What age to start my kids on horror movies?

Hah you joke but I was around that age when I saw it. I was about 8 when my older brother showed me Faces of Death. I turned out OK I guess.

I watched The Exorcist when I was in Elementary School and that was a HUGE mistake. But movies like Poltergeist and Jaws should be fine. Movies that are more special effects than actual horror probably won't scare them. For example, I introduced the Evil Dead trilogy to my sister when she was 10 or 11 and she was never frightened. But when Paranormal Activity was released, that scared the shit out of her. And when she watched Saw on television, that also scared her. I think when horror movies are spectacle, they're not scary. I watched Chucky and Freddy Kreuger when I was like 4 or 5 and it didn't affect me at all. But I watched Psycho when I was 12 and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I think when horror movies are simple and relatable, that's when the scares creep in.

Seven (and even nine) seems really young, imo.

I feel like there's probably better baby steps movies. *shrugs*

I feel like some clarification might be in order. All of you apparently think it's good to go, but all I know is that Duke Leto said they only watch Pixar/Disney movies. Poltergeist seems like a huge leap to me.

What are the worst Rated PG-13/R movies they have been exposed to thus far? Have they watched the Indiana Jones movies yet, for example, or have they literally only been accustomed to watching family/kids movies?

You never know. My family is three quarters women, and they all love the Indiana Jones franchise.

Those are all movies I grew up on as well. Indiana Jones is arguably a fun family franchise of movies, but they do have horror moments that seem like a good testing ground to me. If face melting, heart-pulling, and growing-old-turning-into-a-skeleton doesn't scare them that much, then they should be fine with Poltergeist.

The idea that girls can't/won't enjoy Indiana Jones does kind of sadden me. Or stranger, that they may alternatively like something like Poltergeist instead. =\

Movies that don't sell the gore are a good start

I do expect the two younger ones to hop in bed with us after watching it. Hopefully that only last a day or so. I can deal with that.

Indiana Jones is good baby step, especially Temple of Doom, but Tim Burton is even better. If they can survive Beetlejuice, they can watch all the effects-driven horror movies. Universal. Hammer. Evil Dead. Freddy Kreuger.

Actually now that you mention it, we did watch Beetlejuice and Pee Wees Big Adventure. No problems with those.

Well after sleeping on it, I think they are ready for it. I had forgotten about some of the classic stuff they have seen that is kinda scary for kids that didn't scare me because I was already into the real good stuff at that age.

Thanks for the help all. Trying to groom the next generation of movie fans can be a tough job.

Human Centipede is pretty tame.