We all have different tolerance levels for scary movies. Some people can watch anything; others are very sensitive. I’m somewhere in between. I made it through The Shining and had no trouble sleeping that night, but I deeply regret watching The Blair Witch Project.
If Halloween puts you in the mood for movies that are slightly spooky — but not too scary — I have two suggestions for you, both from the 1980s. While I can make no promises, the first film is probably fine for all but young children. The second, a vampire flick, is a little more gruesome but still relatively mild for a “scary” movie.
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
Young Sherlock Holmes doesn’t have anything to do with traditional Halloween topics, but it’s a great choice for anyone searching for a “scary” movie that older children can watch. Written by Chris Columbus, directed by Barry Levinson, and produced by a team that includes Steven Spielberg and Henry Winkler, this underrated film imagines Sherlock Holmes’ start as a detective. The mystery begins with a series of deaths caused by hallucinations.
Most of the hallucinations and resulting deaths are just disturbing enough to lend a spooky air to the film. But the story behind these deaths give it an even more chilling edge. As Holmes digs deeper into the mystery, he discovers the Rame Tep cult, which drugs young women and then sacrifices them by covering them with molten wax.
Fans of the BBC series Sherlock may be interested in certain parallels between the cult scenes in “The Abominable Bride” and those in Young Sherlock Holmes. And if you think post-credits scenes began with Marvel superhero movies, you’re in for a pleasant surprise: this movie should be watched all the way through to the end. (No, this isn’t the first movie to feature a post-credits scene.)
If you and your fellow viewers can watch the ceremonial opening of the ark at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, you should have no problem with Young Sherlock Holmes. One word of warning: in Raiders of the Lost Ark, deaths are mostly confined to the “bad guys.” I make no such promises for Young Sherlock Holmes.
The Lost Boys (1987)
Now we’re going to take the scare factor up a notch — but not too far. The Lost Boys is a vampire film that is more gory than frightening, though I definitely wouldn’t show it to young children (it’s rated R for a reason). The gore starts during a meal with some unappetizing hallucinations but gets far worse during a series of confrontations with vampires at the end.
Unlike many full-on horror films, The Lost Boys is sprinkled with levity, primarily delivered through the Frog Brothers, who are dedicated to ending the plague of vampires in their town. If you’re a fan of the two Coreys, this is the first movie to feature them together. Corey Feldman plays one of the Frog Brothers, while Corey Haim is a new kid in town.
The vampires in this movie are not sexy, Anne Rice-style vampires, nor are they sparkly, good vampires like Edward and his family in the Twilight series; only the half-vampires have any appeal. This would seem like a good recipe for a scary movie, but — perhaps because of the comic elements — the film lacks true horror. There’s tension. There are gross, bloody scenes, with most of the blood coming from the vampires themselves, not their victims. But this film is unlikely to keep you up at night. If it doesn’t bother you to watch Shawn of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, you should have no problem with The Lost Boys.
Bonus: If you are familiar with “I Still Believe” by The Call, you’ll probably find the cover of that song at the beginning of the film pretty hysterical — or at least a bit disconcerting.