My husband and I were just talking the other day about when we can introduce horror to our daughter. She's two, so it won't be for awhile, and we both got so excited for tremors. My parents loved it and my dad would act like Kevin Bacon's character when I was growing up. So I can't wait for all of us to see it!
I actually saw this when I had measles and loved it right up until the worm exploded out of the cliff and exploded down below. Needless to say my stomach could not handle that.
I watched The Sixth Sense at 11 (I was traumatised and desensitised by the heart scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when I was 5, ended up with a soft spot for horror) it may fall under psychological thriller but it fits your bill!
Poltergeist (1982) for sure and maybe The Amityville Horror (1979)
There's a website which shows a whole bunch of trigger warnings by category:
[https://www.doesthedogdie.com](https://www.doesthedogdie.com)
I use this site so much lol. Like the second I see an animal onscreen I'm heading right there. Doesn't necessarily mean I won't watch the movie, it just helps to know what's coming.
A bunch of my female friends would always watch The Lost Boys at their sleepovers…The first ones I watched, a guy, were Children of the Corn and Cujo, I was probly 5-6y and watched them with my mom. I was never scared or had nightmares or anything after ever watching a horror movie, and I still love, collect and watch horror movies…hope this helps…😀
-Nightmare on Elm Street was the first great horror movie I saw at 8-9y…
Insidious is PG-13 and there isn't any blood that I can think of... kinda along the lines with Poltergeist scary without the gore or blood needed... and only one real jump scare...
I guess I only really remember the one main scare that almost had me jump out of my seat... and the movie is very scary which is why I love it, shows you can make something terrifying under the PG-13 rating...
Idk, I feel like this is a great movie, but it's very tense and seems like it has more than 1 jump scare.
Edit: plus some violence to women, maybe I'm conflating the sequel, though.
My first horror movie was The Village and I still hold a soft spot for it. Honestly M. Night movies might just be a good place to start. They’re not overly violent or sexual and have interesting stories (even if some of them get made fun of, you have to admit they are interesting)
I remember watching Tremors when I was a kid and loving it, same with Gremlins and The Mummy so those would be decent choices too
I might also recommend Prey, the most recent Predator film. I think the most blood was when the digital bear died (and the blood looked like kool aid to me), the dog lives, and it may be especially good if it’s a daughter? Girl being smart and kicking ass after all.
The original Universal Monster films are a great foundation for horror and they’re pretty SFW. But I think if s/he made it through The Thing, you’re pretty much set 🤣
Gremlins is really cute horror, I remember being a fan before I started getting into real horror. Its [DoesTheDogDie page](https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/9813) in case you want to check you're really comfortable with what is shown.
Jurassic Park could fit too.
When I was his age I loved movies like
Scream, I know what u did last summer, it, nightmare on elm street..
But when it comes to newer movies I think I would let him watch movies like “train to Busan” and “army of the dead” horror combined with action
There's a lot of really good horror movies specifically made for kids! Paranorman and Wendell and Wild are some of my favourites, but Monster House and Coraline are also pretty good.
Fear Street isn't EXACTLY for kids, but it's definitely teen oriented. I don't know if you want to check those out yourself first. I wouldn't say there's any torture scenes, but the deaths are pretty brutal and kind of shift the entire tone of the movie. Part of me wants to say if the kid could handle The Thing, they could handle the Fear Street death scenes, but they're more grounded in reality so it may be a little much. You may also consider it centered around violence towards women. In the last movie, it's revealed that the supernatural entity behind it all was a lesbian and that's why she was hanged. They do show her hanged on screen, but again I don't know if that's any worse than what you've already shown her.
I actually do know a handful of kids all under the age of 10 who love Chucky. Another one you might want to sit down and watch before showing it to the kid
i've just seen it so often and seen people talking about it so often that i'm kind of sick of it tbh :/ same with literally every tim burton movie im just so sick of him
oh shit i think you're right. between the main two in the 90s right? The movies are definitely gears towards teenagers so admittedly a little older than OP's daughter, but yeah I think there's some fade to black sex scenes or making out. Again, I think the parents should watch beforehand and decide if they're appropriate or at what age they'd be appropriate because I know I would have LOVED these movies as teen.
Agreed parents should watch before letting their kiddos. And I THOUGHT the one that went back in time to when it began there was some suggestive things - it's been forever but I remember thinking, "Hmm, don't remember reading this" 😆😆
The original The Fog would be a good one I think. overall I think a lot of the older ones would be a good start. Also if you can find them maybe episodes of the Goosebump series, or Are you Afraid of the Dark (old nickeloden series). Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits might be good too.
One Dark Night (1982) ESPECIALLY if she is even sort of into aesthetics, the movie is lit in blue and pink candy color lighting during the climax and it just has that neon 80s aesthetic many younger people respond to.
The movie as a whole is pretty good, a run of the mill teen bullying/hazing sort of plot, but with zombies that aren't actually zombies and it has a happy ending.
I saw it when I was around that age and I seriously think it created a lifelong love of colorful lighting in horror movies.
I honestly believe it's best to start with older horror. Most are very dated and probably won't scare her. Then you can start working your way up. My step daughter started watching stuff when she was around 11 with her friends at sleep overs and the older stuff never scared them. Some newer stuff did and it was too hard to gauge what she found to be scary and not.
Some of these have been listed already:
•Monster squad
•Gremlins
•The burbs
•The nightmare before Christmas
•Tim Burton’s Batman movies- not horror, but classics and certainly dark.
•Of course stranger things is a good starting place for kids, especially the first two seasons which are the strongest in my opinion.
•Old black and white films like the universal monster movies- must sees in my opinion- but also ones like the haunting and Vincent Price movies.
•predator
•Alien and Aliens
I see a lot nightmare on elm st suggestions which is no doubt a great horror movie but maybe not for op’s kid lol. Freddy Krueger is a very rapey character and there’s def some sex in all of those movies.
Every time someone makes this same post, which is pretty frequent, there are a bunch of gnarly replies with all kinds of movies I would never show a kid. Some real demented people out there producing more demented people.
Yeah I was super young sneakily watching some stuff I deffo should not have been seeing. I had a very loving and kind home life though and it never screwed me up or prevented me from wanting to be a kind person, thankfully. It just gave me a big appreciate and love of film.
But I would never let my kid watch those same movies at the age I watched them. As of now I’m excited for him to turn ten to start with some of the very mild ones.
