This question was posed to me last night by a friend. I decided to reflect on it a bit, and this was what I could come up with.
Darkness. Every great children's movie I've ever seen has great dark elements to it. I know I'm going to be forced to site some examples, and they are forth coming. Just give me a moment to set it all up for you. When I was a girl, most of my Friday and Saturday nights were spent in front of the TV watching movies. My parents would run down to Video Safari (I remember the name very well), and pick something up for me. Let's just say, I've watched A LOT of children's movies. In fact, I'm quite the expert.
My first examples are from Snow White and Cinderella. The Witch and Lucifer respectively. These two characters are terrifying. In a neck and neck competition with a horror movie I have a feeling that The Witch in Snow White would win out. She is so scary that even today I have a hard time looking at a picture of her. Yet, the movie doesn't let us down. Both characters are defeated in big ways so the audience is given some relief.
My second example, The Wizard of Oz. Yes, another witch, but this time she's got back up. Flying monkeys.Talk about nightmare fuel for a six year old. I had a hard time going to the zoo after that. I'm so glad that Dorthy was able to "kill" the witch with a bucket of water in the end that I cried.
So fellow TCSers, am I right about this? Post away.
Darkness. Every great children's movie I've ever seen has great dark elements to it. I know I'm going to be forced to site some examples, and they are forth coming. Just give me a moment to set it all up for you. When I was a girl, most of my Friday and Saturday nights were spent in front of the TV watching movies. My parents would run down to Video Safari (I remember the name very well), and pick something up for me. Let's just say, I've watched A LOT of children's movies. In fact, I'm quite the expert.
My first examples are from Snow White and Cinderella. The Witch and Lucifer respectively. These two characters are terrifying. In a neck and neck competition with a horror movie I have a feeling that The Witch in Snow White would win out. She is so scary that even today I have a hard time looking at a picture of her. Yet, the movie doesn't let us down. Both characters are defeated in big ways so the audience is given some relief.
My second example, The Wizard of Oz. Yes, another witch, but this time she's got back up. Flying monkeys.Talk about nightmare fuel for a six year old. I had a hard time going to the zoo after that. I'm so glad that Dorthy was able to "kill" the witch with a bucket of water in the end that I cried.
So fellow TCSers, am I right about this? Post away.