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10 Stop motion horror films that you should watch

10 Stop motion horror films that you should watch

Stop motion animation is a mystical art that brings inanimate objects to life through subtle physical manipulation between each frame. The objects appear to move and transform independently as the frames dance in sequence, weaving a bewitching spell of motion that captivates the audience. Giving even the most mundane toy a life of its own. The meticulous attention to detail makes it even more terrifying, like when a raggedy doll with hollow eyes takes a creepy crawl across the screen.

You can feel the struggle as it moves, like it’s fighting against its puppet master. It’s an unnerving process, each tiny movement building the suspense until it reaches a crescendo of horror. It’s like the nightmares are coming to life right before your eyes. Appealing to children or not, the visuals and small details of these stories establish a creepy ambiance that cannot be ignored. That’s why I bring you ten stop motion horror films that you should watch.

The Sandman (1991)

©1991 Cosgrove Hall Productions. All Rights Reserved.

Upstairs, in the moonlit and empty room, a little boy scared of the dancing shadows, encounters a figment of his vivid imagination: the horrible Sandman.

Film synopsis

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

©1993 Touchstone Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack’s rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans.

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Corpse Bride (2005)

©2005 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

When a shy boyfriend practices his marriage vows before the unnoticed presence of a deceased young woman, she rises from the grave assuming that she has taken it as a wife.

Film synopsis

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

©2005 Aardman Animations. DreamWorks Animations. All Rights Reserved.

Wallace and his loyal dog Gromit are preparing to solve the mystery behind the plague that stalks the orchards of all the neighbors and that threatens to ruin the annual giant vegetable tournament.

Film synopsis

[ Disclaimer: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is a parody of Hammer Horror films, a British film production company founded in 1934, and classic monster movies ]

Coraline (2009)

©2009 LAIKA. All Rights Reserved.

An adventurous 11-year-old girl finds another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but that has sinister secrets.

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ParaNorman (2012)

©2012 LAIKA. All Rights Reserved.

A misunderstood child confronts ghosts, zombies and adults to save his city from a century-old curse.

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Frankenweenie (2012)

©2012 Disney Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.

When a child’s beloved dog dies suddenly, he tries to bring the animal back to life through a powerful scientific experiment.

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Mad God (2022)

©2022 Shudder. All Rights Reserved.

A tall figure shrouded in a jacket and gas mask, credited as the assassin, descends into a ruined, hellish world via a diving bell. In his possession, the assassin has a map and a suitcase. Traveling through the underworld, the assassin encounters many creatures mercilessly preyed upon by larger monsters.

Film synopsis

Wendell & Wild (2022)

©2022 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

The demon brothers Wendell and Wild plan to escape from hell, and in order to do so they will have to face their greatest archenemy, a demonic nun followed by a couple of Gothic teenagers.

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The House (2022)

©2022 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

Set today, a real estate developer tries to make a quick sale of a renovation. Some mysterious and unexpected guests have other plans and become the catalyst for a more personal transformation.

Film synopsis