Children of the Corn

The Children of a very small town in Nebraska, called Gatlin, one day decided to start killing all the grown-ups because they believe that "he who walks behind the rows" was telling them to. They feared if they did not listen to him they would be punished and if they didn't make sacrifices in the cornfield, their crops would not grow and they would starve. Malachi and Issac are the children's leaders and think that the corn god talks to them and tells them what to do. Burt and Vickie come into town to report a murder of a young boy that they accidentally rolled over in the middle of the street. They finally figure out what is going on in the town and frantically try to get out aline. The children try to capture the 2 "outlanders" and sacrifice them in the cornfield. Everything these children do revolves around the corn. They put corn stalks in the pipes and buildings around the town to show that it has taken over their lives and is crucial to their survival. Burt tries to save Vickie in the corn field where he confronts the children and tells them what they are doing is wrong. He says there is no way a good religion involving killing all their parents. The children then realize that what they did was wrong and they don't want to live like that any more. Malachi and Issac are sacrificed in the end for following "he who walks behind the rows".

This movie suggests the importance of corn to people and their survival. Just as the Indians greatly relied on corn, so did these children. Although they placed a great deal of significance of corn in their lives and diets, the Indians knew that they could not live solely on corn. They prayed to gods to give them plentiful crops, just like the children in this movie did. However, if the Indians relied only on corn to live, they would not flourish and be strong, which the children of the corn find out as well.