Start with older movies. They aren't quite as gory and the sex scenes typically aren't very in your face and are more subtle. A lot of horror movies made today go for gore and terror vs actually good movies. As an avid horror movie fan, I'd he OK with my 12 year old watching the movies suggested here.

Rosemary's Baby
The Omen
The Exorcist

Anonymous wrote:Common Sense Media gives you a breakdown of "why" things are rated as they are. They have categories for sex, foul language, drugs, gore, etc.

http://www.commonsensemedia.org

I'd check there. And/or I'd watch them first. I personally don't mind the sex stuff. It's the utterly gruesome destruction of flesh that I hate.

Oh, and stuff I'd let my son watch:

Blair Witch Project
Paranormal Activity

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that a lot of R horror movies have that rating because of gratuitous sex scenes, not the horror parts. Think--axe murderer walking in on a couple in a rocking car...

Maybe it's the movies that we watch, but it's been more gratuitous violence and gore than gratuitous sex.

OP, things I've enjoyed in the last little bit:

The Witch
You're Next
Don't Breathe
Crimson Peak

I think it really depends on what your kid is into. I don't like slasher movies, but I do like ghost stories and psychological thrillers. So the above is mostly that, though there is scary situations and violence in all.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original version)

The Thing

The Creature of the Black Lagoon

Common Sense Media gives you a breakdown of "why" things are rated as they are. They have categories for sex, foul language, drugs, gore, etc.

http://www.commonsensemedia.org

I'd check there. And/or I'd watch them first. I personally don't mind the sex stuff. It's the utterly gruesome destruction of flesh that I hate.

Why are you discounting your husband's opinion? Especially when they are watching together?

I was an avid watcher of horror films in 7th grade - a la Halloween, Fri the 13th, Nightmare on Elm St, Steven King movies (I actually still like them as an adult, but much prefer thrillers nowadays). I would stay up late watching them by myself because no one else in my family enjoyed horror films. But it's funny, my oldest is now 12 and I can't even imagine her watching those kind of movies . Anyway, I obviously see no problem with it based on my own experience, as long as your son is not the type to then have nightmares. I am a very peaceful person and just enjoy these kinds of movies for the adreniline rush (and humor!).

The problem is that a lot of R horror movies have that rating because of gratuitous sex scenes, not the horror parts. Think--axe murderer walking in on a couple in a rocking car...

^Orson Wells and Hitchcock

Jaws, Salem's Lot, Poltergeist, Body Snatchers. Basically any of the old classic horror flicks like Frankenstein, The Blob, The Mummy....Orson Wells stuff is always good - The Birds. Tell them to watch those first.

^^any

OP again - and whole we're at it, and recommendations for horror movies that might be OK for a 12 year old?

Just to add, DH says he will watch the movie with DS.

DS just turned 12 and loves scary movies. He just watched "The Ring", which is PG-13, and loved it.Now DH and DS are bugging the crap out of me, pushing me to let DS watch some rated R horror movies, which I'm NOT comfortable with. Am I being an overprotective party-pooper? They are giving me a hard time about forcing them to turn off a movie they were starting. I'm ok with PG-13, but not R unless it's something I've thoroughly vetted.