Kids, Movies, and death (movies will be spoiled)

[WingedSerpent]

I watched "The Host" a couple of nights ago, and one of the things that suprised me was lost little girl ends up dying.  When I was dicussing the movie with some friens, one of them said that this broke horror movie rules-that the child can't die.

In response, I tried to think of examples of horror/monster movies in which kids end up getting killed.
So far I have
The Host
Mimic
Godzilla (1954-origianal cut)
Jeepers Creepers 2

If anyone can think of others, feel free to post.

While I have your attention, Do you think of this rule?  Naturally nobody wants to see children die-but woulndn't it increase the horror if the movie provides an example of how nobody is truly safe.  Kids and often pets are somehow able to escape monsters, slashers, and other horrors.  What do you think?

[TheFilmFiend]

The Children is another flick which features a number of dead kids, as does Beware! Children at Play. Outside of those two examples, I'm drawing a complete blank.

[ulthar]

This thread reminds me why I hated the movie CUJO so much.  King had the right kind of ending in the book, but the film totally wimped out.

Ooops, I almost forgot: Though it was cut in the original release, FRANKENSTEIN (1931) had what is now considered to be a classic horror scene with a child death.  And if I recall correctly, it is a pretty horrific scene (at least psychologically), partly because the viewer knows the monster really was not intending to hurt the little girl.

[RCMerchant]

 PET SEMATARY kills a kid and a cat.

This scene always bugs me out....

[youtube=425,350] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQZgSmv-kvE

[Dennis]

It is a sort of rule in the "B" movie world that kids, if they're cute, don't get killed. They usually cause problems for the adults some of whom may die rescuing the kids, or they are the first one or group to see the creature, alien etc. and none of the adults believe them, same is true of cute pets, cats and dogs.
Exceptions:
In Jaws, Pippin the dog gets eaten while fetching a stick in the surf, not shown in the film, dog just disappears.
The little Kitner boy gets eaten and Chief Brody is the one of the few to notice.
In Salem's Lot, the vampire and his assistant kill a dog, and attack 2 of the local boys.
In Feast the only kid in the film gets eaten almost right at the start.
It is true that the little girl dies at the end of Host, but the little boy she's been trying to save not only survives but is adopted by her father.

[flackbait]

In the sleepy hollow movie staring Johnny Depp a kid is killed by the headless horsemen.

[RCMerchant]

 Think FAST! Fulci's the BEYOND....

[youtube=425,350] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5GEMuuyejM

The little girl in the original NIGHT of the LIVING DEAD.
.The dog gets zapped in MARS ATTACKS!
.A dog gets zapped in the ASTOUNDING SHE MONSTER
.A dog is killed in the first the HILLS HAVE EYES

[Raffine]

In SABOTAGE (1936) Sylvia Sydney's little brother is killed when a bomb he's unknowingly carrying (in a film can!) explodes on a bus. THe audience reaction to the death of a child was so negative Hitchcock said later it was the biggest mistake he ever made in a film.

[Shadow]

A few more:

Kid thrown into sacrificial fire in The Beastmaster.
Kid (member of royal family) killed in the beginning of The Sword and the Sorcerer.
Baby eaten by octopus in Tentacles.
Kid killed in back seat of car by monster in Rawhead Rex.
Baby eaten by giant rats in Deadly Eyes.
Kid thrown against wall by assassins in Caligula.
The famous sleeping bag scene in Prophecy.


Wasn't there a kid killed by David Cronenberg's character in Nightbreed?

[Mr_Vindictive]

Lots of great stuff mentioned here.

At the moment the only one I can think of, that hasn't been mentioned, is in the second Plaga Zombie.  There is a small boy in a minivan who is crying for help.  A zombie eventually breaks into the van and eats the kid and takes his sucker.

The scene is played for laughs btw.  I can't say that was the best idea in the world.

[LilCerberus]

Body Snatchers (That one from the early '90's)
That scene in the end where they find out the kid brother is "one of them", and they toss him off the helicopter.

Also, I've only seen the editted for television version, but doesn't Double Team start out with the villain's son getting killed, followed by him bombing a hospitle nursery?

[Torgo]

Isn't there a boy who gets run over by a steam roller in Maximum Overdrive?

[voltron]

A baby in a stroller gets hit by a car in Truth Or Dare: A Critical Madness. I'm kinda surprised RCMerchant didn't mention that one yet.

[Shadow]

Isn't there a boy who gets run over by a steam roller in Maximum Overdrive?

Yes! Plus another that was killed by his walkman.

And the kid in the pool in Alligator. GULP!!

[Torgo]

Yes! Plus another that was killed by his walkman.

And the kid in the pool in Alligator. GULP!!

BTW, don't forget that the Alligator special edition DVD streets on September 18th!