Light fun horror would be best imo so make sure there not R so stick to PG-13 rating would be best imo
But there honestly Is scary PG13rated movies so be careful as there age.. but fun ones they would like would be imo would be ,,
…. 5 Nights at Freddie’s …. Scary Stories to tell in the Dark … Gremlins …. Tremors ….. A Quiet place ( no gore or bad words & worst jump is at the start with the kid ) up to you on that one ,,, Cloverfield ….. I am Legend ….. The Haunting ,, Are all mild horrors imo
M. Night Shyamalan films could be a good starting point (Sixth Sense, signs, the village)
- Coraline
- The Others
- The Haunting
- The Ring - maybe too scary? Scared the shit out of me as a preteen
- insidious
- Are you afraid of the Dark? Series
- Salem’s Lot
- The Craft
- Paperhouse
- Night of the Living Dead (original)
- Nosferatu
- Phantom of the Opera
- The Mummy (Brendan Fraser one)
- Carrie (1978)
- Twilight Zone the movie
- The Birds
- Psycho
- The Omen
- Poltergeist
- Poltergeist 2
- arachnophobia
- Pan’s Labrinth
🎭POLTERGEIST 1982
🎭ARACHNOPHOBIA 1990
🎭BELOW 2002
🎭THE CHANGELING 1980
🎭DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW
🎭FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S
🎭THE GATE 1987
🎭GREMLINS
🎭JAWS/JAWS 2 1975/1978
🎭JURASSIC PARK 1993
🎭LIGHTS OUT 2016
🎭MAMA 2013
🎭THE MONSTER SQUAD 1987
🎭THE OTHERS 2001
🎭TREMORS 1990
All the above horror films are rated PG and PG-13.
My kid is 11 and these are the horror/ horror adjacent content we've watched so far, Dark Skies, Signs, Paranormal Activity, The Others, The Possession 2012, 6th Sense, Ouji Origin of Horror, Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, Night of the Living Dead, Tremors, The Visit, The Mummy, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Ghostbusters, The Ring, FNAF, Megan, Men in Black, Stranger Things.
IMDB has a great parents guide. I always check it and have a conversation with her about any more problematic content (drug use, sexual dialogue between characters, racism etc). This is such a great way to have these little talks with your preteen.
Thanks! I appreciate the additional context of imdb - we have talked through anything that comes up as a result of the movie we are watching (for example my kiddo now knows what an affair is because of Annihilation lol
The Ring, The Others, The Descent, Night of the Living Dead, Psycho, 13 going on 30, War of the Worlds (old and new), Halloween 3, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Coraline, Paranorman, The Mist, Summer of 84, Train to Busan.
A few of those would royally mess up my 11yo. The Ring especially — just that zoom in on the face of the girl who appeared to have drowned or whatever.
The Ring is like the perfect horror for all ages as long as one can separate reality from fiction. Showing The Ring to a 5 year old would obviously be a stupid idea but while it can royally freak out an 11 year old The Ring is definitely not too crazy imo. It's literally just a ghost movie, no violence, no gore, no nudity. Just some scary pictures. It's an awesome movie, I love The Ring but it's not nearly too crazy for an 11 year old.
Big difference between being so scared you have trouble sleeping for a day or two than being legitimately traumatized. It's those scary experiences that will make horror more fun. When I was that age I loved telling my friends the movies I had seen and we used to challenge each other all the time about who could watch the scariest film.
The Ring is PG-13 in the US because of a lack of swear words and nudity. This says more about the US film rating system than how scary the film is imo. In the UK, The Ring has the same age rating as Hereditary.
I see alot of Nostalgia picks on here, how about a few closer to an 11 year olds generation. Maybe a something like... Ouji: Origin of Evil, Annabelle Comes Home, The Conjuring.
Eventually she'll get to see the whole Flanagan collection but I think that will be a bit too scary for her right now. The Conjuring is a good one, to build up to
Origins of Evil is PG-13 but still really fun
Annabelle Comes Home should have been rated PG-13 I can't figure out why it isn't. Also, the only Annabelle film I would bother with. The Conjuring I can understand, I can maybe understand not showing.
From experience, I know you've said no excessive junpscares and this recommendation fails spectacularly, but The Conjuring franchise is absolutely picture perfect as gateway horror
Scream franchise if he/she can handle it. I was actually about the same age as them when my mom introduced me to the franchise. M3GAN is also a good one.
I watch a lot of horror films (as most do here) and I keep track of every film I watch to completion, writing a short review of each one. I grabbed 10 titles that might interest you and a young person. I believe they all feature young folks, teens, and none of them are too intense or inappropriate (as far as I recall). I probably have more if you are interested and like my recs.
Ghost in the Graveyard (2019 ) currently on Tubi
Haunt (2013) currently on AMC+
Haunter (2013) currently on AMC+
Marrowbone (2017) currently on Amazon Prime
The Relic (2020) currently on AMC+
The Stairs (2021) currently on Tubi
The Wretched (2019) currently on AMC+
They (2002) currently on Max
Viral (2016) currently on Tubi
Whisper (2022) Currently on Tubi
Yeah 11 should be fine. I was the same. Saw it at 6 years old. I was then afraid of the sea, pools and even baths. I still overthink a little whilst in the ocean.
Despite being less violent and sinister than many other popular horror films, Jaws has one of the most powerful psychological influences. Quite possibly over any other movie, ever.
The Final Destination series
When there is excessive blood, it's pretty campy in the later installments, anyway. The first 2 are just great, the rest are still fun.
I think I was about that age when I saw The Ring for the first time.
Horror comedies are a great way to bridge the gap, too, so:
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
Housebound
Totally Killer
Freaky
Shaun of the Dead
Severance
Happy Death Day
Renfield
Just me, but I saw The Shining in the theater when I was ten and it’s been my favorite movie ever since. There’s a naked woman in it, but she’s a prelude to one of the scariest scenes ever. And…it’s Stanley Kubrick directing, cmon!
People recommending Monster house and Hotel Transylvania haha . When I was 11 I was watching house of 1000 corpses and had an extensive collection of zombie movies
Monster House is actually pretty scary lol, but yeah Hotel Transylvania isn't horror. I'm looking forward to when she's a bit older and we can watch 28 days later together for the first time
Not a movie, but since you've had lots of suggestions I want to add: they might get a kick out of Courage the Cowardly Dog! That series really seems to capture kids who're naturally drawn to horror and eery, creepy media.
I just watched Imaginary last night. While I think it’s very cookie cutter for a seasoned horror fan—to me it was a less good version of Insidious—I think it would be maybe good for a younger person who won’t notice the flaws in the storytelling. Now, maybe 11 is too young. I was watching A Nightmare on Elm Street at 12-13 so it’s hard to gauge.
Not really sure if “no excessive jumpscares” means “absolutely no jumpscares.” The movie has a few. But I didn’t think it was “excessive.”
My very first intro was, in no particular order:
Tremors
Arachnophobia
The gate
Gremlins
Pet Semetary
Poltergeist
Jaws
Evil dead
Though, the scariest of everything to me was the kitchen raptor scene in Jurassic park! 😂
Mines too young now, but when she gets older I’ll do those plus newer options though I think the older movies are a bit better for a very first introduction (thinking around 8?). I think the horror comedies are the best intro in general.
I think you’re on the right track with classic horror. By today’s standards they look so fake, it’s hard to be genuinely scared. I would think the biggest difficulty would be avoiding movies with confusing sex scenes.
The Monster Squad gives a great lesson in who the classic monsters are.
The Gate from 1987 is good to introduce youngins to black magic and cosmic horror.
Jaws will teach them to fear the darkness beneath the sea.
Essential originals and remakes of
The Blob
The Fly (watch progressively as they get older)
Don’t forget other John Carpenter movies like Big Trouble in Little China and the Fog, then Halloween, then slashers.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (First Iranian Vampire Western, directed by a woman, and she skateboards in the film)
Scream
MAYBE Freaks
Event Horizon
Alien
The Color Out of Space
Death Proof
Maybe the newer Suspiria when she is a tad older
This is all I’ve got.
