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My eight year old has been begging to watch horror films for years. Specifically Halloween and It. So far we haven't let her but I love horror films too so I want to start to ease her in.
I think It would be fine now so I may start with that tomorrow night. (I haven't seen either new It). What else would be a good entry?
I'm holding off on Child's Play because she still really likes toys and I don't want to ruin that for her. I also won't do Nightmare on Elm St. because I don't need her not sleeping.
I'm not looking for kiddy "scary" movies like Monster House or Coraline. We want really horror movies.
Could someone remind me about the original Halloween? All I can think about is the Rob Zombie version and I'm not letting her watch that.
ETA: I forgot to mention her grandma took her to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark a few weeks ago because she had no idea what it was about. Grandma and her older sister both left the theater and left the eight year old to finish the movie (she was thrilled).
My eight year old has been begging to watch horror films for years. Specifically Halloween and It. So far we haven't let her but I love horror films too so I want to start to ease her in.
Are you serious?
I'm pretty open to children and film. And I think Halloween is an intelligently-done piece of accomplished cinema. (I haven't seen It).
That said, the horror genre essentially tries to viscerally terrorize its audience. It requires a certain level of emotional maturity to be able to contextualize that terror and to thereby enjoy its interesting psychological side effects.
I think It would be fine now so I may start with that tomorrow night. (I haven't seen either new It). What else would be a good entry?
Are you talking about the new version or the old made-for-TV version?
The new version is VERY R-rated for violence and language. The 8th grade boys talk like 8th grade boys. There is not any explicit sex or anything like that in it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vegabern
Could someone remind me about the original Halloween?
HALLOWEEN is a flawed masterpiece. A great movie. A classic. But it earns its R-rating for violence and some sex. Nothing explicit. It isn't 50 Shades of Halloween or anything like that. But there is a topless scene and a scene of two teens having sex.
Others I'd recommend for a smart 8 year old.
PSYCHO. The classic by which all modern horror movies are judged. And rightly so.
THE SIXTH SENSE. Totally fine for an 8 year old to see this. It's scary in parts, yes, but very moving as well.
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. The original from the '60s. A classic.
STAND BY ME. Not really a horror movie, but it is a Stephen King movie, and still ranks as one of the best coming-of-age movies of all time.
GREMLINS. Great light-hearted horror flick.
THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH. This really isn't a horror movie, but it does have a heavy does of the supernatural, and every kid should see this movie. Every adult too for that matter. A great movie.
ALIEN. A brave 8 year old will love this. I saw it when I was 7. But if your 8 year old is easily scared, it might be a bit much.
It totally depends on the kid. I was raised on horror movies of every sort. They didn't scare me. But we showed HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS to our four year old and he had nightmares for weeks. Even as an adult, he still has a minor phobia about bees because of that movie. JURASSIC PARK? Never bothered him.
Parents are the best judge of what their kids should see. There is no one-size fits all. Keep in mind that the ratings system was designed to inform parents, so that parents could be the final judge. Ratings are not be a catch all for every movie and every child.
Dread Central gave the film a score of 4.5 out of 5, calling it "a spooky masterpiece"; praising the film's atmosphere, characters, and subtlety.[6] Justin Kerswell from Hysteria Lives! awarded the film 4/5 stars, calling it "a slow burning, fantastically creepy small screen tale". In his review, Kerswell praised the film's ambiguity, writing, "At times it's so understated, so well constructed, we are as unsure as the characters as to whether there really is something out there lurking in the dark or, perhaps, their growing paranoia has finally got the better of them."[7] Angel Van Croft from HorrorNews.net gave the film a positive review, calling it "a well made movie with great acting, directing, and plenty of spooky atmosphere."[8] Cameron McGaughy from DVD Talk offered the film similar praise, writing, "Dark Night of the Scarecrow isn't just one of the best made-for-television films ever made, it's one of the best horror films of all time... Utilizing masterful performances, locations, shots and sounds, it's a simple and subtly scary effort that relies on restraint. It stands the test of time and features an iconic image of evil that has never been more powerful, making this a classic steeped in frightful fall ambience, colors and imagery."[9] Andrew Smith from Popcorn Pictures commended the film's well-rounded characters, cinematography, and "unsettling vibe"; stating that the film was "proof that even TV movies can be effective if the makers are intent on producing something more than standard".[10]
Are you talking about the new version or the old made-for-TV version?
