5 Family Friendly Horror Films
Around these parts, it’s spooky season year round. Some of us choose to engage with horror at every opportunity. It’s not the most common, but it is a reality for some of us.
I’m aware that, for many, horror is a seasonal thing. I see the box office success of those October horror releases and know that the proximity to Halloween invites people to engage with the scarier side of storytelling. I’m just happy that the films are being appreciated at all, even if it’s only due to a holiday.
For younger horror fans, the choices are few and far between. Halloween specials are abundant, but actual stories about learning to confront and overcome fear are still not the most common. By all means, share the joy of some truly wonderful animated films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Coraline, and Paranorman. I want to go a little deeper than that with this list.
Here are five of my favorite horror films that can be enjoyed by the entire family in a safe way for the little ones in your life.
Pinocchio (1940)
Not a horror film, you say? Pinocchio is a fairy tale—a fantasy story, but fantasy and horror are often linked in quite tangible ways. Case in point: the Disney version of this fairy tale features quite a few dark and thrilling sequences going into the resolution of the film. As Pinocchio explores the world, he winds up on Pleasure Island with all the truant boys. The animators turn this whole sequence into a monster transformation movie and follow it up with another giant creature feature as Pinocchio has to rescue Geppetto from the belly of the whale. Dark fantasy is largely horror that guarantees a happier ending and Pinocchio’s second half has quite a few scary moments.
Pinocchio is available to stream on Disney Plus.
Curse of the Cat People (1942)
This Val Lewton classic is, admittedly, the most mature film on the list. At its core, it is the story of a young girl learning to navigate through the many relationships in life. First, Amy can only connect with her imaginary friend who feels real to her. This leads her to befriend her kind neighbor, who tells her scary stories and wants to spend time with her. Her family is so worried about her that her imaginary friend decides she has to leave, sending the young girl on a journey to connect with any people in her life who remind her of beloved imaginary friend. Amy is a wonderful young protagonist in a horror film who is easy to connect to, and her family is always there to keep her safe when she wanders a bit too far.
Curse of the Cat People is available to rent on all digital platforms.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Speaking of dark fantasy, it’s hard to ignore the more sinister undertones of the original film version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Gene Wilder-starring classic features the emerging figure of Slugworth rising from the shadows and the pink candy boat sequence. The peril each child faces often crosses over into grotesque, nightmarish territory. All of this is balanced out with catchy songs, beautiful production design, and plenty of laughs, which makes it a safer introduction to the common tricks and beats of cinematic horror.
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is available to rent on all digital platforms.
Gremlins (1984)
Gremlins is one of the first horror films that was actually created to be a horror film for the whole family. The story of a young boy receiving a strange but adorable pet for Christmas is cute, silly, and scary in equal measure. Children love Gizmo the mogwai and really gravitate to him as a force to hold onto when the story gets darker. Gremlins is filled with humor and the scares play out like live action versions of gags in a Looney Tunes short.
Gremlins is available to stream on HBO Max and rent on all digital platforms.
Spirited Away (2002)
Spirited Away is a transformation and ghost story wrapped up in that beautiful Studio Ghibli style. The story of Chihiro being forced to confront a world of demons, spirits, and witches is a wonderful modern fairy tale about the fear of moving to a new place. Never forget that the story starts with Chihiro being unhappy that she has to move a new town where she knows no one. A chance encounter with a bewitched restaurant forces her to learn to navigate a strange new world by treating the various creatures with common respect and kindness (regardless of how they treat her first). She also has to protect herself from the potential dangers of strangers by holding onto her personal information no matter what and always trusting her bond with her family .
Spirited Away is available to stream on HBO Max and rent on all digital platforms.
