Taking place on Oct. 31, this Halloween-themed fantasy-comedy stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters -- the malevolent spirits of three 17th century Salem witches (complete with pointy hats, brooms, warts and all) that were burned at the stake and accidentally resurrected by group of kids, who in turn attempt to kill the children as a show of gratitude. Eating children? Rather dark for a Disney-produced children's flick, wouldn't you say?
Truly scary movies and TV shows might be ideal Halloween fare for grown-ups and horror fans. But for kids and those who don't like being spooked, there are a number of family-friendly, less chilling but equally entertaining alternatives.
The Hollywood Reporter has rounded up 10 of the best family-friendly Halloween-themed movies and TV shows — including ones with mysterious, paranormal and undead elements that are more funny than scary — available for streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu or for renting or purchase on iTunes or Amazon Instant Video.
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There are, obviously, more titles available on these services and even more on DVD and TV screens over the next few days.
But here are some of the best Halloween-themed movies and TV shows you can check out when the mood strikes.
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'Hocus Pocus' (1993)
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy star in this Disney cult classic about a group of 17th century Salem witches who are accidentally brought back to life by a group of kids on Halloween night. The Sanderson sisters then proceed to try to suck the lives out of the children of modern-day Massachusetts before the sun rises, while also having some humorous encounters with modern-day phenomena.
Where to watch: Amazon (for rent or digital purchase) and iTunes[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UUMsInka2s]
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'Ghostbusters' (1984)
Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson joined forces to fight off ghosts and the apocalypse in the classic comedy that spawned a sequel and an upcoming third installment featuring a team of female Ghostbusters.
Where to watch: Amazon (for rent or digital purchase) and iTunes[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vntAEVjPBzQ]
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'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' (1966)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin to arrive on Halloween as the rest of the Peanuts gang celebrates the holiday in this Halloween classic.
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Where to watch: Amazon (for purchase) and iTunes
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa21pDDxkAk]
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'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993)
In this stop-motion animated film co-written by Tim Burton, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, Jack Skellington, stumbles across Christmas Town and tries to bring that holiday back to his spooky home.
Where to watch: Amazon (for rent or digital purchase), iTunes and Netflix[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qrB9I3DM80]
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'Beetlejuice' (1988)
Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin play a ghost couple who try but fail to scare off the new owners of their house, turning to the "ghost with the most," aka veteran scaremeister Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton).
Where to watch: Amazon (for rent or digital purchase) and iTunes[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euZTIOB9PhU]
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'The Addams Family' (1991)
They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky … you know the rest. In the 1991 movie version of the 1960s TV show and earlier New Yorker cartoons drawn by Charles Addams, the Addams family welcomes back Uncle Fester after a 25-year absence, but is Gomez's long-lost brother really who he says he is? The star-studded cast includes Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci and Christopher Lloyd.
Where to watch: Amazon (for rent or purchase), iTunes and Netflix[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbif0-fgCnU]
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'Clue' (1985)
Image Credit: Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection Join Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum and the rest of the Clue characters as they gather at Mr. Boddy's mansion and try to figure out who's murdering various staffers and other guests.
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Where to watch: Amazon (for rent or purchase) and iTunes
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDDdeHtrxfA]
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'Friends' "The One With the Halloween Party" (2001)
Friends made only one Halloween-themed episode in its 10 seasons on the air, but this eighth-season show features a number of memorable moments, from Ross (dressed as "spud-nik") and Chandler (wearing a pink bunny costume) fighting to a pregnant Rachel, sporting a new dress she wants to wear before she can no longer fit in it, tapping into her maternal instincts by getting into a dust-up with a trick-or-treater.
Where to watch: Amazon (for purchase), iTunes and Netflix[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO30AIwlXag]
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'Parks and Recreation' "Greg Pikitis" (2009)
Parks and Recreation has had a number of Halloween-themed episodes, but this second-season show in which Leslie Knope takes on Greg Pikitis, the kid she believes defaces the Pawnee parks every Halloween, is one of the funniest (and requires less familiarity with the series than later Halloween editions).
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Where to watch: Amazon (for rent and purchase), Hulu, iTunes and Netflix
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HDKaTJXShA]
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'Modern Family' "Halloween" (2010)
In this second-season episode, Halloween fan Claire Dunphy tries to get her family members to create a spooky celebration, but none of it goes quite according to plan, as is often the case on Modern Family.
Where to watch: Amazon and iTunes[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYugw1Cp0RE]
