Children in horror films

Conventions - Age/gender

The main conventions that come with those who are of a young age are:

• Vulnerable
• Weak
• Need someone to help them
• Happy
• Playful
• Humorous

The main conventions that come with gender are:

• Strong
• Masculine
• Powerful
• Dominant
• Protective

Some of these contradict each other in horror films, a child may tend to be always vulnerable, but they can also be the scariest and most unsuspecting main protagonist.

Children tend to be used to create a sense of normality within a film, viewers usually empathise with a child, so when the child is being used for example as a murderer, the story gets twisted, and creates a tense relationship between the viewer and the child or children.

This is the child from The Omen.

From this picture, we can see the innocent nature of the child.

However all hair seems to be perfectly in place apart from a few strands, connoting that not all is normal with this child.

His eyes are big and he doesn't look directly into the camera.

 

This is the child from The Orphan. From this picture, we can see that she doesn't dress as a "normal" chilld should dress. She wears something around her neck that is red. The pale skin and dark hair parted at the middle make us feel uneasy with this child, as she also appears to show no emotion.

 This is the child from The Grudge.
As with The Orphan, this child has pale skin - with a tinge of green - and dark black hair also parted at the middle. Hair covers the face. Eyes are big and dark both in the pupils and around. Centered into the shot looking directly at the camera makes the viewer realise that she is the powerful protagonist.

This is the child from The Ring. Once again, long black hair parted at the middle. White clothes used, hospital like. However also has a green tinge to her. Centered within the shot showing her power and importance.

This is the child from The Sixth Sense. This child looks very vulnerable, the blonde hair makes us emphasise with the child. The top is yellow, but doesn't appear to be a typical child like tone of yellow, no happiness is connoted. Looks sad and down at the ground.