Brad Miska's Must-See Family Horror Films!
Happy Halloween!
Bloody-Disgusting.com Picks from Brad Miska
As much as it appears that Halloween is just for children, many adults refuse to grow up and relish in the opportunity to play “dress up” on that one special day of the year. But what I find interesting is that while children are the mass behind Halloween, horror movies are made mostly for late-teen/adults. And while Halloween can be for every person under the full moon, not every horror movie is made for the majority. My goal this Halloween was to find a handful of horror movies that both parents and their children could watch – together. So go put on your costume, grab your pumpkin filled with candy and pop on one of the following movies.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993)
The first Tim Burton film on this list wasn’t a huge success when it hit theaters Halloween weekend of 1993. In fact, it wasn’t until years later that the film gained cult status among the horror community. Now, 15 years after its release, the children who grew up watching the movie on VHS, then DVD and now Blu-ray are all grown up and having kids of their own. Filled with colorful characters (Jack Skellington, Zero, Dr. Finkelstein and more), catchy music by the legendary Danny Elfman, beautiful stop-motion animation and a plot that combines two of the year’s best holidays (Halloween and Christmas), this is a guaranteed hit for the entire family to enjoy – from October all the way through the New Year.
The first film in this list from the great Robert Zemeckis is MONSTER HOUSE, a first of its kind, motion-capture extravaganza that combines new animation techniques with revolutionary 3-D technology in HD. In theaters, this film was one of the most visually stunning films ever created. And while we’re still waiting for true 3-D release for Blu-ray, MONSTER HOUSE is still a fantastic family movie that’s fun, scary and bold. While the film makes its aim towards children, the dialogue is daring enough to involve adults as well.
Another film from Robert Zemeckis that’s often forgotten is the hilariously delightful DETAH BECOMES HER. The film is a quasi-zombie movie that follows two women desperately seeking to become young again. After killing each other, they become beautiful zombies fighting over one man. And how can you go wrong with a cast featuring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis at the pinnacle of their careers? While this might be one of the most edgy of the films, children will still enjoy it because of the colorful scenery and over-the-top antics of Streep and Hawn.
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