Our Old Favorite Halloween Movies: Do They Hold Up?

by Miss Sally

Sometimes our old favorite movies resonate with us years later, triggering long-forgotten memories of a more innocent era. Other times, we stare in horror, wondering how our ten-year-old self could watch that trash, rewind and watch it again (e.g. Dumb and Dumber - really, little Miss Sally?).

How do these five Halloween-y kids’ movies hold up for nostalgic adult audiences?

The Addams Family: A

The 1991 movie about the creepy-but-lovable family stands the test of age. The delightful mix of horror and humor totally works for an adult audience. I actually enjoyed rediscovering the bizarreness, and I confirmed that Wednesday and Morticia have the best lines.

This Wednesday moment is still topical today: 

The Monster Squad: B

Or, as we dubbed it, “Goonies Do Halloween.” The Monster Squad is still pretty badass – the kids actually curse and do questionable old-timey things like puff cigarettes and say “homo.” 

Favorite bizarre movie moment: Dracula lifts up five-year-old Phoebe by the throat and screams “Give me the amulet, you BITCH!” in her face. So adorably not PC. 

Hocus Pocus: B+

The overacting, the slapstick humor, the special effects!  This movie fared reasonably well on our nostalgia test. Bette Midler really hams it up, but I credit Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy’s silliness for taking this movie from kitsch to classic. 

My gripe with the movie is that it could have ended three quarters of the way through, instead of dragging out a lukewarm storyline starring Thora Birch and two teenage L.L. Bean models. But it’s loud, it’s goofy, and the cheese factor keeps it fun for old fogeys like us.

Ernest Scared Stupid: C-

I have to say, Ernest P. Worrell’s redneck shtick held up better than expected. Or maybe I’m just a sucker for hillbilly humor? Jim Varney delivers amusing lines like “How ‘bout a bumper sandwich, Boogerlips?” But the kid-oriented plot and terrible special effects translate poorly to adult standards. 

Pro tip: Whiskey makes the jokes funnier. May also cause snoring.

Best scene of the movie:

The Nightmare Before Christmas: A++

C’mon, I had to include everyone’s old favorite! This movie is timeless. The stop motion animation holds up so well because this movie OWNS it. The detail is incredible. Danny Elfman really nailed it with the music and with his own singing parts. 

The Corpse Bride doesn’t come close to reaching the musical achievement of The Nightmare Before Christmas. If only we still made films of this quality now, Tim Burton.