# Good, scary movies for younger kids **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 29, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970 "2015-09-29T18:51:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![McDoogins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@McDoogins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDoogins)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/21 "2015-09-29T21:57:37Z")
I guess I would go with anything by Tim Burton, since he does more of the whimsical side of horror, which would be more suitable for children. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/22 "2015-09-29T22:22:56Z")
\*\*The Monster Squad \*\*ought to be about right. One or two things should sail harmlessly over their heads (like why the older sister can’t do the reading of the ancient text, towards the end of the movie). ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/23 "2015-09-29T22:35:02Z")
Amelia from Trilogy of Terror starring Karen Black. No gore IIRC but hair-raisingly scary. It was originally a made for TV movie. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/24 "2015-09-30T13:52:01Z")
Lordy, that part of **Trilogy of Terror** was scary. It’s based on a short story by Richard Matheson called “Prey”, and also stars [He-Who-Kills](http://basementrejects.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/trilogy-of-terror-amelia-zuni-warrior-evil-doll-he-who-kills-knife-bathroom.jpg). Scared the crap out of me when I was younger. One that comes immediately to mind is **Gremlins**. If you recall, it was the first movie that made people start clamoring for a rating between PG and R. **Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom** sealed the deal on that issue, but **Gremlins** started the discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/25 "2015-09-30T21:58:57Z")
And now I see upon revisiting the thread that **Gremlins** is mentioned in the OP and I’m an idiot. Well, let me try to redeem myself: **Arachnophobia** and **Eight Legged Freaks** are both horror-comedies, and anyone with a fear of spiders will really get the willies from them. **Freaks** does have a scene or two about teen sex and “copping a feel” (during which the female character, a young Scarlett Johansson, applies a stun-gun to the male’s crotch), but if they survived the “this man has no dick” line in **Ghostbusters** , I’d assume they’re fine with that. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/26 "2015-09-30T22:44:36Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Lordy, that part of **Trilogy of Terror** was scary. It’s based on a short story by Richard Matheson called “Prey”, and also stars [He-Who-Kills](http://basementrejects.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/trilogy-of-terror-amelia-zuni-warrior-evil-doll-he-who-kills-knife-bathroom.jpg). Scared the crap out of me when I was younger. My daughter’s in her thirties, and still won’t watch that movie. Interestingly enough, I believe she was twelve when she shut herself in her room one night with copies of “Halloween” and “Halloween II.” I woke up around three or four, made a bathroom stop, and decided to go to the kitchen and get a drink of water. Her lights were all on. She hadn’t slept all night. So, yeah, maybe \*Gremlins \*or _The Adventures Of Ichabod And Mr. Toad_ would be the way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/27 "2015-09-30T22:47:19Z")
**Jaws** scared the shit out of me as a kid, actually quite badly, ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/28 "2015-09-30T23:10:48Z")
I’ll throw in another vote for _Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure._ I used to hide behind the living room chair when the Large Marge scene came on, much to the amusement of my sister, 3 years younger than I am. (The clown and demon scenes were scary, too.) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/29 "2015-09-30T23:18:03Z")
Go with the original Universal Monsters. The passage of time has…well…they ain’t as scary any more. And King Kong! All children love Kong! ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/30 "2015-09-30T23:19:28Z")
_Young Sherlock Holmes_ is also good, for a classic touch. Actually, for a really classic touch, there’s always Vincent Price in [_An Evening With Edgar Allen Poe_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzyYzK94UU4). _House II_ might work, and is mollified by the presence of cute puppets and an adventurer electrician cameo. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/31 "2015-10-01T04:14:29Z")
Many a skivvy’s been decorated during “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken”. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/32 "2015-10-01T04:36:59Z")
Atta boy, Luther! ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/33 "2015-10-01T08:40:38Z")
