To let 10 YO DS watch a horror film?

[ProfessorMoody]

DS10 has decided he doesn't want to trick or treat this year and wants to stay in and watch a "horror film".

He's seen most of the children's ones like Miss Peregrine, Hotel Transylvanias, The Witches etc.

He'd like to watch something a little more "grown up" but I can't seem to think of any that are suitable, or a 12A.

DH thinks Woman in Black is a good place to start but I was horrified that it's a 12 as I found it really scary and definitely unsuitable for a 10 year old!

What's your favourite mild horror?

@angie@ personally, no- she hates gore, and even turns up her nose at Itchy and Scratchy on The simpsons!

I was thinking along the lines of "funny as opposed to scary".

Watcher in the Woods is terrifying!

It is a Disney movie starring Bette Davis and is high suspense with no gore. It has a PG rating, it is very spooky!

The trailer is here;

Rolla, that was my favourite film as a kid! I watched it a few years back, and was terrified - I was clearly harder at 5 than I am now!

I also remember watcher in the woods as being really scary. We are watching it at the weekend to test whether DS2 will be ok with going to the Universal Studios halloween horror night (not going into the houses, just wandering around and going on the rides).

My three year old gets scared when Mr Tod chases Peter on the CBeebies Peter Rabbit. I can safely say she won’t be watching The Shining or Bride of Chucky at 10.

It really depends on your kids’ tolerance and mentality. It seems to be in my family’s genes to be hard as nails with horror films and watching The Omen (1976) is a bit of a rite of passage.
One of my nieces, when asked at the age of eight or so, to write a Valentine poem at school penned this work of genius:

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Let’s sit down
And watch Omen 2
However, you need to know your audience and if your children are sensitive then slasher/monster films could really scar them for a while. I reckon one of the classic Hammer Horrors would do. Not one of the more modern ones as they’re quite seedy and too much like real life. If a film is set in previous centuries it removes the danger (IYSWIM), esp if it’s a traditional monster like a vampire.

Ah, I read half the thread before chiming in and now I see OP has chosen Edward Scissorhands. That’s great - just otherworldly enough to give a thrill without any real risk and a lovely story/message.

Ooh Edward scissorhands is a good pick!! My then 13yo watched cloverfield last year. That was a brilliant film and not enough monster action to be too scary!

@mynameisnotmichaelcaine

I watched it a few months ago and still got creeped out. It is amazing how much suspense they’ve created whilst you never see any blood or gore. I think it is greats

Anyone who was a child in the 70’s remember Peter & the Wolf?

My Mum gave me the vinyl record to take into my infants class and the teachers played it! Spooked me and I’d heard it before Not sure how well received it was for the other kids, can’t quite remember.

Me too Rolla, I'm not really that much of a film fan, so it takes a lot to get me to love a film. Apparently it's based on a book, but I've not read it.