THE SPIRIT OF HALLOWEENTOWN is a new documentary about a city that becomes Halloweentown once a year on Halloween. This isn’t true crime or anything, but rather about the love of the spooky season. Read our The Spirit of Halloweentown documentary review here!

THE SPIRIT OF HALLOWEENTOWN is a new documentary about a city that becomes Halloweentown every Halloween. Or rather, the residents of the city turn it into the iconic town of the Disney movie Halloweentown.

And this decision has proved very good for business. This isn’t a true crime documentary. We’re covering it because it’s about people who love the spooky season so much that it’s now in the DNA of the city of St. Helens, Oregon.

Continue reading our The Spirit of Halloweentown documentary review below. The documentary just had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2024.

From Disney classic to smalltown tradition

The Spirit of Halloweentown is about the Halloween destination in St. Helens, Oregon, that has over 50,000 visitors every October.

It all began in 1998 when the Disney Channel Original Movie Halloweentown was filmed in St. Helens, Oregon. Since then, St. Helens has embraced its Halloween status more than anyone could have anticipated.

This new documentary is described as “an observational portrait of St. Helens 25 years later” and it couldn’t be said much better, so I won’t attempt to.

In The Spirit of Halloweentown, we’re focusing on a few select residents as the entire town prepares to transform the town from St. Helens to Halloweentown.

This has become part of their identity while they also adhere to the small-town stereotype of being weary of outsiders. You may be from a city over or the other side of the country, but you’re an outsider all the same.

There isn’t too much drama in that respect, but outsiders should certainly mind their manners. As one new restaurant owner will learn the hard way. It’s his own fault really (which he agrees on), but this one instance is classic small-town drama.

The Spirit of Halloweentown – Review | Halloween Documentary

Not everyone loves the spooky season

Of course, if you’re living in St. Helens and aren’t a fan of Halloween, then you’re in for a tough time each and every October. Of course, one could say this goes for any town all over the USA, but it’s still more extreme in St. Helens, Oregon.

Not least due to all the tourists that come from near and far. Good for business, bad for spooky season haters. However, also entertaining for us documentary viewers as we get to hear why this one God-fearing (of course!) woman hates it!

We follow people as they prepare for events during Halloween.

From the zombie cheerleaders getting their routine down and making sure they do so without smiling. And on to the woman, who makes rubber duck surprises for kids who might be overwhelmed by it all.

And, of course, a stellar haunted house where the woman greeting visitors has lost her voice after just a few days. But she still hangs in there and just saves her voice in between opening hours.

The Spirit of Halloweentown premiered at Fantastic Fest 2024

Acclaimed documentary filmmakers Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb (Jasper Mall, Butterfly in the Sky) have created a heartfelt portrait of the residents of St. Helens as they celebrate Halloween.

Of course, along with all the quirky people who just love turning St. Helens into Halloweentown, there are those who believe the city is actually haunted.

For me, that was the weakest part of the documentary. It could’ve been anywhere as we just see them going around in different rooms like every other “haunted” documentary. In fact, I found it boring while everything else was fascinating.

If you’re a fan of Halloween (and the movie Halloweentown, in particular), then you should check out this documentary. It’s a character study that never judges its participants but rather allows them to show us who they are.

The Spirit of Halloweentown is reviewed as Fantastic Fest 2024 coverage.

Details

Directed by: Bradford Thomason & Brett Whitcomb
Field Producer: Rebecca Sheehan
Cinematographer: Brett Whitcomb
Editor: Bradford Thomason
Genres: Horror, Documentary

Plot

In 1998, the Disney Channel Original Movie “Halloweentown” was filmed in St. Helens, Oregon. Since then, the town has become a de facto Halloween destination with over 50,000 visitors each October.

“The Spirit of Halloweentown” is an observational portrait of St. Helens 25 years later focusing on its residents as they transform the town and navigate their inescapable identity. Just as ghouls and ghosts inhabit the Halloweentown of the movie, many St. Helens residents believe their town to be truly haunted. As visitors pour into the city and specters of all kinds fill the autumn air, life for the locals in Halloweentown becomes much more than the celebration of a movie. It’s a quest for belonging and a reckoning with demons both personal and spiritual.

Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
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