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There was a TV show or film available in the early- to mid-nineties when I was growing up that featured a forest of pale, spooky dead trees. They were not animated. I think they were either costumes or props, and were less than 12 feet tall. They also didn't have long branches, just short stubs; they were mostly trunk.

I vaguely remember music or singing while the trees were on screen, and the trees may have been moving, singing, or dancing with the music—but I'm not confident on that.

Can you help me identify this TV show or film? It's been nagging at me for years now.

This was in English in the United States.

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    Was the scene just the trees, or were there other characters, maybe walking through the woods? And did the trees have bark on them, or were they stripped?
    – FuzzyBoots
    Commented May 2, 2022 at 17:47
  • @FuzzyBoots I don't remember any of those details
    – Sean
    Commented May 2, 2022 at 21:14
  • Was the show in color or in black-and-white?
    – shoover
    Commented May 3, 2022 at 4:13
  • 1
    I was thinking H. R. PufnStuf but that's 1969.
    – tgrignon
    Commented May 3, 2022 at 12:34
  • @shoover I don't remember if it was color or black and white
    – Sean
    Commented May 3, 2022 at 15:05

4 Answers 4

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Could it perhaps be the Disney Sing-Along Songs adaptation of Grim Grinning Ghosts? It was the last song on one of the VHS tapes of the series. It has been uploaded to YouTube here:

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    THIS IS IT! I knew it from the first second of music. Thank you so much.
    – Sean
    Commented May 3, 2022 at 15:06
10

Could it be the 1961 version of Babes in Toyland?

The Gumps

One of the children who live with Mary informs her of some sheep tracks leading into the Forest of No Return. The children sneak away into the forest to search for the missing sheep. The trees of the forest awaken and capture them. Tom and Mary follow and find the children in the forest, where they tell stories about the live trees. The trees seem just like ordinary trees to Tom and Mary. Tom, Mary, and the children camp for the night. In the morning, the trees once again come to life and explain that they are now in custody of the Toymaker in Toyland (who is also the Mayor and Chief of Police). Tom, Mary, and the children happily continue on, escorted part of the way by the trees.

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    Funny how stuff "for kids" could be very creepy. Many perhaps remember the Claymation The Mysterious Stranger. One wonders if this was adult cartoonists/writers deliberately trying to scare kids or they simply misjudged how easy it was to disturb kids -- I well recall snatches of films seen either in ads for a late show or perhaps watching the actual films that haunted me for many years and affected my behavior -- I would sometimes have to run out of the room if certain movies were on. Not kids' movies, but I am just talking about how easy kids are to frighten.
    – releseabe
    Commented May 3, 2022 at 12:34
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    @releseabe: Darby O'Gill and the Little People was the scariest movie when I was a child. That banshee and her scream...
    – FuzzyBoots
    Commented May 3, 2022 at 12:38
  • someone posted wizard of oz below -- flying monkeys and some other stuff make Oz a movie that could trouble a 3 year old which i believe was first time i saw it.
    – releseabe
    Commented May 3, 2022 at 16:26
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Could it be The Wizard of Oz?

There is a scene where Dorothy goes through a forest that attacks her and her companions. The trees are actors inside elaborate costumes.

Actor trees

The final movie doesn't have this scene where they have a lot of singing and dancing involved (apparently the costumes didn't fare well with all the moving). The trees themselves still remained in the movie.

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7

Could it be Nightmare Before Christmas? The movie was released 1993. The film was made with puppets in stop-motion. There where dead trees each with a special holiday door. The main character - a skeleton - sings, though as far as I remember not while the trees are seen.

Scene from Nightmare Before Christmas

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