Horror...for Kids!

Halloween truly brings out the kid in me. It is really a kid's holiday, maybe even more than Christmas, as Halloween celebrates all the best things about being a kid: dressing up in fantastic costumes, roaming the neighborhood late at night, consuming candy by the fistful, and best of all, getting scared. There is nothing so fascinating, educational, or memorable for a child than the many small moments of terror we experience while growing up, not the least of which coming directly from the movies we watch. I think every horror fan has gone through that lull where they can't remember the last time they were really scared by a movie, and we grow nostalgic for those days where all it took was a surreal moment in Pinocchio to keep us up for weeks.

You know the one.

When I was a kid growing up in the 90's, the element of fear was present in a lot of the media we watched. Not so much with Disney--they played it safe for the most part during their renaissance and skewed away from some of the darker aspects they'd tried before (re: The Black Cauldron, Watcher in the Woods, etc). But a kid in the 90's saw a great deal of leftovers from the 80's, which was evidently an age of experimentation and limited parental supervision. Back then, movies aimed at kids could range anywhere from as trite as Care Bears to as nightmarish as Return to Oz. It was a different time, as they say, and it's admirable if not sometimes baffling what studios were willing to pitch at kids back then. I guess the previous generation was unanimously more mature...or at least they were by the time the end credits rolled.

The 90's did see their own versions of kid-horror, but it was often with a certain context attached. Not a Halloween passed in my house without watching Hocus Pocus or Halloweentown, which were more goofy slapstick romps with supernatural themes than pure horror. Even theatrical releases like Nightmare Before Christmas and Casper, with all their spooky scenery and goth makeup, went out of their way to make their monsters as cuddly as possible. Movies like these were a tame introduction to horror, but they had a time and a place. They were usually screened in the spirit of an ostensibly children's holiday, and that gave them the safe space to throw out the occasional creepy visual before getting back to the softer stuff. Plus the monsters weren't exactly horrific; they were often adorably misunderstood, or at worst, hammy Old Hollywood boogeymen bumbling through our modern world. Even our fondly-remembered TV shows with a supernatural edge, such as Goosebumps, So Weird, and Are You Afraid of the Dark? had creepy ideas but often fell just short of true brilliance in execution. (Keep in mind I'm excluding shows like Buffy and Charmed, as those were aimed at a more teen audience and weren't as cautious when it came to the dark stuff.)

While the kid horror film didn't completely die out in the 90's and early 00's, they seemed to almost disappear as the ratings systems tightened up and parents became more interested in what their children watched. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as parents should pay attention to what their children take in, and let's be honest, there are certain things that should be saved for "when you're older." I'm sure no shortage of parents can recall seeing something they probably shouldn't have at a young age, and because of that, they are ever-vigilant in preventing the same happening to their child (not to mention the supernova of Inappropriate Content that is easily accessed now more than ever). Unfortunately, this clean-up came with a deluge of fluffy kiddie romps over the next few years, all spoon-fed content and cutesy visuals. This isn't exactly a surprise, as kids stuff is for kids and doesn't necessarily require aspects like strong motivations or nuance, so thin characters and clunky stories are forgivable in lieu of pure entertainment value. But the problem there lies in the fact that for a while, there was a long string of kids films that were completely unchallenging and easily forgettable, disappearing upon ingestion like so much candyfloss.

Then something changed. At some point, someone realized that kids aren't stupid and parents had to sit through these things too, so there was a steady increase of effort to appeal to "all audiences." As animation has progressed to its current level of brilliance, the stories are more complex, the characters more relatable, and there are jokes everyone can appreciate. Today, we have a variety of wonderful family films that are moving and thoughtful, working on a level of perfect filmmaking that can leave a cynical, childless 20-something like myself applauding through tears.

With fresh talent and ideas emerging out of animation, a new wave in kid-horror was bound to emerge, and thankfully it has returned better than ever. It's not exactly on the same ground of popularity as something like Frozen, but the smattering of dark animated films that have popped up over the years have only improved on their predecessors. Combining relatable childhood fears with approachable comedy and enduring charm, all with a great deal of appreciation for pure horror behind the friendly fright night vibe, these movies are gems among the animation genre and perfect for the budding young horror fan.

