Author: Alyssa Craig

 October is here and it is officially Halloween season! There are costumes to put together, spiderwebs, ghosts and broomsticks to hang from trees and candy to acquire. As you are running around enjoying the season, don’t forget to make time for some classic Halloween movies. Whether you are looking for a fun family night or a scary movie night with friends, Halloween offers a wide variety of movies to select from.

Below you will find some of the greatest Halloween movies of all time, along with some fun facts you can share to sound extra cool. Each movie’s rating is included, but use your own best judgement in deciding if a particular movie will be appropriate for the planned audience.

 For the Kids: These are great for young children or for family movie nights.

 Casper – 1995, PG

•  A movie about a girl who makes friends with an animated ghost, this film is a great movie for kids of all ages. There are obstacles to overcome, teaching good morals on the importance of family.

• Fun Fact: Casper was the first feature film with a computer-animated title character.

 It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – 1966, NR

• You really don’t need a reason to watch any of the Peanut movies – they’re classics! Help your kids learn to love Charlie Brown and his crew through the seasonal movies, starting with this great one.

• Fun Fact: After this special originally aired, children all over the country sent candy to Charlie Brown out of sympathy.

 Tower of Terror – 1997, UR

• Especially if your kids have been to the California Adventure park at Disneyland, they will love watching a movie centered around one of the favorite rides in the park. Produced by Disney, this is a family friendly movie with some suspense.

• Fun Fact: Most of the tower footage in the film, both interior and exterior, was shot at the actual Tower of Terror attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida (then Disney MGM Studios).

For the Group: If you have older children or you are looking for a great Halloween movie for those who do not like very scary movies, these are your go-to options.

The Addams Family – 1991, PG-13

• The well beloved Addams Family comes to life in this movie. Be aware there is some humor that may be inappropriate for younger children.

• Fun Fact: The name Wednesday is a reference to the line in the Mother Goose poem that goes, “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.”

Beetlejuice – 1988, PG

• One of Tim Burton’s classics, this movie is timeless as a Halloween staple. Note that it contains some unusually strong language for the rating.

• Fun Fact: In the wedding scene, Lydia’s dress is a bright red. According to the old rhyme about wedding dress colors, “Married in red, better off dead.”

Young Frankenstein – 1974, PG

• You cannot experience Halloween and leave out the story of Frankenstein. This fun movie tells the story of the next generation of Frankensteins recreating the well known science experiment.

• Fun Fact: The howling wolf sound on the ride to the castle was made by director Mel Brooks.

Hocus Pocus – 1993, PG

• The story of the Sanderson sisters has become a beloved movie, where even though they are the villains, they are probably your favorite characters in the movie. You will want to plan a trip to Salem, MA as soon as the movie is over.

• Fun Fact: Strangely, the film was released in the summer of 1993, rather than in the fall.

The Watcher in the Woods – 1980, PG

This movie gives you the benefit of suspense, mystery and the need to hold someone’s hand for protection, while not including anything too scary or gory.

• Fun Fact: The house that Mr. Keller lives in also served as Hill House, in the original version of Shirley Jackson‘s The Haunting (1963).

For the Brave: These movies are more on the scary side, so they are not recommended for children.

The Others – 2001, PG-13

• This movie is more suspenseful than anything and has a twist ending you will never see coming. Even those who are not fans of scary movies will be able to watch it without too much angst.

• Fun Fact: The disease the children have is an actual disease known as xeroderma pigmentosum. It is very rare with roughly a thousand people in the world that have it.

What Lies Beneath – 2000, PG-13

• When there is a murder involved, there’s bound to be some great chase scenes and moments that make you scream. In this way, this movie does not disappoint.

• Fun Fact: There is a scene in the trailer in which Claire is looking at a photograph and notices a ghost face in the window. This scene never appears in the movie.

The Sixth Sense – 1999, PG-13

• Any movie that involves a young boy who can see the deceased is bound to make your skin crawl and have you hiding under your blanket. After all, ghosts are a classic part of Halloween.

• Fun Fact: The movie’s line “I see dead people.” was voted as the #44 movie quote by the American Film Institute (out of 100).

As you plan your Halloween movie night, there are so many options to choose from depending on your audience. Whether you are going for scary or just for fun, consider having one last outdoor movie night. You could rent a projector and use hay bales and blankets for seating, for an added autumn flare. It will be a night your family and friends won’t soon forget!