Frightful Films That May Fit Your Family Halloween Plans

Like so many elements of our popular culture, Halloween is more of a gore-fest with each passing year. Just checking out the costumes is enough to make you feel like you're walking through a 3D R-rated movie!
Providing eager kids with an entertaining spooky experience that doesn't go overboard with violence and satanic themes is more of a challenge than ever before (and not surprising, considering we're attempting to celebrate a holiday rooted in witchcraft and occult practices). And like all party plans, "Let's watch a movie" is often the activity your children will suggest after the treat-fest is finished.
With Hollywood eagerly offering new titles for the haunt each year, you may be tempted to come home with something "fresh." Be warned that few movies targeting the dark holiday are going to be anywhere near most parents' comfort zone--especially if you are a regular PTC visitor!
But with a little planning ahead (which will be required to get most of these titles--they may not show up at your corner video store) and some ground rules, you might be able to pull off a Halloween movie event that will offer just enough fright to make their hair stand up, but not so much that you'll be pulling yours out!
First, some tips to consider:
-- Pick your movie ahead of time, and let the parents of the guests know what it is. That way they can decide if it’s appropriate for their child.
-- Have some other fun activities prior to the movie. This gives children an opportunity to "opt out" of the last half of the party, without missing everything else.
-- Watch the movie with your young guests--especially pre-teens. If any children become scared or concerned, be prepared with a game or other distraction that will give them a graceful way to do something else. Tell the group they have this option before the movie begins. Perhaps an announcement like, "If anyone gets bored or tired of the movie, come into the family room for some games."
-- You may want to plan an intermission for a snack break, to give you a feel for how everyone is doing, and to relieve the tension.
Next, some movie ideas...
For TOTS

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown Not Rated.
For the littlest viewers, you may want to look for titles with related themes rather than fright factor. A perennial favorite It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown is the perfect half-hour end to a “trick or treat” activity, and makes light of Halloween traditions. (from GTM/BIG PICTURE Halloween 2003)
Overall Grade: A

My Neighbor Totoro Rated G.
This gentle Japanese animation tells the tale of two sisters and their father, who move into an old farmhouse and discover they are sharing the accommodations with some living "dust bunnies." Like invisible friends, the Totoros help the young girls adapt to their new home while their ill mother is away. Only a couple of moments of mild tension are included as the girls explore their strange new home.
Overall Grade: A

Monsters Inc Rated G.
The fear of things that go bump in the night is cleverly addressed in this computer animation that is sure to scare up some high-voltage laughs. By the time your children are finished with this film, the humans in their lives may be scarier than the monsters under their bed.
Overall Grade: A-

The Wizard of Oz Rated G.
Re-releasing on DVD just days before the howl fest (October 25, 2005), the magic of heading off to meet the wizard has been delighting children since the classic film's début in 1939. While not particularly scary, it may inspire some great costume ideas.
Overall Grade: A-

For 'Tweens

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Rated PG.
It's hardly a classic by any stretch of the imagination, but younger audiences will likely enjoy this animated tale which is much more fluff than fright... although Freddie Prinze Jr's. performance is a little scary at times.
Overall Grade: B-

E.T. Rated PG.
Almost always a safe bet, except for a couple of choice words that should never have been in the script, E.T. will likely elicit a group response of "I've seen that one a million times!" But if you turn it on with some peanut butter candies to snack on, it's a good bet the crowd will be quiet five minutes into the movie.
Overall Grade: A

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken Not rated
If you have access to a video store with older titles, or don’t mind ordering from an on-line retailer, Disney’s The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a perfect example of the shtick comedy the “Mouse House” was making in the 1960s. Starring Don Knotts, many adults may roll their eyes at the lame humor, but everything old is new again through the eyes of a child.
Overall Grade: B

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
All Rated PG.
Likely one of the most requested movies for the Halloween season, Harry Potter has wide range appeal... but there's hardly a child who hasn't recently seen them. Also, be careful of religious sensitivities. Not everyone sees the magic in these films as being an innocent pastime. What we liked about the films was good displays of teamwork and loyalty, although the themes are becoming progressively darker with each passing movie.
Overall Grade for all three films: B

For Teens

The Others Rated PG-13.
The Others is a classic "old haunted house" movie with a great twist. Not at all gruesome and with no sex or violence, this creeper will likely have hair standing on edge for both adults and teens with its continual feeling of something just not being quite right. Again, this title is not suitable for those whose religious beliefs are sensitive to depictions of life after death or séances.
Overall Grade: B

Rear Window Rated PG.
Here's an opportunity to introduce your teens to the Master of Suspense with what is perhaps Hitchcock's greatest film. Light on violence but heavy on psychological anticipation, the story follows a convalescing photographer whose pastime of watching the neighbors develops into a conviction that one of them is a murder.
Overall Grade: A-

The Arrival Rated PG-13.
This sci-fi thriller has Charlie Sheen chasing after a group of aliens living in Mexico after intercepting a cryptic radio message. High on suspense with little violence or sex and only a moderate amount of profanities, it's a rare find. And if you have bad knees, watching those aliens walk is enough to send you into a cold sweat.
Overall Grade: B

Jurassic Park Rated PG-13.
Our D rating for violence in our complete review of this film didn't stand for Dino. The carnage meter is off the end on this classic, but it's one of those films that is so well made that parents are willing to put up with the dinos snacking on humans throughout the movie. We can't recommend it for pre-teens, but if you've got a decent sound system, it can rock your Halloween party. As for the sequels--Jurassic Park: The Lost World (224) and Jurassic Park 3 (658)--let's just say they just don't make fossils like they used to.
Overall Grade: B

The family reviewers at Parent Previews