Saturday, October 18, 2014

Scrooged and Beer Works Brewery's Black o Lantern Imperial Pumpkin Stout

31 Days of Drafts and Darkness: VOL 2!
"Scrooged" (1988)

Mention supernatural horror and Bill Murray in the same sentence and most people will immediately think "Ghost Busters". A classic, no doubt, but not the only case where Mr. Murray battled with ghosts. Well, perhaps battle is too strong a word. Bicker with ghosts.

By all appearances "Scrooged" is a Christmas movie, yet another retelling of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". While the film does have a great deal of heart, it also happens to be pretty damn creepy. Much of the Christmas spirit comes from the main character's redemption at the end. But up until that point, there are some twisted ghosts to deal with first. These ghosts do, indeed, seek to instruct their target: Scrooge. But they'll terrify him along the way, too.

With an ample dose of paranormal black humor and the musical stylings of Danny Elfman, "Scrooged" may be wrapped up in red and green, but it's heart is all orange and black.


The Plot:

The Scrooge of our film is Murray's Frank Cross, a cold TV executive to whom the term 'cynical' would be an understatement. Frank's view of the world is total dog-eat-dog. He rose to the top through cut-throat, calculating business. And all it cost him was his love life and family. Surely that can't harbor some bitterness?

With Christmas coming up, the TV station is abuzz with setup over their live production of "A Christmas Carol", set to air on Christmas Eve. With everything riding on the show's ratings, Frank grows even more despotic than usual, even firing an employee who dares question his grim outlook.

Things take a sharp turn when the Jacob Marley of the film arrives. Frank's deceased mentor Lou Hayward pays him a visit from the grave. Lou lacks the traditional chains we've come to expect of Marley. Instead, he's a rotting, dusty zombie that's still decked out in golf clothing. A perfect uniform to remind him of his sleazy former life.

Lou warns Frank of the dark path he's on. Frank's already lost his former girlfriend to greed, but now he runs the risk of losing his soul. Warned of a visitation from three ghosts, each nasty in their own special way, Frank must learn the error of his ways before it's too late.

Ebenezer Scrooge's journey was built on retrospection and repentance, with some horror thrown in at the end. Frank? Well, his journey will sorta be the other way around.


The Flavor:

I don't want to undersell "Scrooged" as a cynical film. There's plenty of Christmas spirit to be had. After all, we're still following a play-by-play of "A Christmas Carol", which centers on goodwill and charity. "Scrooged" just decides to have some macabre fun along the way. Most of it is played for laughs. But even alongside Murray's sarcastic talents, funny moments can turn dark very, very quickly.

For Halloween, "Scrooged" offers up plenty of creepiness. We've already talked about the decomposing Lou Hayward, but he's only the first instance. Many of the visions Frank receives on his Christmas journey are disturbing sights, like watching someone set ablaze at a restaurant. And it's all to the tune of Danny Elfman's haunting soundtrack, which sounds like a bunch of demonic carolers.

Unsurprisingly, the Ghost of Christmas Future is the stuff of nightmares. An eight-foot tall reaper adorned in black robes and literal lost souls, the ghoul's skull is dimly broadcast across a blurry TV screen located right under its own hood. His lesson to Frank starts off depressing and ends horrifyingly.

"Scrooged" has a playfully dark spirit that's looking more to spook than traumatize you. Though awash in black humor, Bill Murray injects enough levity into the film to keep it just as funny as creepy. His character's redemption at the finale is quite touching, even inspiring, and that's all due to Murray's sincere, earnest delivery. By the end, we've seen this guy literally go through hell and come out the other side. When he says he's seen the light, you can't help but believe him.  For all its grim moments, you'll find yourself walking away from "Scrooge" with a big smile.


Best Paired with:

Okay, yea, this'll do fine on Christmas. So long as you like your holidays a bit twisted.

But for Halloween, "Scrooged" offers up a great cocktail of creepy and funny. The makeup and effects used on the ghosts are fantastic. Just gross enough to be intimidating, they feel less like wise mentors and more like instructional tormentors. But they do mean well.

It's mostly through these spirits that the movie earns it's PG-13 rating. I saw this movie as a little kid, and it scared the hell out of me, but families with older children (teenagers and up, I'd say) should have a great time watching this together.


Accompanying Brew:

"Scrooged" is a dark film, but also quite sweet. And both Halloween and Christmas share an affinity for spices, so....
Name: Black o' Lantern
Brewery: Beer Works Brewery
Where Brewed: Lowell, MA
ABV: 8.5%
Style: Imperial Pumpkin Stout

Color:  It's an Imperial Stout, my friends, with the shade of a midnight cloud. Deep brown-to-black colors dance around the edges while the main body of the beer is pure darkness.

Aroma: There's a dance at play here. One on side, you have all the traditional pumpkin spices. On the other, a sharp sweetness with a bit of caramel scent to it. This blend works very well, as even before you sip, you can tell this brew is packed with flavor.

Taste: The initial while sipping is a sweet/spicy blend. With an 8.5% ABV, the sweetness has a sharp quality to it, almost like a kick. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove go well with the sweetness. A moment later, another flavor shows up. I love really dry, roasty stouts. All that roasted-malt goodness appears right as the beer hits the middle of your tongue. During that time, the sweet character and spices do not fade. Rather, everything blends evenly to produce an almost caramelized sugar/spice flavor. Very tasty.

Aftertaste: After swallowing, you'll become aware of the faintest hint of hops in the background. The slight bitterness goes well with the roasted quality of the malts, especially as the sweetness recedes. It's funny, you get to taste the roasted malt paired up with both sweet and bitter flavors, and while different, both are satisfying. The spices stick around longer than the sweet flavor, clinging to the tongue alongside the roasted malt.

Body: Though not quite as heavy as something like an oatmeal stout, Black o' Lantern still has quite the robust body to it. Take your time as you drink. It'll fill you up quickly.

Pair: Roasted pork or beef would go well alongside the spices and dark malt flavors. Also, as a dessert option, consider dark chocolates.






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