Fear is a funny thing. What terrifies one person, amuses another and movies that may give you nightmares can be tried and true favorites for someone else. When it comes to kids, the ground is even more tenuous if you’re trying to find a fun movie to introduce a younin' to the genre without giving them a new phobia. Horror has a reputation as a niche genre, but the truth is, if you know where to look, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in search of a spooky thrill. From werewolves to zombies and everything in between, check out some of cour favorites below.
A disclaimer first – no one knows what you or your kid can handle as well as you. What’s spooky to some is downright scary for others so use your judgment when it comes to what’s “too scary”.
The Monster Squad
Fred Dekker’s love letter to the monster movies of yore is a full-fledged 1980s family adventure that’ll please kids, horror-phobic adults, and hardened monster fans alike. A bit of aGooniesfor creepy kids,The Monster Squadfollows a group of young genre nerds (“Stephen King Rules”) who have to protect their hometown when Dracula and his monsterific buddies are unleashed in the quiet suburban streets. Dekker co-wrote the script withShane Black, giving the film an edge of biting humor amongst the monster-hunting adventures, and with makeup effects by a team that included the legendary artistStan Winston, the creatures themselves are reimagined in gorgeous, cinematic fashion. Spooky but not scary, stylish, and occasionally downright touching,The Monster Squadis an essential horror film for youngsters and a downright delight at any age.
The Frighteners
Peter Jacksonmade a couple of the goriest, stomach-churning, and decidedly not-for-kids movies of all time in his early career, from the viscera-soakedBrain Deadto the appropriately titled sci-fi B-movie,Bad Taste. WithThe Frighteners, Jackson brought his signature energetic direction and top-notch special effects to a bit more family-friendly fare. Emphasis on “a bit”.The Frightenersis rated-R and it still has some pretty intense gore effects, so proceed with caution if you’re easily spooked and definitely use your judgment with kids, but unlike most effects-driven horror films, and despite its title,The Frightenersdoesn’t have much in the way of scares, making it the perfect horror flick to dip a toe into gory waters without traumatizing the little’ns.
Happy Death Day
The most recent entry in the bunch,Happy Death Daypulls off the nigh impossible – a PG-13 slasher movie that’s actually fun and thrilling.Jessica Rothestars as Tree, a sorority princess with good hair and a bad attitude, who wakes up with a mean hangover and an even meaner mood one day and quickly discovers she’s trapped in a time loop that ends in her murder.
It’sGroundhog’s Dayfor the slasher set, but directorChristopher Landonhas made a film that’s proud of it’s cinematic predecessors and knowingly tips the hat to its influences at the regular. It never feels like robbery, but a fun and clever spin on the long-dormant slasher genre. Landon crafts a few scenes that’ll tie your stomach in knots, butHappy Death Dayis gore-free and light on white-knuckle scares, making it the perfect slasher for the kiddos… or folks who like their thrills without chills.
Little Shop of Horrors
Inspired byRoger Corman’s 1960 B-movie of the same name,Little Shop of Horrorsis a monster musical that never fails to delight. Packed to the gills with 1980s comedy superstars, includingSteve Martin, Jim Belushi, John Candy, Christopher Guest, Bill Murray,and of course,Rick Moranisas poor Seymour Krelborn, the beleaguered owner of a man-eating alien plant, Audrey II. Things start small when Seymour feeds Audrey II a bit of his blood, but before long the carnivorous creature blooms into a full-fledged monster hellbent on world domination and feasting on the flesh of its human inhabitants.
Frank Ozdirects for full-fledged fun (and a dose of social commentary amongst the spectacle), and though there’s not much inLittle Shop of Horrorsthat’s downright scary, there’s plenty of man-eating monster action between the laughs and show-stopping musical numbers.
ParaNorman
The incredible creative team at the stop-motion animation company LAIKA always adds some creepiness to their kid-friendly fare (which is why you’ll find two of their films on this list), butParaNormanis the most overtly horror-oriented film in the bunch. A zombie film for folks who’d rather not see someone get disemboweled,ParaNormanalso has ghosts and a main character who can talk to the dead and often prefers their company to the living. When he finds out the old town curse is not only real but about to come true, Norman is the only one who can save the day. It’s legitimately spooky at points and made with a clear love for the genre its playing in, butParaNormanis one of the tamest entries on the list, making it the perfect pick for just about any audience.
