...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

The Space Children

161 statements
30 feature instances
2 referencing feature instances

The Space Children	type	TVTItem
The Space Children	label	The Space Children
The Space Children	page	TheSpaceChildren
The Space Children	comment	Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })The Space Children is a 1958 American Science Fiction film directed by Jack Arnold.Electrical engineer Dave Brewster (Adam Williams) and his family relocate to a coastal trailer park so that he can join the team working on the Thunderer, the latest and greatest of ICBMs and the one which will hopefully settle this pesky arms race once and for all. But the Brewster kids hear a strange sound no adult can detect, and see an eerie light in the sky. Once they arrive at their new home they are lured to a coastal cave where they, and the children of the other scientists, are introduced to a pulsating, glowing blob, which telepathically communicates with them.Oldest child Bud Brewster (Michel Ray) acts as the ringleader as the children become servants to Azathoth's little cousin, which is a relatively benign fate compared to what happens to adults who discover the creature; Dave Brewster is struck mute or knocked out whenever he tries to tell someone else about it, another scientist gets a short-term memory wipe, and a third fellow is killed though he was an unlikable, abusive drunkard, so nobody really minds.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })But that isn't the extent of the blob's powers - soon the military base housing the Thunderer suffers a string of inexplicable accidents, each occurring near a creepy smiling child, culminating in the rocket's test launch resulting in spectacular, fiery disappointment. The military rushes to take down the star-spawn, but the children form a human wall and allow the blob to ascend back into the heavens. Finally free of its influence, Bud explains that all over the planet, other children have done as they did, sabotaging the nukes and doomsday devices of the world's nations. In awe, Anne Brewster (Peggy Webber) remarks that "the world is having a second chance," and the movie closes on a Bible quote: "Verily, I say unto you... except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (St. Matthew, Ch 18, v. 3)Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_3'); })...which glosses over the geopolitical ramifications of this sudden shift in the balance of power with confusing theology. So it's a movie sort of similar to The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), just, you know, not as good.And no, The Space Children don't grow up into the Teenagers from Outer Space.It appeared in this episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
The Space Children	fetched	2022-12-28T10:44:54Z
The Space Children	parsed	2022-12-28T10:44:54Z
The Space Children	processingComment	Dropped link to AbusiveParent: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
The Space Children	processingComment	Dropped link to AnAesop: Not a Feature - IGNORE
The Space Children	processingUnknown	AbusiveParent
The Space Children	isPartOf	DBTropes
The Space Children / int_13a499b8	type	Diabolus ex Nihilo
The Space Children / int_13a499b8	comment	Diabolus ex Nihilo: What exactly is it, where did it come from and where the hell does it get off telling us what to do with our weapons? Y'know what, blob? You can just bite us! You have no right to-gah! What are you-aaagh! HAHAHA. DISREGARD THAT. THE BLOB IS AWESOME. GO TEAM BLOB. YAY.
The Space Children / int_13a499b8	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_13a499b8	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_13a499b8
The Space Children / int_26f41623	type	Kill Sat
The Space Children / int_26f41623	comment	Kill Sat: The Thunderer launches an H-Bomb to a geosynchronous orbit over a target city, just waiting for the order to drop the metaphorical hammer.
The Space Children / int_26f41623	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_26f41623	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_26f41623
The Space Children / int_281de59f	type	Extremely Short Timespan
The Space Children / int_281de59f	comment	Extremely Short Timespan: The film takes place over two days.
The Space Children / int_281de59f	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_281de59f	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_281de59f
The Space Children / int_3407c500	type	The World Is Not Ready
The Space Children / int_3407c500	comment	The World Is Not Ready: ...to disarm itself, so the Blob From On High shows up to do it for us.
The Space Children / int_3407c500	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_3407c500	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_3407c500
The Space Children / int_41dee1c9	type	Children Are Special
The Space Children / int_41dee1c9	comment	Children Are Special: They're the only ones the Blob bothers to communicate with.
The Space Children / int_41dee1c9	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_41dee1c9	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_41dee1c9
The Space Children / int_590eb583	type	Domestic Abuse
