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Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children
Something's wrong with the children. They're murdering classmates, torturing parents, speaking in tongues, drinking human blood, and practicing black magic. Your offspring is on the rise, their blood no longer innocent. There will be casualties, and you may be among them.
Featuring nearly 250 of the creepiest, weirdest, and most dangerous kids ever to inhabit the cinematic landscape and sourced from over 40 different countries, Evil Seeds is THE comprehensive movie guide to villainous children in all their incarnations: the supernatural horror of ghosts and demonic possession, twisted tales of twins and changelings, dark matters of witches and evil babies, visceral frights of werewolves and vampires, the lurid lore of golems and trolls, and shocking drama of murderous orphans, juvenile serial killers, survivalist youngsters, and disturbing family values.
From cult classics to obscure fan favorites, Evil Seeds proves there is no shortage of frightening children. So keep an eye on your little darlings, or they might just fix their sights on YOU.
Featuring nearly 250 of the creepiest, weirdest, and most dangerous kids ever to inhabit the cinematic landscape and sourced from over 40 different countries, Evil Seeds is THE comprehensive movie guide to villainous children in all their incarnations: the supernatural horror of ghosts and demonic possession, twisted tales of twins and changelings, dark matters of witches and evil babies, visceral frights of werewolves and vampires, the lurid lore of golems and trolls, and shocking drama of murderous orphans, juvenile serial killers, survivalist youngsters, and disturbing family values.
From cult classics to obscure fan favorites, Evil Seeds proves there is no shortage of frightening children. So keep an eye on your little darlings, or they might just fix their sights on YOU.
- GenresNonfiction
392 pages, Paperback
Published August 17, 2021
8 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Vanessa Morgan
13 books299 followersVanessa Morgan is an author, screenwriter, and blogger. Two of her works, The Strangers Outside and A Good Man, have been turned into films. Her short film script Next to Her is currently in pre-production. When she's not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching horror movies, digging through flea markets, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats.
"Vanessa Morgan has the gift of pacing and spookiness" - Scott Nicholson, author of They Hunger and The Farm
"A startling new voice in horror" - Lucky McKee, director of May and The Woods
"Vanessa Morgan has the gift of pacing and spookiness" - Scott Nicholson, author of They Hunger and The Farm
"A startling new voice in horror" - Lucky McKee, director of May and The Woods
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 16, 2021
A spine-tingling survey of films about strange, evil children
Author/screenwriter Vanessa Morgan lives in Belgium and is best known for her terrifying mysteries - some of which have become movies - but she is also a very sensitive writer about animals, and cats in particular (witness, AVALON: A HEART WARMING TRUE CAT STORY, NEXT TO HER and CLOWDERS). In this book Vanessa once again turns to reportage (as in her very successful WHEN ANIMALS ATTACK and STRANGE BLOOD books on horror movies) as she has assembled essays and facts about very bizarre bad kids movies from around the world, films that date from the past century to the present. She has gathered essays from a cadre of important international writers who make s big impression on the subject of EVIL SEEDS – as in villainous children -movies.
Vanessa spells it out for us, titillating our curiosity and darker imagination: ‘Something’s wrong with the children. They murder their classmates, torture their parents, turn into werewolves, speak in tongues, drink human blood, or practice black magic. The “evil child” is an intriguing niche in both literature and film, often portraying their perceived innocence in sharp contrast to their violent action. What most people consider to be “cute” – their underdeveloped bodies with out-of-proportion heads – can quickly worsen one’s pedophobia (the fear of children) when combined with a demonic or otherworldly demeanor…Our society, by nature, gives children the benefit of the doubt. How can something so innocent be capable of such cruel acts?...’
After delivering a well-researched history of the manner in which films have focused on villainous children – nearly 250 films exploring ghosts, werewolves, possessed children, trolls, changelings, murderous orphans, juvenile serial killers, witches, evil babies – from the last century to the present, Vanessa presents in chronological order films from 1944’s TOMORROW, THE WORLD, through THE BAD SEED (1956), LORD OF THE FLIES (1963), THE OTHER (1972) to SON (2021). Films from many countries fall in line (Korea, Mexico, UK, etc) to cover the complete spectrum of the genre of villainous children, well described by an impressive cast of global writers.
