The movie Children of the Corn is based upon the short story from Stephen King’s book of short stories entitled Night Shift.

The story takes place in a remote town in Nebraska where the children have murdered all of the adults in the town and formed a cult based on the worship of corn and a shadowy presence known as “He Who Walks Between the Rows.”

There are a number of religious undertones in the movie. The members of the cult speak in a manner that is reminiscent of the writing style found in the bible, arranging sentences in a manner that seems awkward by today’s standards, for example, “I have seen this car upon the road” or “I act according to His will!” In addition, the leader of the cult has the biblical name Isaac. Numerous crosses made of corn adorn the buildings throughout the town, and in the movie Vicki, the female protagonist, is put up on a cross by her hands and feet in crucifixion style.

Children of the Corn hits a pressure point centered on the distrust older generations have towards the young. In the movie, teenagers are sacrificed once they reach the age of nineteen, ensuring that the cult is not “contaminated” by adults. There is a natural clash between the value systems, fashions, music and lifestyles enjoyed by the younger and older members of most societies, and in some cases outright hostility. Children of the Corn shows one extreme scenario if this hostility were to become manifest in its worst possible form. In another light, the film highlights the dislike the young have of a strict religious lifestyle, as members of the cult are not allowed to use electronic devices such as record players or telephones.

Children of the Corn also takes aim at religious fundamentalism. Usually based in rural areas, such as the bible belt in the southern portion of the United States, fundamental religious organizations are often distrusted by their more mainstream counterparts. The movie hints at the tragic consequences resulting from fundamental religious beliefs unfettered by reason or restraint.