List Rules Vote up the classic films appropriate for kids and teens that will teach them to love and respect horror movies.
It's perfectly natural to want to share your interests with your kids, but what if you're a horror buff with a stockpile of Hitchcock, Craven, Carpenter, and Cronenberg sitting in your DVD shelf or filling your digital library? While something like The Exorcistis a venerable classic of the horror genre, its graphic violence and language make it inappropriate for young children. That doesn't mean, however, that there aren't plenty of classic horror movies appropriate for kids. You can consider these films horror movies for beginners. When the days of Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus have passed, and your kids are craving something a little more substantial, these films strike a middle ground. They're intellectually meaty movies that play on deep-seated psychological fears, but do so without an overemphasis on violence or foul language.
When it comes to finding horror movies for teens or tweens, go for subtly scary films. The Others is a frightening film about a haunted cabin deep in the woods, but it's a quiet, slow movie without too much violence. While there's some questionable language in The Sixth Sense, the film's focus on the importance of parent/child communication make it a great film to start a dialogue with your own kids. These are just a few classic horror films kids can watch without getting too, too terrified, and that adults can enjoy as well.
Remember to use your discretion. Only you can know for sure what will and will not upset your child, but browse this list for some suggestions. Then, make sure to cast your vote for the best movies to get kids into the genre!
list ordered by
1
442 92
GremlinsSteven Spielberg, Corey Feldman, Phoebe Cates Gremlins is a 1984 American horror comedy film directed by Joe Dante, released by Warner Bros. The film is about a young man who receives a strange creature called a mogwai as a pet, which then ...more
2
410 92
PoltergeistCraig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Heather O'Rourke Poltergeist is a 1982 American supernatural thriller film, directed by Tobe Hooper and co-written and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is the first and most successful entry in the Poltergeist ...more
3
371 127
The Sixth SenseBruce Willis, Mischa Barton, Haley Joel Osment The Sixth Sense is a 1999 American supernatural thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film tells the story of Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a troubled, isolated boy who ...more
4
292 151
ArachnophobiaJohn Goodman, Brandy Norwood, Jeff Daniels Arachnophobia is a 1990 American horror comedy film directed by Frank Marshall and starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman. It was the first film released by Hollywood Pictures, as well as being ...more
5
285 150
Tremors Franchise The Tremors franchise is a monster movie series centering on the vicious attacks of subterranean worm-like creatures known as graboids. It began in 1990 with the successful release of Tremors, ...more
6
270 162
The OthersNicole Kidman, Christopher Eccleston, Michelle Fairley The Others is a 2001 horror-thriller film written, directed and scored by Alejandro Amenábar. It stars Nicole Kidman and Fionnula Flanagan. It won eight Goya Awards, including awards for ...more
7
223 189
The GrudgeSarah Michelle Gellar, KaDee Strickland, Bill Pullman The Grudge is a 2004 American horror film and the first installment in The Grudge franchise. It is a remake of the Japanese film Ju-on: The Grudge. The film was released in North America on ...more
8
231 208
Killer Klowns from Outer SpaceChristopher Titus, John Vernon, Royal Dano Killer Klowns from Outer Space is a 1988 American science fiction horror comedy movie made by The Chiodo Brothers and starring Grant Cramer and Suzanne Snyder. It is the only Chiodo Brothers' ...more
9
189 169
CloverfieldOdette Annable, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas Cloverfield is a 2008 American science fiction found footage monster film directed by Matt Reeves, produced by J. J. Abrams & Bryan Burk, and written by Drew Goddard. Before settling on an ...more
10
186 183
World War ZBrad Pitt, Matthew Fox, David Morse This film is a 2013 American apocalyptic action horror film directed by Marc Forster. The screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard, and Damon Lindelof is from a screen story by ...more
11
200 200
The VillageBryce Dallas Howard, Sigourney Weaver, Joaquin Phoenix The Village is a 2004 American psychological thriller film, written, produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, and starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt ...more
12
179 183
Warm BodiesTeresa Palmer, John Malkovich, Dave Franco Warm Bodies is a 2013 drama horror romance film written by Jonathan Levine and Isaac Marion and directed by Jonathan Levine.
13
177 182
The Woman in BlackDaniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer The Woman in Black is a 2012 British horror film directed by James Watkins and written by Jane Goldman, based on Susan Hill's novel of the same name. It was produced by Hammer Film Productions. ...more
14
190 197
AnacondaJennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson Anaconda is a 1997 adventure-horror film, directed by Luis Llosa, starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz, Owen Wilson, Kari Wuhrer and Jonathan Hyde. It centers on a film ...more
15
161 180
DisturbiaShia LaBeouf, Viola Davis, Carrie-Anne Moss Disturbia is a 2007 American thriller film directed by D. J. Caruso. The film follows a teenager (Shia LaBeouf) who is placed on house arrest and begins to spy on his neighbors, thinking one of ...more
16
145 162
10 Cloverfield LaneJohn Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher 10 Cloverfield Lane is a 2016 American science fiction psychological thriller film directed by Dan Trachtenberg. The film was developed from a script titled The Cellar, but under production by ...more
17
125 146
Fire in the SkyJames Garner, Robert Patrick, Peter Berg This film is a 1993 science fiction horror drama film based on an alleged extraterrestrial encounter, directed by Robert Lieberman, and written by Tracy Tormé based on Travis Walton's ...more
18
120 171
Red Riding HoodAmanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Julie Christie Red Riding Hood is a 2011 American dark fantasy historical romance film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and starring Amanda Seyfried as the title role, from a ...more
19
96 190
OuijaDaren Kagasoff, Matthew Settle Ouija is a 2014 American supernatural horror film directed by Stiles White in his directorial debut and co-written by White and Juliet Snowden, who previously both worked together on The ...more
20
99 196
The Wicker ManChristopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Edward Woodward The Wicker Man is a 1973 British mystery horror film directed by Robin Hardy and written by Anthony Shaffer. The film stars Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, and ...more
