There’s really nothing quite as sweet and innocent as a cute, precocious little eight year old. That is unless you’re in Hollywood, where filmmakers continue to turn toddlers into terrorizing tyrants.
When Orphan hits theatres this Friday, it will mark the latest chiller that uncovers a youngster much more sinister than she first appears. Producers are hoping to cash in on the little devil following the long tradition of creating creepy cinematic children. Here’s a brief record of Tinseltown’s most terrifying tots:
The Bad Seed
In this 1956 classic, a cute eight year old with good grades and pigtails is also a blood-curdling psycho who’ll kill classmates for their penmanship medal. Little Rhoda Penmark would’ve reduced “Beaver” Cleaver to nothing but a blubbering puddle.
Memorable quote: “Children can be nasty, don’t you think?”
Village of the Damned
This 1960 adaptation of John Wyndham’s The Midwich Cuckoos features a whole hamlet of women who gave birth to unearthly offspring with glowing eyes. If you think it’s hard to convince your kid to eat broccoli, try when they have malicious telepathic powers.
Memorable quote: “What’s important about (children) is whether they’re good or bad and these children are bad.”
The Omen
In 1976, little Damien redefined the term “problem child” when it was revealed he was actually the son of Satan. Of course, you don’t get that information from a hospital chart — it took a few dead nannies for his father (Gregory Peck) to realize, “Hey, I think this kid might just be the Antichrist!” The film was later remade in 2006.
Memorable quote: “Wrong? What could be wrong with our child, Robert?”
The Good Son
After charming audiences Home Alone, little Macaulay Culkin got spooky in this 1993 thriller dumping dummies off busy highway overpasses and shooting defenceless dogs.
Memorable quote: “I think he’s going to be fine.”
