12 Halloween films that aren’t scary (well, not too much)

Still from film version of Little Shop of Horrors showing Audrey the giant plant and Rick Moranis
Listen to this article
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Because sometimes you want to get into the spooky spirit, without scaring yourself silly…

Not going out? Can’t hack the jump scares of a traditional horror film? You can still mark the season and get into the Halloween spirit with one of these Halloween films that aren’t scary.

Place your bets now as to how many Tim Burton movies made it onto the list…

Beetlejuice (1988)

Beetlejuice movie screenshot. Beetlejuice stood in between a couple. Halloween films not scary for the spooky season

First Tim Burton film up on the list. A new born ghost couple seek ‘bio-exorcist’ Beetlejuice’s help to scare off the new occupants of their house.

Corpse Bride (2005)

Close up still of stop motion character corpse bride, looking at a worm she's holding up. Halloween films not scary on Silver

Tim Burton’s stop-motion spooky story following groom Victor, who stumbles upon the corpse bride Emily, who’s desperate for love.

The Addams Family (1991)

Uncle Fester from the Addams family, with Wednesday on his left and Pubert on the right reading a big book. Halloween films not scary

Follow the much-loved kooky characters, and a plot to steal their wealth.

Addams Family Values (1993)

Addams family character stood in the living room. Halloween films not scary on Silver

A sequel well worth the watch. This one features Wednesday getting up to her own tricks at summer camp.

Practical Magic (1998)

Witch sister in Practical Magic, played by Sandra Bullock, looking up in front of candles. Halloween films not scary

Witch sisters, played by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, deal with a curse on their family that dooms any man whom the witches fall for.

Ghostbusters (1984)

Three of the original ghostbusters stand in front of a building wearing their ghostbusters uniforms. Halloween films not scaryIt’s a classic for a reason. 

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

Human sized Venus-fly trap looking plant sat in a room with man with dark hair facing it.

Musical comedy of a florist who finds a carnivorous plant that thirsts for human blood, and pressures it’s keeper into committing some less than favourable acts…

Roald Dahl’s The Witches (2020)

Blonde woman with red lipstick dressed in eccentric black and white outfit with other women stood behind her.

A remake of The Witches, starring Anne Hathaway. An orphaned boy has to find a way to stop the child-hating witches who’ve arrived in town, all whilst scampering around as a mouse.

Zombieland (2009)

Young man and man wearing a cowboy hat stood in a supermarket aisle with zombie lying dead to their left. Halloween films not scary on Silver

Comedy set in a newly Zombie infested America. Learn college student Columbus’ (Jesse Eisenberg) rules for staying alive in Zombieland.

Dark Shadows (2012)

Man in suit and hat stands under an umbrella with a group of 70s dressed people stood behind him to his left and right from Dark Shadows. Halloween films not scary.

Another Tim Burton but with more of a comedy feel. Barnabas is cursed by a witch in 1760, turning him into a vampire. After being buried alive by the town, he awakens centuries later to find himself forced into navigating a very different world, in 1972. 

Death Becomes Her (1992)

A young, blonde, Meryl Streep stood in front of a fire facing a dark haired man wearing glasses. Death Becomes Her a Halloween film not scary idea

Satirical black comedy where ageing actress, played by Meryl Streep, finds the answer to immortality in order to continue her career.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland. Red curly hair, bold blue eyeshadow. Stood ahead of a red cladded army.

Rounding the list off with one last Tim Burton film. A suitably darker retelling of Alice and Wonderland, where Alice returns to wonderland as a young woman and finds herself at the centre of the war between the Red Queen and White Queen.

Alternative, if you do like a bit of a scare… 8 of the best horror films to watch this Halloween

Read all about it

Silver footer with glowing purple - link to home page www.silvermagazine.co.uk

LINKY-POOS

Just so you know – as if you didn’t – sometimes if you click on a link or buy something that you’ve seen on Silver, we may make a little commission. We don’t allow any old links here though. Read why you should trust us

About Lana Hall
Lana can usually be found spinning her collection of records, or writing odd poems in her phone notes. Her mixer of choice is a ginger beer, and you’ll never find her away from the sea for more than a few weeks.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.