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Thursday, February 06, 2014

The Bad Seed

One of my all time favorite horror movies, isn't really a horror movie at all.  Originally a stage play, The Bad Seed might be the original serial killer movie.

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Rhoda is the perfect little girl, a right angel, but she has a bit of a temper.  A temper that, if you find yourself on the wrong side of it, might lead to very bad things for you!

I think what makes this movie so creepy is that Rhoda is such a sweet girl when we meet her, then she kills a schoolmate who has a spelling bee medal that she wants. And, when the apartment's caretaker figures out what's going on, Rhoda has to get rid of him too!  

The movie is layered with creepiness on top of creepiness.  On top of the serial killer with the baby face, there's the couple who's child Rhoda murdered, so we have one couple who've lost a child and another single another single mother who knows that her child isn't what people think she is.  And, the glee with which Rhoda gets rid of 'problems' gives The Bad Seed a tone of pure evil.  There's a terrific scene where the apartment caretaker is set on fire, while Rhoda plays the piano and Rhoda's mother and a neighbor both talk about what's going on, Rhoda's mother raving about her daughter murdering the man and the neighbor talking about how good it is that poor little Rhoda didn't see the horror.  And, while we never see anything horrific, the reaction of the women makes this all the more terrible.

If you never seen The Bad Seed, then you're missing a true horror classic!  The acting is good, the story is years ahead of it's time and the ending will have your skin crawling!  It's from 1956, but this movie is like watching an episode of Leave It To Beaver...if Beavef we're burying body parts in the back yard!  I give The Bad Seed 4 out of 4 cigars, it's a movie that I've seen dozens of times and I'll still sit and watch it if it comes on TCM...it's a movie that will stay with you for a long time!