Trick or Treat (Tales from the Darkside)
Encyclopedia
"Trick or Treat" is the pilot episode of the television anthology series Tales from the Darkside
, co-written by George A. Romero
and directed by Bob Balaban
. It was originally aired in syndication by Tribune Broadcasting
on October 29, 1983.
) is an elderly miser who keeps the residents of his rural town mired in debt
. As part of an annual Halloween
"tradition", Gideon invites local trick-or-treaters to explore his house to search for their parents' hidden IOU
s. The children who find the papers will have their parents' debts cancelled. This year, Gideon invites young Billy Kimble to participate in the hunt. Billy accepts, knowing that his father's farm is being held by Gideon as collateral
.
Gideon rigs his house with fake monsters and uses them to scare the trick-or-treaters; he sadistically mocks the frightened children through an antiquated speaker system. Most of the children who try to search the house—taken against their will by desperate parents—quickly flee in terror, their failure relished by Gideon.
However, real paranormal events soon unfold in the house. Not long after scaring off another trick-or-treater, Gideon encounters a mysterious witch at his front door. The witch levitates into Gideon's house and brings his fake monsters to life. She also disperses the hidden IOUs, as well as the money which Gideon has meticulously collected from the townsfolk. As Gideon attempts to retrieve the money, he stumbles into a room occupied by the Devil
. A petrified Gideon is then guided into eternal damnation in Hell
.
Billy, confident that he can find his parents' IOUs, sneaks off to Gideon's house against his father's wishes. Once he arrives, Billy is greeted by the witch, who gives him both the papers and Gideon's valuables before flying off into the night. Billy travels back home, walking past the old man's grave.
Tales from the Darkside
Tales from the Darkside is an anthology horror TV series produced by George A. Romero; it originally aired from 1983 to 1988. Similar to Amazing Stories, The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, The Outer Limits, and Tales From The Crypt, each episode was an individual short story that ended with a plot...
, co-written by George A. Romero
George A. Romero
George Andrew Romero is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter and editor, best known for his gruesome and satirical horror films about a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. He is nicknamed "Godfather of all Zombies." -Life and career:...
and directed by Bob Balaban
Bob Balaban
Robert Elmer "Bob" Balaban is an American actor, author and director.-Personal life:Balaban was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Eleanor and Elmer Balaban, who owned several movie theatres and later was a pioneer in cable television...
. It was originally aired in syndication by Tribune Broadcasting
Tribune Broadcasting
The Tribune Broadcasting Company is a group of radio and television stations located throughout the United States which are owned and operated by the Tribune Company, a media conglomerate based in Chicago, Illinois and named for the flagship Chicago Tribune newspaper.- History :Tribune Broadcasting...
on October 29, 1983.
Synopsis
Gideon Hackles (Barnard HughesBarnard Hughes
Bernard Aloysius Kiernan “Barnard” Hughes was an American actor of theater and film. Hughes became famous for a variety of roles; his most notable roles came after middle age, and he was often cast as a dithering authority figure or grandfatherly elder.-Personal life:Hughes was born in Bedford...
) is an elderly miser who keeps the residents of his rural town mired in debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
. As part of an annual Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
"tradition", Gideon invites local trick-or-treaters to explore his house to search for their parents' hidden IOU
IOU
An IOU or I.O.U. is an acknowledgment of debt. The term may also refer to:*I.O.U. , by jazz fusion guitarist Allan Holdsworth*"I.O.U." , by jazz-funk group Freeez*I.O.U in Western Australia...
s. The children who find the papers will have their parents' debts cancelled. This year, Gideon invites young Billy Kimble to participate in the hunt. Billy accepts, knowing that his father's farm is being held by Gideon as collateral
Collateral (finance)
In lending agreements, collateral is a borrower's pledge of specific property to a lender, to secure repayment of a loan.The collateral serves as protection for a lender against a borrower's default - that is, any borrower failing to pay the principal and interest under the terms of a loan obligation...
.
Gideon rigs his house with fake monsters and uses them to scare the trick-or-treaters; he sadistically mocks the frightened children through an antiquated speaker system. Most of the children who try to search the house—taken against their will by desperate parents—quickly flee in terror, their failure relished by Gideon.
However, real paranormal events soon unfold in the house. Not long after scaring off another trick-or-treater, Gideon encounters a mysterious witch at his front door. The witch levitates into Gideon's house and brings his fake monsters to life. She also disperses the hidden IOUs, as well as the money which Gideon has meticulously collected from the townsfolk. As Gideon attempts to retrieve the money, he stumbles into a room occupied by the Devil
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
. A petrified Gideon is then guided into eternal damnation in Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
.
Billy, confident that he can find his parents' IOUs, sneaks off to Gideon's house against his father's wishes. Once he arrives, Billy is greeted by the witch, who gives him both the papers and Gideon's valuables before flying off into the night. Billy travels back home, walking past the old man's grave.
External links
- "Trick or Treat" at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...