Is An 11 Year Old Ready For "The Shining"?

United States
October 20, 2008 9:33pm CST
My son has recently expressed a fair amount of interest in watching Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" with me. This is, in my opinion, one the scariest movies ever made. I saw it when I was about his age and it scared the living heck (add your favorite expliative in place of "heck") out of me. I think that it is a shocking movie on so many levels and I really wonder if it's appropriate for an 11 year old to view. Now I know this might seem like a pointless question as this movie does carry an R rating and is intended for older audiences. But really, how many of you out there have watched horror movies well before your 17th year? Does it seem unreasonable to think that it's something he could choose to watch with me? Here is my reasoning....he either is going to start watching it with me, chicken out and then walk away from it, because it's dad he's watching it with and he doesn't have any ego or reputation to defend, or he's going to catch a viewing of it at a friend's house where peer pressure might take him through the whole movie and leave him feeling very emotionally upset from viewing the whole thing. I don't know....maybe he won't even be phased by it. But there is a lot of creepiness going on in that movie, and a lot of gore...and I just don't know. I don't want to be the evil parent that tells his kid no...and I am obviously secure enough in my parenthood to put my foot down. However, by the time I was his age, I had seen plenty of horror movies-and to this day, some of them remain some of my favorite movies of all time (the Shining included). So I guess I just want to know what other's think of this movie and if an 11 year old (he'll be 12 in just a couple of months) is ready??
1 person likes this
2 responses
@emma412 (1156)
• United States
21 Oct 08
11, huh? It seems a bit young to me but I don't know your son. It would depend on his maturity level and if he could handle something like that. You are the best judge of what your son can and cannot handle. That movie freaked me out and still does and I am 25. I would make sure to watch it with him if you decide to and be prepared for some possible nightmares!
@stryker5 (52)
• United States
21 Oct 08
I watched that movie, as well as other horror movies, way before 17. I have an 11 year old and a 13 year old. If they express interests in movies, I prefer for them to watch it with me, giving them the option to leave at anytime without feeling embarrassed vs. watching at a friends house and feeling like they have to sit there even if they don't want to. My youngest one sat down one night to watch poltergeist with me and about 30 minutes into the movie got up and walked out. This was 2 years ago. He still won't watch it. I am curious as to why you feel the need to ask this question. He is your child and it is up to you on whether you feel like letting him do this. You know that the horror movies did not damage you in anyway. This is something that he is wanting to share with you. Take advantage of it while you can because sooner or later that opportunity will not be there.