children in horror please help!!

:) hey!!
i need peoples help on what they think about horror filming and the use of children in horror films for my critical research paper which is due very soon so if any one could please help that would be very helpful.
1.) what do you think of the representation of children in horror, how are they mostly represented?
2.) which films portray this representation best?
3.) is there any or has ther been any effects of horror on children apart from James Bulger,?

or of any other opinions you have on it would be very very helpful!!! :D :D
thanks!!
xxxx

[Roderick Usher]

Originally Posted by blondebabe09

3.) is there any or has ther been any effects of horror on children apart from James Bulger,?

How does this have anything to do with horror, other than it being a horrific tragedy? Are you saying the kids who killed this toddler did it because they watched scary movies?

Watching, reading, listening or creating horrific imagery/stories doesn't make people violent. Bad parenting/abuse and psychosis are the cause.

The entire point of horror is to be cathartic, to help people release thier pent-up fears in a safe environment.

As for kids in horror - kill 'em. Kids die in the real world in greater numbers than adults, yet this ratio is grossly misrepresented in film. There is no impact left in killing a sexy young teen, but taking the life of "an innocent" as so many people like to put it, has the power to shock and upset - which is the core of catharsis.

[Zero]

i hate the way they never come back and tell us their findings (or at least their grades)

[Daedalus]

Dont make them zombies, I hate that use for children like that

But I agree with Roderick on this one, children dying and people seeing it makes a great emotional impact on the audience, not so much teens because they arent really the innocent as the younger ones are, especially infants...as sad as it may be but I like Roderick's idea and the statistic he just stated

[Ferox13]

3.) is there any or has ther been any effects of horror on children apart from James Bulger,?

I'm not sure what you have been researching but there is no proven link between Childs play 3 and the murder of James Bulger. Maybe yer critical research wasn't critical enough. The film was never brought up in the trial at all - the link between horror films was an off the cuff remark made by the judge.

[DarkwingMantis]

I actually respect a movie that kills off the kid. It shows the director and the distributer has a set of balls

[horrorchic]

Since this response is almost a month later I will assume you are done with the project.... But I will answer anyhow.


1.) what do you think of the representation of children in horror, how are they mostly represented?
Answer: ) I think that the representation of children is seen as either the child of satan of children from hell. Selldom do I see a shild as the star (I actually mean the one to beat the "killer") , exception in some a few of the Child's Plays. Now seeing children as monsters seems too easy. We should try to see them in a higher light I think or victimize them too, that would be fine.

2.) which films portray this representation best?
Answer: ) Omen, Child's Play, Children of the Corn, Good Son, and Rosemary's Baby. (There are plenty more, I just don't remeber all of them off the top of my head.)


3.) is there any or has ther been any effects of horror on children apart from James Bulger,?

Answer: ) I agree with many others, this was not a case in which violence was casue or seemingly caused by movies or media. I think that they were just horrible children from abusive homes that needed to vent. It was a horrible, horrible tradegy. Much like the case of Eric Smith child killer also. In my socialology class we learn too much about children and what drives them to kill, in this case Eric did not like the attention that the younger child had received. Blaming the media may be bad form in this case. It is more like ticking time bombs of emotion and pent up issues with no resolve.

Hope this helps if it is not too late.

[LilMissScareAll]

Originally Posted by Roderick Usher

Watching, reading, listening or creating horrific imagery/stories doesn't make people violent. Bad parenting/abuse and psychosis are the cause.

I agree...it's stupid to assume anyone kills someone else "because of a movie" or "because they're horror fans". :rolleyes:
But I do think they should put more kids in horror movies because it's not seen as often...it's of course, mainly older teenagers or people in their 20's.