Also, check the Parents Guide on IMDB, it can help. My husband is sensitive, so I do this for him.
From what I liked when I was that age and I didn't saw suggested
Van Helsing and 13 ghosts
You sound like an amazing parent by your comments, keep the great work!
I’m 13 and here are some of my recommendations although I watch horror movies discreetly behind my strict parents back so I try to test my limits but here’s some I’ve done
1. IT 1990 version the old one is super tame easy to watch IT 2017 the new one is more gory and has some jump scares but they are predictable exactly like fnaf. It’s also funny and chaotic af even my parents laughed ! The main thing would probably language. It has A LOT OF 13 year olds swearing in like every sentence but there’s no iffy sex stuff . There’s some violence like a boy killing his dad with a knife which is mostly the most scariest part in my opinion but it’s brief and nothing too graphic just dripping blood and a puddle. I’m obsessed w the movie tho I have poster and merch galore
2. The ring it’s kinda scary but it doesn’t have any iffy stuff . Some gore but barley any . Jumpscares? Yes .
3. If your feeling brave I’d say go ahead for scream. Reccomend number 2 which is one of the more tamer ones no sex nothing to graphic except stabbing
4 lights out . Jumpscares but everything else is tame and pretty chill def recommend
5if your feeling super brave after watching those id say go ahead with Texas chainsaw man (the new one) yes Ik it’s pretty crappy compared to the old ones but the old ones have lots of torture and is more graphic . Yes there is many kills with a chainsaw but it all looks fake cgi
It might traumatized your kid but depends
6 Mr Harrigans phone this is one is def tame it’s more of a drama then horror. Might be a little boring for her tho. Has some cussing and bullying and suicide but thats all
If your fine w Texas chainsaw man the new one then I would go for fear street but be aware there like 1-2 sex scenes in 1 and 2 but they are quick you can skip them if you want . Kinda gory
Again this is just some I’ve watched so far testing my limits but again it’s up to the kid to say yes or no and you obvi loll depends on tolerance . I grew up with being forced to watch Jesus on the cross (graphic one) so ever since I was little I builded up tolerance
Thanks for the recommendations! Tbh my kiddo really really REALLY wants to watch the new IT movies, and I've been unsure because it does a lot of jump scares, but the kids in the core cast are so good in the roles
Yesss! The cast is perfect in my opinion goat movie . And yes it has jumpscares but it’s like roblox jumpscares or fnaf ones which basically stay in your face for too long that it’s not scary anymore! The only thing really is top core bullying and swearing but everything else is just a masterpiece. I reccomend watching it 2 after that cause it’s a full on comedy I don’t mean cheesy torture bad cgi comedy like terrifier I mean actual comedy
Surprised I haven't seen Evil Dead 2 or Army of Darkness listed yet (1 has the tree scene that may not be suitable but since 2 kind of redoes 1 they'd be okay).
My daughter also loved Shaun of the Dead and Ju-on/the grudge when she was younger. I can't tell you how many damn times I've seen Ju-on bc of her lol.
I’m surprised nobody has said Coraline yet, that movie was the jumping off point for horror when I was little and it’s a great movie on top of that. Not to scary but has some spooky stuff, it’s a great watch!
She already watched it and was relatively unphased - I think she could see that the special effects were pretty...special (even though I think it holds up, there is noone more unimpressed than a tween)
There are some great horrors that are kid friendly:
Monster Squad
The boy who cried werewolf
(Series) Creeped Out
The Old Hammer Films were a hit with my kids
Silver Bullet
Maybe the classic universal movies? I loved those when I was a teen although I know it’s not for everyone. Someone else suggested tremors and I vote that too if it’s gotta be something more recent!
"Pulse" (2006)
The technology is a bit dated, but the premise is solid. No gore, a few jump scares, but mostly atmospheric like Annihilation (not comparing anything but the approach to storytelling)
All of the Conjuring universe movies are very good and not too scary. My fave is the OG conjuring but Annabelle is creepy af too. Plus they’re inspired by real life paranormal investigators which makes it creepier! Maybe it’ll be an opportunity for your kid to read into the real life stories out of curiosity who knows!
Also The Ring. The American version. NOT the Japanese version. That one will scar them 😂
PG / PG13 options:
* Stepmonster (1993) really resonated with me around the same age. Worth hunting down.
* The Watcher in the Woods - track down the director’s cut; the few extra seconds are worth it
* Scooby Doo on Zombie Island - pretty awesome horror movie plot cut with lots of preschooly “Shaggy and Scooby looove to eat” filler.
* The Mummy (1998)
* Coraline! Easily one of the best executed and most effective horror movies ever imo
* The Monster Squad, Tremors, etc. upvoted elsewhere
R rated options I saw at 11 (and adored):
* Mimic! Mira Sorvino is great as the entomologist protagonist
* Phantoms! More strong female leads and a few genuinely spooky moments
* Deep Rising - a few gooey practical effects might push the limit, but the tone tempers it (spirited high-seas Die Hard meets Aliens)
You might want to review titles against the website doesthedogdie.com which gives granular breakdown of content.
I started watching horror at a very young age. There wasn't really anything in my home that was forbidden as long as I watched it with my mom. Some of my first horrors were.
[Final Destination](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195714/Final) - Barely any gore, I saw this when I was 9 years old and the only scene that genuinely stuck with me was the intro with the airplane. That might instill some flight fear.
[Deep Blue Sea](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149261/) - This was one of the absolute first horrors I watched, I was 7 yo. I really loved sharks and thought this movie was super cool. Got some gore in it but it's not super crazy.
[I Know What You Did Last Summer](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4045450/)/[I Still Know What You Did Last Summer](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130018/) - Think I was 9 when I first saw these and they are kinda like Scream. Not very scary imo but for an 11 yo they might be the right kind.
[\[REC\] (2007)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1038988/) - This movie is freaking awesome, it's what really made me love horror and it was one of the first horrors I watched completely alone. The ending scene might be too scary, I freaked the F out when I saw it first time but it's one of my fav movies.
[Saw](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387564/)/[Saw II](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0432348/) - I first got introduced to the Saw franchise when I was like your kid 11 yo and I loved these movies and still do. The first two are not nearly as gory and violent as its predecessors.
[Ghost Ship](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0288477/) - Been a while since I saw this but it's kinda like The Shining but on a big ship.
I didn't see it recommended already, what about the Blair Witch Project? I saw it when I was 12 and really liked it. There's some swearing, a few more adult-ish jokes but nothing obscene, no overt violence (nothing shown in screen, only implied, from what I remember).
All in one vein: The Babysitter, The Babysitter 2 on Netflix in the States, there is blood but more jokey. Both the movie and TV Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, New Castle after dark has some great older shows, XFiles, TwilightZone
Shaun Of The Dead- it’s a British comedy horror about slow moving zombies who overrun a town in London, it follows two stupid best friends Shaun and Ed who try and survive the outbreak. It came out in 2004. Its a parody of Night Of The Living Dead, it’s very funny and it does not involve any of the things you listed (to my memory) it’s a 15 because of bad language and bloody violence. If those are things that bother you or that you’d rather your kid not see then obviously avoid, but I think most 11 year olds these days know bad words etc so it’s up to you.
