Author: Pirate Diva
I’m a bit of a Halloween fanatic. As a result, I love watching Halloween movies all October long. Here are several of my favorites that are definitely worth checking out. The following movies are all available on DVD.
For toddlers and preschoolers, I would recommend the following:
Rolie Polie Olie: A Spookie Ookie Halloween – This movie has Rolie Polie Olie, Book of Pooh, and Out of the Box, all wonderful Disney Halloween stories.
Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie – Roo and Lumpy must overcome their fears and save Halloween for the Hundred Acre Wood.
My Friends Tigger and Pooh: Hundred Acre Wood Haunt – Piglet’s friends must help him overcome his fears. Also includes a Handy Manny Halloween.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Treat – Mickey and his pals have to get to Trick or Treat Tower before the moon is full to celebrate Halloween at Pete’s party.
Charlie & Lola, Vol. 9: What Can I Wear for Halloween? – Charlie & Lola stories, which can be seen on Disney Junior, are always fantastic. In this episode, Lola can’t decide what costume to wear for Halloween, but with the help of her brother Charlie and a lot of imagination, she can do anything.
Madeline’s Halloween and Other Spooky Tales – Although they are no longer shown on the Disney Channel, I love the stories of Madeline, the little French girl who lives at a boarding school run by Miss Clavel with her 11 friends and a dog named Genevieve. My favorite episode on this DVD is Madeline and the Spider Lady. Madeline and her friends go to New York for Halloween to meet their pen pals and end up having a wild adventure.
For children in elementary school, there are a lot of movies available, but it can be tricky to decide which ones are appropriate for your child. After all, you don’t want a movie that’s too scary, but you don’t want one that’s too young either or they won’t be interested. Here’s a list of movies that my niece enjoys:
Mickey’s House of Villains – Mickey and pals throw a Halloween bash at the House of Mouse, complete with old Disney favorites and new ones too.
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad – While I don’t generally watch Mr. Toad, the Legend of Sleepy Hollow as sung by Bing Crosby is not to be missed.
Under Wraps – A mummy comes back to life on Halloween to search for his lost love. A young horror movie buff and his two friends try to help the mummy, dubbed “Harold”, in his search.
Halloweentown & Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge, Halloweentown High, and Return to Halloweentown – A fantastic series of 4 movies about a family of witches. The stories follow the misadventures of the oldest daughter, Marnie. The grandmother, played by Debbie Reynolds, tries to encourage the family to learn about their ancestry and use their magic. These films are one of my favorites.
The following movies, while some of my favorites, can be a little dark and scary at times. If you haven’t seen them, I would recommend watching them first to make sure they are appropriate for your family:
Hocus Pocus – I love this movie! The Sanderson sisters have been brought back to life for one day, but to stay, they must cast a spell to reclaim their youth. Only Max, his sister, girlfriend, and an immortal cat named Binx can stop them.
Tower of Terror – A fun movie based on the story created for the Disney Parks ride Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. While visiting the Hollywood Tower Hotel to take photos for a newspaper article, Anna and her reporter uncle, Buzzy, uncover far more than an old story; they meet the ghosts that haunt the hotel.
The Haunted Mansion – Another ride-based movie. This one features a family trapped in a mansion full of ghosts and the hi-jinx they undergo to escape.
Frankenweenie – This fun yet spooky Tim Burton movie, filmed entirely in black and white, is an homage to the classic Frankenstein. When young Victor loses his best friend/dog Sparky, he’ll do anything to bring him back. While things don’t start out exactly as planned, by the end, everyone in town is moved by the devotion between Victor and Sparky.
Now we’ve made it to the movies that would be appropriate for teens. Some of these movies may be a little young, but most would be great for a party with teenagers:
Twitches & Twitches Too – Two stories following twin witches Alex and Camryn, who learn that they were separated at birth and possess magical powers. Will they learn to use their powers in time to save Coventry and their father?
Nightmare Before Christmas – I can never decide if this is a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie, but it is certainly a classic. Follow Jack Skellington and his pals from Halloween Town as they try to make this the best Christmas ever! This would probably also be good for some younger children, but does have some scary monsters.
Corpse Bride – While not strictly a Halloween movie, the story of Victor and his accidental marriage to a Corpse Bride is full of spooky humor and misadventures.
I hope you take the time to watch some or all of these great Disney Halloween movies this fall. You’ll be glad you did.
Amy, the Pirate Diva, also shares her Disney obsession on the Disney at Heart blog. http:disney-at-heart.blogspot.com
