Animation can use different art styles to enhance the horror. A hand - drawn or stop - motion style can give a sense of the uncanny. In live - action, it often relies on more traditional horror elements like jump scares and realistic settings. In animation, you can have a completely surreal and disturbing world. For instance, the distorted landscapes in some animated horror. Also, animation can target different audiences more easily. Animated scary stories can be made for kids with a milder form of horror, while live - action horror is often more aimed at adults.
'The Nightmare Before Christmas' can also be considered in a way. While it's more of a dark fantasy, it has some scary elements. Jack Skellington from Halloween Town discovers Christmas Town and tries to take over Christmas, with some creepy - looking characters and a rather dark undertone.
One famous animation scary story is 'Corpse Bride'. It tells a spooky yet romantic story set in a world between the living and the dead. The animation is dark and moody, with characters that are both creepy and endearing.
The movement in the animation is also key. Characters move in a jerky or unnatural way, like the zombies in one of the stories. Their slow, lurching movements add to the horror factor. And the special effects, such as the glowing eyes of the demons, are really well - done. They draw your attention and make you feel uneasy. The overall style of the animation, from the backgrounds to the character designs, is crafted to make you feel scared.
The 'Scary Godmother' series also fits well. It has witches, goblins, and all sorts of spooky creatures. The stories are a bit more light - hearted in some ways compared to others but still have that element of spookiness. It's a great choice if you want a mix of scary and fun for your Halloween marathon.
Another is 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. Jack Skellington's journey into Christmas Town from Halloween Town has some truly terrifying moments. The strange creatures and the macabre setting make it a great scary animation story. It plays on the idea of different holiday worlds colliding in a rather disturbing way.
The visuals play a huge part. Dark colors, distorted characters, and spooky settings like old abandoned houses or graveyards can make an animation scary. For example, in 'Coraline', the other world with its button - eyed characters and the overall gloomy atmosphere is very effective.
The atmosphere. If an animation can create a really dark, gloomy and tense atmosphere, it's already halfway to being scary. For example, using dim lighting, eerie sound effects like creaking doors or howling winds.