So I know you said no nudity, but Autopsy of Jane Doe is fantastic. It's a dead lady during an autopsy who is naked (obviously) and I don't think all movie nudity is created equal, so I'm throwing this out there haha that's my opinion though, so I understand if full frontal female nudity is not something you're comfortable with talking to your kid about yet.
Hmmm...I would def check out [doesthedogdie.com](https://doesthedogdie.com).
I think a few good ones are:
* Alien ( I Include because youve watched The Thing)
* Alien v Predator
* Tremors
* The Craft
* The Faculty
* The Others
* The Frighteners
* Anaconda!!!
* Congo
* Deep Blue Sea
they are game shows but secrets of the crypt keeper haunted house is fun also stumble upon a game show called Terror Towers which I never head of before and don't find half bad but for movies there is Beetlejuice and me and my mom use to watch death becomes her as a kid and like that
As a kid I was obsessed with Halloween (1978), which might be a no go since the plot is going after Laurie Strode, and the original IT on VHS. This was early 2000s. Nightmare on elm street maybe? The Leprechaun series was another cliche but classic imo. Poltergeist, Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark. 13 ghosts I think has brief nudity but it’s been probably 10/15 years since I’ve seen it. Hopefully this helps. Always love a new little horror fan!
I grew up watching Tremors, Gremlins, Beetlejuice, The Halloween Tree, Critters, Little Monsters, The Monster House, Ernest Scared Stupid, The Witches (1990), Jaws, Nightmare Before Christmas, Caroline, Frankenweenie, Corpse Bride, The Haunted Mansion, Ghostbusters, The Twilight Zone: The Movie, The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad, Poltergeist (1982), The Boxtrolls, Don't Think About It (its based off a show called The Haunting Hour), The Little Vampire, Hokus Pokus, The Halloweentowm films, Under Wraps, The Addams Family, Paranorman, Don't Look Under the Bed, Casper, Young Frankenstein, The 'Burbs, The Goonies, and Zathura. There's other films like Spirited Away, Watership Down, and any number of Scooby Doo films your child may like.
monster house (2006) was like the first horror movie i watched as a kid and it’s really good and not overly scary (its animated and kinda old so the animation is a bit rough)
also coraline is great
Van Helsing (2004), The Grudge (2004), Happy Death Day (2017), World War Z (2013), Poltergeist (1982), Woman in Black (2012), Mama (2013), The Skeleton Key (2005), The Ring (2002), A Quiet Place (2018), The Sixth Sense (1999), Drag Me To Hell (2009), Odd Thomas (2013), The Frighteners (1996), just about all of the Hammer Films, Let the Right One In (2008), Let Me In (2010), NOTLD (1968), Hellbender (2021), The Deeper You Dig (2019), Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
My kid (12) absolutely loved M. Night Shyamalan's The Visit. Nothing too scary, maybe one thing a bit disturbing involving a diaper. When that scene came, my kid was just "eww, those people are crazy!" and that's it.
This is the only movie I've ever had to turn off and shake the feeling off before I could continue. The claustrophobia I felt 😬 it's not even necessarily a scary movie but that feeling got me.
The movies i hat to turn off and calm down were Signs (it wasscary as hell when i was 13) and Mothman Prophecies (still creeps me out after all this time).
My son loves Tremors (1990)
Who doesn't? lol
very true!
well I guess Reba because she don't show up in part 2
My husband and I were just talking the other day about when we can introduce horror to our daughter. She's two, so it won't be for awhile, and we both got so excited for tremors. My parents loved it and my dad would act like Kevin Bacon's character when I was growing up. So I can't wait for all of us to see it!
I actually saw this when I had measles and loved it right up until the worm exploded out of the cliff and exploded down below. Needless to say my stomach could not handle that.
I think that’s my kid’s favorite part 😂
Tremors is awesome. Who doesn't love a good dose of Burt Gomer?
I still gotta watch that one
Monster Squad The Gate Attack the Block Stranger Things seems an obvious choice, but I bet they’d dig it Gremlins / Gremlins 2 Critters
Gremlins was my first horror movie, I was about 10. Also Arac Attac should be fine.
Gremlins and Monster Squad are both ones I loved as a kid.
Gremlins is a solid suggestion I didn't think of The first horror I can remember watching as a kid
critters has nudity thought remember the guy pulls out a porn mag so that other person can turn into a woman
I watched The Sixth Sense at 11 (I was traumatised and desensitised by the heart scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when I was 5, ended up with a soft spot for horror) it may fall under psychological thriller but it fits your bill!
Oh yeah kalimar shuckdeeday fucked me all up ha
Just like quicksand, I though Thuggee death cults were going to be a much bigger issue than they’ve ended up being 😅
And using whips to quickly traverse ground traps while being violently pursued.
The Burbs
This is such an underrated movie that I’ve been watching since I was a small kid and I never hear anyone talk about it.
I still can’t believe Tom Hanks would kidnap that old man’s dog.
The Frighteners is an unsung gem directed by Peter Jackson (Lord of the rings) and starring Michael J Fox. Pretty certain it's pg 13
So, so good. I watched this one on a daily basis when i was 11.
Dee Wallace gives 110%. Her husband died halfway through the shoot, so I'm sure some of her hysteria was coming from a real place
Milton Dhamers is one of my top 3 roles of Jeffery Combs, the undisputed best actor
Jeffery Combs is fucking awesome
He comes in and the movie jumps up two full notches. Steals it completely.
Yes, another vote for The Frighteners. This is still my favorite MJF performance.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
yeah I was thinking of that one for her - she's read the books so I think she'll like the movie
I am 35 and I loved this movie. Some of the stories told in the movie did very much scary me.
Poltergeist (1982) for sure and maybe The Amityville Horror (1979) There's a website which shows a whole bunch of trigger warnings by category: [https://www.doesthedogdie.com](https://www.doesthedogdie.com)
I use this site so much lol. Like the second I see an animal onscreen I'm heading right there. Doesn't necessarily mean I won't watch the movie, it just helps to know what's coming.
Same! If I remember I go there and check before I start watching. Sometimes people even put the times where there's anything.
That's super helpful to know - I will use that website for sure
A bunch of my female friends would always watch The Lost Boys at their sleepovers…The first ones I watched, a guy, were Children of the Corn and Cujo, I was probly 5-6y and watched them with my mom. I was never scared or had nightmares or anything after ever watching a horror movie, and I still love, collect and watch horror movies…hope this helps…😀 -Nightmare on Elm Street was the first great horror movie I saw at 8-9y…
Lost boys is the shit
Agreed, Lost Boys is a great choice for kids. I also think The Fog would be a good choice (John Carpenter’s version). Oh! And Pumpkinhead.
Yeah it’s a great movie…I’m not even a fan of vampire movies, but I’ve always liked this one…😀
Nightmare on Elm Street was the first horror I ever watched and I was 17! It properly messed me up for weeks. How on earth did you enjoy it at 8-9? 🤣
Fright Night, The Lost Boys, Leprechaun 1 & 4, Warlock
I second Sixth Sense and The Ring, a couple of my all time favorites which are PG-13.