Monster House (2006) is the earliest of these return-to-horror kid flicks, and while it's not the best of the bunch, it does stand apart from other animated films of its time as an underseen gem. DJ has a long-standing and well-documented obsession with the house across the street, home of the reclusive Mr. Nebbercracker (a wonderfully crotchety Steve Buscemi). The neighborhood kids know to stay away from Nebbercracker's property, and any wayward toys that go rolling into his yard are best left forgotten. Of course, DJ and his friend Chowder make the mistake of inciting the old man's rage, only for him to suffer a heart attack while threatening a child. (That POV shot of Nebbercracker falling on top of DJ is a personal favorite moment.)

An ambulance takes him away while DJ wrestles with his guilt for causing an old man's death. He doesn't stop his vigil of the house across the street though, and for good reason: in Nebbercracker's absence, the house is starting to eat people. DJ, Chowder, and their new friend Jenny realize that the house is a living thing (complete with eyes, teeth, and a nasty temper) and with Halloween night approaching, it threatens to devour the whole neighborhood if they can't stop it.

What follows is a delicious blend of action and humor that would fit perfectly in an 80's kids adventure, a la The Goonies or E.T. The movie was produced by Amblin Studios, so it's rife with that home-grown Spielberg flavor. It's the neighborhood you or I grew up in, complete with that one mean neighbor in his creepy old house. It's a world where the adults are useless while the kids engineer complex schemes and take on life-threatening calls of duty with rinky-dink weapons. A few reviews argued that the film didn't even need the motion-capture gloss it received, and the story would have worked just as well if not better in live action with some tasteful CGI. I'll agree that the "normal" scenes do feel so genuine and true to life that the animation is unnecessary (and, to be honest, it doesn't look that great, especially ten years later), but the Monster House itself is unbeatable. The fiery glow in the eye-windows, the muscly tree-trunk arms, and those vicious jagged porch-teeth...it really is a showstopper. Seriously, you just have to see it to really absorb its full glory.

Paranorman (2012) tells the story of Norman, a young boy who can see ghosts. He doesn't fear these apparitions, instead talking to them like ordinary people. No one believes he can see them, of course, leaving him excluded by his peers and keeping his family distant. The Massachusetts town he lives in has a rich history, the most notorious being the execution of an accused witch who cursed the town with her dying breath. Norman begins having visions of the town's past, seeing himself pursued by witch hunters. He's contacted by his estranged, dying uncle (a wheezing John Goodman) who explains to him that he is part of a long line of guardians who must keep the witch's spirit in her grave. If he fails, the witch's curse will come to life and the town will be doomed. That's all I can say without giving away too much of the clever, complex, and absolute blast of a story this is, and I didn't even mention the perfect horror references peppered throughout.

Even better, it's the first animated movie on record to both include a homosexual character in the main cast and directly acknowledge his identity! You can't beat that! This is the animated horror movie I've always wanted. It's a movie that horror fans can enjoy just as much as their kids, if not moreso. I love Paranorman to death, so much it makes me want to have a kid just to make it their first lesson in horror.

Hotel Transylvania (2012) is a peaceful resort for monsters, a luxury hotel built beyond human reach where the beasts of our nightmares go to get away from it all. The owner of the hotel is naturally Count Dracula (Adam Sandler, nearly unrecognizable under his Lugosi impression) and he's brought everyone together to throw a birthday party for his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez). The two have a heartwarming relationship, which we're treated to in absolutely adorable vignettes of single father Dracula singing lullabies and teaching his daughter to fly in bat-form.

Look at that helmet. LOOK AT THAT HELMET!

