Movie monsters are typically hulking madmen or murderous adults with some personal motivation for death and destruction. Don't let size fool you though. Kids on film can show just the same amount of evil, which they might even mask easily with well-mannered, childlike deference and courtesy. But beware, when these mini-maniacs do misbehave, there's often a body count.
Michael Myers, "Halloween" (1978)
![evil movie children, young michael myers]()
Young Michael Myers looks just like any cute kid you might see in the back of a soccer mom's SUV. But make no mistake -- this boy has problems. In the opening scene of 1978's "Halloween," we get a first-person view through his clown mask as he ably stabs his sister to death. Unmasked moments later by his confused parents, bloody knife in hand, we see an ordinary looking boy with an abnormally expressionless face.
A "blank, pale, emotionless face," explains his psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis, trailing the now adult-aged Michael after his escape from the asylum. With "the blackest eyes...the devil's eyes." And to sum it up a bit more chillingly, the doctor continues, "I realized that what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply...evil."
Rosemary's Baby, "Rosemary's Baby" (1968)
![evil movie children, rosemary's baby]()
Now there's a reason why Rosemary's baby had devil's eyes: genetics. While we don't know much about Michael Myers' conception, with this child, we see it in bold detail. And this is no sexual encounter you'd want to boast about in Penthouse. In essence, it's a date rape complete with spiked chocolate mousse, but the drugger is just an accomplice. Mostly unconscious Rosemary's actual mate is literally a hairy beast.
Fast forward nine months and after a difficult birth, Rosemary is informed the baby has died. But suspicion and mother's intuition knows best, and she finds the baby alive with her husband and a group of admirers at the crazy neighbors' apartment. We never see the little Dickens, just his cradle, where it's revealed that the hairy beast that molested Rosemary was indeed Satan. Another twist: Rosemary decides a mother must love her son no matter what.
Damien, "The Omen" (1976)
![evil movie children, damien the omen 1976]()
In film, apparently one of the devil's traits is that he's a horny devil, and more potent it seems than Lil Wayne. Case in point is Damian, another of his spawn, who brings mayhem to merry old England in "The Omen." Damien may be misunderstood by his adoptive parents, but zoo animals hate him - particularly baboons - and he'll kick, scream, pull hair and scratch his way out of going to church.
Played by five-year-old actor Harvey Stephens, he's got the perfect angelic face with dark features and a demonic scowl to portray this young antichrist. Without lifting a finger, adults impeding his master plan of future world domination are impaled, beheaded, tossed from hospital windows, or gunned down at the alter. And Damien just stares and slightly smiles terrifyingly into the camera. The little devil.
The Grady Twins, "The Shining" (1980)
![evil movie children, grady twins the shining]()
The Grady twins may not be overtly evil, but they are quite possibly the scariest kids ever to appear on screen. They don't hurt anybody, but show up as ghosts to invite young Danny Torrance to join them in the afterlife. Victims of an axe-murderous father, whose gig at the Overlook Hotel may have taken a paranormal toll on him, the world they inhabit now is definitely a curiosity, but one we're glad-as Danny must be-to know less about.
In their matching powder blue dresses, static at the end of a long hall, the image of the Grady girls has become legendary, not just in the league of horror movies, but in all of filmmaking in general. How two well-behaved twins in pleasantly colored clothes can become the stuff of nightmares is a testament to what director Stanley Kubrick can do when he gets his hands on a film.
Rhoda, "The Bad Seed" (1956)
![evil movie children, rhoda the bad seed]()
She might look like the girl from the Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa ads, but there's nothing sweet or satisfying about "The Bad Seed's" Rhoda. She's one cold-hearted motherscratcher who won't take murder off the table when someone stands in her way of a trinket, penmanship award, or covering up her crime.
"Can someone just be born bad?" is a recurring theme in "The Bad Seed," and as many of her peers on this list prove, yes they can. Rhoda is the perfect poster child for this innate homicidal behavior, leaving the simpler role of pleasantly endorsing hot chocolate to some other girl.
Isaac, "Children of the Corn" (1984)
![evil movie children, isaac children of the corn]()
As a kid, a world without grown-ups can be an appealing prospect, particularly when they force you to eat Brussels sprouts or go to bed before 10 p.m. In "Children of the Corn," another Stephen King adaptation, this concept is taken literally and put into action by preacher boy Isaac and his young followers, who kill off all the adults in their town in the name of their own new god.
