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Children of the Corn

  • 1984
  • R
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
61K
YOUR RATING
Children of the Corn (1984)
Trailer for this adult nightmare
Play trailer1:17
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Folk HorrorSlasher HorrorHorrorThriller

A young couple is trapped in a remote town where a dangerous religious cult of children believes that everyone over age 18 must be killed.A young couple is trapped in a remote town where a dangerous religious cult of children believes that everyone over age 18 must be killed.A young couple is trapped in a remote town where a dangerous religious cult of children believes that everyone over age 18 must be killed.

  • Director
    • Fritz Kiersch
  • Writers
    • Stephen King
    • George Goldsmith
  • Stars
    • Peter Horton
    • Linda Hamilton
    • R.G. Armstrong
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    61K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Fritz Kiersch
    • Writers
      • Stephen King
      • George Goldsmith
    • Stars
      • Peter Horton
      • Linda Hamilton
      • R.G. Armstrong
    • 315User reviews
    • 168Critic reviews
    • 45Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 3 nominations total

    Videos2

    Children of the Corn (1984)
    Trailer 1:17
    Children of the Corn (1984)
    Jane Levy of "Castle Rock" Is Bringing Pennywise to Your Next Party
    Video 1:48
    Jane Levy of "Castle Rock" Is Bringing Pennywise to Your Next Party
    Jane Levy of "Castle Rock" Is Bringing Pennywise to Your Next Party
    Video 1:48
    Jane Levy of "Castle Rock" Is Bringing Pennywise to Your Next Party

    Photos261

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    Top cast20

    Edit
    Peter Horton
    Peter Horton
    • Burt
    Linda Hamilton
    Linda Hamilton
    • Vicky
    R.G. Armstrong
    R.G. Armstrong
    • Diehl
    John Franklin
    John Franklin
    • Isaac
    Courtney Gains
    Courtney Gains
    • Malachai
    Robby Kiger
    • Job
    Anne Marie McEvoy
    Anne Marie McEvoy
    • Sarah
    • (as AnneMarie McEvoy)
    Julie Maddalena
    Julie Maddalena
    • Rachel
    Jonas Marlowe
    • Joseph
    John Philbin
    John Philbin
    • Amos
    Dan Snook
    • Boy
    David Cowen
    • Dad
    Suzy Southam
    • Mom
    D.G. Johnson
    D.G. Johnson
    • Mr. Hansen
    Patrick Boylan
    • Hansen's Customer
    Elmer Soderstrom
    • Hansen's Customer
    Teresa Toigo
    • Hansen's Customer
    Mitch Carter
    Mitch Carter
    • Radio Preacher
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Fritz Kiersch
    • Writers
      • Stephen King
      • George Goldsmith
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews315

    5.660.5K
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    Featured reviews

    7veryape-887-913905

    An adult nightmare.

    Children of the corn is a 1984 film based on the short story by Stephen King. The story is that a couple who go to Gatlin, Nebraska find themselves in a living nightmare as they are hunted by a cult of children who have been taught by their "preacher" Isaac that everybody over the age of 18 must be killed.

    This film starred: Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton & John Franklin

    In my opinion this is an entertaining film and doesn't deserve all the stick it gets, it isn't great by any means however it's a good film too watch when your bored also a good film to watch with your friends on a night in. I do recommend this film if you have read the short story or if you are a Stephen King fan also to all you 80's cult fans.

    ***/***** Good film.
    7bkoganbing

    Ya Got Trouble, Right Here In Gatlin City

    Maybe if those kids in Gatlin, Nebraska had gotten a visit from Professor Harold Hill and a boys band out of it, maybe they might not have killed all their parents. This Stephen King view of the mid-west sure makes one nostalgic for The Music Man.

    It's one strange place that married couple Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton have come on their cross country journey. It reminded me of driving through Pennsylvania and the Amish country where you cannot get off the Pennsylvania Turnpike for ages, but on either side of the roads, nothing but woods and on the overpasses, Amish carts.

    Here it's nothing but corn and when Peter Horton thinks he's hit a child on the road he goes for help and there's none. The town has been taken over by the devil himself working his evil through a young child preacher played by John Franklin. All the adults have been killed and the children are his disciples.

    Of course some of the older ones are reaching puberty and the guy who was the high school bully Courtney Gains chafes under Franklin's leadership. He tries a palace coup d'etat, something along the lines of what old Lucifer himself did in heaven and everybody pays.

