Donal Cumiskey brings us The Famous Five No.3. Donal writes reviews for Inis Children’s Literature Magazine, so it’s only fitting that he’s going to be discussing: Dark Fairytales in Children’s Books and Movies. You can contact him here.
With the recent cinematic release of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, our eyes (whether buttoned or unbuttoned) turned once again to the trend of complex themes in children’s literature. Adapted by Henry Selick (of The Nightmare Before Christmas), it is the first 3D stop-motion feature and wows the eyes as it does the brain. It is delightfully refreshing to see such a dark and powerful movie among swathes of sweetness and light being peddled as the only stuff suitable for children.
Almost universally acclaimed, Gaiman’s story concerns Freudian exploration of identity, power struggles over conformity and obedience, and a discussion of the extremities of love. Of course, not every child will appreciate all this at once, but they will certainly understand Coraline’s desire to be special, the neglectful manner of her parents, and the inherent evil of the Other Mother.
Down the rabbit-hole
What is it that makes adult questions succeed in young people’s stories? The familiar structure of the fairy tale has been used for centuries to explore darker, more adult themes such as death, cruelty, sex, and violence, since they are naturally difficult issues for children to engage with on an obvious level. But despite parents’ concerns, children actually revel in these issues.
Reading is an excellent way for children to develop their personalities and explore the different sides of complex arguments At the end of the day, teaching children that the world is full of rainbows and unicorns will only set them up for a grave disappointment (no pun intended). Through the medium of fiction they can confront the world in its brutal honesty and attempt to figure out its absurdities, while maintaining the power to shut the book if it all gets too much.
As Alison Lurie phrases it so eloquently:
“The fairy tales had been right all along. The world was full of hostile, stupid giants and perilous castles and people who abandoned their children in the nearest forest. To succeed in this world you needed some special skill or patronage, plus remarkable luck; and it didn’t hurt to be very good-looking. The other qualities that counted were wit, boldness, stubborn persistence, and an eye for the main chance. Kindness to those in trouble was also advisable – you never knew who might be useful to you later on.”1
Unfortunately, while many see the benefit of discussing developed themes through children’s literature, others seek to dumb down stories or remove contentious elements to render the tales harmless to children. This instead leaves the stories useless, since the impact of the theme was what carried the message in the first place.
Many of the tales we now know were edited at some stage or another to make them more “suitable” for children. A prime example of this censorship is Rapunzel; in the original tale the long-locked heroine made comments about her swelling belly, leading the witch to assume a pregnancy and suspect the prince. In the revised Brothers Grimm story Rapunzel instead lets slip how the witch is lighter to pull up into the tower. Of course, Disney’s revision of The Little Mermaid removed the ending of Hans Christian Andersen’s original, in which the mermaid throws herself into the sea to avoid killing her love, the prince. There is redemption however, since her soul is released and she becomes one with nature for her selfless gesture.
It would appear that dark fairy tales in the movies come and go in trends, as anyone growing up in the 80s will testify. Such sinister classics as Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal set a high point for nightmarish kids’ movies, with wicked and cruel villains like David Bowie’s Jareth the Goblin and the squalid, vulture-like Skeksis. Another notable offering was Return to Oz, the long-awaited sequel to the much more light-heartedWizard of Oz. The Queen With One Hundred Heads was particularly disturbing, as she decapitated any hapless victims and kept their heads to wear at her leisure.
Despite the dreams that sometimes come back to haunt me, let’s hope Henry Selick and Neil Gaiman’s masterpiece can inspire more releases that actually engage children and treat them with the respect they deserve.
TOP TEN DARK FAIRYTALES IN THE MOVIES
10. Return to Oz
9. The Dark Crystal
8. Sleepy Hollow
7. Alice in Wonderland
6. The Nightmare Before Christmas
5. Pan’s Labyrinth
4. Coraline
3. The Halloween Tree
2. Edward Scissorhands
1. The Witches
Not happy with the list? Leave a comment and tell us which dark fairytales we left out!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I always loved American McGee’s Alice. I know it was a game, but it does fit with the dark fairytale theme…
Excellent choice. Hope Tim Burton’s upcoming version has taken a few leaves out of their book.
Hansel and Gretel always left shivers down my spine. I haven’t watched it since I was young (the one with Cloris Leachman as the witch), even so, it’s still a bit haunting! Especially when she breaks into song… creepy.