Ranking Shudder’s Ghoul Logs
Shudder embraced the silliness and fun of the Halloween season back in 2018 when they released their first “Ghoul Log” — an hour long video of a jack-o-lantern just kind of chilling in the autumn air. And since then, every year they’ve had a new one. Though for some reason, last year’s Trick ‘r Treat-inspired Sam-O-Lantern isn’t on Shudder anymore. That’s a shame.
Anyways, I decided to rank them from best to worst with some explanations as to why.
4. Return of the Ghoul Log (2019)
This would probably be a lot of people’s favorites, because it definitely has the most going on. But I’d argue that’s kind of the problem. You don’t throw a Ghoul Log on the television to watch it; you do it to put it in the background for some ambience.
This one’s just too loud. And I’ve put these on when I’ve been going to sleep in the past and this one has woken me up. It’s got fun stop motion effects, sure, but that’s just not what I want out of this kind of thing.
3. The Ghoul Log (2018)
Just about the perfect amount of atmosphere. It’s simple, but effective. There are sounds, but it’s never overwhelming. Perfect background stuff. And yet it’s only number 3.
2. Night of the Ghoul Log (2021)
Really similar to the original, but in my opinion just a tad bit better. There’s a bit more movement here, with some leaves moving about. And there’s just more to see, with a more vibrant background.
- Sam-O-Lantern (2020)
It is a damn shame this isn’t on Shudder anymore. First things first, the jack-o-lantern looks amazing. It’s distinct, and yes, I’ve tried recreating this. But it’s got just the perfect setting. There’s just the perfect amount of stuff on screen in the background and foreground. A+ stuff.
