The topic of motherhood has been showing up in numerous forms of media. Movies, books, and shows are portraying the topic in a more raw, honest way, giving mothers a chance to connect to the fictional characters. It is an unforgettable part of almost every woman’s life. In addition to carrying a baby, a mother must carry a burden full of emotions such as fear, anguish, and uncertainty. Even though stories often portray this in an exaggerated way, mothers can still find themselves in the protagonist’s shoes.
For instance, HBO’s comedy-horror series The Baby tells the story of an infant who unexpectedly drops off a cliff and straight into a woman’s arms. The tiny baby turns out to be a ruthless killer. Although babies, in reality, don’t hide a murderous demeanor behind their chubby cheeks and lively grins, TV series such as these serve as a metaphor for the unpredictability of a child.
“It definitely comes from that place of anxiety, and also of jealousy of people who seem to feel so clearly one way or another. That feeling of not being sure feels scary and sometimes isolating,” said Lucy Gaymer, co-creator of the series. The idea of uncertainty is an idea often explored, especially in motherhood. It adds to the terror aspect, whether in fiction or in real life.
Another horror-comedy that expands on the many emotions of motherhood is Prevenge. It tells the anguishing tale of a woman who must follow her unborn child’s every command. “I kind of took all my frustrations of what I was feeling… Suddenly, you’re a mother and people think different about you and you don’t have control over your job anymore,” said Alice Lowe, director of the film. She was 8 months pregnant when writing and wanted to capture the inevitable out-of-control feeling when dealing with a baby, whether born or unborn.
Some films touch on childbirth itself. For example, Marianne Levy’s book, Don’t Forget toScream. “I got chatting to a mum at the school gate and I asked her about her experience of birth. ‘Oh, it was awful,’ she said. ‘It’s why I only have one. But, you know, it’s fine.’ ‘Is it?’ I said. She thought for a moment. ‘No’,” wrote Levy. Rather than the miraculous act of beauty birth is often portrayed as, Levy focuses on spotlighting its shock and anger-inspiring pain.
Babies are part of the emotional rollercoaster that comes with a woman’s life. Minus the killing sprees, the scary experiences that mothers have with their children may feel straight out of a horror movie. Shows such as The Baby depict motherhood as an extreme experience, in which many real-life mothers can agree. The struggles of being a mother are beautifully and accurately illustrated in stories like these, and as more films are revolving their plots around motherhood, mothers in the real world will relate.
For instance, HBO’s comedy-horror series The Baby tells the story of an infant who unexpectedly drops off a cliff and straight into a woman’s arms. The tiny baby turns out to be a ruthless killer. Although babies, in reality, don’t hide a murderous demeanor behind their chubby cheeks and lively grins, TV series such as these serve as a metaphor for the unpredictability of a child.
“It definitely comes from that place of anxiety, and also of jealousy of people who seem to feel so clearly one way or another. That feeling of not being sure feels scary and sometimes isolating,” said Lucy Gaymer, co-creator of the series. The idea of uncertainty is an idea often explored, especially in motherhood. It adds to the terror aspect, whether in fiction or in real life.
Another horror-comedy that expands on the many emotions of motherhood is Prevenge. It tells the anguishing tale of a woman who must follow her unborn child’s every command. “I kind of took all my frustrations of what I was feeling… Suddenly, you’re a mother and people think different about you and you don’t have control over your job anymore,” said Alice Lowe, director of the film. She was 8 months pregnant when writing and wanted to capture the inevitable out-of-control feeling when dealing with a baby, whether born or unborn.
Some films touch on childbirth itself. For example, Marianne Levy’s book, Don’t Forget toScream. “I got chatting to a mum at the school gate and I asked her about her experience of birth. ‘Oh, it was awful,’ she said. ‘It’s why I only have one. But, you know, it’s fine.’ ‘Is it?’ I said. She thought for a moment. ‘No’,” wrote Levy. Rather than the miraculous act of beauty birth is often portrayed as, Levy focuses on spotlighting its shock and anger-inspiring pain.
Babies are part of the emotional rollercoaster that comes with a woman’s life. Minus the killing sprees, the scary experiences that mothers have with their children may feel straight out of a horror movie. Shows such as The Baby depict motherhood as an extreme experience, in which many real-life mothers can agree. The struggles of being a mother are beautifully and accurately illustrated in stories like these, and as more films are revolving their plots around motherhood, mothers in the real world will relate.
