Top 8 movies to show the younger generation.

 Top 8 movies to show the younger generation. 

I'm often asked my parents which horror movies would I recommend for them to show their child. I for one don't really like this question since it really comes down to how much your child can handle. My parents were very easy going with me and my sister growing up. My mother always brought me to the video store as a kid for a treat and always I would race towards the horror section. I was terrified of movies like Stephen King's IT and A Nightmare On Elm Street. My mother made me close my eyes during any sex scenes (let's be honest, I looked.) and knew what films not to show me. She slowly built me up with what I could handle and started me off with the basics. She made me understand that these were just movies and if I couldn't handle them that was it. I started off with many gems you will see below, and slowly but surely worked up to the classics. I remember being 9 and seeing Scream 2 at the theaters? Why? Because I was a good kid that viewed theses movies as just movies. I knew they were pretend, and liked being scared since as a child I was so scared of Nightmare and IT I learned that the movie you watched these movies, the more you would see they were pretend. If you knew what was going to happen, then you wouldn't be scared. I started off with classics like The Monster Squad, Fright Night, The Lost Boys, and worked up to the Scream films, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and finally discovered the really true classics My Bloody Valentine, Evil Dead, Last House On The Left. I was well seasoned thanks to the movies I saw when I was younger! I would say these choices all differ depending on the child's age, what they have seen before, and what they can handle. Here are a brief little list of movies I feel if you wanted to show children from a  certain age range which would be perfect to slowly build into working on making new generation of horror fans!

1) The Monster Squad.

- The greatest childhood movie of all time. Limitless memories of watching this movie as a kid. Fred Dekker made a PG13 movie (which, let's be honest, PG13 was very different in 1987 than what PG13 is today.) Still, the movie is all heart, and pays tribute to the classic Unversal  monsters with a present twist. With likable child actors (which is rare to find.) and scares that are just enough to not be too intense, this film still holds up with it's effects, action, laughs, and awesome Rock Until You Drop montage. 

2) Popcorn.

- A slasher movie that isn't too gory, and a perfect movie to show for some pre-teens that want a scary movie, that still stays fun. With an awesome location and the movies within the movie, this is the sort of movie you would want to show some kids at a sleepover. This is a film that doesn't take itself too serious, yet still remains creepy.

3) Critters.

- Younger kids want a scary monster movie but you don't want to be too intense? You won't have to worry about any sex scenes, or over the top gore. In fact, the bodycount is pretty low as are the onscreen deaths which aren't gory at all. This movie is a fun little thrill ride with a likable child actor as the lead, a great soundtrack, and cute little creatures that are a tad bit more bad ass than Gremlins. I will always answer Critters as my number one choice for movies to show a younger person.

4) Poltergeist 

- I'll never forget how I showed this movie on the bus of my 8th grade class trip. Looking back on the fact the parents smoke a joint in bed makes me truly think maybe I should have re-thought my movie choice. Still, none of the teachers seemed to care (Having to spend a week with a bunch of 13/14 years olds I would want a joint to.)

5) The Midnight Hour

- A movie I rented countless times as a child. In fact, it's my all time favorite movie to watch around Halloween. This was originally a made for TV movie, which has a great soundtrack, a fun storyline, a cute love story, and plenty of zombies, monsters, ghouls, vampires, witches, and yes werewolf's to go around. Still, this is a movie I would trust an 8 year old to watch and be able to handle perfectly without being too scary.

6) Witchboard.

- Now this is a movie I would trust 12 and up to watch mostly because the gore is a tad more intense and we do sees boobs at one point. This is a creepy movie without being too bloody or crazy. 

7) Ghoulies II

- My second favorite pick whenever parents ask what's a good movie for their child to watch. Yes this movie has a little bit of gore, some swear words, and a few scarier moments, but really when you break it down it's tame fun stuff. It's a silly fun little movie with cute monsters, that I think any kid would get a kick out of.

8) Deadly Friend. 

- To see if your child can handle Wes Craven, start them off with either this movie or The people Under The Stairs. This movie does have some over the top gory moments, but honestly isn't that bad. Another choice for maybe say 10 and up. It's spooky without crossing the line.