No one mentioned "Pumpkin Head". I'd also say "Fright Night" (has very brief nudity) and also "They Live".
oooh pumpkin head is a good one I really liked that one
YES LETS GOOOO FELLOW PUMPKIN HEAD APPRECIATOR
Insidious is PG-13 and there isn't any blood that I can think of... kinda along the lines with Poltergeist scary without the gore or blood needed... and only one real jump scare...
Love this movie but I can think of a couple jump scares… I also think it’s very scary but maybe that’s just me.
I guess I only really remember the one main scare that almost had me jump out of my seat... and the movie is very scary which is why I love it, shows you can make something terrifying under the PG-13 rating...
Idk, I feel like this is a great movie, but it's very tense and seems like it has more than 1 jump scare. Edit: plus some violence to women, maybe I'm conflating the sequel, though.
The Changeling (1980).
My first horror movie was The Village and I still hold a soft spot for it. Honestly M. Night movies might just be a good place to start. They’re not overly violent or sexual and have interesting stories (even if some of them get made fun of, you have to admit they are interesting) I remember watching Tremors when I was a kid and loving it, same with Gremlins and The Mummy so those would be decent choices too
I might also recommend Prey, the most recent Predator film. I think the most blood was when the digital bear died (and the blood looked like kool aid to me), the dog lives, and it may be especially good if it’s a daughter? Girl being smart and kicking ass after all.
That's such a good call - and it was a really good movie too
The original Universal Monster films are a great foundation for horror and they’re pretty SFW. But I think if s/he made it through The Thing, you’re pretty much set 🤣
Gremlins is really cute horror, I remember being a fan before I started getting into real horror. Its [DoesTheDogDie page](https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/9813) in case you want to check you're really comfortable with what is shown. Jurassic Park could fit too.
When I was his age I loved movies like Scream, I know what u did last summer, it, nightmare on elm street.. But when it comes to newer movies I think I would let him watch movies like “train to Busan” and “army of the dead” horror combined with action
There's a lot of really good horror movies specifically made for kids! Paranorman and Wendell and Wild are some of my favourites, but Monster House and Coraline are also pretty good. Fear Street isn't EXACTLY for kids, but it's definitely teen oriented. I don't know if you want to check those out yourself first. I wouldn't say there's any torture scenes, but the deaths are pretty brutal and kind of shift the entire tone of the movie. Part of me wants to say if the kid could handle The Thing, they could handle the Fear Street death scenes, but they're more grounded in reality so it may be a little much. You may also consider it centered around violence towards women. In the last movie, it's revealed that the supernatural entity behind it all was a lesbian and that's why she was hanged. They do show her hanged on screen, but again I don't know if that's any worse than what you've already shown her. I actually do know a handful of kids all under the age of 10 who love Chucky. Another one you might want to sit down and watch before showing it to the kid
"Coraline is pretty good" is wild lmao
i've just seen it so often and seen people talking about it so often that i'm kind of sick of it tbh :/ same with literally every tim burton movie im just so sick of him
If my memory serves me correct there are some sex scenes in at least the 2nd installment?
oh shit i think you're right. between the main two in the 90s right? The movies are definitely gears towards teenagers so admittedly a little older than OP's daughter, but yeah I think there's some fade to black sex scenes or making out. Again, I think the parents should watch beforehand and decide if they're appropriate or at what age they'd be appropriate because I know I would have LOVED these movies as teen.
Agreed parents should watch before letting their kiddos. And I THOUGHT the one that went back in time to when it began there was some suggestive things - it's been forever but I remember thinking, "Hmm, don't remember reading this" 😆😆
Warm Bodies (2013) Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) The Skeleton Key (2005) The Haunting (1999) The Grudge (2004) The Village (2004)
Honestly, Stranger Things. It’s perfect for young horror fans and has some pretty great scares in it, especially in its latest season
we've watched the first season of ST - I'll see if she wants to keep watching it
Id say wait for s3 and 4 when she’s 12 to 13 if she’s more sensitive to stuff cause it has some sex scenes in it and it’s more gorier and scarier.
Watch the older John Carpenter movies: assault on precinct 13, escape from New York, big trouble in little china, Halloween, etc
Ohhh - Sweetheart was perfect for my 11yo.
The original The Fog would be a good one I think. overall I think a lot of the older ones would be a good start. Also if you can find them maybe episodes of the Goosebump series, or Are you Afraid of the Dark (old nickeloden series). Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits might be good too.
One Dark Night (1982) ESPECIALLY if she is even sort of into aesthetics, the movie is lit in blue and pink candy color lighting during the climax and it just has that neon 80s aesthetic many younger people respond to. The movie as a whole is pretty good, a run of the mill teen bullying/hazing sort of plot, but with zombies that aren't actually zombies and it has a happy ending. I saw it when I was around that age and I seriously think it created a lifelong love of colorful lighting in horror movies.
I honestly believe it's best to start with older horror. Most are very dated and probably won't scare her. Then you can start working your way up. My step daughter started watching stuff when she was around 11 with her friends at sleep overs and the older stuff never scared them. Some newer stuff did and it was too hard to gauge what she found to be scary and not.
I completely agree with you there
Some of these have been listed already: •Monster squad •Gremlins •The burbs •The nightmare before Christmas •Tim Burton’s Batman movies- not horror, but classics and certainly dark. •Of course stranger things is a good starting place for kids, especially the first two seasons which are the strongest in my opinion. •Old black and white films like the universal monster movies- must sees in my opinion- but also ones like the haunting and Vincent Price movies. •predator •Alien and Aliens I see a lot nightmare on elm st suggestions which is no doubt a great horror movie but maybe not for op’s kid lol. Freddy Krueger is a very rapey character and there’s def some sex in all of those movies.
Every time someone makes this same post, which is pretty frequent, there are a bunch of gnarly replies with all kinds of movies I would never show a kid. Some real demented people out there producing more demented people.
Yeah I was super young sneakily watching some stuff I deffo should not have been seeing. I had a very loving and kind home life though and it never screwed me up or prevented me from wanting to be a kind person, thankfully. It just gave me a big appreciate and love of film. But I would never let my kid watch those same movies at the age I watched them. As of now I’m excited for him to turn ten to start with some of the very mild ones.
Light fun horror would be best imo so make sure there not R so stick to PG-13 rating would be best imo But there honestly Is scary PG13rated movies so be careful as there age.. but fun ones they would like would be imo would be ,, …. 5 Nights at Freddie’s …. Scary Stories to tell in the Dark … Gremlins …. Tremors ….. A Quiet place ( no gore or bad words & worst jump is at the start with the kid ) up to you on that one ,,, Cloverfield ….. I am Legend ….. The Haunting ,, Are all mild horrors imo
M. Night Shyamalan films could be a good starting point (Sixth Sense, signs, the village) - Coraline - The Others - The Haunting - The Ring - maybe too scary? Scared the shit out of me as a preteen - insidious - Are you afraid of the Dark? Series - Salem’s Lot - The Craft - Paperhouse - Night of the Living Dead (original) - Nosferatu - Phantom of the Opera - The Mummy (Brendan Fraser one) - Carrie (1978) - Twilight Zone the movie - The Birds - Psycho - The Omen - Poltergeist - Poltergeist 2 - arachnophobia - Pan’s Labrinth
🎭POLTERGEIST 1982 🎭ARACHNOPHOBIA 1990 🎭BELOW 2002 🎭THE CHANGELING 1980 🎭DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW 🎭FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 🎭THE GATE 1987 🎭GREMLINS 🎭JAWS/JAWS 2 1975/1978 🎭JURASSIC PARK 1993 🎭LIGHTS OUT 2016 🎭MAMA 2013 🎭THE MONSTER SQUAD 1987 🎭THE OTHERS 2001 🎭TREMORS 1990 All the above horror films are rated PG and PG-13.