Isaac is blatantly evil and frightening with a strangely-pitched voice and commendable enunciation prowess. Though it turns out this evil child was not played by a child at all, but diminutive actor John Hamilton, who was in his mid-twenties at the time. Whatever his age or condition, Hamilton nails his unshakable performance as the miniature, maniacal cult leader.
Midwich Children, "Village of the Damned" (1960)
![evil movie children, midwich children village of the damned]()
The tykes on our list so far are certainly bad, but imagine a whole posse of the li'l stinkers. That's the problem facing the English town of Midwich in 1960's "Village of the Damned." After an unexplained event causes the townsfolk to pass out for a few hours, they dust themselves off and get back to their normal lives. But then, all the women soon discover they are pregnant and normalcy is lost, perhaps forever. What these ladies give birth to are blond, highly intelligent superkids who grow at an accelerated pace, are telepathic, and can effectively practice mind control. And if you make one mad, watch out. Terrifying at the time of its release, "Village" may seem tame compared to most of these other offerings, but seeing these kids' eyes go as white as their hair before they make horrible mischief definitely gets your spine a-tinglin'.
Samara, "The Ring" (2002)
![evil movie children, samara the ring]()
It seems Samara from "The Ring" began to cause trouble from right inside the womb. Seeing her sitting still with her long wet hair is in itself a fright. But seeing her slowly crawl out of a television or a well is beyond terrifying. Simply viewing a creepy, scratchy VHS is all it takes to set Samara on your trail. A phone will ring and announce you've got seven days to live. And take it from us, Samara will keep her appointment.
Regan, "The Exorcist" (1973)
![evil movie children, regan the exorcist]()
You probably don't want to be a guest in the McNeil house, and seeing 12-year-old Regan pee on the floor in front of you is the least of your reasons why. In "The Exorcist," a demon has infiltrated the poor girl, turning her into one evil child.
Evil with the ability to levitate, move objects telekinetically, rotate her head 360 degrees, curse like a sailor in a heavy metal bandleader's voice, and copiously vomit at will. We don't even want to mention where she sticks that crucifix (you can probably figure it out from the photo, though). But if demons hate anything, it's the hand of God, and with the arrival of two priests, Regan's bedroom becomes the ultimate showdown of good vs. evil in this groundbreaking film that shocked audiences upon its premiere in 1973 and really hasn't stopped since.
Michael Myers, "Halloween" (1978)
Young Michael Myers looks just like any cute kid you might see in the back of a soccer mom's SUV. But make no mistake -- this boy has problems. In the opening scene of 1978's "Halloween," we get a first-person view through his clown mask as he ably stabs his sister to death. Unmasked moments later by his confused parents, bloody knife in hand, we see an ordinary looking boy with an abnormally expressionless face.
A "blank, pale, emotionless face," explains his psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis, trailing the now adult-aged Michael after his escape from the asylum. With "the blackest eyes...the devil's eyes." And to sum it up a bit more chillingly, the doctor continues, "I realized that what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply...evil."
Rosemary's Baby, "Rosemary's Baby" (1968)
Now there's a reason why Rosemary's baby had devil's eyes: genetics. While we don't know much about Michael Myers' conception, with this child, we see it in bold detail. And this is no sexual encounter you'd want to boast about in Penthouse. In essence, it's a date rape complete with spiked chocolate mousse, but the drugger is just an accomplice. Mostly unconscious Rosemary's actual mate is literally a hairy beast.
Fast forward nine months and after a difficult birth, Rosemary is informed the baby has died. But suspicion and mother's intuition knows best, and she finds the baby alive with her husband and a group of admirers at the crazy neighbors' apartment. We never see the little Dickens, just his cradle, where it's revealed that the hairy beast that molested Rosemary was indeed Satan. Another twist: Rosemary decides a mother must love her son no matter what.
Damien, "The Omen" (1976)
In film, apparently one of the devil's traits is that he's a horny devil, and more potent it seems than Lil Wayne. Case in point is Damian, another of his spawn, who brings mayhem to merry old England in "The Omen." Damien may be misunderstood by his adoptive parents, but zoo animals hate him - particularly baboons - and he'll kick, scream, pull hair and scratch his way out of going to church.