Using this mode of sharing works by informed experts we discover the myriad (and unfamiliar) forms of evil children that cinema has created. Curiosity may be the initial reason for exploring this book, but once the book is opened it becomes a fantastic journey into the strange realm of evil seeds! Highly recommended!
Author/screenwriter Vanessa Morgan lives in Belgium and is best known for her terrifying mysteries - some of which have become movies - but she is also a very sensitive writer about animals, and cats in particular (witness, AVALON: A HEART WARMING TRUE CAT STORY, NEXT TO HER and CLOWDERS). In this book Vanessa once again turns to reportage (as in her very successful WHEN ANIMALS ATTACK and STRANGE BLOOD books on horror movies) as she has assembled essays and facts about very bizarre bad kids movies from around the world, films that date from the past century to the present. She has gathered essays from a cadre of important international writers who make s big impression on the subject of EVIL SEEDS – as in villainous children -movies.
Vanessa spells it out for us, titillating our curiosity and darker imagination: ‘Something’s wrong with the children. They murder their classmates, torture their parents, turn into werewolves, speak in tongues, drink human blood, or practice black magic. The “evil child” is an intriguing niche in both literature and film, often portraying their perceived innocence in sharp contrast to their violent action. What most people consider to be “cute” – their underdeveloped bodies with out-of-proportion heads – can quickly worsen one’s pedophobia (the fear of children) when combined with a demonic or otherworldly demeanor…Our society, by nature, gives children the benefit of the doubt. How can something so innocent be capable of such cruel acts?...’
After delivering a well-researched history of the manner in which films have focused on villainous children – nearly 250 films exploring ghosts, werewolves, possessed children, trolls, changelings, murderous orphans, juvenile serial killers, witches, evil babies – from the last century to the present, Vanessa presents in chronological order films from 1944’s TOMORROW, THE WORLD, through THE BAD SEED (1956), LORD OF THE FLIES (1963), THE OTHER (1972) to SON (2021). Films from many countries fall in line (Korea, Mexico, UK, etc) to cover the complete spectrum of the genre of villainous children, well described by an impressive cast of global writers.
Using this mode of sharing works by informed experts we discover the myriad (and unfamiliar) forms of evil children that cinema has created. Curiosity may be the initial reason for exploring this book, but once the book is opened it becomes a fantastic journey into the strange realm of evil seeds! Highly recommended!
January 4, 2025
Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children by Vanessa Morgan is a chilling and comprehensive exploration of sinister children in cinema. Spanning nearly 250 films from over 40 countries, this guide delves into a wide range of horrors, from ghostly apparitions and demonic possessions to murderous orphans and juvenile serial killers.
Morgan’s meticulous curation offers insights into cult classics and obscure gems alike, making it an essential resource for horror enthusiasts and film buffs. The book’s thematic organization—covering witches, changelings, vampires, and more—provides an engaging overview of the genre’s diverse depictions of malevolent youth.
Both a fascinating reference and a deep dive into the darker corners of cinematic storytelling, Evil Seeds invites readers to confront their fears of corrupted innocence. Whether you're a seasoned horror fan or curious newcomer, this guide ensures you’ll never look at children in films the same way again.
Morgan’s meticulous curation offers insights into cult classics and obscure gems alike, making it an essential resource for horror enthusiasts and film buffs. The book’s thematic organization—covering witches, changelings, vampires, and more—provides an engaging overview of the genre’s diverse depictions of malevolent youth.
Both a fascinating reference and a deep dive into the darker corners of cinematic storytelling, Evil Seeds invites readers to confront their fears of corrupted innocence. Whether you're a seasoned horror fan or curious newcomer, this guide ensures you’ll never look at children in films the same way again.
September 3, 2023
Creepy kid books are some of my absolute favorite reads. So when I saw an entire book dedicated to creepy kid movies, I had to snatch it up. This is well researched and full of movies I want to find. Its fairly inclusive with over 200 movies all around the world.
September 14, 2021
I've been a life-long horror fan ever since I watched the nearly forgotten made-for-television The Midnight Hour (1985) at the age of four years old. Later, my grandmother let me watch the first three Halloween movies, and the rest is history. So, it should be no surprise to hear that I loved reading Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children. It's an encyclopedia of evil children films, beginning with 1944's Tomorrow, the World! and ending with 2021's The Son.