My kid is 11 and these are the horror/ horror adjacent content we've watched so far, Dark Skies, Signs, Paranormal Activity, The Others, The Possession 2012, 6th Sense, Ouji Origin of Horror, Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, Night of the Living Dead, Tremors, The Visit, The Mummy, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Ghostbusters, The Ring, FNAF, Megan, Men in Black, Stranger Things. IMDB has a great parents guide. I always check it and have a conversation with her about any more problematic content (drug use, sexual dialogue between characters, racism etc). This is such a great way to have these little talks with your preteen.
Thanks! I appreciate the additional context of imdb - we have talked through anything that comes up as a result of the movie we are watching (for example my kiddo now knows what an affair is because of Annihilation lol
You could help her have her own Letterboxd for tracking and looking for films. Also Oculus is great.
Your kid saw the Ring and hasn’t been sleeping in your room with the lights on? My respect to your kid, they are tough!
The Ring, The Others, The Descent, Night of the Living Dead, Psycho, 13 going on 30, War of the Worlds (old and new), Halloween 3, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Coraline, Paranorman, The Mist, Summer of 84, Train to Busan.
13Going on 30 is terrifying.
Very much!!!
A few of those would royally mess up my 11yo. The Ring especially — just that zoom in on the face of the girl who appeared to have drowned or whatever.
People casually dropping The Ring into recommendations is wild to me
The Ring is like the perfect horror for all ages as long as one can separate reality from fiction. Showing The Ring to a 5 year old would obviously be a stupid idea but while it can royally freak out an 11 year old The Ring is definitely not too crazy imo. It's literally just a ghost movie, no violence, no gore, no nudity. Just some scary pictures. It's an awesome movie, I love The Ring but it's not nearly too crazy for an 11 year old. Big difference between being so scared you have trouble sleeping for a day or two than being legitimately traumatized. It's those scary experiences that will make horror more fun. When I was that age I loved telling my friends the movies I had seen and we used to challenge each other all the time about who could watch the scariest film.
Same. Lol
I would have been 8 when I saw it in theaters. I guess it’s not for all kids.
I mean, there's people on here who saw Evil Dead etc when they were like 5. Doesn't mean you'd choose to do the same for your own children
The ring is pg-13 and the child is 11. Some children are more mature than others.
The Ring is PG-13 in the US because of a lack of swear words and nudity. This says more about the US film rating system than how scary the film is imo. In the UK, The Ring has the same age rating as Hereditary.
I see alot of Nostalgia picks on here, how about a few closer to an 11 year olds generation. Maybe a something like... Ouji: Origin of Evil, Annabelle Comes Home, The Conjuring.
Eventually she'll get to see the whole Flanagan collection but I think that will be a bit too scary for her right now. The Conjuring is a good one, to build up to
Origins of Evil is PG-13 but still really fun Annabelle Comes Home should have been rated PG-13 I can't figure out why it isn't. Also, the only Annabelle film I would bother with. The Conjuring I can understand, I can maybe understand not showing.
Despite what the title might lead you to believe, OG Texas Chainsaw Massacre is pretty tame.
yeah that's not a bad one
Gremlins is rated PG.
From experience, I know you've said no excessive junpscares and this recommendation fails spectacularly, but The Conjuring franchise is absolutely picture perfect as gateway horror
Yeah this is a build up to it series that I do hope we can watch together someday
Scream franchise if he/she can handle it. I was actually about the same age as them when my mom introduced me to the franchise. M3GAN is also a good one.
I don't think anyone has mentioned yet "The People Under the Stairs"
Psycho Goreman maybe?
House (1985)
I watch a lot of horror films (as most do here) and I keep track of every film I watch to completion, writing a short review of each one. I grabbed 10 titles that might interest you and a young person. I believe they all feature young folks, teens, and none of them are too intense or inappropriate (as far as I recall). I probably have more if you are interested and like my recs. Ghost in the Graveyard (2019 ) currently on Tubi Haunt (2013) currently on AMC+ Haunter (2013) currently on AMC+ Marrowbone (2017) currently on Amazon Prime The Relic (2020) currently on AMC+ The Stairs (2021) currently on Tubi The Wretched (2019) currently on AMC+ They (2002) currently on Max Viral (2016) currently on Tubi Whisper (2022) Currently on Tubi
Psycho Goreman. Despite the name it's a very fun, family-friendly-ish horror comedy. Very goofy.
The animated movie called Monster house.
Here's a few which would/should be fine: Jaws, Halloween, Child's Play, Candyman, Alien, A Nightmare On Elm Street, The Lost Boys, The Fog.
I watched Jaws and all the sequels super young and loved them- maybe at 11 op’s kiddo won’t develop a fear of swimming pools like I did
Yeah 11 should be fine. I was the same. Saw it at 6 years old. I was then afraid of the sea, pools and even baths. I still overthink a little whilst in the ocean. Despite being less violent and sinister than many other popular horror films, Jaws has one of the most powerful psychological influences. Quite possibly over any other movie, ever.
I think that video of the Dead Sea incident last year stirred up everyone’s jaws fears pretty good.
The Final Destination series When there is excessive blood, it's pretty campy in the later installments, anyway. The first 2 are just great, the rest are still fun. I think I was about that age when I saw The Ring for the first time. Horror comedies are a great way to bridge the gap, too, so: Tucker and Dale vs. Evil Housebound Totally Killer Freaky Shaun of the Dead Severance Happy Death Day Renfield
I did a final destination marathon with my 11 year old a year ago and he loved them
Final destination was pretty good idk it might traumatize them tho depending
Just me, but I saw The Shining in the theater when I was ten and it’s been my favorite movie ever since. There’s a naked woman in it, but she’s a prelude to one of the scariest scenes ever. And…it’s Stanley Kubrick directing, cmon!
People recommending Monster house and Hotel Transylvania haha . When I was 11 I was watching house of 1000 corpses and had an extensive collection of zombie movies
Monster House is actually pretty scary lol, but yeah Hotel Transylvania isn't horror. I'm looking forward to when she's a bit older and we can watch 28 days later together for the first time
Any of the animated Tim Burton films would be a decent place to start.
yeah we already watched all of those
Childs Play The first Chucky movie isn't really too bad, and is a classic
The Ring is perfect!
Not a movie, but since you've had lots of suggestions I want to add: they might get a kick out of Courage the Cowardly Dog! That series really seems to capture kids who're naturally drawn to horror and eery, creepy media.
Five nights at Freddies
It (1990)
This horrified me when I was 11 but… then again I’m a huge horror fan now so… maybe that’s a good thing?