The Space Children / int_590eb583	comment	Domestic Abuse: Joe again. He's probably the only character the Blob From Heaven is justified in killing, and the rest of the cast would thank it for doing so.
The Space Children / int_590eb583	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_590eb583	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_590eb583
The Space Children / int_5beef860	type	Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?
The Space Children / int_5beef860	comment	Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Sand. It ruins everything, you know. Everything.
The Space Children / int_5beef860	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_5beef860	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_5beef860
The Space Children / int_6509bb9f	type	Non-Indicative Name
The Space Children / int_6509bb9f	comment	Nonindicative Name: The eponymous children are not from space, nor do they go into space.
The Space Children / int_6509bb9f	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_6509bb9f	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_6509bb9f
The Space Children / int_6bda9a30	type	Meaningful Name
The Space Children / int_6bda9a30	comment	Meaningful Name: Dr. Warman works for the defense department.
The Space Children / int_6bda9a30	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_6bda9a30	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_6bda9a30
The Space Children / int_72c07237	type	Swiss-Cheese Security
The Space Children / int_72c07237	comment	Swiss-Cheese Security: The base housing the Thunderer is protected by a chain-link fence with exposed locks, a security kiosk with a wooden retractable barrier, and some signs. Even when they aren't under the blob's protection, the kids are able to run right up to it to gawk at the missile.
The Space Children / int_72c07237	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_72c07237	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_72c07237
The Space Children / int_7315fd38	type	Covers Always Lie
The Space Children / int_7315fd38	comment	Covers Always Lie: The poster in the Trope image. As you might guess, that never happened. Of course, being the '50's, the poster was probably printed before the script was even written. Ditto for the tagline, as its "enslavement" of the kids is done for entirely benevolent reasons.
The Space Children / int_7315fd38	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_7315fd38	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_7315fd38
The Space Children / int_7eebe99c	type	The Alcoholic
The Space Children / int_7eebe99c	comment	The Alcoholic: Joe can't even chase down his stepson, he's weaving and staggering so bad.
The Space Children / int_7eebe99c	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_7eebe99c	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_7eebe99c
The Space Children / int_8774fb47	type	Eldritch Abomination
The Space Children / int_8774fb47	comment	Eldritch Abomination: The Blob from Heaven is a big glowing gob of protoplasm.
The Space Children / int_8774fb47	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_8774fb47	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_8774fb47
The Space Children / int_8844a843	type	Seeing Through Another's Eyes
The Space Children / int_8844a843	comment	Seeing Through Another's Eyes: The blob can do this, as probably probably another facet of its telepathy.
The Space Children / int_8844a843	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_8844a843	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_8844a843
The Space Children / int_8a4988bb	type	Mind Rape
The Space Children / int_8a4988bb	comment	Mind Rape: This is how the Blob kills Joe for trying to harm Tim. Coogan's character gets a minor dose after following his daughter to the blob. Dave Brewster gets mind-smacked when he tries to tell his superiors about the blob; first he finds himself unable to speak, then his attempt to write about it ends with unconsciousness.
The Space Children / int_8a4988bb	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_8a4988bb	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_8a4988bb
The Space Children / int_8ed5c6e4	type	Asshole Victim
The Space Children / int_8ed5c6e4	comment	Asshole Victim: Joe. See above.
The Space Children / int_8ed5c6e4	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_8ed5c6e4	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_8ed5c6e4
The Space Children / int_a5cfe2ac	type	And There Was Much Rejoicing
The Space Children / int_a5cfe2ac	comment	And There Was Much Rejoicing: Once Joe gets mind-fragged by the blob, even the other characters admit they won't miss him. His own wife is only a little upset, and we can probably chalk that up to watching him die!
The Space Children / int_a5cfe2ac	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_a5cfe2ac	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_a5cfe2ac
The Space Children / int_a67b86a7	type	General Ripper
The Space Children / int_a67b86a7	comment	General Ripper: Completely averted. Col. Manley is a pretty level-headed guy who has a kid of his own. He's not even that upset when the Thunderer Project goes ker-flooey at the end. It's Jackie Coogan's civilian character who wants to kill.
