Finally someone made a horror movie about the scariest thing there is… children!
In this frightful 80s horror movie based on a short story by Stephen King, a religious cult forms among the children of a fictional town in Nebraska called Gatlin. The cult worships a god known as “He Who Walks Behind the Rows” who says that anyone above the age of 19 must be sacrificed in order to secure a bountiful corn harvest.
But I’m above the age of 19! This movie should be required viewing for anyone who is celebrating their 19th birthday, I think that would be fun.
The movie centers on a young couple, Burt and Vicky, who are passing through Nebraska when they accidentally mow down one of the cult’s dissidents with their car. They try to stop for gas but an old man tells them that the pumps are empty, so they drive into town instead. So… just like in the opening of 1974′s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
Anyway. Here’s Isaac, the cult leader. He is the prophet who speaks to “He Who Walks Behind the Rows.” Burt and Vicky eventually find the two children who are not partying it up Jimmy Neutron-style in Gatlin, Job and Sarah. The reason Isaac keeps Sarah around is because she is a seer, she draws pictures that are sort of prophecies that usually just include stick figure children stabbing stick figure adults.
Also the actor who plays Isaac, John Franklin, went on to play Cousin Itt in the 90s remakes of The Addams Family.’
Vicky is soon taken hostage by Malachai, Isaac’s righthand man. Religious zealotry and gore ensues! The movie reminded me of Carrie in that Stephen King really seems to have a thing for people who take Christianity too far, but this one I think offered a much more positive message in terms of how one could follow the Bible without becoming a murderous psychopath. Also there are obvious metaphors involving the connection between sexuality and impurity, as most slasher movies make clear, sexual promiscuity leads to death!
Look out for A+ 80s digital effects, as well as long speeches about the wrongfulness of cherry-picking from the Bible.
Also fun to note, Linda Hamilton, who plays Vicky, went on to star in another 80s classic that was released just six months later.
Come with me if you don’t want children to stab you to death with farm equipment!
The movie received generally negative reviews, and it actually raised a lot of questions while I watched it. If the “death to all procreators” mantra is followed strictly, the population of the town population would dwindle until the youngest member of the cult reached the age of 19. Would that sole member have to sacrifice themselves in order to ensure a good harvest? Also do they eat nothing but corn?
Children of the Corn made $14.6 million of an $800,000 budget and inspired 8 sequels.
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