5 Spine-Tingling PG Rated Horror Movies
PG rated horror movies are a rare breed. They were more common before the mid-’80s, when the PG-13 rating was introduced. Older PG movies often contained content that wouldn’t be found in PG movies today.
For example, Poltergeist (1982) and Gremlins (1984) were both rated PG. The violent and grotesque content in those movies would easily earn them a PG-13 by today’s standards.
Here’s a salient indicator of how much film ratings have changed over the years: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. That movie was somehow rated G back in 1971. As far as I’m concerned, Willy Wonka is more disturbing and grotesque than many R-rated flicks!
You can’t get away with much in a PG (let alone G!) movie these days. But that hasn’t stopped filmmakers from trying to scare us. Here are five spine-tingling PG rated horror movies. These are all great for people who are new to the genre, especially kids.
Coraline (2009)
If you’re looking for genuinely creepy imagery in a PG rated horror movie, you’ve come to the right place. Coraline is about a plucky and imaginative young girl who has recently moved with her mom and dad into a new home. Coraline is frustrated with her parents, who are too busy and distracted to pay attention to her.
She finds a mysterious portal that takes her to an alternate reality. Coraline finds herself in a parallel version of her new home, which is inhabited by an Other Mother and Other Father. Her alternate parents look the same as their counterparts, except for the deeply disquieting fact that they have buttons for eyes.
Coraline is willing to overlook this little detail. After all, Other Mother and Other Father seem so nice and friendly. Coraline wishes that she could stay with them permanently. But she gradually realizes the sinister truth about this alternate world. Can she escape back home before it’s too late?
Dakota Fanning is perfectly cast as the voice of Coraline. Teri Hatcher, who voices both versions of Coraline’s mom, also does a fantastic job. Without revealing specifics, the Other Mother turns out to be one of the most vicious and cruel villains I’ve ever seen in a kids’ movie. She reminds me of Cruella De Ville in 101 Dalmatians. There is a fun fan theory linking the Other Mother to Pennywise from It.
Coraline is an eerie and strangely beautiful journey. Its impressive imagination still look great 15 years later. The film powerfully delivers its “be careful what you wish for/the grass isn’t always greener on the other side” message.
Watch Coraline on Amazon Prime
Corpse Bride (2005)
Corpse Bride, which was produced by Tim Burton and features his signature gothic style, is set in Victorian-era England. Victor Van Dort (voiced by Johnny Depp) is set to marry Victoria Everglot (Emily Watson). Their arranged union is expected to benefit both of their families financially.
Victoria actually seems like a good catch, but Victor is still nervous about their upcoming nuptials. He finds solitude in a forest, where he practices his vows alone.
In doing so, he accidentally summons Emily (Helena Bonham Carter), the Corpse Bride of the title. She whisks him off to the realm of the undead and informs him that he is now her husband. Victor is horrified at first. He resolves to escape so that he can marry Victoria. Much to his astonishment, however, he realizes that he is falling for Emily.
Most movies that feature this type of love triangle turn one of the ladies into a villain. Corpse Bride refuses to take the easy way out. By making both women likeable, the movie adds genuine suspense to its bittersweet final act.
The residents of the underworld realm are creepy-looking, for sure, but the film’s most spine-tingling character is a living person: Barkis Bittern (Richard E. Grant). He’s a superficially charming conman with a secret connection to Emily. By making Barkis the villain, and portraying the zombified characters sympathetically, Corpse Bride espouses a “don’t judge a book by its cover” message.
Remarkably, Corpse Bride is just one of several movies about people who become romantically involved with the undead. This offbeat concept was also explored in Return of the Living Dead 3 (1988), Warm Bodies (2013), and Lisa Frankenstein (2024).
Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)
Ernest P. Worrell (Jim Varney), a well meaning but dim-witted redneck, became a pop culture icon in the 1980s after appearing in a series of popular commercials. The character later became the star of a TV show and a long-running low budget film series.
Ernest Scared Stupid is the fourth movie of the franchise and the series’ only horror installment. This time, the bumbling yokel accidentally revives an ancient troll named Trantor. The hideous monster has the power to turn people and animals into wooden statues. Ernest, his dog, and a group of kids try to stop him.
