There are a number of elements at work in the Netflix hit show 1899 which plays it as a suspenseful and mysterious thriller. Being apart from a larger civilization on a ship in the wide open ocean provides isolation that can be frustrating. The possibility of being in an area where no one can come to your rescue or hear your cries for help if something goes wrong is an uncomfortable feeling. Being among people from different countries also provides a communication gap that can make us feel uneasy. Not being understood is something that can test your nerves. And of course, it’s incredibly scary to stumble upon an abandoned ship with no explanation as to what happened to the more than 1200 passengers on board. But there are few things as chilling as the plot tool of using a child who can’t or can’t speak like Elliot.Flynn Edwards) or “Silent Boy” 1899. He is the last person in the history of television and film to use a small child as a tool to instill fear in viewers.
Much of making a character creepy starts with how they’re incorporated into the story. Inside 1899Elliot is found on a ship called the Prometheus, which was lost at sea for over four months before stumbled upon by the crew and passengers aboard Kerberos. Kerberos Captain Eyk Larsen (Andreas Pietschmann) and a doctor, Maura Franklin (Emily Beecham), is welcomed by an environment completely devoid of light and sound. The questions you immediately ask yourself are, “Where did everyone go?” and “How did that happen?” The setting is already incredibly scary. So when they discover a single boy locked in a closet as the only survivor on the ship, you are struck by a sense of unease and dread about how he managed to survive alone for over four months locked up and no one else. have. It’s reasonable to wonder if it had anything to do with such a disturbing discovery. Don’t mind that he’s as white as a ghost and wearing a little black suit and panties like an innocent schoolboy.
Not Your Typical Boy
Another reason why 1899’s mysterious teenage son, Elliot, is so troubling is that he just didn’t live up to our expectations of kids his age. We expect seven-, eight-, and nine-year-olds to be naturally energetic and curious, wanting to learn and absorb as much about the world around them as they can. When you meet a healthy child who, for whatever reason, doesn’t talk about himself or his environment, it can seem extremely odd. Elliot looks like any kid, but choosing to remain silent makes him a terrifying character, especially when there are a number of strange and frightening events surrounding his existence.
A plot device that subverts the audience’s expectations and leaves us to guess at its nature and intent. Left to itself, the mind may tend to jump into some unpleasant scenarios. Maura (Emily Beecham’s character) shows enormous restraint as she spends most of her time alone in a small cottage with the boy, who refuses to say a word despite his pleas. The only way for him to communicate is to calmly put his index finger in his mouth to keep him quiet. And when he finally sings his first verse, “You must ask the Creator.” It’s a kind of cryptic response that’s even stranger than silence.
History of the Scary Quiet Children
Elliot isn’t the first silent kid to appear on both the small and big screens. Some of the greatest filmmakers of all time Stanley Kubrick they used the staunch, quiet boy with great self-confidence. For example, in Flare (1980), little Danny refuses to speak except to convey the sinister thoughts of the character named Tony. This is just creepy. To this day, repeating the word “redrum” (“murder” spelled backwards) evokes memories of quiet twin girls with pigtails standing hand in hand as a blood stream rushes down the Overlook. .Hotel corridor. The Antichrist himself is portrayed as a quiet boy in the 1976 classic. Omen. Damien doesn’t say a word during a horror movie that sees him telepathically communicating with a Rottweiler to carry out his command against anyone who threatens him. All with a simple yet effective glint in their eyes.
Surely horror fans and they remember a movie called ’80s kids. Children of Egypt (1984) and the ringleader named Isaac. Even his presence as you lead a group of bloodthirsty boys through the cornfields of Kansas gives you goosebumps. And lastly, Charlie (Milly Shapiro) the big screen newcomer to directing Ari Asterseerily unforgettable epic, hereditary (2018) strikes fear into us. His constant clicking of his tongue and his blank stares are far more creepy than when he openly tells you what he’s thinking.
Lack of Innocence
The main component all these young, silent characters share is the sense that they have lost the innocence we associate with children and that they have power beyond their age or control. We want our children to be happy, harmless and playful, unaware of the ups and downs that are a part of living and aging. Inside 1899It’s unnatural for a mute kid to hold the key to all the horrific events surrounding the cast and crew, and we fear what we don’t understand. Whether it’s Elliot, Damien, Isaac or Charlie, the creepy element that quiet kids bring to a project can be scarier than a gigantic maniac using a chainsaw. Fear comes in all forms, and sometimes the smaller and quieter one is much more effective and makes us stare at the screen through our fingers.
