One of my favorite Halloween scenes: American Splendor

Welcome to what we hope will be a recurring feature here at Holiday Film Reviews.  We plan to feature Holiday-related scenes from movies that aren't primarily built around a holiday.

I'm a big fan of the 2003 film American Splendor, and the comic that inspired it.  For those who don't know American Splendor was a self-published comic book memoir that focused on the day-to-day struggles of  Cleveland file clerk (and all-around everyman) Harvey Pekar.  Pekar sadly passed away in 2010, but he appears as himself and narrates the American Splendor movie.

Paul Giamatti & Harvey Pekar

In the film, Pekar is played by Paul Giamatti (in a "starmaking" performance).  But it opens with an 11-year old Harvey, out trick-or-treating with some other boys.  "Young Harvey" is played by Daniel Tay  Later that same year, Tay would appear as Michael Hobbs, Buddy the elf's stepbrother in the film Elf.  

I don't know if this Halloween segment ever appeared in the comic, but it feels true to Pekar's recounting of his life, here it is, enjoy:

Happy Halloween!

J.A.