There is a new adoption horror movie coming out this summer, Orphan and it seems to be upsetting some in the adoption community. The story is about a couple who, after a miscarriage, chooses to adopt an older child. It doesn't take long for the family to realize that this child may have a lot in common with Damien from the 1970's horror flick, The Omen. (Another story of adoptee is truly child of Satan tale we've heard over, and over again.) I'm not one for horror movies, I prefer suspense to blood and gore, this movie trailer alone was enough to creep me out. But is it enough to keep someone from choosing to adopt an older child? That is the supposed fear among those planning to boycott the new Dark Castle/Warner Brothers creation.
Let's say this adoption horror movie, Orphan, does keep a family from choosing adoption, especially adoption of an older child. What does that say about older child adoption? Or does it say more about that particular prospective adoptive family? They may have been looking for a reason out and if a scary movie is good enough reason, then perhaps it's good that they didn't sign the adoption finalization papers. To say Orphan may keep someone from adopting a child, would be like saying the movie, Mommie Dearest may keep people from hanging around adoptive mothers, or using wire hangers.
Horror movies seem to do what they do best, exploit our most basic fears, blowing them up out of proportion and to the extreme. (Think gigantic, rogue sharks, human skin wearing, cannibals, and over sized apes) How many of us fear making a parenting mistake? How will adding a child impact my family and change our family dynamic? I may not fear that my newly adopted child can set fires with her evil stare, but I may be concerned with how she perceives the relationships I have with my other children and how sibling rivalry plays out when a basic attachment, or history is missing or rather, not clear in the beginning of the adoption placement.
"It must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own." ~ Esther, character from new adoption horror movie, Orphan
Yeah, doesn't that quote just "get ya?" Again, playing on another fear or worry. Can I, as an adoptive parent, love this child as much as I do or would a birth child? And here is a child, an adopted child, pointing it out. Perhaps that's the scariest part?
Do you think adoption movies have an impact on adoption? Share your thoughts here by clicking, "comments."
I just published an article on the topic.
http://www.examiner.com/x-7928-Charlotte-International-Adoption-Examiner~y2009m5d23-Adoption-horror-movie-Orphan-to-be-released-by-Warner-Brothers
Thanks,
Cathy Doheny
Charlotte International Adoption Examiner
I think this article is a superficial piece of fluff.
Let us remember that adoptees will be exposed to the very negative perspective on adoption that is fostered by this aptly categorized “horror” film. As both consumers and citizens, we should protest the singling out of this minority population in such a horribly negative way. If the movie title had been “Black Girl” or “Hispanic Girl” instead of “Orphan” do you think this movie would have ever seen the light of day? Personally, I will not see this film and I will walk out of any theater that shows a promotional trailer of it.
Yeah, the trailer scared me
. But I think someone willing to adopt has motivations beyond what a movie like this would affect.
The more basic concern for the adoptive community here has to do with that very line being in the trailer. While some may be jumping the gun for a full boycott of the movie, Warner Brothers made the decision to change the marketing because it was agreeably concerning.
A parent (in this case an adoptive parent) cannot censor a television commercial or a visit to a website that may show that line and open a can of worms on an adopted child. This article does not do a good job of representing the basic concerns of parenting. Of course people who adopt love their children. It’s the child’s fragile, volatile, psychological journey that is at risk here.
Movies and art innately play on our very real fears and concerns. I wouldn’t qualify “Orphan” as great art by any means. And as far as reviews are going, the concern is definitely not about needing to destroy the film–the box office can take care of that. It’s more about media and the options we have for protecting our children. A parent can censor letting their child into a Rated R film but there’s not much that can be done for an untimely or unwanted glance at a loaded television commercial.
We as parents also can’t protect our children from the mean little comments from other children, but they still occur and words hurt. We need to empower our children!
I’m growing tired of a world that insists we over-protect our children, almost to the point of bubble wrapping them and making them wear protective gear to go outside and play with sidewalk chalk.
Then complain 20 or more years later about adult children who can’t handle the “real world.”
There are bigger fish to fry than a horror movie with an offensive line. Life can be offensive. Again – empower our children.
(P.S. – There are other horror movies that the trailers alone include images that can be nightmare inducing to children!)
It’s a MOVIE people. Every time you turn around someone is offended by some unPC thing or another. I just came back from seeing Drag me to hell…(awesome!) and the trailer for Orphan was on before. Being as I love horror movies, I checked it out. Shoulda known some people would be getting their panties in a bunch over it?? Do you REALLY think people will not adopt an older child because of a horror movie??? Please. People are nowhere NEAR as stupid as you seem to think they are.