Who knew there were so many villainous children movies?
Like most horror fans, I've seen big-name films, like The Exorcist (1973), The Omen (1976), Children of the Corn (1984), The Changeling (1980), Pet Sematary (1989), and Village of the Damned (1960; remake 1995). There are many other titles that I never even heard of listed in this 392-page movie guide. Then there were others that I've forgotten about, such as Bloody Birthday (1980), The Pit (1981), The Children (1980), and The Other (1972). To my surprise, Children of Full Moon (1980) appears in the guide, too. Technically, it's not a movie. It's an episode of the short-lived British series Hammer House of Horror.
Overall, Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children is a highly entertaining read.
Who knew there were so many villainous children movies?
Like most horror fans, I've seen big-name films, like The Exorcist (1973), The Omen (1976), Children of the Corn (1984), The Changeling (1980), Pet Sematary (1989), and Village of the Damned (1960; remake 1995). There are many other titles that I never even heard of listed in this 392-page movie guide. Then there were others that I've forgotten about, such as Bloody Birthday (1980), The Pit (1981), The Children (1980), and The Other (1972). To my surprise, Children of Full Moon (1980) appears in the guide, too. Technically, it's not a movie. It's an episode of the short-lived British series Hammer House of Horror.
Overall, Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children is a highly entertaining read.
December 20, 2021
Frightening and thrilling read!
Morgan pens Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children, and it is what the title claims to be. A book of films and the horror that the children are or become in the films. Some I've never heard of and most, i'm not sure I would want to watch. I am a big fan of this author! Whatever this author writes, I read. I love it when a Legacy author sends me more of their work! It is a remarkable collection, and I like not just that Morgan gives a description of the movie, but it's part commentary as well. When I came across the title, The Bad Seed (1956), it definitely caught my eye. This was the "prototype for all movies ... The Bad Seed ... made people wonder if they were capable of doing terrible things." In this movie, behind the innocence of the child, was a killer. This is worth the read, and it is very interesting, even if you haven't heard of the movie, but this book also tells the story of the movie. I am not surprised that Morgan wrote this type of book, since to me, she is a remarkable horror author. Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author.
Morgan pens Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children, and it is what the title claims to be. A book of films and the horror that the children are or become in the films. Some I've never heard of and most, i'm not sure I would want to watch. I am a big fan of this author! Whatever this author writes, I read. I love it when a Legacy author sends me more of their work! It is a remarkable collection, and I like not just that Morgan gives a description of the movie, but it's part commentary as well. When I came across the title, The Bad Seed (1956), it definitely caught my eye. This was the "prototype for all movies ... The Bad Seed ... made people wonder if they were capable of doing terrible things." In this movie, behind the innocence of the child, was a killer. This is worth the read, and it is very interesting, even if you haven't heard of the movie, but this book also tells the story of the movie. I am not surprised that Morgan wrote this type of book, since to me, she is a remarkable horror author. Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author.
September 6, 2021
This is one of those books that absolutely consumed me, I really enjoyed it. Vanessa Morgan has done a fabulous job. I’d already read two books like this one (Strange Blood: 71 Essays on Offbeat and Underrated Vampire Movies & When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals) which are both brilliant books worth reading. It’s amazing how many movies and shows that have these evil and very disturbed children in them. I’ve written a list of movies I now definitely want to see.
This is a thoroughly entertaining book, and well worth a read. 5/5 Star Rating.
This is a thoroughly entertaining book, and well worth a read. 5/5 Star Rating.
December 16, 2022
Having been a horror fan ever since I was a kid as well as running my own horror film based Podcast, I always enjoy reading horror film guides. They give me a glimpse and insight into films that I may not know about, as well as other opinions on those that I enjoy.
This book is no different, giving TONS of reviews and insights into a whole mess of "killer kid" horror flicks. A lot of them I didn't even know existed and will certainly seek out. It' goes chronologically by year, and gives well fleshed out reviews by some talented critics.
Definitely a good read and reference point.
This book is no different, giving TONS of reviews and insights into a whole mess of "killer kid" horror flicks. A lot of them I didn't even know existed and will certainly seek out. It' goes chronologically by year, and gives well fleshed out reviews by some talented critics.
Definitely a good read and reference point.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews