From a boy named Norman who converses with his deceased grandmother to a teenage girl trapped in a labyrinth of strange creatures, Ghosts and Goblins brings you 8 family-friendly movies this Halloween.
1. ParaNorman (2012)
From The Isle of Dogs to My Life as a Zucchini and Fantastic Mr Fox, stop-motion animation has given us some of the most creative films of the past twenty years. Alongside British-based Aardman, one studio has led the way: Laika, the Oregon-based studio behind Coraline, The Corpse Bride, and the beautiful and brilliant ParaNorman.
Released in 2012, ParaNorman celebrates the classic monster movies of the Universal era while paying homage to Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, and Chris Columbus. But more importantly, ParaNorman would proudly state that weirdness and difference are cool, as it embraced a core message of diversity and belonging.
The story begins with a geeky homage to 1970s and 1980s cinema—a movie within a movie that quickly cuts to Norman and his Grandmother sitting in front of the TV. However, Norman’s Grandma has been dead for some time, and as young Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) casually chats with her spirit, we quickly learn he has a rare and beautiful talent.
As Norman watches the trashy zombie movie on the TV, his spectral Grandma shows a keen interest in the action, asking, “What’s happening now?” Norman replies, “Well, the zombie is eating her head, Grandma.” His Grandma keeps knitting her spectral top before saying, “He’s gonna ruin his dinner. I’m sure if they just bothered to sit down and talk it through, it’d be a different story.” This segment summarises the movie’s core: a celebration of mortality, difference, and eternal love.
At its heart, ParaNorman is a movie about belonging, friendship, community, and forgiveness, celebrating what makes us human in life and in death. Beautiful, captivating, and funny, with a stunning score by Jon Brion, ParaNorman celebrates everything that makes us unique in a world that often wants us to be the same.
2. Casper (1995)
Casper the Friendly Ghost was created in the late 1930s by Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo and first appeared in animated form in 1939. But despite the popularity of his comic books and animated adventures, Casper did not appear in a live-action film until 1995.
The man behind Casper’s arrival on the big screen was Steven Spielberg. Still, he would place the directorial responsibility for Casper in the hands of Brad Silberling, a TV director with hits such as Doogie Howser, M.D. under his belt. Meanwhile, screenplay development was entrusted to Sherri Stoner and Deanna Oliver, who had extensive experience in animated films and series. Additionally, uncredited J.J. Abrams contributed to the rewrites.
Casper was to be a tough movie in the effects department as it pushed the very boundaries of the newly emerging world of CGI. This was to be the first film to introduce an entirely CGI main character, with the effects work taking two years to complete, paving the way for fully digital characters in films such as The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and the Star Wars prequels. But the story at the heart of Casper’s big-screen arrival sets this movie apart. For all its delightful spectral musical numbers and slapstick comedy, Casper is, at its core, a loving and tender exploration of human mortality, friendship, first love and letting go.
Casper died on the verge of puberty, his spirit forever held in the void between childhood and adolescence. He is lonely, unsure of himself and eager to find someone who could love him and show him the power of the kiss he never received as a boy. As Casper turns into his human form (Devon Sawa) at the movie’s end, he whispers, “Can I keep you?” to his first love, Kat (Christina Ricci), even though he knows his time is short and he must return to a lonely spectral plain.
For many girls and boys, Casper wasn’t just a ghost story; it was a coming-of-age movie that explored the poignant reality that life is short and death is inevitable, emphasising the value of life. In the years since its release, Casper has benefited from a critical reappraisal of its core themes and artistic beauty, earning a special place in the hearts of many new generations and becoming an undeniable classic of modern cinema.
Ghosts and Goblins: 8 Movies
3. Labyrinth (1986)
What do you get if you merge Lucasfilm’s powerhouse with the creative energy and beauty of The Jim Henson Company? The answer is the delightful and ingenious cult classic Labyrinth. Following The Dark Crystal in 1982, Jim Henson and Brian Froud began drafting a new fantasy adventure. However, this time, the aim was to produce a lighter tale inspired by The Wizard of Oz.
Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) is a teenager with a vivid imagination who resents her daily responsibilities and longs for a life of fantasy. When her infant brother, Toby, is taken away by the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie), Sarah embarks on a journey through the intricate and treacherous labyrinth to rescue him. Along the way, she encounters an array of fantastical creatures and must solve riddles and overcome obstacles to reach the Goblin King’s castle.
While the core inspiration may have come from Baum’s Oz, the fantastical story also includes several nods to Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. However, at its heart, Labyrinth is a coming-of-age tale. One of the central themes in Labyrinth is the power of imagination. Sarah’s journey through the labyrinth symbolises her self-discovery as a young woman. During her adventure, she encounters obstacles and confronts her inner fears, realising that her abundant imagination can help her meet her need for adult recognition. The maze represents every teenager’s journey to adulthood and our need to move beyond childhood fantasies, while Bowie’s Goblin King represents the arrival of desire as we grow into sexual beings.
These coming-of-age themes ensure Labyrinth transcends the simple label of a children’s fantasy adventure. Jim Henson’s movie invites us to embrace the challenges of growing up, reminding us that our imagination need not be lost as we become adults, but rather fine-tuned.
Ghosts and Goblins: 8 Movies
4. Hocus Pocus (1993)
When exploring Disney’s 1993 box-office bomb Hocus Pocus, one should always start with the classic Christmas template born of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Scrooge had lost all faith in Christmas and his fellow man, but three Ghosts arrived to remind him of his life and reignite his joy in family, Christmas, and kindness. You may wonder what this has to do with Hocus Pocus. The answer is simple: Hocus Pocus takes the classic Christmas movie template and moves it to Halloween.
Max (Omri Katz) has lost faith in Halloween’s joy and meaning. He dismisses Halloween traditions while viewing time with his young sister, Dani (Thora Birch), as a chore. Max isn’t a bad lad; he’s just a teenager desperate to shake off his inner child, but the supernatural world has other plans, as three witches, a black cat, and a zombie return to remind Max that Halloween is full of unexpected scares.
Hocus Pocus playfully explores this classic Christmas template while incorporating several nods to classic horror; for example, the vulnerable virgin girl of classic horror becomes a vulnerable virgin boy hunted by a group of female witches. Our delightfully camp and controlling witches’ coven of Midler, Parker, and Najimy dominates every man, sticking two fingers up at a male-dominated genre where women are primarily victims, not villains. Here, Hocus Pocus carries some rather adult themes beneath all the music and laughter, from a complex exploration of innocence to the silent and unseen loss of Max’s virginity before the final act.
Hocus Pocus nearly slipped into the mists of time, with its lacklustre theatrical run, disappointing reviews, and poor box office receipts earning it the title of a flop. But, like many 80s and 90s films, it was saved by VHS. Hocus Pocus has much in common with The Muppet Christmas Carol, a movie that would also bomb at the box office, only to earn its cult status years later. Like Brian Henson’s Muppet Christmas Carol, Hocus Pocus is now passed down from parent to child, uncle to nephew, and aunt to niece every Halloween, its place in our celebrations cemented alongside pumpkin pie and trick-or-treat.
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1994)
WORDS SAB ASTLEY
The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of those universally recognised films that everyone has seen. Henry Sellick does a fantastic job translating the spooky, oddball styling of Tim Burton into a delightful, kid-friendly adventure without losing too much of the horror – I’m not sure Jack Skellington would be quite so friendly and charming if we saw him in the (lack of) flesh. Many may not know that The Nightmare Before Christmas began as a poem by Burton rather than a script. However, numerous rejections for being “too weird” led Burton to venture into live-action storytelling instead. Ironically enough, Burton’s live-action Beetlejuice and Batman convinced Disney that his style could work, but might need a translator.
There’s such a fun and incredible energy in Nightmare, with its mysterious forest of holiday doorways embedded in trees and Zero, the ghost dog, floating around like a Christmas spectre. Halloweentown and Christmas Town are worlds you want to dive into, exploring every nook and cranny to see what delights you might find waiting behind a door. At the same time, its stop-motion animation ensures a timeless appeal. Its multi-seasonal songs have become iconic, including “What’s This?” “This is Halloween,” and “Oogie Boogie’s Song.” The Nightmare Before Christmas defies time and place, and without it, we wouldn’t have had James and the Giant Peach or Paranorman some years later –Nightmare was indeed the blueprint.
To this day, Henry Sellick and Tim Burton are the only creatives to have ever encouraged Disney to work with stop-motion animation– a strong legacy that solidifies their place as the kooky creatives who got Disney to experiment, albeit briefly.
Ghosts and Goblins: 8 Movies
6. Ghostbusters (1984)
Is there something strange in your neighbourhood? Is it something weird, and it don’t look good? Who you gonna call? The fact that the opening two sentences have people shouting “Ghostbusters!” is a testament to the cultural impact and legacy of Ivan Reitman’s 1984 comedy. Few comedies have earned the cult status of Reitman’s film or spawned a whole host of spin-offs, from toys to cartoons to sequels. Much of this was due to a sharp screenplay full of gags and a cast that owned the silver screen.
