It's always a great time to sit back and rewatch classic films, especially ones that provided you with cathartic thrills and chills when you were younger. The only thing better is sharing these movies with your family.
It can be tough to find films for everyone, though, especially scary ones. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of classic fun and frightful films from the '70s to the 2000s that might be suitable for family viewing. Different families can tolerate different levels of fright, though. So, we’ve rated each film on a scale of one to four in terms of “fear factor.” We’ll also tell you a little bit about each film.
The 1970s
Duel (1971)
Fear Factor: 1
Director Steven Spielberg is best known for other films (like the next one on this list), but with his first movie, Duel, he showed a penchant for some of the scares he’d come to be known for. It's the story of a commuter who’s terrorized by the driver of a semi-truck. It originally aired as an ABC TV movie. So, it’s relatively tame as far as what it shows on screen. There are still some tense moments, though.
Jaws (1975)
Fear Factor: 3
This is the film that put Spielberg on the map and ignited pop culture’s fascination with and fear of sharks. It tells the tale of a giant great white shark terrorizing an island during peak vacation times. There are some scenes of quick gore, but most of the frightening and tense scenes are implied. When partnered with John Williams' iconic score, they’re still pretty scary. So, Jaws may be too intense for younger kids, but it’s perfect for teens and mature tweens.
King Kong (1976)
Fear Factor: 2
This 1976 remake of the classic giant ape film, King Kong, has been maligned for years, but this film starring Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin and Jessica Lange does have several things going for it that makes it a ‘70s classic; a contemporary setting, a climax that involves the World Trade Center instead of the Empire State Building and creature work from the legendary Rick Baker. This has some fierce monsters, large-scale destruction and the tragic death of the titular character, so it may not be appropriate for kids, but should be fine for teens and tweens.
The 1980s
Ghostbusters (1984)
Fear Factor: 2
Ghostbusters is a classic horror comedy for a reason. It’s got great characters, hilarious jokes and fun and exciting visual effects. It’s mostly a comedy, but there are a few scenes that are genuinely unsettling that involve a dark entity targeting Sigourney Weaver’s character. So, this is another classic that you should be able to share with your teens and tweens.
Gremlins (1984)
Fear Factor: 2
If you’re the type that enjoys Christmas vibes in July, you can’t go wrong with this hilariously twisted take on a holiday classic that features some truly adorable and monstrous, fully realized, animatronic characters. The Gremlins are menacing, and there’s some creature gore. So, this is another one, not for young or impressionable kids.
The Monster Squad (1987)
Fear Factor: 2 
This film delivers pure ‘80s fun and is essentially “What if the Goonies battled the Universal Monsters?” There are some intense action scenes, cursing and plots involving an incantation to banish monsters that must be recited by a virgin. So, it makes the most of its PG-13 rating.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Fear Factor: 1
This classic horror comedy starring Michael Keaton as a “bio-exorcist” trying to scare away humans haunting a home. The title character is mischievous and skeezy, and there are ghosts sporting injuries that killed them, but almost all the violence and scares in the film are played for laughs. So, it should be safe for all but the youngest of kids.
The 1990s
Arachnophobia (1990)
Fear Factor: 2 (or 4, if you’re afraid of spiders)
This underrated comedy-thriller stars Jeff Daniels as a doctor who is deathly afraid of spiders and John Goodman as an eccentric exterminator. Both are trapped in a small town overrun with arachnids. Anyone who has a fear of spiders should not watch this, regardless of age, but it’s great fun for teens and adults who don’t have issues with spiders.
Tremors (1990)
Fear Factor: 2
This horror comedy, starring Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward, is about a small, isolated southwestern town that is under siege from giant, carnivorous worm creatures. There’s some violence, monster gore and comic shenanigans. So, tweens, teens and adults should have a great time with it.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Fear Factor: 1
The PG-rated Disney horror comedy, where a group of kids must save their town from a trio of resurrected 17th-century witches, is a perfect gateway horror film for young kids interested in spooky stories. It’s got a script by horror legend Mick Garris and some great special effects. So, it’s fun for adults as well.
The Mummy (1999)
Fear Factor: 2
The Mummy is just as much an adventure film as it is a horror one. It’s got cool effects, exciting stunts and a great cast. It’s also got quite a bit of action movie-style violence and some undead monsters. So, this is another film that should be fine for teens and tweens but is probably too intense for kids.
The 2000s
The Mummy Returns (2001)
Fear Factor: 2
This sequel to The Mummy isn’t as great as the original, but it’s still pretty fun. It also has most of the elements that made the first film so enjoyable for adults, teens and tweens, and too intense for kids.
Scooby-Doo (2002)
Fear Factor: 1
This big-screen adaptation of the long-running cartoon has all the elements that made it such a favorite for so many kids over the years. It also has a script by James Gunn. So, there’s fun to be had by adults as well. On top of that, it's got a great cast and a fun setting, the resort known as Spooky Island.
Signs (2002)
Fear Factor: 2
This film follows a family dealing with the paranoia and fear that erupt when mysterious crop circles appear in their town. It involves unsettling non-human creatures, sudden visceral violence, grief and questions of faith, so it’s too intense for young kids.
Hellboy (2004)
Fear Factor: 2
This early, fun film from Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro shows off his gift for depicting fantastic phenomena, nightmarish creatures and monstrous outcasts with hearts of gold. The eponymous character is part of a team of paranormal agents who fight supernatural evils. It’s a movie with action, violence, mild scares and creatures, so it’s not for young kids.
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