Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird15 Halloween Movies That Aren’t Too Scary
By Claire Spellberg
@c_spellberg
Published
Oct. 19, 2017, 9:00 p.m. ET
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If you love Halloween but hate horror, you may be a Halloweenie.
Photos: Everett Collection ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps
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Hocus Pocus (1993)
What better place to start than with the iconic Hocus Pocus? Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy star as the Sanderson sisters, three witches who are resurrected 300 years after they were executed in Salem, Massachusetts for practicing evil witchcraft. In order to remain alive, the witches must suck the life out of as many children as possible on Halloween night, but a group of kids stands in the way of their murderous plot.
[Stream Hocus Pocus on Amazon Video]
What better place to start than with the iconic Hocus Pocus? Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy star as the Sanderson sisters, three witches who are resurrected 300 years after they were executed in Salem, Massachusetts for practicing evil witchcraft. In order to remain alive, the witches must suck the life out of as many children as possible on Halloween night, but a group of kids stands in the way of their murderous plot.
[Stream Hocus Pocus on Amazon Video]
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
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The Addams Family (1991)
The Addams family is more than just Halloween costume inspiration. In the 1991 adaptation of the 1960s series, a con artist pretends to be Gomez Addams' long lost brother Fester in order to gain access to the family's wealth. Unaware of his scheme, Morticia, Wednesday, and Pugsley Addams grow close to Uncle Fester, forcing him to choose between his old and new family.
[Stream The Addams Family on Netflix]
The Addams family is more than just Halloween costume inspiration. In the 1991 adaptation of the 1960s series, a con artist pretends to be Gomez Addams' long lost brother Fester in order to gain access to the family's wealth. Unaware of his scheme, Morticia, Wednesday, and Pugsley Addams grow close to Uncle Fester, forcing him to choose between his old and new family.
[Stream The Addams Family on Netflix]
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Teen Witch (1989)
When unpopular high school student Louise (Robyn Lively) learns that she has inherited witchcraft powers, she uses them to get back at the popular kids who have made her life miserable. Besides sticking it to the mean girls, all Louise wants is to find true love, but she doubts whether it's really love if she has to put a boy under a spell to make him like her.
[Stream Teen Witch on Hulu]
When unpopular high school student Louise (Robyn Lively) learns that she has inherited witchcraft powers, she uses them to get back at the popular kids who have made her life miserable. Besides sticking it to the mean girls, all Louise wants is to find true love, but she doubts whether it's really love if she has to put a boy under a spell to make him like her.
[Stream Teen Witch on Hulu]
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The Scary Movie Franchise
Can you think of a better movie for people who don't actually like horror than any film in the Scary Movie franchise? The five Scary Movie films lampooned our favorite horror tropes and reimagined iconic scenes from horror movies much too intense for Halloweenies. While the films weren't afraid to get gory, they always did so in a funny rather than gruesome way, making them a perfect compromise for slasher fans and scaredy cats.
[Stream Scary Movie on Tribeca Shortlist]
Can you think of a better movie for people who don't actually like horror than any film in the Scary Movie franchise? The five Scary Movie films lampooned our favorite horror tropes and reimagined iconic scenes from horror movies much too intense for Halloweenies. While the films weren't afraid to get gory, they always did so in a funny rather than gruesome way, making them a perfect compromise for slasher fans and scaredy cats.
[Stream Scary Movie on Tribeca Shortlist]
©Dimension Films/Courtesy Everett Collection
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The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
This cult classic follows a young couple (Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick) that's captured by a transvestite scientist from outer space (Tim Curry) on the night that he unveils his newest creation. Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his creation Rocky lead the group in a night of musical debauchery that the couple (and viewers everywhere) will never forget.
[Stream The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Amazon Video]
This cult classic follows a young couple (Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick) that's captured by a transvestite scientist from outer space (Tim Curry) on the night that he unveils his newest creation. Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his creation Rocky lead the group in a night of musical debauchery that the couple (and viewers everywhere) will never forget.
