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32 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • October 2018 WRITTEN BY CHRISTINA KATZ ages & stages Not-Too-Scary Halloween Movie Classics 13 Feeling haunted by the sugar surges of Halloweens past? Why not gather up your little brood of goblins for a sweet movie marathon sure to get you in the hallowed mood—no candy required. These not-too-spooky flicks are a festive way to build up to a big night of "Trick or Treat!" without terrifying anyone in the family. The films range in appropriateness from toddler to teen, with age recommenda- tions that should satisfy even the most cinema-selective parents. So, what are you waiting for? Whip up a big bowl of your favorite popcorn, grab some 100% fruit juice and cuddle up close on the couch for a night of light- weight Halloween chills: the Whole Family Can Enjoy Together SLEEPING BEAUTY (Not Rated, ages 5 and up) While we are introducing our kids to things, why not also introduce them to a classic 1959 Walt Disney fi lm? This ar ully created adapta on of the fairytale, "La Belle au bois dormant" by Charles Perrault with music by the Berlin Sympho- ny Orchestra will have you all humming "Once Upon A Dream" for days a erwards. But brace yourselves for the entrances of the Malefi cent; she may strike a few poses more wicked than you recollect. Luckily, her evil plans will be met by the eff orts of three hilarious good fairies, Flora, Fauna & Merryweather, who help Aurora realize her dreams by the tale's end. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Rated G, ages 6 and up) This 1991 Disney tale as old as me is also based on a fairy tale—this me La Belle et la Bête by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont. Belle is a bookish girl who is not sa sfi ed with life in her provincial French town, nor by the advances of Gaston, her conceited suitor. She adores her eccentric inventor father, though, and unwi ngly follows him into the clutches of a hideous beast, who teaches her, with a li le help from his enchant- ed servants, how appearances can be deceiving. ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN (Rated G, ages 7 and up) They just don't make Disney movies like this any longer. A brother and sister with curious psychic powers and a "star box" are the central focus of unraveling this 1975 sci-fi mystery. Tia and Tony don't know whom they can trust beyond each other, but thanks to an unlikely ally played by Eddie Albert, the orphans reunite with their kin eventually. THE GREAT PUMPKIN CHARLIE BROWN (Not Rated, For ages 4 and up) For Linus, it's not Halloween without the Great Pumpkin. For some of the rest of us, it's not Halloween without an animated 1966 Charles Schultz cartoon accompanied by Vince Guaraldi piano music. Share the annual tradi on with your kids so they can meet Charlie Brown, Lucy, Sally, Pigpen, Violet, Schroeder and the whole gang. Remember, never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker. And never miss an opportunity to introduce your kids to Peanuts.