I love the new version I watched it 78 times lmao
I just watched Imaginary last night. While I think it’s very cookie cutter for a seasoned horror fan—to me it was a less good version of Insidious—I think it would be maybe good for a younger person who won’t notice the flaws in the storytelling. Now, maybe 11 is too young. I was watching A Nightmare on Elm Street at 12-13 so it’s hard to gauge. Not really sure if “no excessive jumpscares” means “absolutely no jumpscares.” The movie has a few. But I didn’t think it was “excessive.”
Tim Burton films and the Goosebumps television show from the 90's.
My very first intro was, in no particular order: Tremors Arachnophobia The gate Gremlins Pet Semetary Poltergeist Jaws Evil dead Though, the scariest of everything to me was the kitchen raptor scene in Jurassic park! 😂 Mines too young now, but when she gets older I’ll do those plus newer options though I think the older movies are a bit better for a very first introduction (thinking around 8?). I think the horror comedies are the best intro in general.
I think you’re on the right track with classic horror. By today’s standards they look so fake, it’s hard to be genuinely scared. I would think the biggest difficulty would be avoiding movies with confusing sex scenes.
The Monster Squad gives a great lesson in who the classic monsters are. The Gate from 1987 is good to introduce youngins to black magic and cosmic horror. Jaws will teach them to fear the darkness beneath the sea. Essential originals and remakes of The Blob The Fly (watch progressively as they get older) Don’t forget other John Carpenter movies like Big Trouble in Little China and the Fog, then Halloween, then slashers.
Drag Me To Hell is a great one for children and adults
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (First Iranian Vampire Western, directed by a woman, and she skateboards in the film) Scream MAYBE Freaks Event Horizon Alien The Color Out of Space Death Proof Maybe the newer Suspiria when she is a tad older This is all I’ve got. Also, check the Parents Guide on IMDB, it can help. My husband is sensitive, so I do this for him.
Monster house
I Am Legend (the one with Will Smith) (yes I know the book is way better)
From what I liked when I was that age and I didn't saw suggested Van Helsing and 13 ghosts You sound like an amazing parent by your comments, keep the great work!
I’m 13 and here are some of my recommendations although I watch horror movies discreetly behind my strict parents back so I try to test my limits but here’s some I’ve done 1. IT 1990 version the old one is super tame easy to watch IT 2017 the new one is more gory and has some jump scares but they are predictable exactly like fnaf. It’s also funny and chaotic af even my parents laughed ! The main thing would probably language. It has A LOT OF 13 year olds swearing in like every sentence but there’s no iffy sex stuff . There’s some violence like a boy killing his dad with a knife which is mostly the most scariest part in my opinion but it’s brief and nothing too graphic just dripping blood and a puddle. I’m obsessed w the movie tho I have poster and merch galore 2. The ring it’s kinda scary but it doesn’t have any iffy stuff . Some gore but barley any . Jumpscares? Yes . 3. If your feeling brave I’d say go ahead for scream. Reccomend number 2 which is one of the more tamer ones no sex nothing to graphic except stabbing 4 lights out . Jumpscares but everything else is tame and pretty chill def recommend 5if your feeling super brave after watching those id say go ahead with Texas chainsaw man (the new one) yes Ik it’s pretty crappy compared to the old ones but the old ones have lots of torture and is more graphic . Yes there is many kills with a chainsaw but it all looks fake cgi It might traumatized your kid but depends 6 Mr Harrigans phone this is one is def tame it’s more of a drama then horror. Might be a little boring for her tho. Has some cussing and bullying and suicide but thats all If your fine w Texas chainsaw man the new one then I would go for fear street but be aware there like 1-2 sex scenes in 1 and 2 but they are quick you can skip them if you want . Kinda gory Again this is just some I’ve watched so far testing my limits but again it’s up to the kid to say yes or no and you obvi loll depends on tolerance . I grew up with being forced to watch Jesus on the cross (graphic one) so ever since I was little I builded up tolerance
Thanks for the recommendations! Tbh my kiddo really really REALLY wants to watch the new IT movies, and I've been unsure because it does a lot of jump scares, but the kids in the core cast are so good in the roles
Yesss! The cast is perfect in my opinion goat movie . And yes it has jumpscares but it’s like roblox jumpscares or fnaf ones which basically stay in your face for too long that it’s not scary anymore! The only thing really is top core bullying and swearing but everything else is just a masterpiece. I reccomend watching it 2 after that cause it’s a full on comedy I don’t mean cheesy torture bad cgi comedy like terrifier I mean actual comedy
The Gate
Surprised I haven't seen Evil Dead 2 or Army of Darkness listed yet (1 has the tree scene that may not be suitable but since 2 kind of redoes 1 they'd be okay). My daughter also loved Shaun of the Dead and Ju-on/the grudge when she was younger. I can't tell you how many damn times I've seen Ju-on bc of her lol.
Coraline terrifies me to this day and I would credit it as the first “horror” I saw when I was a kid.
I’m surprised nobody has said Coraline yet, that movie was the jumping off point for horror when I was little and it’s a great movie on top of that. Not to scary but has some spooky stuff, it’s a great watch!
Summer of 84
Sinister, The Strangers
I actually think The Thing is mostly fine for a kid but I will say you might want to review the kennel scene, it was the toughest part for me.
She already watched it and was relatively unphased - I think she could see that the special effects were pretty...special (even though I think it holds up, there is noone more unimpressed than a tween)
There are some great horrors that are kid friendly: Monster Squad The boy who cried werewolf (Series) Creeped Out The Old Hammer Films were a hit with my kids Silver Bullet
The Gate
Maybe the classic universal movies? I loved those when I was a teen although I know it’s not for everyone. Someone else suggested tremors and I vote that too if it’s gotta be something more recent!
A Haunting in Connecticut. I wouldn't say it's good, but I really liked it as a teen and it absolutely fits the categories you mentioned!
"Pulse" (2006) The technology is a bit dated, but the premise is solid. No gore, a few jump scares, but mostly atmospheric like Annihilation (not comparing anything but the approach to storytelling)
i hope you mean the original 2001 version, that remake is god awful
Eh, it's not that bad. Sure, the original is better, but I still like the remake.
Monster Squad, with a little fast forwarding It: The Miniseries was a lot of fun.
Honestly anything rated pg-13 or pg
All of the Conjuring universe movies are very good and not too scary. My fave is the OG conjuring but Annabelle is creepy af too. Plus they’re inspired by real life paranormal investigators which makes it creepier! Maybe it’ll be an opportunity for your kid to read into the real life stories out of curiosity who knows! Also The Ring. The American version. NOT the Japanese version. That one will scar them 😂
I see a lot of good recommendations here, just in case some of these are missing: The final girls You might be the killer No one will save you
PG / PG13 options: * Stepmonster (1993) really resonated with me around the same age. Worth hunting down. * The Watcher in the Woods - track down the director’s cut; the few extra seconds are worth it * Scooby Doo on Zombie Island - pretty awesome horror movie plot cut with lots of preschooly “Shaggy and Scooby looove to eat” filler. * The Mummy (1998) * Coraline! Easily one of the best executed and most effective horror movies ever imo * The Monster Squad, Tremors, etc. upvoted elsewhere R rated options I saw at 11 (and adored): * Mimic! Mira Sorvino is great as the entomologist protagonist * Phantoms! More strong female leads and a few genuinely spooky moments * Deep Rising - a few gooey practical effects might push the limit, but the tone tempers it (spirited high-seas Die Hard meets Aliens) You might want to review titles against the website doesthedogdie.com which gives granular breakdown of content.