The Space Children / int_a67b86a7	featureApplicability	-1.0
The Space Children / int_a67b86a7	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_a67b86a7
The Space Children / int_a939d96a	type	Adults Are Useless
The Space Children / int_a939d96a	comment	Adults Are Useless: ...so it's up to the children (with an assist by a lump of silly putty) to save the world.
The Space Children / int_a939d96a	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_a939d96a	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_a939d96a
The Space Children / int_abad35b4	type	Soundtrack Dissonance
The Space Children / int_abad35b4	comment	Soundtrack Dissonance: When the truck drivers lose control of their vehicle, causing it to weave back and forth and eventually careen off the road, the musical accompaniment is placid and ethereal.
The Space Children / int_abad35b4	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_abad35b4	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_abad35b4
The Space Children / int_ac320c0e	type	Nuke 'em
The Space Children / int_ac320c0e	comment	Nuke 'em: Hank's idea for how to end the Cold War.
The Space Children / int_ac320c0e	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_ac320c0e	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_ac320c0e
The Space Children / int_b95cd640	type	Huge Schoolgirl
The Space Children / int_b95cd640	comment	Huge Schoolgirl: One of the "children" following Bud around looks a little too pubescent to play with that age group.
The Space Children / int_b95cd640	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_b95cd640	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_b95cd640
The Space Children / int_c042eee9	type	Invisible to Normals
The Space Children / int_c042eee9	comment	Invisible to Normals: While they're doing the blob's bidding, the Space Children can walk right by security checkpoints.
The Space Children / int_c042eee9	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_c042eee9	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_c042eee9
The Space Children / int_c660bc15	type	Fan Disservice
The Space Children / int_c660bc15	comment	Fan Disservice: Jackie Coogan's outfits. The film was going for a creepy atmosphere, and it worked; once wardrobe decided to dress Coogan in little shorty-shorts, the rest of the crew could have knocked off early.
The Space Children / int_c660bc15	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_c660bc15	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_c660bc15
The Space Children / int_c6d11745	type	Telepathy
The Space Children / int_c6d11745	comment	Telepathy: The blob hasn't got a mouth, so this is how it communicates/flash fries people's noodles.
The Space Children / int_c6d11745	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_c6d11745	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_c6d11745
The Space Children / int_d148b019	type	Mundane Made Awesome
The Space Children / int_d148b019	comment	Mundane Made Awesome: Every shot of the Thunderer is accompanied by a majestic fanfare, even though it's visually quite unimpressive.
The Space Children / int_d148b019	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_d148b019	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_d148b019
The Space Children / int_e62dfb96	type	No Endor Holocaust
The Space Children / int_e62dfb96	comment	No Endor Holocaust: Subverted. Right as the viewer starts to question how sabotaging the Thunderer project is supposed to end the threat of nuclear war, Bud explains that other kids all over the world are unilaterally disarming every other country's nuclear weapon stockpiles, too.
The Space Children / int_e62dfb96	featureApplicability	-0.3
The Space Children / int_e62dfb96	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_e62dfb96
The Space Children / int_e8760868	type	Space Whale Aesop
The Space Children / int_e8760868	comment	Space Whale Aesop: Disarm or a blob from outer space will enslave your children and do it for you?
The Space Children / int_e8760868	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_e8760868	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_e8760868
The Space Children / int_f3d5d15f	type	Creepy Child
The Space Children / int_f3d5d15f	comment	Creepy Child: Serenely grinning children act as conduits for the blob's telekinetic powers, letting them stare at locks until they break or make trucks swerve off course with a creepy stare.
The Space Children / int_f3d5d15f	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_f3d5d15f	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_f3d5d15f
The Space Children / int_name	type	ItemName
The Space Children / int_name	comment
The Space Children / int_name	featureApplicability	1.0
The Space Children / int_name	featureConfidence	1.0
The Space Children	hasFeature	The Space Children / int_name
The Space Children / int_name	itemName	The Space Children

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

	The Space Children	hasFeature	Alien Works / int_530963ae
	The Space Children	seeAlso	The Space Children

Copyright of DBTropes.org wrapper 2009-2013 DFKI Knowledge Management. Imprint. - Thanks to Bakken&Baeck for hosting. Contact.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.