including a scene of Piglet hiding in a chest of drawers. The animation is gorgeous, and the obligatory fluttering leaves lend an October scent to the production. It’s a genuinely adorable story, with the usual antics, cute songs, and a phenomenal narrator. Best of all, you can watch the whole show on YouTube. Looking for more Halloween Pooh goodness? Check out the compilation “Winnie the Pooh’s Halloween Stories,” and “Pooh’s Hefalump Halloween Movie.”