What do snowmen and museums have in common?

September 7, 2014 4:27 PM

Please recommend books & movies where things come to life at night, in secret, and/or for one person or a select group.

In this genre, things I already like include:

Calvin & Hobbes
Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner
Night at the Museum movie (I have the sequel on hold at the library)
Indian in the Cupboard books
Toy Story movies
Lizard Music by Daniel Pinkwater

Semi related - I've seen the secret room books question, which was helpful but not specific enough for me.

Thanks, all. :)

posted by AllieTessKipp to Media & Arts (35 answers total)

Mannequin
posted by Etrigan at 4:30 PM on September 7, 2014 [4 favorites]

Michigan J. Frog
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 4:38 PM on September 7, 2014

The Indian in the Cupboard.
posted by Lutoslawski at 4:40 PM on September 7, 2014

The Twilight Zone episode The After Hours. (YouTube)
posted by Rob Rockets at 4:41 PM on September 7, 2014

Secrets of the Shopping Mall was one of my favourite books as a kid. The mannequins have their own secret world...
posted by analog at 4:41 PM on September 7, 2014 [2 favorites]

The Christmas Toy, a Jim Henson Co. made-for-TV movie from the 80s

Also check out TV Tropes Living Toys
posted by wsquared at 4:41 PM on September 7, 2014

I'll break the rules to suggest a TV show: Today's Special.

Also, the Indian in the Cupboard

Cordoroy.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 4:49 PM on September 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

The most relaxing TV show ever, Bagpuss.
posted by merocet at 4:50 PM on September 7, 2014 [2 favorites]

Dunderklumpen! (You can watch the whole thing here, but it's in Norwegian)
posted by Mchelly at 4:58 PM on September 7, 2014

Also the animated Raggedy Ann and Andy [1 of 9]
posted by Mchelly at 4:59 PM on September 7, 2014

The Snowman which is one of my favorite books from when I was a small child.
posted by lydhre at 5:26 PM on September 7, 2014

Ferocious Tiger. Do'h! reading comprehension.

So the first one I read: The Velveteen Rabbit.
posted by tilde at 5:42 PM on September 7, 2014

A little different feel, but the movie Harvey is great!
posted by shortyJBot at 5:52 PM on September 7, 2014

The Banks babies in the Mary Poppins books can understand animals and the sun until they get their teeth.
posted by brujita at 5:53 PM on September 7, 2014

Behind the Attic Wall
posted by corey flood at 5:54 PM on September 7, 2014 [4 favorites]

Wonderfalls fits the criteria quite well.
posted by furnace.heart at 6:35 PM on September 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

The Brave Little Toaster
Weaveworld (the tapestry and its figures are secretly alive)
Any Xanth novel featuring Dor (his talent is making inanimate objects talk), Com Pewter (a living computer)
The Stuff of Legend (the bogeyman kidnaps a kid to under the bed and his toys by gotta rescue him)
posted by spunweb at 6:40 PM on September 7, 2014

Doc McStuffins
posted by puritycontrol at 8:11 PM on September 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

This is horrible, but Ghost Dad?
posted by belau at 8:12 PM on September 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

The Nightlife of the Gods by Thorne Smith.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 8:35 PM on September 7, 2014

I don't know if this fits your criteria because it's not a book or a movie, but The Nutcracker was the first thing that came to mind. Wikipedia has a long list of how it's been used in film and TV.
posted by danabanana at 8:46 PM on September 7, 2014

Response by poster: TV is fine, too! I did not think there was any TV like this so did not list that.

Any kind of book, by the way, is also fine (picture book, kids' books, adult, etc.).

(I forgot about Wonderfalls and Harvey. I have & love both of those.)
posted by AllieTessKipp at 9:52 PM on September 7, 2014

The Doll People
posted by gubenuj at 10:18 PM on September 7, 2014

Bed knobs and Broomsticks! Definitely the movie, but I think it was based on a book.
posted by PussKillian at 10:19 PM on September 7, 2014

Do you need music? The Rockettes do a routine to The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers. The toys come alive after hours..."When in the morning without a warning, Toyman pulls the window shade, there's no sign the wood brigade was ever out upon parade."
posted by Cranberry at 11:05 PM on September 7, 2014

Tom's Midnight Garden.
posted by HandfulOfDust at 12:34 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

Heavenly Creatures.
posted by heatvision at 3:27 AM on September 8, 2014

Umm, Doc McStuffins and Kate and Mim-Mim. :)
posted by low_horrible_immoral at 5:15 AM on September 8, 2014

The Dollhouse Murders. (Actually it might be ghosts moving the dolls in that book, it's a long time since I read it.)
posted by mskyle at 6:11 AM on September 8, 2014

Fog Magic
posted by gudrun at 6:38 AM on September 8, 2014

I was thinking the sorting hat from Harry Potter. Actually all of Harry Potter kinda hits your target.
posted by kathrynm at 6:47 AM on September 8, 2014

The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit.
posted by OolooKitty at 8:41 AM on September 8, 2014

Oh, and Season of Ponies by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, as well as Eyes in the Fishbowl by the same author.
posted by OolooKitty at 8:44 AM on September 8, 2014

The Dollhouse Caper by Jean S. O'Connell.

Among the Dolls by William Sleater.
posted by carrioncomfort at 10:04 AM on September 9, 2014

Response by poster: Thanks so much, everyone.
posted by AllieTessKipp at 8:50 AM on September 11, 2014