In Ghostbusters, a group of eccentric parapsychologists in New York —Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), and later Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) —established the “Ghostbusters,” a supernatural extermination service. Their new business was like Rentokil on speed, as Proton Packs and Neutrona Wands sucked each spectre into a locked, sealed phantom zone. But nothing can prepare the boys for the arrival of Zuul and a gigantic Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
Ghostbusters’ success lies in two areas. First, it can blend comedy, science fiction, and supernatural scares into an exciting, engaging, comic-book-like world. Here, the film would give us a unique spin on paranormal investigation, ditching clairvoyants and priests for University lecturers and scientists, combining classic supernatural horror with a far more scientific vibe. Second, Ghostbusters would allow its cast to steer the comedy, further enhancing its witty core. This ensured that the banter felt genuine, the friendships were real, and the comedic interactions were unscripted.
The result is a genuinely timeless supernatural comedy that has never been equalled. With its memorable characters, quotable lines, and seamless integration of genres, Ghostbusters has left an enduring mark on popular culture that continues to evolve.
7. Lady in White (1988)
Many films stand out in my earliest memories of the horror genre, from the haunting terror and intrigue of The Shining to the nightmare of Phantasm. However, one film carries a more profound memory: Lady in White. This film introduced me to the concept of social horror, as it reflected the real-world terrors that surround us. I clearly remember my youthful anticipation as I sat down to watch Laloggia’s film, but as the VHS whirred, I quickly realised that Lady in White was so much more than a simple ghost story.
Frankie (Lukas Haas) comes from a loving Italian-American family; he is intelligent, curious, and imaginative, and his love of writing shines through at school. But, as the final day of school before Halloween draws near, Frankie finds himself the victim of a nasty schoolyard prank as he is locked in the school cloakroom.
Alone and scared as the school shuts down for the night, Frankie falls asleep on top of a storage unit. When he wakes, the ghostly figure of a young girl stands before him. As Frankie watches in fear, the girl talks to a hidden figure, first with joyful laughter and then with terror as his hands wrap around her neck. She cries, struggles, and kicks, but each action cannot stop the life from leaving her body.
Lady in White weaves a classic supernatural story with a fascinating murder mystery, as LaLoggia embraces an M.R. James-inspired world of horror. Here, the paranormal world is far less scary than the human one surrounding it.
Set in the small town of Willow Point Falls in 1962, the murder mystery at the heart of Lady in White centres on themes of racial oppression. We see the black caretaker of the school quickly arrested for attempted murder with no evidence – his arrest, a mere smoke-screen, as the police openly admit he is easy pickings. LaLoggia’s exploration of race in Lady in White reflects not only the horror of racism in 1960s America but also the differing experiences of minority groups, some of whom chose America as a home and others who had no choice, as they were forced onto slave ships.
Coupled with its discussions on race, much of the social horror comes from the child murders at the heart of the story and the ghostly girl’s violent death – a death she is forced to re-live in spirit form every night at 10 pm. Since the release of Lady in White, this image has been seared into many childhood memories. But, once again, it’s not the supernatural terror that stands out but the horror of a murderer who runs free, as Frankie realises that not all adults are trustworthy. Many hide deep, dark desires and secrets behind a gentle, loving smile.
Lady in White pays homage to the beauty of the classic Victorian ghost story while embracing ideas that would later be found in films ranging from The Sixth Sense to The Devil’s Backbone and The Orphanage.
Ghosts and Goblins: 8 Movies
8. Beetlejuice (1988)
“It’s showtime!” is a simple phrase that summons the chaotic and comical world of Tim Burton’s vibrant, dark, and joyously nutty Beetlejuice. Burton’s movie is a delightfully dark and subversive exploration of death and the afterlife. Rather than depicting these concepts as sombre and frightening, the film injects humour and absurdity as death itself becomes a bureaucratic process. This approach challenges conventional notions of death, rendering it less fearsome and more absurdly human.
However, Michael Keaton steals the show with his devilishly wild bio-exorcist. Keaton’s portrayal blends comedy, charm, and unpredictability to create a unique anti-hero whose antics both entertain and disturb the audience. Beetlejuice is, in many ways, the birth of Tim Burton’s genius; it’s a love letter to gothic horror, fantasy and art set to the rhythms of Harry Belafonte.
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