    Children of the Corn is a good adaption of the Stephen King novel, it will please his legion of fans and maybe convert a few others.
    8Fella_shibby

    Atmospheric n surrealistic. A bit outdated but much better than In The Tall Grass.

    I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs. Revisited it recently.

    I found the film very atmospheric n surrealistic during the 80s.

    The movie hasn't aged well, specially the lousy effects n lousy climax. Rather than showing the lousy entity, they shud have left it ambiguous.

    One of the best part is that almost the entire film is shot in broad daylight, a thing getting rarer in today's horror films. Today's horror films r laden with shaky cam, flickering lights stuff.

    One thing the series is noteworthy is for the new faces which later got much recognized.

    This one is Linda Hamilton's second film.

    The plot ain't original n never utilized properly. For more creepy n sinister kids, one shud check out Who Can Kill a Child?

    Now lets start the marathon of the entire franchise.
    Kimta

    Spooky, thought-evoking revelation into the dark world of the occult.

    I saw this film sitting on my Dad's lap when I was about seven years old. (I was a horror film fanatic from a very early age on.) We used to sit up watching late night scary movies while my Mom went to her ceramics classes.

    Dad and I loved this movie. There is no sex or nudity in this film. Even though the images are pretty graphic, if your older children are mature enough to handle a little fright, this should be okay for them. Besides, since the children are the "bad guys", your kids should be pretty happy!!

    My favorite actors in the film are the two star children (Joby and Sarah). They really make the film eerie with their innocence and sadness over losing their families. Malachi would be the scariest character. Even the way the other children in the movie gasp when they hear his name makes me shudder. I would not want to face him either!! Another aspect that makes this film so scary is the music. The director adds clips at just the right moments but doesn't forget to leave ample silence. There is nothing greater to add to the suspense than a good dose of silent screen. Then all your senses get a jolt at once when the big horror scene comes alive.

    The most suspenseful scene is when the boy stumbles out onto the highway clutching his sliced throat. It's a real hair raiser!! But, without revealing too much, I guess I will close by saying that this is by far one of the best horror films I have ever seen. A little strange, but, then again, this IS a Stephen King film. Need I say more??
    6TheOtherFool

    Pretty cool

    Maybe not so scary, but pretty cool horror movie after the short story written by Stephen King.

    The children of Gatlin, under the influence of 'priest' Isaac, kill all their parents as it is the wish of the Lord who apparently lives in the corn. 3 years later a couple (Peter Horton and Linda -Terminator- Hamilton) are stranded in that same place. The kids, led by Isaac and his first man Malachai, set up a plan to sacrifice them to their God.

    The movie gets a great start with the children killing their parents, after that it isn't much horror but more of a suspence movie. You got to see this only for the Malachai kid. Great casting!

    6/10.

    Stephen King Movies Ranked by IMDb Rating

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    Production art
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Courtney Gains won the role of Malachai by using a prop knife to hold a casting assistant hostage at the audition. He claims that one of the great honors of his career is having hundreds of people, even his son's friends, recognize him as Malachai and confess they found him terrifying, some having admitted his performance gave them nightmares. Apparently, even his own parents were greatly unnerved by him in this film.
    • Goofs
      In the beginning of the film, the children kill the adults. This is followed by the opening credits. When the credits end, we are introduced to Burt and Vicki at their motel and told it's three years later. When Burt and Vicki arrive in Gatlin and encounter the children, none of them seem to have aged four years.
    • Quotes

      Burt: Any religion without love and compassion is false! It's a lie!

    • Alternate versions
      The director's initial cut was much longer than the version that eventually made it to theaters and video. Among the missing footage:
      • A longer prologue where several other adults are killed on-camera, most noticeably a police deputy at the local police station whose throat is slashed and then stabbed in the chest, and a farmer who is hacked to death outside his barn by a group of pick-ax wielding teen kids.
      • A scene between Sarah and Job's parents before the slaughter. They talk over the breakfast table about Sarah's drawings of the upcoming massacre and how they think something awful is about to happen.
      • A scene where Isaac prays to He Who Walks Behind The Rows only to receive a horrific vision of his impending fate.
    • Connections
      Edited into Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      School is Out
      Performed by Linda Hamilton (uncredited)

      Courtesy of Frank Guida / Rockmasters/ International Network

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 9, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Los niños del maíz
    • Filming locations
      • Sioux City, Iowa, USA
    • Production companies
      • Hal Roach Studios
      • New World Pictures
      • Angeles Entertainment Group
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $800,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $14,568,989
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,042,821
      • Mar 11, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $14,568,989
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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