got away in horror films . . . Somehow that wasn't fair. That's why they decided when they filmed the scene where the Horseman slaughtered the family, the kid had to go as well. (This from his commentary, which I admit I haven't heard, from the dvd version of his "Sleepy Hollow.")
Well, he's wrong. And he hasn't been right in 71 years. Ever since Frankenstein's Monster threw Little Maria into the water in "Frankenstein."
But, that he's wrong, isn't what only bothers me. It's the fact, that like alot of people who complain about something, he didn't have the courage of his convictions to really do something about his complaint. If he really felt strongly that it wasn't fair, that kids escape in horror films, he should have offed the kid on camera, lLike these horror films, which are reviewed at this site.
Cemetery Man
Fright Show
Lair of the White Worm
Piranha II
Slugs
He not only backpedaled on his complaint, by not showing the kid offed on camera, He backpedaled even more by not showing the kid's body on camera. Unlike these horror films, which showed kids killed on camera. (And I am sure other horror films can be added to this list.)
Arachnophobia
The Blob (1988)
Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter
Children of the Damned
Cry of the Banshee
Frankenstein: the True Story
Fright Night
Hocus Pocus
It's Alive
Lord of the Flies (Both the American and British versions)
Macbeth (Almost any version)
Return to Salem's Lot
Vampire Circus
Village of the Damned (Both the American and British versions)
It drives me crazy as well when kids get away. But if he had shown the kid getting diced on-screen the ratings board would demand it be cut. Because that's the way their morals work: Kill as many adults as you want but children must never be seen dying, because as we all know children never die in real life, so we can't have it in the movies. Just once I'd like to see someone under eighteen dismembered in a film.
>And I am sure other horror films can be added to this list.
Mimic
The Children
MAN BITES DOG showed a kid getting his neck snapped--if you saw the NC-17 version, that is....
If there's an actual, logical reason, that comes as a natural progression of events, for the kid to get away, I'm fine with it.
Like in Aliens, Newt survived *only* because a) the aliens didn't know about her when she was alone and b) everyone worked damn hard to keep her alive.
But, let's face it, in most movies kids survive just 'cause. My philosophy on it is: If you don't have the guts to off the kid, don't put him in mortal danger at all.
I'm ok with killing the kid off-camera, at least in a mainstream movie. I'm not as bloodthirsty as I used to be. :)
Well, in a movie my friend Shannon is making, a Junior in high school (16 y/o) gets hit by a car...
The best offing of a kid I've seen is in Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13. It is interesting to note that, on the laserdisc commentary, Carpenter mentioned that, as a parent, he would not put that scene in the movie is he remade it.
The remake of The Blob had kid getting off, but he was specifically placed in there for the 'jolt' (and it does work, dang it). I would have been shocked if the girl's kid brother had gotten it.
Off screen works - just check out the nasty surprise one charcter comes home to in Cronenberg's Rabid.
But I wasn't the lease bit afraid for the kids in Jurassic Park, clearly they had a death exemption (gleaned from reading Crichton's book and knowing that this was directed by the Steven Spielberg that had made E.T., not the one that had made Jaws or Duel).
Other movies that off kids (on or off camera)
Tentacles
Kingdom of the Spiders
Blood Beach
TerrorVision
Alligator
Piranha
Body Snatchers
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (both versions)
Irwin Allen's Production of The Swarm
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Warlock
Dead & Buried
The Sixth Sense
Night of the Living Dead
Dawn of the Dead (zombie kids - they died TWICE)
Hell of the Livind Dead (aka Night of the Zombies)
City of the Living Dead (aka The Gates of Hell, implied)
The Beyond
Evilspeak
House by the Cemetary (implied)
Zombi 3
Return of the Living Dead Part 2
Puppet Master 2
"Manos" The Hands of Fate
The Curse of Frankenstein
Village of the Damned (both versions)
I remember I was REALLY REALLY suprised when the two kids in Mimic bit the dust. The way they set them up as poor-kids-with-a-heart-of-gold collecting bugs and crap... I thought them being killed was probably the most effective moment in the film.
Oh, here's another flick I haven't seen mentioned.
Duck! The Carbine High School Massacre
All the deaths are high school students I believe. I've been meaning to get that one for a while.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0967916909/qid=1031093834/sr=1-16/ref=sr_1_16/102-9673333-7093759?v=glance&s=video
Massacre at Central High, although the 'kids' look more like college students.
Max's son (and wife) in Mad Max--though off camera. It does set up his persona for The Road Warrior.