Happy-almost-Halloween, ghouls! Ready to get your spook on but not a huge fan of all the slasher films with excessive amounts of blood or psychological horror movies that keep you awake for days? Well, while there are plenty of childhood classics like Disneyâs Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown, letâs not forget some popular and unique stop-motion animations that transport us to eerie worlds. The art style of stop-motion is off-putting just in the unnatural movements of the figurines on the screen. Tangible objects move with what seems like the ghosts of human hands. You know there are humans behind the contortion of the crafted limbs, yet they appear to have a life of their own. If youâre somewhat like me and love the season of the spook but youâre also a bit of a scaredy cat too, these creepy, cute stop-motion animations will give you a taste of that Halloween scare. Make sure to turn off the lights. Scurry to the safety of your patch of plushies and settle in with a bowl of delicious Halloween candy to view some animated movies I recommend for the family or faint at heart.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Whatâs this? Whatâs this? Halloween is almost here! Of course, my number one recommendation is the enchanting 1993 holiday movie classic, The Nightmare Before Christmas, but thatâs because it is my love, my life, and my long-lasting fan obsession since the mere age of two. The first ever picture I drew was the head of the Pumpkin King. This dark fantasy traditional stop-motion animated musical took over three and a half years to complete. It was written by Tim Burton and has astounding music by the composer, Danny Elfman. The movie originally started out as a poem with concept drawings by Burton before becoming the first feature-length stop-motion film with detailed clay sculpted puppets inspired by the idea of âclaymation.â Jack, Sally, the little ghost dog, Zero, and the rest of the kooky cast of characters all have a special place in my heart. Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, grows tired of the Halloween routine and desires something new and exciting, so how about trying a different holiday and giving it a haunting touch? Besides being a perfect movie to watch during BOTH Halloween and Christmas time, itâs legit one of my favorite love stories, so why not plan on watching it for Valentineâs Day too with your sweetheart because youâre âsimply meant to beâ?! Heck, thereâs literally a door in the circle of trees representing every holiday so why not enjoy it during all the festivities?
Corpse Bride
With Tim Burtonâs twisted art style and direction, Corpse Bride, took its place as another classic to make strides in the film field. The animators blended digital and traditional animation, building puppets with mechanical faces and using CGI effects with the stop-motion photography. The story is set in a mundane world with a sophisticated society. When Victor accidently vows to marry a corpse, heâs brought to the underworld and finds out just how much the dead are actually full of life. Even with the creepy and slightly disturbing themes, the story in this 2005 film is actually bittersweet.
Monster House
This is another movie from my childhood that gave me the creeps! An entire haunted house eating children who enter the yard? No wonder I always feared stepping onto peopleâs property. The trio of friends must try to stop the wrathful house from consuming all of the innocent trick-or-treaters. This 2006 animated film also gives off an unsettling vibe similar to stop-motion work. The characters were sculpted out of clay and laser-scanned into a computer program. It was shot as a performance capture with computer animation. Actors performed the actions while linked to sensors to create virtual skeletons. Sounds creepy.
Coraline
If you could find a secret, little door where you could travel to the âOtherâ realm for a perfect seeming life, would you? What if the price was a pair of button eyes replacing your own? Nah, Iâm good. Coraline was the first stop-motion animation to include visual effects with 3D-printing technology. It was also the first to use Stereoscopic 3D, a process where 2 images were taken per frame to create more depth. This movie has been incorrectly credited to Tim Burton since its release because of the similarity of the gothic art and tone that he has developed a reputation for, so while there is a resemblance, Burton had no role in this film project. One thing that both movies undoubtedly share is the director, Henry Selick. In 2009, this movie actually really freaked me out, especially while watching with a pair of red and blue Blockbuster 3D glasses, but I am absolutely in love with it now. Between Chucky and Coraline, it makes sense why I feared my dolls as a child. At least I donât have to be afraid of them anymoreâŠright?
ParaNorman
Through a process called âRapid Prototyping,â this 2012 film became the first stop-motion animation to use a 3D Color Printer for replacement faces on the puppet figures. Norman is just a regular oleâ kidâoh, that can see and speak to the dead too. When he finds out the town is about to be doomed by a witchâs curse, he has to use his paranormal abilities to prevent it from happening. Besides ghosts, he also has to face zombies stalking the town. Ya know. Normal kid stuff.
Frankenweenie
Yet another film directed by Tim Burton about a character named Victor, more specifically, Victor Frankenstein, who jolts his dead dog, Sparky, back to life. This 2012 movie was created in a 3D rendered stop-motion style with a black and white coloring that reflects the inspiration of old horror movies. The plot takes a twisted turn as other dead animals are resurrected. The town doesnât take too kindly to the undead creatures roaming around and causing mayhem.
I grew up with these movies so it is no wonder they contributed to my love for childrenâs horror stories as both a creator and writer. If I wasnât holding a flashlight under my covers reading R.L. Stineâs Goosebumps, I was watching these animations on repeat. The evolution of the stop-motion crafting process over the last few decades is intriguing and I only touched the surface of its mark in the film industry. There is a strange charm to the traditional roots and the dedication alone makes me appreciate it even more. Whether you dress up and trick-or-treat, head out to a haunted house-themed dance party, or just decide to stream scary movies, make sure to have a safe and Happy Halloween!