[Stream The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Amazon Video]
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Halloweentown (1998)
Ah, Halloweentown. The Disney Channel Original Movie brought Debbie Reynolds back to the screen as Aggie Cromwell, a witch who returns to Halloweentown to defeat a dark force. With the help of her granddaughter Marnie (who is just starting to develop her powers) and her friends, Aggie attempts to save the town from the evil spirits that threaten its existence.
[Stream Halloweentown on YouTube]
Ah, Halloweentown. The Disney Channel Original Movie brought Debbie Reynolds back to the screen as Aggie Cromwell, a witch who returns to Halloweentown to defeat a dark force. With the help of her granddaughter Marnie (who is just starting to develop her powers) and her friends, Aggie attempts to save the town from the evil spirits that threaten its existence.
[Stream Halloweentown on YouTube]
©Disney Channel/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun of the Dead is a true Halloween comedy. Simon Pegg plays Shaun, a down on his luck guy with a dead-end job and a girlfriend who has just dumped him. When zombies start appearing in the London area and eating its citizens alive, Shaun considers it a positive: if he's able to save his mother and ex-girlfriend, he will finally prove that he's worth something.
[Stream Shaun of the Dead on Showtime]
Shaun of the Dead is a true Halloween comedy. Simon Pegg plays Shaun, a down on his luck guy with a dead-end job and a girlfriend who has just dumped him. When zombies start appearing in the London area and eating its citizens alive, Shaun considers it a positive: if he's able to save his mother and ex-girlfriend, he will finally prove that he's worth something.
[Stream Shaun of the Dead on Showtime]
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Practical Magic (1998)
Of all the movies on this list, this might be the one you're least likely to recognize. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman (yes, you read that right) play witch sisters living in a small Massachusetts town. The sisters enjoy their powers, but witchcraft comes with a price: they must live with a curse that dooms any man they fall in love with. When each sister finds love, they must figure out how to remove the curse that has prevented the women in their family from achieving happiness for generations.
[Stream Practical Magic on Netflix]
Of all the movies on this list, this might be the one you're least likely to recognize. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman (yes, you read that right) play witch sisters living in a small Massachusetts town. The sisters enjoy their powers, but witchcraft comes with a price: they must live with a curse that dooms any man they fall in love with. When each sister finds love, they must figure out how to remove the curse that has prevented the women in their family from achieving happiness for generations.
[Stream Practical Magic on Netflix]
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
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The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Who knew that there were so many movies that took place in Halloween Town? Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, loves his town, but he's getting tired of serving up the same old spooks year after year. One day, Jack discovers Christmas Town, and when he returns home, he tries to make the Halloween Townsfolk adopt the Christmas spirit. Unfortunately, the goblins and ghouls of Halloween Town don't quite get the concept of holiday cheer, and Jack's well-intentioned idea soon wreaks havoc on the town.
[Stream The Nightmare Before Christmas on Netflix]
Who knew that there were so many movies that took place in Halloween Town? Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, loves his town, but he's getting tired of serving up the same old spooks year after year. One day, Jack discovers Christmas Town, and when he returns home, he tries to make the Halloween Townsfolk adopt the Christmas spirit. Unfortunately, the goblins and ghouls of Halloween Town don't quite get the concept of holiday cheer, and Jack's well-intentioned idea soon wreaks havoc on the town.
[Stream The Nightmare Before Christmas on Netflix]
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Young Frankenstein (1974)
Gene Wilder plays Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, the young grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, the doctor who experimented with bringing back the dead. Frederick has always tried to distance himself from Victor, but when he travels to his grandfather's castle and lab in Transylvania, he can't help but get caught up in the reanimation experiment.
[Stream Young Frankenstein on Netflix]
Gene Wilder plays Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, the young grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, the doctor who experimented with bringing back the dead. Frederick has always tried to distance himself from Victor, but when he travels to his grandfather's castle and lab in Transylvania, he can't help but get caught up in the reanimation experiment.