The new version is VERY R-rated for violence and language. The 8th grade boys talk like 8th grade boys. There is not any explicit sex or anything like that in it.
HALLOWEEN is a flawed masterpiece. A great movie. A classic. But it earns its R-rating for violence and some sex. Nothing explicit. It isn't 50 Shades of Halloween or anything like that. But there is a topless scene and a scene of two teens having sex.
Others I'd recommend for a smart 8 year old.
PSYCHO. The classic by which all modern horror movies are judged. And rightly so.
THE SIXTH SENSE. Totally fine for an 8 year old to see this. It's scary in parts, yes, but very moving as well.
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. The original from the '60s. A classic.
STAND BY ME. Not really a horror movie, but it is a Stephen King movie, and still ranks as one of the best coming-of-age movies of all time.
GREMLINS. Great light-hearted horror flick.
THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH. This really isn't a horror movie, but it does have a heavy does of the supernatural, and every kid should see this movie. Every adult too for that matter. A great movie.
ALIEN. A brave 8 year old will love this. I saw it when I was 7. But if your 8 year old is easily scared, it might be a bit much.
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. By far the best of the Universal horror flicks. Still holds up as a great movie.
THE SHINING. I saw it when I was 8. It might not be appropriate for your child. You should probably watch it first, then judge.
THE CONJURING. One of the better recent horror flicks. Definitely scary. I don't remember anything in it too objectionable for an 8 year old.
THE OTHERS. Great ghost story.
CREEPSHOW. Comic book horror at its best. Some occasional R-rated language, but nothing too bad.
Thanks for the suggestions! She has already seen Gremlins (loved it) and Stand By Me. I wouldn't consider either of those horror movies.
I was talking about the original It. Remakes are always more over-the-top. Seems like they're trying to make up for their lack of originality with being extreme (see Rob Zombie).
I forgot she's already seen Night of the Living Dead. She thought it was wonderfully cheesy.
I haven't seen it in ages. I don't remember there being anything in it that would traumatize a horror-curious kid. Parts of it are really cheesey.
I remember my reaction to it being much the same as my reaction to the book: The kids and their storyline are great. The adults aren't very likeable and their storyline weird and bizarre.
Are you talking about the new version or the old made-for-TV version?
The new version is VERY R-rated for violence and language. The 8th grade boys talk like 8th grade boys. There is not any explicit sex or anything like that in it.
HALLOWEEN is a flawed masterpiece. A great movie. A classic. But it earns its R-rating for violence and some sex. Nothing explicit. It isn't 50 Shades of Halloween or anything like that. But there is a topless scene and a scene of two teens having sex.
Others I'd recommend for a smart 8 year old.
PSYCHO. The classic by which all modern horror movies are judged. And rightly so.
THE SIXTH SENSE. Totally fine for an 8 year old to see this. It's scary in parts, yes, but very moving as well.
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. The original from the '60s. A classic.
STAND BY ME. Not really a horror movie, but it is a Stephen King movie, and still ranks as one of the best coming-of-age movies of all time.
GREMLINS. Great light-hearted horror flick.
THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH. This really isn't a horror movie, but it does have a heavy does of the supernatural, and every kid should see this movie. Every adult too for that matter. A great movie.
ALIEN. A brave 8 year old will love this. I saw it when I was 7. But if your 8 year old is easily scared, it might be a bit much.
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. By far the best of the Universal horror flicks. Still holds up as a great movie.
THE SHINING. I saw it when I was 8. It might not be appropriate for your child. You should probably watch it first, then judge.
THE CONJURING. One of the better recent horror flicks. Definitely scary. I don't remember anything in it too objectionable for an 8 year old.
THE OTHERS. Great ghost story.
CREEPSHOW. Comic book horror at its best. Some occasional R-rated language, but nothing too bad.
I dislike the horror genre, but that is actually about the best list I've run across.
There are psychological reasons some are more entranced by horror film than others, but that gets too complex to discuss here and the root causations are not universally agreed upon anyway.
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