5 Horror Movies About Small Towns & Kids to Watch if You Liked 'It: Welcome to Derry'
These works transport us to eerie towns where young heroes must confront inexplicable horrors and truly grow up.
The atmosphere of a small community where every home harbors dark secrets and adults ignore obvious threats has become a hallmark not only of the works of Stephen King and his new series Welcome to Derry, but also of an entire subgenre.
The fear of an idyllic reality turning into a trap and innocent children's games intersecting with an otherworldly nightmare has a truly unique appeal.
1. 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark', 2019
IMDb Score: 6.2/10
Pennsylvania, 1968. Stella is an insecure high school student who enjoys writing scary stories. One Halloween night, she and her friends decide to play a prank on the local bully, Tommy. He becomes enraged, though, and chases them.
To escape, the group goes to the abandoned Bellows house. There, they find a book of creepy stories.
Stella soon notices new stories appearing in the book, with her and her friends as the main characters.
2. 'Carrie', 2013
IMDb Score: 5.8/10
As the daughter of a religious fanatic, Carrie must endure strict limitations. She obeys her mother unquestioningly and devotes all her free time to prayer.
Her life is turned upside down when she discovers she has telekinetic powers. Meanwhile, her classmates, who regularly bully her, decide to play a cruel prank on her.
Carrie is an adaptation of Stephen King's debut novel of the same name, which cult director Brian De Palma brought to the screen in 1976. The 2013 version addresses bullying and patriarchy once again, but treats the main character with more care and sensitivity.
3. 'Pan's Labyrinth', 2006
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
Spain, 1944. In the forests of Navarre, rebels are fighting fascists. A young girl named Ofelia and her pregnant mother, Carmen, move to a military camp.
They settle into the home of a cruel officer who will do anything to win the war. In their new home, Ofelia discovers a labyrinth where she meets a giant faun.
The creature tells Ofelia a secret: she is the lost princess of a magical kingdom. In order to return home, she must pass three trials before the full moon.
4. 'Children of the Corn', 1984
IMDb Score: 5.6/10
In a small Nebraska town, cornfields have always been the backbone of the economy. Over time, however, the crops became unprofitable, and chemicals began poisoning the residents. Ultimately, the farmers made the difficult decision to destroy all the corn.
Their children, who turn out to be not so innocent, oppose this decision. Their leader convinced his peers to hunt down their own parents.
One day, an unsuspecting family arrives in the small town populated by children. Escaping the remote village alive will be extremely difficult.
5. 'The Black Phone', 2021
IMDb Score: 6.9/10
In the 1970s, five children disappeared without a trace in suburban Colorado. A shy but intelligent teenager named Finney became the serial killer's next victim. The killer locked Finney in a soundproof basement.
There, the boy finds an old telephone through which the ghosts of the killer's previous victims call him. Together, they search for a way to outwit the kidnapper and escape.
Meanwhile, Finney's sister is plagued by visions that could help her find her brother before it's too late.
