Children of the Corn (1984) Review
It was around the Early 2000s when I first saw the poster. It was a shop in Downtown Disney and there were other posters such as The Owl and the Pussycat or The Fearless Vampire Killers (if not The 60s version of Little Shop of Horrors, as they looked fairly similar) when there I saw it. I was still in Elementary/Primary School, so the only time I ever actually saw the movie was in clips, when it was referenced in âI Love the 80sâ on VH1. Granted I lost interest in it throughout the years as I held a somewhat highbrow mindset on movies thanks to the critics. But I was always curious, and eventually realized no harm would come if I watched it and decided for myself.
At its essence this was basically a reverse Dr. Sleep, especially as it doesnât even build up to that kind of horror but rather jumps in after the first 4 minutes. As far as any other kind of horror it could get away with for its time this movie couldâve aged worse. From the same opening to the forensic details from the character Burt to the scene with the mechanicâs last minutes this movie almost kills by flat out crushing with the kitchen sink (as long as theyâre adults, obviously). Yet itâs not until the second act begins that this starts to feel like Lord of the Flies meets all those 70s religious fanatic films like Carrie, The Exorcist, or The Omen (not that it doesn't make sense given how the short story it's based on was released in 1977). At least up until either the effects kick in (especially during a scene with an explosion that I guess was supposed to prelude Sarahâs drawings at the beginning) or the John Carpenter turning into Vangelis soundtrack (with a bit of Poltergeist extract).
On a quick personal note, though, I do somewhat remember having this idea built up on how he Who Walks Behind the rows looked like. Of course I sort of gave it up after i came to terms with the kind of technology they wouldâve needed in the 80s to make it happen a decade ago. I mean I knew this movie was potentially going to be underwhelming if I ever watched it. But at the same time I could still see why it inspired a myriad of sequels despite faring worse than a horror movie should with the critics to make that so. Plus Malachai was like a Yin to counter Severen from Near Darkâs Yang (in terms of how badass he was) and Linda Hamiltonâs Vicky was a nice cast-against-type role for a change.
Overall I canât really say I was that underwhelmed as it still subverted my expectations and did the most of its premise based on a short Stephen King story the same way The Mist did (even if that was as close to a twist ending they could manage in the early 80s). I donât even regret watching it, itâs just like I said: my mindset has changed since I first heard about it and remain as indifferent towards its pros and cons now as I am indifferent enough to have finally seen it for myself. I guess it just feels strangely morbid yet poetic: having avoided it as a kid yet only now garnering interest in it as an adult (or older/more mature). That or thatâs probably the real horror this movie helped me face, being the fact these sort of ideas, despite having children in them, wouldnât actually make sense to ones unless they were also aimed at them.
Maybe in the future it will make better sense for me, otherwise Iâd just be repeating everything I already said in my reviews of other Stephen King based horror movies Especially that same Dr. Sleep.