[Stream Young Frankenstein on Netflix]
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Beetlejuice (1988)
A very young Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis play a regular young couple, Adam and Barbara, with a big secret: they're dead. Their spirits continue to haunt their beloved home, but a family soon moves in, threatening their peaceful lifestyle. When Adam and Barbara's attempts to scare the family out are unsuccessful, they turn to Beetlejuice, a for-hire human exorciser, for help.
[Stream Beetlejuice on Amazon Video]
A very young Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis play a regular young couple, Adam and Barbara, with a big secret: they're dead. Their spirits continue to haunt their beloved home, but a family soon moves in, threatening their peaceful lifestyle. When Adam and Barbara's attempts to scare the family out are unsuccessful, they turn to Beetlejuice, a for-hire human exorciser, for help.
[Stream Beetlejuice on Amazon Video]
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Coraline (2009)
Don't let the fact that it's animated fool you: Coraline is actually one of the creepier movies on this list. A young girl, Coraline, moves to a new house where her parents don't pay much attention to her. While exploring alone, Coraline finds a parallel world where everyone has buttons for eyes, but she's cool with it because her parents are caring and good things keep happening. However, this seemingly perfect world is more sinister than it seems, and Coraline soon learns what these "others" truly want.
[Stream Coraline on Netflix]
Don't let the fact that it's animated fool you: Coraline is actually one of the creepier movies on this list. A young girl, Coraline, moves to a new house where her parents don't pay much attention to her. While exploring alone, Coraline finds a parallel world where everyone has buttons for eyes, but she's cool with it because her parents are caring and good things keep happening. However, this seemingly perfect world is more sinister than it seems, and Coraline soon learns what these "others" truly want.
[Stream Coraline on Netflix]
©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Gremlins (1984)
Billy Peltzer is excited to receive a small creature called a Mogwai from his father, but there are certain rules that he must follow in order to be a responsible owner. When Billy breaks one of these rules, his pet suddenly turns into a devilish monster, a "gremlin," that threatens to destroy everything and everyone in its path.
[Stream Gremlins on Netflix]
Billy Peltzer is excited to receive a small creature called a Mogwai from his father, but there are certain rules that he must follow in order to be a responsible owner. When Billy breaks one of these rules, his pet suddenly turns into a devilish monster, a "gremlin," that threatens to destroy everything and everyone in its path.
[Stream Gremlins on Netflix]
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Casper (1995)
In a world filled with evil ghosts, Casper exists as a shining example of all that a friendly ghost can be. Casper is the ghost of a young boy who has been wishing for a friend for over 100 years. When he finally meets Kat, the daughter of an afterlife specialist, he falls in love and believes that his wishes may be coming true. However, Casper's mean ghostly uncles keep trying to scare Kat and her father away, complicating the young lovers' plans to be together.
[Stream Casper on Amazon Video]
In a world filled with evil ghosts, Casper exists as a shining example of all that a friendly ghost can be. Casper is the ghost of a young boy who has been wishing for a friend for over 100 years. When he finally meets Kat, the daughter of an afterlife specialist, he falls in love and believes that his wishes may be coming true. However, Casper's mean ghostly uncles keep trying to scare Kat and her father away, complicating the young lovers' plans to be together.
[Stream Casper on Amazon Video]
©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Little Shop of Horros (1986)
Seymour Krelborn works in a flower shop, where he spends most of the day dreaming about his co-worker Audrey. After buying a strange looking flower during a solar eclipse (and naming it Audrey II), Seymour learns that the plant needs human blood to survive. Once Audrey II gets her human-sized snack, she demands on being fed again, creating extra problems for Seymour.
[Stream Little Shop of Horrors on Hulu]
Seymour Krelborn works in a flower shop, where he spends most of the day dreaming about his co-worker Audrey. After buying a strange looking flower during a solar eclipse (and naming it Audrey II), Seymour learns that the plant needs human blood to survive. Once Audrey II gets her human-sized snack, she demands on being fed again, creating extra problems for Seymour.
[Stream Little Shop of Horrors on Hulu]
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
