Remember when MTV was quirky and cool?

Well, it was. In fact, in 1984, MTV asked Elvira, the legendary Mistress of the Dark, to host a six-hour special on Halloween night.** That special was titled, "Elvira's MTV Halloween Party" and looking at it now, it seems so experimental, like the theater kids were let loose in a TV studio, and I mean that as a good thing.

Forces of Geeks writes:

Elvira was given a 6 hour programming block on Halloween night 1984 to show all the spooky music videos there were interspersed with her usual shenanigans. Not just that but the middle 2 hours of this was a showing of Night of the Living Dead (with a special, shot for MTV, intro by George Romero) which Elvira would pop up into now and then.

Watch in this video uploaded by YouTuber Rockula Presents as the campy queen of Halloween pimps her own merch, brings on special guests, and shares old black-and-white horror movie clips and many music videos -- ranging from The Specials' "Ghost Town" to Oingo Boingo's "Little Girls" (no, that isn't Peter Dinklage at the 8:19 mark) to The Residents' version of "This is a Man's World" and, of course, Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead."

Also see her demonstrate the proper way to carve a Jack-o-Lantern, you know, with a chainsaw.

Other notable moments:

-- I believe that's John Paragon playing "Breather" (uncredited) at the 13:05 mark. You may remember Paragon was the actor behind Jambi, the genie of Pee-wee's Playhouse. Read the rest

When he's not winning speedcarving contests with his chainsaw, Estonian sculptor Igor Loskutow crafts wood into outsize sculptures and furniture, like these remarkable dragon benches. Read the rest

This little saw is excellent, fast cutting, light weight (at 3 oz without the case), and folds up small making it highly portable. It can quickly saw branches and trees up to about 4-6 inches in diameter with its 28 inch long chain.

To use it, wrap the chain around whatever you want to cut and then grab the handles and pull back and forth. This flexibility means that it can take on logs and branches too thick for smaller camp saws. I've used it in the back country as well as around the yard.

When one of the metal loops that attached the saw to the handles came apart at the weld point the company very quickly responded by sending me a new set of loops. It's an excellent product supported by a conscientious and responsive company.

[Note: An even lighter weight military model can be purchased here.--OH]

--Jaime Cobb

Supreme Products Pocket Chain Saw $25

Check out a video of one in action after the jump. Read the rest