I'm leaving the obvious one off this list, as this is a list of non-slasher Halloween movies. With the exceptions of An American Werewolf in London and Sleepy Hollow, none are too gruesome or rated R; despite their bit of gore, both are definitely worth watching.
Arsenic & Old Lace (1944). A drama critic (Cary Grant) marries his lady love (Priscilla Lane), but can't leave for his honeymoon just yet due to some trouble at home. He's learned that his aunts have been murdering old bachelors who lodge in their home and that insanity gallops through his family.
Bell, Book and Candle (1958). Kim Novack is a witch with an interest in her neighbor (James Stewart). She casts a love spell on him, only to fall in love herself.
An American Werewolf in London (Full Moon Edition) (1981). Two students backpacking through Wales are attacked by what appears to be a werewolf. One highlight is the best transformation of man to wolf. On film.
Ghostbusters (1984). Three unemployed paranormal professors (Dan Ackyroyd, Bill Murray and Harold Ramis) open a ghost-removal business. Before long every ghost in New York City is on the loose. Who you gonna call?
The Worst Witch(1986). Before Harry Potter, there was Mildred Hubble, a young student at an exclusive witch academy, who is bullied by her peers and appears to be the worst witch ever.
Hocus Pocus(1993). Three hundred years after their deaths, three witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) are accidentally resurrected in Salem on Halloween night. Three kids and an immortal cat must stop them before they cast a spell on the whole town.
Practical Magic (1998). Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star as two sisters who practice witchcraft to help people overcome obstacles on the path to true love. Based on the Alice Hoffman novel.
The Sixth Sense(1999). A child psychologist (Bruce Willis) tries to help a young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who sees dead people.
Sleepy Hollow (1999). Johnny Depp's Ichabod Crane is a police constable from New York City sent to Sleepy Hollow to solve a series of murders. Though he believes firmly in scientific evidence, Depp's Crane retains the original's superstitious, imaginative, cowardly personality.
I didn't know The Worst Witch had been made into a movie. I might try to seek that one out. I was surprised at how many of these I'd seen. Happy Halloween! -T
When my daughter was a little girl, The Worst Witch was one of our favorite movies. I just thought of another really scary movie to watch for Halloween: Drag Me to Hell. Really frightening without any slashing.
(1944). A drama critic (Cary Grant) marries his lady love (Priscilla Lane), but can't leave for his honeymoon just yet due to some trouble at home. He's learned that his aunts have been murdering old bachelors who lodge in their home and that insanity gallops through his family.
(1958). Kim Novack is a witch with an interest in her neighbor (James Stewart). She casts a love spell on him, only to fall in love herself.
(1967). A kooky old professor and his assistant travel to Transylvania to find real vampires. Sharon Tate in one of her final roles appears as the innkeeper's daughter.
(1981). Two students backpacking through Wales are attacked by what appears to be a werewolf. One highlight is the best transformation of man to wolf. On film.
(1984). Three unemployed paranormal professors (Dan Ackyroyd, Bill Murray and Harold Ramis) open a ghost-removal business. Before long every ghost in New York City is on the loose. Who you gonna call?
(1986). Before Harry Potter, there was Mildred Hubble, a young student at an exclusive witch academy, who is bullied by her peers and appears to be the worst witch ever.
(1993). Three hundred years after their deaths, three witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) are accidentally resurrected in Salem on Halloween night. Three kids and an immortal cat must stop them before they cast a spell on the whole town.
(1998). Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star as two sisters who practice witchcraft to help people overcome obstacles on the path to true love. Based on the Alice Hoffman novel.
(1999). A child psychologist (Bruce Willis) tries to help a young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who sees dead people.
(1999). Johnny Depp's Ichabod Crane is a police constable from New York City sent to Sleepy Hollow to solve a series of murders. Though he believes firmly in scientific evidence, Depp's Crane retains the original's superstitious, imaginative, cowardly personality.
(2001). Based on the J. K. Rowling's book that launched a million young readers.
(2002). Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix are farmers who discover crop circles that portend terrifying events.
(2002). Naomi Watts plays a reporter investigating a video tape that seems to cause the death of anyone who watches it.
I didn't know The Worst Witch had been made into a movie. I might try to seek that one out. I was surprised at how many of these I'd seen. Happy Halloween! -T
ReplyDeleteWhen my daughter was a little girl, The Worst Witch was one of our favorite movies. I just thought of another really scary movie to watch for Halloween: Drag Me to Hell. Really frightening without any slashing.
ReplyDelete