Trantor eventually summons an army of trolls to do his bidding. Two of his minions will look eerily familiar to people who have seen Killer Klowns from Outer Space. That’s because both movies share the same effects company. A couple of the mask molds used in Killer Klowns are recycled here, modified to resemble trolls instead of extraterrestrial circus performers. Anything to save a buck, right?
The late Jim Varney, who was famous for his wildly expressive form of physical comedy, is in top form here. Ernest is practically a living cartoon. What he lacks in intelligence, he makes up for with confidence and energy.
This movie is a decent choice for kids who are interested in watching a scary movie. Trantor could freak them out, though. He has some menacing moments, especially when he suddenly appears inside a little girls’ bedroom. Don’t feed the troll!
Watch Ernest Scared Stupid on Apple TV
Hocus Pocus (1993)
The Sanderson sisters, three witches from Salem, are hanged in 1693. Three hundred years later, they’re accidentally revived by bumbling teenagers on Halloween.
Max (Omri Katz), a newcomer from California, attempts to stop Winifred, Mary, and Sarah before they destroy Salem. His Halloween-loving kid sister Dani (Thora Birch) and the girl he likes, Allison (Vinessa Shaw), try to help him. Meanwhile, Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones), Winifred’s love interest from three centuries ago, is resurrected as a zombie.
The sisters’ ultimate goal is one of the darkest plans in the history of Disney kids’ movies. The witches plan to murder and devour the town’s children so that they can regain their youth. Their rampage is hampered by their inability to understand modern society. The world has changed quite a bit in the past 300 years, and the movie gets most of its funniest moments from the sisters being awed by stuff like buses and televisions.
Winifred, the eldest sister, is played by famous actress/singer Bette Midler. I’m not sure why Midler wanted this role, but it has certainly paid off for her. She gives it her all and never acts like she’s above the movie’s silliness.
Mary, the middle sister, is portrayed by Kathy Najimy. Along with Hocus Pocus, Najimy is best known for playing a nun in another early ’90s comedy, Sister Act.
Sarah, the youngest, is played by Sarah Jessica Parker. It’s fun to see Parker before she became famous, but the script doesn’t give her much to do. She’s clearly intended as the eye candy of the group.
The actress trio has great chemistry together, and that’s ultimately what makes Hocus Pocus one of the most entertaining PG rated horror movies.
There’s a surprising amount of sexual innuendo for a Disney film. I saw Hocus Pocus in theaters as kid, and that stuff went completely over my head at the time. But there’s definitely material that could make parents uncomfortable.
Watch Hocus Pocus on Disney Plus
Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)
Those pesky teenagers are at it again! Nearly three decades after the events of the first movie, a new generation of teens accidentally revive the Sanderson sisters. The witches once again wreak Halloween havoc in Salem. Billy Butcherson, everyone’s favorite zombie, is back as well. The poor bastard is somehow still sane after being trapped inside a grave for 29 years.
Max and the other protagonists from the previous film are nowhere to be found. Maybe they were smart enough to move away from Salem. They are replaced by Becca (Whitney Peak) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo), high school friends who know a thing or two about witchcraft themselves.
This movie has only the barest pretense of a plot. It’s a pure nostalgia trip. Hocus Pocus 2 bets that we’ll be so happy to see these beloved characters again that we won’t notice how flimsy and contrived the story is.
Does it win that bet? Well, the script is slightly more intelligent this time. Ultimately, this sequel accomplishes what it sets out to do.
As with the first film, much of the humor is derived from the 17th century witches’ lack of understanding about modern technology. 1993 was difficult enough, but this time they have to deal with smartphones and virtual assistants. Yikes!
In a nod to the characters’ enduring popularity, the Sanderson sisters are portrayed somewhat more sympathetically this time. Don’t worry, they haven’t gone soft. They’re still the child-eating devil-worshipping wicked witches from the first time around. But the script plays up their strong sisterly bond, especially during the movie’s first and last scenes.
This movie has less innuendo than its predecessor, making it mostly appropriate for little kids. As long as they’re not too scared of the witches.
Watch Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney Plus
Succeeding Despite Their Content Limitations
Even more than their PG-13 counterparts, PG rated horror movies are strictly limited in terms of the amount of violence they can show on screen. But you don’t need to show explicit gore to have suspense and atmosphere. These movies prove that it’s possible to give viewers chills even when the content is relatively tame.