My Boyfriend’s Back
This is one of those ones that you’re going to have to use your judgment on for the kiddos.Bob Balaban’s horror comedy is rated PG-13 for some sex humor and while the jokes will most likely go over a youngsters head, there’s also a fair bit of soft swearing, if that’s a concern. But if you’re worried about the scares, fear not, Balaban’s spin on the undead is as goofy as could be and extremely light on gore.
The filmAndrew Lowreyas Johnny Dingle, a high school boy who’s been in love with Missy McCloud (Traci Lind) since the first grade and dies on the night he finally decides to make his move. Lucky for Johnny, he comes back from the dead in a hurry, and suddenly he’s got Missy’s full attention… but he’s also got the attention of the pitchfork (or shotgun) wielding townsfolk. It’s a supremely silly spin on the zombie genre with Balaban’s signature surreal satire skewering teen sex comedy and suburban culture in equal measure. Packed with laugh-out-loud quotables, delivered extra dry,My Boyfriend’s Backis an absurd zombie B-movie that won’t give you nightmares.
The Creature from the Black Lagoon
Technically removed from the age of Universal’s classic monster movies by about a decade,Creature from the Black Lagoonhas endured as an iconic original creature creation thanks to the inspired design fromMillicent Patrick. The embodiment of human fears tied to prehistoric beasts and the mysteries of aquatic life, the the Gill-Manprovidesstunning some iconic, utterly beautiful underwater scenes, executed with artful elegance by stuntmanRicou Browning. Directed byJack Arnold, the film has tremendous sympathy for its title creature, but never forgets to make him a frightful figure of the imagination. You could probably show kids today any of the classic monster movies without conjuring too much terror, but for a purely cinematic and one-of-a-kind creature feature, you’re able to’t beatCreature from the Black Lagoon.
Sleepy Hollow
Tim Burtonhas made a career of toeing the line between spooky and scary, but he never came closer to an all-out horror film thanSleepy Hollow,his gorgeous tribute to the horror legend and the spirit of foggy All Hallow’s Eve nights. Inspired byWashington Irving’s classic creepy tale,Sleepy Hollowoffers an update on the material from screenwriterAndrew Kevin Walker, starringJohnny Deppas the gangly inspector turned ghost hunter. Shot byEmmanuelle Lubezki, costumed byColleen Atwood, and scored byDanny Elfman,Sleepy Hollowis a technically gorgeous film, drenched in creepy atmosphere. Burton dips a toe in horror with this one, but keeps it family friendly enough for all. Just be prepared to have a couple nightmares about a razor-toothed Hessian warrior with crazyChristopher Walkenhair.
Directed byJoe Dantefrom a script byChris Columbus(two filmmakers who know their way around family-friendly genre fare),Gremlinsis decidedly a creature feature for the kiddos, but it still packs a bite. Set in a quaint small town during the idyllic Christmas season, the film sets lose a pack of predatory Gremlins who raise havoc in the streets as the citizens of the sugary sweet small town to stop the destruction. It’s a Dante joint, so the horror spoof is loaded with metaphor and cultural commentary amongst the mischievous mayhem, skewering the silliness of commercial traditions and small-town security while serving up all the furry little creatures and their grotesque Gremlin counterparts you could ask for in a kid-friendly monster movie.
Silver Bullet
Adapted fromStephen King’sCycle of the Werewolfwhen it was naught but an illustrated calendar,Silver Bulletis lacking in narrative strokes, but it’s a hell of a fun werewolf flick featuring a fine fearsome beast without the genre’s signature gross-out gore.Silver BulletstarsCorey Haimas a young boy who begins to suspect a murderous creature is prowling the streets of his small town and soon discovers that none other than the local revered is a flesh-hungry werewolf. With the help of his sister (Megan Follows) and his awesome uncle Red (Gary Busey), the trio teams up to take down the killer creature. It’s not a perfect film by any stretch, but it is a coming-of-age spook show in the Kingian tradition with just the right amount of scares for the young and horror-phobic.