People may, however, give second thought to adopting an older child when they read real life horror stories of people whose adoptive children have RAD and attempt to kill them multiple times. Or people who adopt older kids who instead of being grateful for the rescue bring all sorts of grief down into the lives of the families who adopted them. Why don’t you tell the newspapers to stop running those stories??? Those stories really might dissuade someone if they consider the fact that while a lot of adoptions turn out well, some don’t. It is NOT a decision to take lightly and it is NOT for everybody and the sooner people realize that the better.
Why not be truthful instead of tricking people into thinking that it is no different than giving birth and there’s nothing to worry about??
Better to be prepared about what could happen than to get blindsided and have it end badly for all. Or is all that matters getting kids adopted?
It’s a MOVIE people. Every time you turn around someone is offended by some unPC thing or another. I just came back from seeing Drag me to hell…(awesome!) and the trailer for Orphan was on before. Being as I love horror movies, I checked it out. Shoulda known some people would be getting their panties in a bunch over it?? Do you REALLY think people will not adopt an older child because of a horror movie??? Please. People are nowhere NEAR as stupid as you seem to think they are.
People may, however, give second thought to adopting an older child when they read real life horror stories of people whose adoptive children have RAD and attempt to kill them multiple times. Or people who adopt older kids who instead of being grateful for the rescue bring all sorts of grief down into the lives of the families who adopted them. Why don’t you tell the newspapers to stop running those stories??? Those stories really might dissuade someone if they consider the fact that while a lot of adoptions turn out well, some don’t. It is NOT a decision to take lightly and it is NOT for everybody and the sooner people realize that the better.
Why not be truthful instead of tricking people into thinking that it is no different than giving birth and there’s nothing to worry about??
Better to be prepared about what could happen than to get blindsided and have it end badly for all. Or is all that matters getting kids adopted?
As an adoptive parent, I went through classes for adoptive parents. One does not adopt children willy-nilly. We were well-armed with information. I do not think that seeing a horror movie about adoption after our “training” would have changed my husband’s or my mind about adoption. I do wish those involved with the movie had come up with a somewhat different topic, however.
It’s so interesting how adoptive parents will be defensive for their children when it suits them.
Why aren’t all of you up in arms about your child’s original birth certificate being sealed from them and YOUR names falsely printed on the Amended birth certificate as his/her biological parents? Oh, that’s right it’s in YOUR favor.
The Adoptee Rights Demonstration is July 21, 2009 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. (For those of you who think your child should not be treated as a second-class citizen.) After all, EVERY child deserves to know the TRUTH about his/her biological history.
Let’s think about all of the adoptive kids that see the trailer – how about their feelings?? I feel for the parents of older children that may be faced with explaining a Hollywood movie.
Any parent wanting to adopt will do it regardless of any movie they see. Prospective parents that see the movie or trailer will not be scared away. I am an adoptive mom and there was nothing that would have stood between my son and I!
I am an mother of two adopted children from China. One most recently a wonderful little boy who was adopted at 4 and is now 5. While he is older, I am aware that there are children that are much older who are adopted and can bring certain issues with them. After reading the information about this movie and the some of the comments made, I definitely don’t think it is a positive way of looking at “older adoption” but I think it is being bulit up out of proportion. This is a movie, the Omen is a movie, Snow White is a movie. That is all it is. Just as you wouldn’t allow your child to see an X-rated movie, you wouldn’t allow your child to see this one, mainly due to the violence. I feel the more you make out of this the more attention it gets. It will still be seen in the movies whether you or I like it or not. Present it in the right context to your children and this like anything else negative or difficult in life will be understood and learned from and they will move on.
This movie is obviously about a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder. RAD isn’t specific to adopted children or “orphans”. But, RAD is typically diagnosed by adoptive families instead of birth families. What I find interesting about this movie and the obvious topic is our educational system doesn’t have a clue at what RAD is, but the movie industry does?? Our social system tries to sugar coat children with RAD by saying this lovely child “needs a family with no other children, or “this sweet child needs alot of one on one attention”. Someone in the production of this movie knows about RAD and it isn’t a pretty disorder. So, I wouldn’t want anyone to not adopt a child because the fear of a child like this, but I certainly think adoptive families need to go into an adoption with their eyes wide open. If it takes a movie to educate people, more power to them!!!
I’m adopted and actualy lover the movie, it was a different twist to horror movies. I say anyone who is going to opt out of adopting based on a what they saw in ahollywood movie is better off not being a parent if they can’t tell reality from Hollywood.