Ghostbusters was my daughter’s intro!
I started watching horror at a very young age. There wasn't really anything in my home that was forbidden as long as I watched it with my mom. Some of my first horrors were. [Final Destination](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195714/Final) - Barely any gore, I saw this when I was 9 years old and the only scene that genuinely stuck with me was the intro with the airplane. That might instill some flight fear. [Deep Blue Sea](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149261/) - This was one of the absolute first horrors I watched, I was 7 yo. I really loved sharks and thought this movie was super cool. Got some gore in it but it's not super crazy. [I Know What You Did Last Summer](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4045450/)/[I Still Know What You Did Last Summer](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130018/) - Think I was 9 when I first saw these and they are kinda like Scream. Not very scary imo but for an 11 yo they might be the right kind. [\[REC\] (2007)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1038988/) - This movie is freaking awesome, it's what really made me love horror and it was one of the first horrors I watched completely alone. The ending scene might be too scary, I freaked the F out when I saw it first time but it's one of my fav movies. [Saw](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387564/)/[Saw II](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0432348/) - I first got introduced to the Saw franchise when I was like your kid 11 yo and I loved these movies and still do. The first two are not nearly as gory and violent as its predecessors. [Ghost Ship](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0288477/) - Been a while since I saw this but it's kinda like The Shining but on a big ship.
I didn't see it recommended already, what about the Blair Witch Project? I saw it when I was 12 and really liked it. There's some swearing, a few more adult-ish jokes but nothing obscene, no overt violence (nothing shown in screen, only implied, from what I remember).
Phantasm 1979 is a pretty nice one. A bit scary though.
Also Critters
All in one vein: The Babysitter, The Babysitter 2 on Netflix in the States, there is blood but more jokey. Both the movie and TV Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, New Castle after dark has some great older shows, XFiles, TwilightZone
Shaun Of The Dead- it’s a British comedy horror about slow moving zombies who overrun a town in London, it follows two stupid best friends Shaun and Ed who try and survive the outbreak. It came out in 2004. Its a parody of Night Of The Living Dead, it’s very funny and it does not involve any of the things you listed (to my memory) it’s a 15 because of bad language and bloody violence. If those are things that bother you or that you’d rather your kid not see then obviously avoid, but I think most 11 year olds these days know bad words etc so it’s up to you.
Avoid Saw. I was gonna suggest The Ritual, but maybe not cause people get full on gutted.
Shaun of the Dead, Let the Right One In.
I would love to be able to introduce my future child to horror and have them be as into it as I am one day
The original Poltergeist, has a little bit of Jo Beth in her underwear, but no full nudity, and the scares are mostly not of the jump variety.
28 days later halloween the terminator
Would “Monster House” count? It is a children’s movies but i think has some spooky scenes.
So I know you said no nudity, but Autopsy of Jane Doe is fantastic. It's a dead lady during an autopsy who is naked (obviously) and I don't think all movie nudity is created equal, so I'm throwing this out there haha that's my opinion though, so I understand if full frontal female nudity is not something you're comfortable with talking to your kid about yet.
Older film, but Something Wicked This Way Comes is pretty scary and if I remember, age appropriate
Martyrs. Go big or go home.
might bore her, but "Beyond the Black Rainbow" fits this criteria
The craft I was 10 when it came out, and I loved it then(and still now) Trick r treat
I almost started that with her but I'm not ready to show her the sexual assault scene
Ohh yeah, I didn't even remember that part!
Hmmm...I would def check out [doesthedogdie.com](https://doesthedogdie.com). I think a few good ones are: * Alien ( I Include because youve watched The Thing) * Alien v Predator * Tremors * The Craft * The Faculty * The Others * The Frighteners * Anaconda!!! * Congo * Deep Blue Sea
they are game shows but secrets of the crypt keeper haunted house is fun also stumble upon a game show called Terror Towers which I never head of before and don't find half bad but for movies there is Beetlejuice and me and my mom use to watch death becomes her as a kid and like that
John Carpenter’s *In the Mouth of Madness.* It has a few worthwhile jump scares, but doesn’t overdo it. Overall, a lot of fun.
As a kid I was obsessed with Halloween (1978), which might be a no go since the plot is going after Laurie Strode, and the original IT on VHS. This was early 2000s. Nightmare on elm street maybe? The Leprechaun series was another cliche but classic imo. Poltergeist, Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark. 13 ghosts I think has brief nudity but it’s been probably 10/15 years since I’ve seen it. Hopefully this helps. Always love a new little horror fan!
I grew up watching Tremors, Gremlins, Beetlejuice, The Halloween Tree, Critters, Little Monsters, The Monster House, Ernest Scared Stupid, The Witches (1990), Jaws, Nightmare Before Christmas, Caroline, Frankenweenie, Corpse Bride, The Haunted Mansion, Ghostbusters, The Twilight Zone: The Movie, The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad, Poltergeist (1982), The Boxtrolls, Don't Think About It (its based off a show called The Haunting Hour), The Little Vampire, Hokus Pokus, The Halloweentowm films, Under Wraps, The Addams Family, Paranorman, Don't Look Under the Bed, Casper, Young Frankenstein, The 'Burbs, The Goonies, and Zathura. There's other films like Spirited Away, Watership Down, and any number of Scooby Doo films your child may like.
monster house (2006) was like the first horror movie i watched as a kid and it’s really good and not overly scary (its animated and kinda old so the animation is a bit rough) also coraline is great
Psycho goreman
Van Helsing (2004), The Grudge (2004), Happy Death Day (2017), World War Z (2013), Poltergeist (1982), Woman in Black (2012), Mama (2013), The Skeleton Key (2005), The Ring (2002), A Quiet Place (2018), The Sixth Sense (1999), Drag Me To Hell (2009), Odd Thomas (2013), The Frighteners (1996), just about all of the Hammer Films, Let the Right One In (2008), Let Me In (2010), NOTLD (1968), Hellbender (2021), The Deeper You Dig (2019), Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
My kid (12) absolutely loved M. Night Shyamalan's The Visit. Nothing too scary, maybe one thing a bit disturbing involving a diaper. When that scene came, my kid was just "eww, those people are crazy!" and that's it.
The Descent.
Damn I was like 20 when I watched The Descent and was scared shitless screaming like a baby 😅
But it fits the request.
This is the only movie I've ever had to turn off and shake the feeling off before I could continue. The claustrophobia I felt 😬 it's not even necessarily a scary movie but that feeling got me.
The movies i hat to turn off and calm down were Signs (it wasscary as hell when i was 13) and Mothman Prophecies (still creeps me out after all this time).
Ok but that one scene in Signs. You know the one
Exactly! That scene.
Maybe something like Come Play and Before I Wake, but I would also try Psycho Goreman and Child’s Play franchise, Chucky is so much fun.
Hotel Transylvania