Mavis has lived in the hotel her whole life, sheltered from the world and fed stories of the dangers of human beings. For her 118th birthday, she only wants to be allowed permission to visit the town just beyond the haunted forest to see the world for herself. Drac and his friends have deep pathological fears of humans (for obvious reasons) and through some not-so-small deceit, manage to convince Mavis that her place is at home. Just when Drac starts to relax, a human named Jonathan (Andy Samberg) unwittingly infiltrates the hotel's layers of spooky security. Drac attempts to escort him out without any notice, but of course he runs into Mavis, and the two kids are instantly fascinated with each other. Trapped, Drac disguises Jonathan in a Frankenstein getup to keep the both of them from discovery and the ensuing panic of hundreds of monstrous guests. Hijinks ensue as overbearing father Dracula and hippy-dippy globetrotter Jonathan butt heads over the details of the party and the importance of letting Mavis grow up. In the end, Drac must decide if keeping his daughter safe is worth crushing her chance for happiness, even if it's with a guy he couldn't have less in common with. It's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner meets Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein, and somehow it couldn't be more perfect.

The cast brings together all the familiar faces of Universal Horror as old frat buddies (voiced by Sandler's usual crew of friends), gathering under one roof along with a smorgasbord of unique and bizarre monsters. Granted, there are a few too many fart jokes for my taste and an embarrassing musical number at the end that I strongly suggest you skip altogether, but those cringe-worthy moments are brief and ultimately lost in the endearing heart and manic energy that lights up the film. It's certainly the best work Adam Sandler has done in years, and is a perfectly silly addition to anyone's Halloween watch list.

Last but certainly not least is The Book of Life (2014), which is a slight departure from the others on this list since is more connected to Day of the Dead than Halloween, but I couldn't bear not including it as a new classic of holiday watching. Set up as a story told from the titular Book of Life, we meet rulers of the afterlife, La Muerte (Kate de Castillo) and Xibalba (Ron Perlman),watching a trio of mortal children play in the street. The two spirits agree to bet on which of the two boys will get the girl, La Muerte laying her money on kind-hearted Manolo and Xibalba placing his on show-off Joaquin. However, Xibalba fixes the game when he secretly offers Joaquin an amulet that makes him indestructible. Years pass and soon the kids are all grown up--Manolo (Diego Luna) as a bull fighter and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) a war hero, while Maria (Zoe Saldana) has just returned from her years away at boarding school, more beautiful and fiery than ever. Maria and Manolo pick up where they left off in their childhood romance, but family obligations push her toward marrying Joaquin. Maria and Manolo secretly meet to confess their love for each other, but once again Xibalba intervenes by way of a fatal snakebite. Manolo wakes up in the Land of the Remembered, where eternity is a festival of lights, bright and colorful and bursting with life, and his whole family is waiting for him. What follows is a race against time as Manolo faces the trials of the afterlife while trying to make his way back to the land of the living before Maria is forced to marry Joaquin.

It is as much a love story as it is a romp through the underworld, with a few pop songs mixed in to give it a musical pace. But the real draw for this film, the very reason you should see it, is the absolutely gorgeous animation. The entire film takes place as a very old story come to life, so the characters are crafted to look like marionettes, just the finest touch of wood grain in their skin and the tiniest space between their joints. The design of La Muerte and Xibalba, and the afterlife in general, is a wonder to behold. The two gods are a dazzle of color and supernatural grace, calling to mind Dia de Muertos sugar skulls and Aztec stone etchings.

Also, the "divorced but still banging" chemistry between them is pure gold.

Everything on screen is so beautiful to look at it almost distracts from the lovely simplicity of the story, but the animation really is the film's finest achievement and elevates it to a completely unique work of art. That alone is reason enough to seek out the film, only to be surprised by a truly endearing storybook romance.

So if you still have room in your Halloween marathon for a few less frightful but still spirited movies that the whole family can enjoy, these are my humble suggestions. I think these films deserve to be remembered alongside Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus as essential October viewings, but also go on to serve their higher purpose: to introduce future generations, in whatever small way, to the wonders of horror. Whether its in the goofy antics of Universal monsters run amok, or questions of what awaits us on the other side, these are the films that will take them to worlds the other movies are too afraid to show them.