10 Non-Gory Halloween Movies for a Macabre Marathon

Happy Halloween, my scary babies! ‘Tis the season to consume as much horror content as possible. You might typically shy away from this genre if you only associate horror with buckets of blood and violence. Thankfully, there are plenty of non-gory Halloween flicks to watch that’ll scratch that spooky itch without all the red stuff.

In honor of the most wonderful time of the year, I’ve compiled a list of 10 non-gory Halloween movies for your viewing pleasure. I apologize in advance for the amount of Millennial choices on this list — I can’t help it. When I’m not eating avocado toast, I’m talking about how great movies were when I was a kid in the ’90s.

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The Nightmare Before Christmas

Henry Selick’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is the perfect choice if you’re on the hunt for a non-gory Halloween movie. Yes, I’m settling the debate. This is a Halloween film. That doesn’t mean you can’t watch it for Christmas, but “Nightmare” precedes “Christmas” in the title. I rest my case. 

The animation in this movie is to die for, the musical tracks are a toe-tapping treat, and the voice acting is iconic. Plus, it’s tough to simulate gore with stop-motion animation, which works in your favor.

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Corpse Bride

Here’s another non-gory pick in the stop-motion animation camp. Corpse Bride was released when I was an emo teenager, so of course I was obsessed. Tim Burton’s musical flick boasts a strong cast, gorgeously macabre visuals that don’t teeter into gore territory, and all the Halloween vibes you could ever want. There’s also something romantic about the movie’s deep blue color palette.

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Hocus Pocus

“Amok! Amok! Amok!” It’s just a bit of hocus pocus, darling, which is why I’m including it on this list. Hocus Pocus is a delightful live-action film that’s about as autumnal as you can get. Trick-or-treating, pumpkins, changing leaves, a black cat, inadvertently resurrecting three witches who want to eat children — quintessential fall. Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker are absolutely fabulous as our three antagonists, putting a spell on us one deadly, hilarious one-liner at a time.

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The Addams Family

If you’re looking for a creepy and kooky, mysterious and spooky experience (but perhaps leave out the ooky), look no further than the ’90s version of The Addams Family. The cast is superb — it’s hands down the best part of these movies (Addams Family Values is also a blast). Anjelica Huston as Morticia? The late Raúl Juliá as Gomez? Christina Ricci as Wednesday? Talk about a legendary crop of actors most folks now associate with these characters. It’s not too gory, so expect to start using it as the basis for your Gothic aesthetic Pinterest board.

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Halloweentown

Listen, as a kid, I always wished I was a Cromwell witch so I could go to Halloweentown. As a Disney flick, you can rest assured it’s gore-free. It also has Debbie Reynolds in one of her most well-known roles, and she kills it. Expect all the cheesiness that comes with the Disney territory, but throw in some magic, a beautiful autumn vibe, and a town where it’s Halloween every day. Take me there now. 

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The Blair Witch Project

The Blair Witch Project took 1999 by storm with its use of found footage to convey the story of three young filmmakers who’ve gone missing. There is some blood, but not nearly as much as in most horror movies. The real horror of this film lies in the psychological. It’s an intense mind-fork. To me, that’s more terrifying than nonstop gore and violence.

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The Conjuring

The Conjuring spawned a whole horror universe back in 2013, becoming one of the most popular franchises for the genre in the last decade. It follows paranormal investigators and demonologists Lorraine and Ed, who are summoned to a house in the ’70s to investigate a supernatural presence. Nothing good usually comes from a supernatural presence. This film doesn’t rely on gore and ultraviolence to instill fear into our hearts. You’ll be looking over your shoulder after watching this one.

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The Ring

If the girl from The Ring never haunted your nightmares in the aughts, are you even a true horror fan? This one is a delightful psychological horror flick that definitely boasts terrifying imagery. You won’t find any gore, but you might question your grip on reality — and whether your TV is safe from supernatural entities. The last thing you want is something crawling out of it.

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Psycho

Allow the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, to scare up your spooky holiday celebrations with 1960’s Psycho. An oldie but a goodie, this film brings Norman Bates and the Bates Motel from the pages of Robert Bloch’s book to the screen. It also serves as the inspiration for the deliciously dark Bates Motel series. Psycho is worth a watch even if you’re not a horror aficionado — it’s an integral part of cinema history.

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Paranormal Activity

Here’s another entry on this list that birthed a franchise. Paranormal Activity boasts plenty of terror, one important Ouija board, scary action that leaves much to our imagination, and, you guessed it, paranormal activity. You won’t find explicit gore and violence here, but expect your mind to go through the wringer and your deepest fears to come to light. You may never sleep again…

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When you’re in the mood for spooky but not gory, what’s your go-to pick? Join the conversation with other horror fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup — and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!

Did you hear that? The wind whispers through the trees, and there’s a shiver tingling your spine. Geeks, freaks, and shrieks abound during Sideshow’s Spooktacular 2023 — a celebration with ghastly giveaways, deathly deals, eerie exclusive perks, and more.

Join us from October 26 – October 31 by visiting side.show/spooktacular, and don’t forget — sleep is for the weak!