Played by five-year-old actor Harvey Stephens, he's got the perfect angelic face with dark features and a demonic scowl to portray this young antichrist. Without lifting a finger, adults impeding his master plan of future world domination are impaled, beheaded, tossed from hospital windows, or gunned down at the alter. And Damien just stares and slightly smiles terrifyingly into the camera. The little devil.
The Grady Twins, "The Shining" (1980)
The Grady twins may not be overtly evil, but they are quite possibly the scariest kids ever to appear on screen. They don't hurt anybody, but show up as ghosts to invite young Danny Torrance to join them in the afterlife. Victims of an axe-murderous father, whose gig at the Overlook Hotel may have taken a paranormal toll on him, the world they inhabit now is definitely a curiosity, but one we're glad-as Danny must be-to know less about.
In their matching powder blue dresses, static at the end of a long hall, the image of the Grady girls has become legendary, not just in the league of horror movies, but in all of filmmaking in general. How two well-behaved twins in pleasantly colored clothes can become the stuff of nightmares is a testament to what director Stanley Kubrick can do when he gets his hands on a film.
Rhoda, "The Bad Seed" (1956)
She might look like the girl from the Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa ads, but there's nothing sweet or satisfying about "The Bad Seed's" Rhoda. She's one cold-hearted motherscratcher who won't take murder off the table when someone stands in her way of a trinket, penmanship award, or covering up her crime.
"Can someone just be born bad?" is a recurring theme in "The Bad Seed," and as many of her peers on this list prove, yes they can. Rhoda is the perfect poster child for this innate homicidal behavior, leaving the simpler role of pleasantly endorsing hot chocolate to some other girl.
Isaac, "Children of the Corn" (1984)
As a kid, a world without grown-ups can be an appealing prospect, particularly when they force you to eat Brussels sprouts or go to bed before 10 p.m. In "Children of the Corn," another Stephen King adaptation, this concept is taken literally and put into action by preacher boy Isaac and his young followers, who kill off all the adults in their town in the name of their own new god.
Isaac is blatantly evil and frightening with a strangely-pitched voice and commendable enunciation prowess. Though it turns out this evil child was not played by a child at all, but diminutive actor John Hamilton, who was in his mid-twenties at the time. Whatever his age or condition, Hamilton nails his unshakable performance as the miniature, maniacal cult leader.
Midwich Children, "Village of the Damned" (1960)
The tykes on our list so far are certainly bad, but imagine a whole posse of the li'l stinkers. That's the problem facing the English town of Midwich in 1960's "Village of the Damned." After an unexplained event causes the townsfolk to pass out for a few hours, they dust themselves off and get back to their normal lives. But then, all the women soon discover they are pregnant and normalcy is lost, perhaps forever. What these ladies give birth to are blond, highly intelligent superkids who grow at an accelerated pace, are telepathic, and can effectively practice mind control. And if you make one mad, watch out. Terrifying at the time of its release, "Village" may seem tame compared to most of these other offerings, but seeing these kids' eyes go as white as their hair before they make horrible mischief definitely gets your spine a-tinglin'.
Samara, "The Ring" (2002)
It seems Samara from "The Ring" began to cause trouble from right inside the womb. Seeing her sitting still with her long wet hair is in itself a fright. But seeing her slowly crawl out of a television or a well is beyond terrifying. Simply viewing a creepy, scratchy VHS is all it takes to set Samara on your trail. A phone will ring and announce you've got seven days to live. And take it from us, Samara will keep her appointment.
Regan, "The Exorcist" (1973)
You probably don't want to be a guest in the McNeil house, and seeing 12-year-old Regan pee on the floor in front of you is the least of your reasons why. In "The Exorcist," a demon has infiltrated the poor girl, turning her into one evil child.
Evil with the ability to levitate, move objects telekinetically, rotate her head 360 degrees, curse like a sailor in a heavy metal bandleader's voice, and copiously vomit at will. We don't even want to mention where she sticks that crucifix (you can probably figure it out from the photo, though). But if demons hate anything, it's the hand of God, and with the arrival of two priests, Regan's bedroom becomes the ultimate showdown of good vs. evil in this groundbreaking film that shocked audiences upon its premiere in 1973 and really hasn't stopped since.