Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Some positive messages about diversity; iffy body images.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
The two episodes included in MONSTER HIGH: FRIDAY NIGHT FRIGHTS/WHY DO GHOULS FALL IN LOVE? find the popular Mattel teens in a roller-derby competition and in a romantic Valentine's Day story centered on Draculaura's "Sweet 1600" birthday celebration. In Friday Night Frights, the champion Gargoyle team makes fun of Monster High's female skaters, only to find that Lagoona Blue, Draculaura, Operetta, and company stay true to themselves using teamwork and smart play to defeat the perennial winners. Why Do Ghouls Fall in Love? teaches Draculaura and her friends the difference between a slick, charming ladies' man and a caring, genuinely sincere boyfriend.
Is It Any Good?
Older kids and young tweens will find plenty to enjoy here; it's lighthearted, upbeat, and girl-centered (with enough male monsters to appeal to boys, too). Monster High and its "diverse" population is a step above other franchise fashion dolls and their often ho-hum adventures. With a core message about accepting differences and diversity, the filmmakers have taken the offspring of often scary characters and made them accessible and worth getting to know. This DVD includes: a clever twist on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream when spells are cast that make the monsters fall in love with the wrong people; the ultimate punishment for wrongdoers -- a "cauldron of eternal body odor"; and a funny fictional story about the origins of Valentine's Day.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the Monster High teens are like "outsiders" in real-life school situations. What can you learn from these fictional kids about respecting and accepting people who are different from you?
Choose one or two of the daughters or sons of the "monsters" portrayed in this movie and find the origin of their famous "parents" (Dracula, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon).
What do you think the filmmakers mean when they say, "Not all traditions are good"? Give an example of a tradition you may not want to participate in.
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : February 5, 2013
- Cast : Debi Derryberry , Kate Higgins , Ogie Banks
- Directors : Dustin McKenzie , Steve Sacks
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Studios Home Entertainment
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy , School ( High School )
- Run time : 92 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : December 5, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
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