At around three or four I saw my first horror movie – it was the 1941 classic The Wolfman. As a kid, I didn’t register what horror was at the time, I was just wild for Halloween. It was a time of the year where I could feel the most like me; getting into costumes and watching monster movies spoke to something in little me and shaped me into the horror-loving fan I am now at 31.
Story has always been important to me throughout my life, and while video games and anime have provided me just as much comfort, I owe a lot of thanks to horror. As I’ve written about before, films like The Nightmare Before Christmas and other monster flicks provided me a means of seeing myself; they helped me know that, in some way, I was not alone. And while everyone’s viewing experience is different from everyone else’s, I’ve been reflecting lately on a belief I thought would be worth mulling over: Why kids should watch horror movies.
Many studies already exist regarding the benefits that horror can offer viewers, like developing stronger coping mechanisms when it comes to fears and worries. Horror provides us a safe place to partake in scary/disturbing concepts, allowing the screen to act as a buffer while we follow along to a story. In one study I looked up, the researcher shares, “One reason that horror use may correlate with less psychological distress is that horror fiction allows its audience to practice grappling with negative emotions in a safe setting.” The rest of the quote goes on to share, “Through fearing the murderer or monster on the screen, audiences have an opportunity to practice emotion regulation skills. Experiencing negative emotions in a safe setting, such as during a horror film, might help individuals hone strategies for dealing with fear and more calmly deal with fear-eliciting situations in real life (Gross, 1998; Shurick et al., 2012).”
I think this is a great point and something worth expanding upon. Because horror offers much for us to derive from, and a part of that I have always felt, and experienced, is that of introspective growth. Not only do I feel that horror has the means to help us handle fear, but I believe it has the means to help us view ourselves more strongly and positively – which is why it can be a great medium for kids to discover.
“Stranger Things”
In watching a show like Stranger Things, we see a bunch of kids working together to combat terrifying threats; this form of representation for younger audiences is crucial. It displays the notion that even when things appear scary or challenging, a young kid can find the strength to stand up for what’s right. They may not be facing otherworldly monsters in their day-to-day life, but a kid can display tremendous courage. This isn’t to say kids should have to prepare themselves for an onslaught of struggles (life is already hard enough for kids). But horror media does not just exist as an outlet to those real-world pains, it can also exist as a resource to inspire.
Another excellent example of this is 2020’s Gretel & Hansel. This is a fascinating film with powerful atmosphere that exudes dread and eeriness, but also is a remarkable story of self-discovery and empowerment. As the audience follows Gretel’s story (played by Sophia Lillis), we see a young woman finding herself and carving out her own path; she realizes that she can shape her own life and takes ownership in that. Films like Gretel & Hansel are remarkable tools in terms of introspective growth – the horror elements of such stories working to elevate the depth of characters.
For me growing up, it was monster movies. As someone who felt different compared to others, monsters became a form of validation. I even felt connected to monstrous-like characters, such as that of Spawn. I accredit a lot of my comic book love to Spawn in particular because, at a young age, I think the emotionality and darkness of the stories struck a deep chord with me. To read and see such inner turmoil in such a bad ass character was remarkable to my little brain, and it’s those kinds of stories that inspired me to be strong.
Horror also has its place to enlighten us, and again, I find a lot of that in monster movies. I remember having odd feelings about The Wolfman when I watched it as a kid; I knew what the protagonist was doing when he transformed was wrong, but I also felt bad for him and knew it wasn’t entirely his fault. Kids are known to have a hundred and one questions when it comes to an array of subjects, and horror is a great place to possibly explore some of those.
‘Frankenstein’
If you have a little one who shows interest in spooky things, the Universal Monsters flicks are a safe bunch of movies to test out their tolerance with. When I was little, I was really in awe and thrown off by the scene in Frankenstein where the monster is with the little girl playing with flowers; they are having a nice time together, only for the monster to end up throwing her into the water. While I didn’t blindly sympathize with the monster, much like the case with The Wolfman, I could see that there was a misunderstanding taking place – given the monster’s very little understanding of the world. I am in no place to comment on parenting, but I imagine a great way to engage with film with one’s kids is to have an open discussion about what it is they just watched. If a little one is interested in watching more horror but confused by what they’ve seen, you don’t need to go into a whole philosophical conversation about it; but having a dialogue about what horror movies look to convey can open their minds to a world of storytelling.
Horror can also be a fun form of entertainment; you don’t have to go that far to find horror media more inline for kids such as that of Coraline. However, Coraline is also a great work of horror I would recommend for young newcomers to check out. Coraline is a kid frustrated in moving to a new home and not being able to hang out with her friends where she used to live. There is a great thematic presence throughout the film regarding family that is heartfelt and intriguing, as well as the significance behind that of Coraline’s personality. Her quirky nature is a quality I wish I grew up seeing as a kid; her drive towards adventure, interest in the odd, weird, and sometimes morbid make for a form of childhood representation that would have provided me a reassurance that I was actually a normal kid (when I felt out of place).
I know I’m going to sound bias as hell in saying this – but horror is the most compelling, engaging, and interesting medium of storytelling. While other genres can offer forms of complexity – narratively or through characters – horror is a form of narrative that aims to challenge and subvert. I don’t think we should be trying to force feed kids brutal and grim works of horror because life can be difficult – but because life is full of struggle, and because today is a scarier world for kids maybe more than ever, I think horror offers a safe haven to grow. A kid liking or being interested in horror shouldn’t be answered with concern, but instead curiosity. Why does horror connect with this person?
I was raised by an awesome mom who cannot watch horror unless it is very goofy and playful. But when I started to show signs of loving horror as a kid, she didn’t freak out and worry I would turn out any particular way – she engaged with me and helped me to foster a passion for an art form that changed my life. Horror is an incredible tool that can not only help us see the larger world, but also better understand ourselves. And when it comes to younger audiences, I think the array of significant thematic exploration and character depth makes horror a remarkable genre worth exploring.
‘Gretel & Hansel’
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