By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Does Wicker Man's Creepy Little Girl Look Familiar?
Does that creepy, eyeless little girl on the poster for THE WICKER MAN look familiar? Interesting that she, not the wooden idol of the 1973 original genre-bending shocker, ended up as the key art for the Neil La Bute remake. Nicolas Cage plays the cop obsessed with tracking her down. Any sensible person would run in the other direction.
Because there’s nothing like an uncanny child to suggest weird goings on, here’s an entire day care center full of horror movie moppets.
The little girl from SILENT HILL has no mouth, yet she must scream.
Adapted from the Konami videogame by Roger Avary, this arty horror movie was long on atmosphere but short on thrills–which was a surprise, considering that the director, Christophe Gans, made the witty action film BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF.
Gamers probably enjoyed the way the film evoked the strange, solitary experience of exploring a strange landscape, but there was something oddly unscary about the weird monsters (burning bodies, faceless nurses) who menace the intrepid heroine (Radha Mitchell) and her butch-cop pal (Laurie Holden, channelling Falconetti).
For half a century, children have been traumatized by the sudden appearance of Test Card Girl, the iconic placeholder who helps technicians color-correct and center images. Now the little terror steps out of our collective nightmares and into prime time drama as a recurring character on LIFE ON MARS, the excellent detective series on BBCAmerica. Fear her.
Is it my imagination or is that kid behind Hillary Swank floating a couple of inches above the ground? THE REAPING, a supernatural thriller set in Louisiana, will be out Nov. 8.