TheWorkingDead
Posts 273
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9/25/2007 10:48 AM
posted awhile ago
Creepy and Weird
Something that bothers me about kids films today is how watered down they seem to be. I was watching Beetlejuice recently, and granted, it isnt a childrens movie, but it was something I loved as a child, so it sorta fits. It amazed me how completely creepy the setup to that film is. The scene directly after the couple dies, when they return to the house with no memory of how they got there, really creeped me out. We dont see that sense of the macabre in many family films anymore. Fantasy and a certain sense of wonder are necessary for really good children's films, and that usually involves a certain amount of, well, creepiness. Labyrinth had the baby kidnapped by goblins, Willy Wonka had that creepy boat scene, The Goonies had Corey Feldmen(ahhhh!). I dont mean to imply that this sense of the macabre has left kids films(look at Monster House, for example), but I think people(both parents and filmmakers) underestimate what kids can handle. As a kid a lot of that creepiness passes over us, and we just follow along on the journey. It's as adults that we get worried, and assume our children wont be able to handle it(I was guilty of this recently, when my daughter watched and loved Monster House, despite being scared of the silliest things). In the afterword(or maybe foreword) to Coraline, Neil Gaiman says that adults got creeped out by the book, but kids just went along for the adventure. This is a great example of what I'm talking about, because yes, the book is INCREDIBLY disturbing, and scared the bejesus out of me. But kids dont get that, they follow the story and understand it on a completely different level. So, any great movies out there that really creep you out now that your an adult?
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indieabby88
Posts 327
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9/25/2007 12:48 PM
posted awhile ago
Re:Creepy and Weird
I think "Monster House" is kind of a rarity in today's kids movies. It was really a good throwback to the days when filmmakers didn't treat kids as people far too impressionable to be presented with darker situations or images. I mean, we watched movies like that all the time when we were kids, and look how we turned out!
...on second thought, hmm. Anyway, your "Coraline" reference is a great example of the fact that kids tend to gloss over some of the weirder stuff in movies or books if the story is engaging enough.
Anyway, here a few of the ones that come to mind for me:
"The Dark Crystal": I never really liked this one as much as the other Jim Henson movies, but not because it was creepy. I just didn't care much for those deer-people. Anyway, do you remember Chamberlain? Super-duper creepy.
I actually was not a fan of "The Goonies" when I first saw it, because it scared the bejeezus out of me. After a couple of years, though, I thought it was pretty awesome.
"Bill and Ted's Bogus Adventure": I realize, this isn't exactly a kid's film, but when I was between 9 and 11, Bill and Ted were what all cool kids watched. Anyway, I think the concept of death is kind of an iffy subject when it comes to kids, especially the personification of death.
I can come up with more later, but I'm a bit strapped for time.
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TheWorkingDead
Posts 273
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9/26/2007 11:00 AM
posted awhile ago
Re:Re:Creepy and Weird
Oh! Oh! Oh! I completely forgot Eerie, Indiana! If ever there was a creepy kids show, it's Eerie Indiana. Something that totally doesn't exist on the air anymore. I mentioned it slightly in the 'get things started' thread, but it deserves EXTRA mention here. One of the coolest TV shows ever. I've gone over it before, so I wont bore people in this group. But I will promote myself a bit and say you can find my full review here.
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