Horror in Children's Movies
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PHOTO courtesy OF kAT jAYNE
When adults are in the mood for a good scare, they watch a horror movie. These films are almost always exclusive to mature audiences (18+), but does that mean movies for children are completely devoid of anything related to horror? No, not a chance. Children’s movies incorporate elements of horror more often than you think, and surprisingly enough, it’s usually justified in the plot. You’re probably thinking: “Horror in kids’ movies? Not okay!” While I’m not about to start an argument over moral dilemmas, I will explain how elements of horror can be implemented into children’s movies wholesomely and intelligently.
Frightening a child doesn’t revolve around an exclusive algorithm found only within this article. It’s very similar to frightening an adult. In fact, it’s identical. It might use ambiguity, a jump-scare, or something that’s just plain disturbing. The same is done when trying to scare kids; the dosage is just reduced a little.
The examples of how this is done are endless, but one scene in Toy Story stands out as a particularly strong example. Sid’s deformed toys revealing themselves is unnerving, but not scarring. Sid’s toys are only scary because they’re built from pieces of one another and possess no traits that would be considered inappropriate for children. Their appearances fall somewhere in the uncanny valley. This is when something or someone’s appearance clearly indicates what they are but has looks different enough from the original to suggest they’re not quite what you thought they were. This is a technique proven to scare not only children, but adults, too. Lastly, the scene has a purpose. It wasn’t just thrown into the film for the sake of having an obligatory scary scene; it was included to strengthen the theme as well as define Sid as a character.
My criteria of well-implemented horror in kids’ films is being appropriately scary for the intended age group, not being a jump-scare, and having a meaningful purpose. The scene where Sid’s toys are revealed meets the aforementioned criteria at an A+ level, but so does “the giant Ursula scene” from The Little Mermaid and “the parents scene” from Coraline. If you’re feeling youthful and maybe a little daring, give them a watch!
Sam Gagnon
Sam's niche analytical style of writing spans across a plethora of passions. He's debunked high protein myths, offered us an objective deconstruction of the success of eSports, and has written several elegant reviews of best-selling movies. Sam now looks forward to offering his insights to the things that make us shiver.
