Some horror styles have obvious names so that fans can choose which function they fulfill in each movie. Others have creative names that are intriguing and may not be super obvious. The “Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book” trope is often used in horror and it’s a fascinating, catchy name. There are many movies where children’s characters draw furiously on the floor of their classroom or bedroom at home, and it seems like they can’t stop for a second.
What is this horror trope about? There’s an interesting explanation as to why scary movies use this from time to time, and there are two well-made movies that use it perfectly.
According to TV tropics, the “Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book” trope is about children’s characters who see a scary villain, monster or type of creature and then they keep drawing what they saw. Sometimes the characters look like they are possessed or like someone or something is telling them to draw, because the kids often behave in a frantic, intense and chaotic way. This trope works because kids are supposed to be “innocent” and sweet, and because they’re drawing something dark, they’ve been exposed to something they definitely shouldn’t have. TV tropics mentions that the horror trope “Creepy Child” can also work with this one, as sometimes it’s the character who makes this strange and disturbing art.
This trope has been put to good use in two movies: Come play and The ring. 2020’s Come play is a horror film about technology and terror when Oliver (Azhy Robertson) sees a creepy monster and is completely stricken. This movie uses this horror trope as Oliver starts drawing ugly and scary creatures and this seems to be all he is interested in making art. His mother Sarah (Gillian Jacobs) is absolutely shocked by this and just wants Oliver to be happy because he’s been through so much struggle. This trope indicates that something is wrong, Oliver has been visited by evil and Sarah and Oliver’s life is about to get a lot more complicated.
The ring is one of the most famous examples of the horror trope “Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book”. Aidan Keller (David Dorfman) begins snapping photos of who fans later discover is Samara Morgan, the terrifying child villain trapped at the bottom of a well. Aidan’s mom Rachel (Naomi Watts) is pretty nervous about what’s going on, which is good because these drawings shouldn’t be ignored. Rachel ignores what Aidan doesn’t know and turns out to be a smart character.
In both films, the horror trope is used to show the upcoming battles, as both mothers will have to fight to stop the villains from taking their children. It’s interesting to consider that neither Sarah nor Rachel would be so sure of danger without these strange drawings, so this trope is very effective. This trope also feels unique in that there is no other that can be easily put into place as nothing else would work the same way.
The ring uses this trope best because Aidan can’t draw fast enough. The ring is a timeless horror movie from the 2000s because the plot is so compelling. After realizing that a videotape is cursed and people die seven days after watching it, it’s hard not to get hooked and want to know what happens next. The film stands out for being visually appealing. It’s not possible to forget about Samara’s black hair as it covers her face most of the time and she looks like she’s moving super fast as she exits the well and comes out of the TV in some stunning scenes.
But Aidan’s drawings are also a memorable part of the film. It doesn’t make sense for a young child to suddenly draw a girl with a sad expression on her face, long black hair and a black outfit. This trope is also used as a plot device as what the child draws becomes useful for the adult characters. In this case, Rachel realizes Aidan is drawing Samara and learns about her family history.
While some slasher movies use clichés and there are tropes that always feel corny, the “Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book” trope has a real impact. It allows child characters to take an active role in the plot and is more interesting than the standard “Creepy Child” trope which is still great but not as different and dramatic. There’s also the fact that looking at these drawings is just plain fun, as they are both creepy and charming, as the artist is a young child figuring out what the world is like and now facing a terrifying threat.
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