Great thread. My daughters are actually almost the same age as yours: the youngest one is 6 and the eldest one… turns 9 today. They’ve seen _Gremlins_ but **LittleLEDS** was really scared at night for weeks afterwards so I guess _Poltergeist_ is definitely out. She loved _Coraline_, though. Go figure. I’ve already considered _Ghostbusters_ and will watch it with them soon. I’ve never seen _Watcher in the Woods_ but I remember being spooked by the trailer when it came out. I’d really like to see it. _Beetlejuice, Labyrinth_ and _The Dark Crystal_ are great suggestions, too. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/34 "2015-10-01T12:10:36Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > and I’m an idiot. Yes, yes you are. 😉 > [@](#): > > **Arachnophobia** and **Eight Legged Freaks** are both horror-comedies, and anyone with a fear of spiders will really get the willies from them. **Freaks** does have a scene or two about teen sex and “copping a feel” (during which the female character, a young Scarlett Johansson, applies a stun-gun to the male’s crotch), but if they survived the “this man has no dick” line in **Ghostbusters** , I’d assume they’re fine with that. I think I’ve seen Eight Legged Freaks on Netflix so we might go with that. > [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > **Jaws** scared the shit out of me as a kid, actually quite badly, My oldest begged me to watch Jaws and we did, she was bored by a lot of it. I’m not even sure if she finished it or not, I think me might have skipped the majority of them telling stories on the boat. > [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Go with the original Universal Monsters. > The passage of time has…well…they ain’t as scary any more. > > And King Kong! All children love Kong! Yes, I might have to stop by a Target or something and hope I can find a collection of those old movies. We watched most of Nosferatu as well, though I think trying to read made it a bit harder to watch. > [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > Great thread. My daughters are actually almost the same age as yours: the youngest one is 6 and the eldest one… turns 9 today. > > _Beetlejuice, Labyrinth_ and _The Dark Crystal_ are great suggestions, too. Not sure if they’ve seen Beetlejuice, the enjoyed Labyrinth and refused to watch the Dark Crystal, of which I might not forgive them! I did end up getting three things from Amazon, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and [The Witches](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witches_%281990_film%29), which came up as recommended and was only $5, and Eerie Indiana. Since it looks to be a rainy weekend it might be a great time to scare my kids. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/35 "2015-10-01T12:54:41Z")
_The Orphanage_ maybe? It’s rated R, but I’m not really sure why. I don’t remember any sex, or excessive foul language, and there was no gore at all. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/36 "2015-10-11T09:03:40Z")
[Transylvania 6-5000](https://smile.amazon.com/Transylvania-6-5000-Jeff-Goldblum/dp/B005LF92W6/ref=sr_1_1?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=transylvania%206-5000&qid=1444554153&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1) ---
**Author:** ![Clothilde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Clothilde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothilde)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/37 "2015-10-11T11:30:23Z")
> [@Oly](#): > > Many a skivvy’s been decorated during “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken”. And they used Bon Ami! :eek: (appropriate smiley) Came in to recommend this - that pipe organ was awfully scary! But looks like I was ninja’d. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/38 "2015-10-11T16:16:36Z")
[Believe](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0207333/combined) [Ghost Cat](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371835/combined) [The Little Vampire](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192255/combined) [Scared Shrekless](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1725156/combined) [Ghostbusters](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087332/combined) (is the cartoon on DVD or streamed anywhere?) [Are You Afraid of the Dark?](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103352/combined) - tv show, now on DVD [The Last Unicorn](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084237/combined) - not really horror, but I found it somewhat scary as a little girl On Netflix now you can also watch [The Haunting Hour](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1765510/combined) and [Spooksville](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2788518/combined) shows, as well as a couple of the former’s movies…however, I’d worried that [The Haunting Hour: Don’t Think About It](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0905994/combined) might be a little much for the younger kiddo. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/39 "2015-10-11T20:46:12Z")
Any monster movie from 1959 or earlier. _Frankenstein, Nosferatu, Creature from the Black Lagoon_… ---
**Author:** ![Memnon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Memnon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Memnon)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970/40 "2015-10-11T21:37:43Z")
> [@Edward The Head](#): > > I have two daughters, 9 and 7, they both seem to enjoy scary type stuff, especially the 9 year old. They’ve watched Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark and enjoyed them. Since it’s the season I’d like to find some scary movies for them. Two words: Watership. Down. You wouldn’t think an 80s cartoon about rabbits could be scary, but fuck me if that film didn’t fucking _terrify_ me when I was a kid! I’m serious. Every English lad my age had at least one sleepless night thanks to that movie. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FakucIq58XU). Believe it or not, even as an adult I find it peculiarly unnerving. It’s also a brilliant story with great characters and some of the best voice acting ever recorded. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-scary-movies-for-younger-kids/732970.md?page=3)