MovieChat Forums > Firestarter (1984) Discussion > Pedophile

Pedophile

posted 8 years ago by nnettew
6 replies | jump to latest

I just watched this movie today. Never read the book. The George C. Scott character was so creepy and he seemed like a pedophile. The scene where he rubs her thigh was just creepy. Also, they had her dressed in leotard, which seemed unnecessary for scene. It's like the director was definitely trying to hint at molestationin a wired creepy way. It didn't seem random as there several scenes with Scott and Barrymore that had this vibe. Don't know if this was the vibe in the book but the scenes with Barrymore and Scott were like a pedophile" grooming" his victim.

[–] banders46 7 years ago

It's been too long since I read the book, so I don't really remember, but it's definitely suggested in the film. In his review, Roger Ebert refers to the character as an "Indian child molester."

[–] PussyCrusher_Principal 7 years ago

That's why he had only one eye, get it?

[–] ramsplp 7 years ago

Yeah, the book makes Rainbird's intentions a little less pedophile-ish. He wants to understand Charlie's power and look into her eyes when he kills her. In the book, he says to Captin Hollister something along the lines of "I want to get to know her intimately". When Hollister recoils, Rainbird says, "No not that way. Not in the Biblical sense."

Maybe it would've made Rainbird a little less creepy if that line were in the movie. I don't know.

[–] banders46 7 years ago

This is interesting. I bet they deliberately didn't include that line because then the characters are discussing what otherwise is just implied. So, ironically, they made it creepier by trying to make it less creepy.

[–] CinemaDemon989 (1286) 5 years ago

Agreed. His character did seem like a pedophile. Some of the scenes between him and Charlie were very strange. But I guess that made his character all the more creepy. And oh well, he got burned alive at the end. So he got what he deserved.

Great movie by the way.

[–] diezman (1801) 2 years ago

Yeah, I sensed the creepy pedophile thing when I saw this movie for the first time back in the 80s. I don't know if the filmmaker wanted it implied or not being that I never read the novel.