Red Riding Hood, the Three Little Pigs, Cinderella, Rapunzel. All of these names should be innately familiar to us in the West. They are the tales that have been passed down from generation to generation, stories that are told and retold by campfires and on bedsides, over and over again for anyone who has open ears.
However, I’m not speaking of the shiny and glossy Disney Princess versions who break into song whenever something wonderful happens. I’m talking about the original incarnations; the versions of the Little Mermaid where she dies at the end, how Cinderella’s step sisters cut off parts of their feet to fit into the glass slipper, where little Red Riding Hood is eaten by the wolf. These stories were not told to have children buy into corporate consumerism with stories about how one day their prince or princess will come and sweep them away. These tales were lessons, and more importantly, warnings.
Hansel and Gretel is about the dangers of trusting strangers, Bluebeard is about how curiosity killed the cat, and Death’s Messenger is about the inevitability of death. Not exactly your standard family-friendly fare. But these tales were effective for their time and in their intention, with many children taking them to heart and heeding the lessons contained therein despite being works of fiction.
Moving on to the present day, these dark tales of caution have become faceted in another area of everyday life: cinema. In particular, horror cinema. Think about it, how do most horror movies start? Usually, it’s a bad decision; someone invokes something that was better left to rest from curiosity or a dare, a book was prematurely judged by its cover in some fashion, or they just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And fairy tales worked the same way.
Supernatural possession movies like The Exorcist play on the audience’s fear of the unknown and things beyond their control. Slasher movies in the vein of A Nightmare On Elm Street, Halloween, and Friday the 13th invoke a culture’s boogeyman and the fear of being relentlessly hunted down like an animal. Psychological horror movies such as Psycho and Silence of the Lambs beg the question of what really lies below the surface of a person. The list goes on.
Though the movies themselves are more often than not preoccupied with the protagonists’ struggle against whatever force is against them, these the modern day cautionary fairy tales. Don’t go out late at night, don’t take vengeance into your own hands, don’t trust strangers, don’t dabble in things you weren’t meant to understand…
To be fair, not all fairy tales are dark and violent just as not all movies are horrific (tales about the underdog are more common in both regards). But there should be no denying of their original intention just because it’s more suitable toward children. Both horror movies and fairy tales share a lineage of caution, warning readers of certain conducts. So unless you want to end up like Rapunzel or be Freddy’s next victim, take heed to what they have to say.
Happy October, everyone, and stay spooky.
