Horror films are big at the box office and the most popular type of genre filmmaking. Animated films are also an integral part of Hollywood's big box office receipts every year. When the two popular styles of film combine, it can be something truly special.
Everyone from Boris Karloff and Don Knotts to The Simpsons has done their time in the animated horror genre. Some animated films are made for families, while many have a darker edge that the little ones might find too disturbing. Even Disney's 1940 classic Fantasia had some moments of rather terrifying horror.
Paranorman (2012)
2012's Paranorman follows a picked-on young boy who sees dead people and must save his town from paranormal entities and the undead while navigating growing pains.
This entertaining horror-comedy plays well for kids of all ages and succeeds due to a witty screenplay and well-cast voice actors. The ghouls and zombies are fun to see, as is the stop motion animation and the film itself.
Watership Down (1978)
This adaptation of the popular Richard Adams novel Watership Down was a critical hit and brought to the screen the tale of a colony of rabbits seeking a new home after humans destroy their land.
It is in the film's undercurrent of death and destruction where the film finds its horror. Some rabbits go mad and seek to rule the clan and the animation can be vicious and bloody. This is definitely not one for the younger crowd, as its terror is palpable and its powerful message just might go over their heads. This is definitely an animated film geared towards an adult crowd.
The Black Cauldron (1985)
In the marvelously creepy Walt Disney film The Black Cauldron, a young village boy goes on a dangerous quest to stop an evil king (voiced brilliantly by John Hurt) to prevent him from obtaining the cauldron of the title and bringing an end to the world.
This was one of the most troubled productions in Disney's history, with re-writes, warring department heads, and a writer's strike nearly crumbling this expensive production. At the time, this was the first Disney animated film to receive a PG rating. That was due to some quite terrifying sequences of the evil king doing black magic and the presence of some truly creepy creatures. A flop on its release, the film has become one of the better respected animated films from the 1980s.
Corpse Bride (2005)
Johnny Depp does excellent voice work in Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, the quirky gothic tale of a man who is practicing his wedding vows near a grave and inadvertently marries a deceased woman who comes back from the grave to claim her sweetheart.
Helena Bonham-Carter does wonderful work as the titular bride and the whole production is properly dark with an aura of the Hammer horror films of the 1960s. It's a light, funny, and quite romantic work from one of the most adventurous filmmakers.
Mad Monster Party? (1967)
The "World Organization of Monsters" tries to get hold of a dangerous serum and must be stopped by their former leader. In the wacky, Mad Monster Party?, Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, and many more creatures are a part of this devilishly funny and extremely unique film from Rankin and Bass.
This was a popular stop-motion animated film from the team that created so many Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Santa Claus is Coming To Town.
Frankenweenie (2012)
Tim Burton adapted his own award-winning short film to feature-length for this warm and wonderful tale. Frankenweenie is the story of a young boy named Victor Frankenstein who tries to bring his dog back to life through scientific experiments.
This is a sweet tale of friendship and acceptance that plays very well as both a take of the Frankenstein story and a commentary on being an outcast and just wanting to be accepted for who you are. Weird, creepy, and touching, it's pure Burton in every moment and rightfully considered to be one of his finest films.
Monster House (2006)
In the original and inventive animated horror for kids.
The design of the house is striking and the animation is top shelf. Steve Buscemi does a fantastic job as the creepy old man who lives in the house and the young cast does great work. This is a rollercoaster ride of thrills and chills that is just scary enough to please horror fans and charming enough to please every audience member.
Wizards (1977)
Director and animator Ralph Bakshi wrote and directed this completely bizarre and darkly original tale of two brother wizards (one good, one bad) who battle for what is left of the planet after an apocalyptic war has destroyed much of civilization.
As he did in his well-received animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, Bakshi used early rotoscoping techniques to create his unique visual style. Wizards is a film full of fairies, goblins, trolls, and other creatures that can be scary, endearing, or funny. Bakshi created a strange and unique world that is sometimes frightening and sometimes welcoming.
Coraline (2009)
Dakota Fanning voices the title character in Henry Selick's Coraline, the offbeat story of a young girl who finds a sinister world of opposites inside a crawlspace within her home. Adapted from Neil Gaiman's book, this is a strange and unique little film that stays true to the essence of Gaiman's story while bringing it to life through stop motion animation.
The voice work is perfect, with Ian McShane and Terri Hatcher doing excellent interpretations of their characters. The film is creepy and spooky but has a heart that really shines through when we see the closeness of Coraline's family and how devastated she is when the other world makes her parents into something evil.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Tim Burton and Henry Selick's instant classic, The Nightmare Before Christmas, became a beloved film amongst young and old. A Broadway-sized score helps narrate the twisted tale of Jack Skellington, Pumpkin King of Halloweentown, who tires of his reign and stumbles upon Christmastown, eventually deciding to become the new Santa Claus.
The film was critically lauded and audiences helped it to become a big success. Danny Elfman's score and songs made the film It's a classic that can be enjoyed during both the Halloween and Christmas seasons.
