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This week's Monday Movie Meme from the Bumbles is all about those movies that traumatized us as children, and even those that left their mark on us as adults. How dare those directors steal our innocence!
Here are the movies that caused pain and suffering for me as a young 'un:
1. Jaws - I think this movie put the screws to 90% of people who saw it, kids and adults alike. I've been known occasionally to wander out a ways in the ocean if I have had a drink or two, but otherwise stay in ankle deep, thank you very much. It doesn't help that I live 45 minutes away from the shark bite capitol of the world, New Smyrna Beach.
2. Bambi - For most kids, this is their introduction to the death of a parent. As cute and cuddly as the movie appears to be, it manages to instill in our young minds that the world is not necessarily a safe place. (The modern offender would be The Lion King.)
3. The Wizard of Oz - Flying demonic monkeys, a wizard with an anger management problem, and witch feet that curled up under a house was all it took to scare the poop out of me.
4. Charlotte's Web - It is true movie magic when a bug-phobic kid like me would fall in love with a spider, weep for hours after the end of the movie, and name her first kitty cat Charlotte. The death of that damn spider haunted me for years.
5. The Blob (1958 version) - From the old man who pokes the goo with a stick and is quickly consumed, to the movie theater being attacked by the ever-growing blood-colored mass, what seems campy now caused me sleepless night as a kid. I had to line stuffed animals all around me at night to protect me from intruding globules.
6. The Exorcist - I don't remember at exactly what age I saw this movie for the first time, but I think that anything under the age of 30 is too young. Even as a teenager, I can remember my sister and I watching it upstairs in our lair, and the first time Miss Thing's head spins around we both scurried out of the room like cockroaches.
As an adult, now that I am scarred and cynical, two movies come to mind that caused me mental anguish:
The Deerhunter - the Russian roulet scene made me sick to my stomach. I've only watched this movie once. I don't think I could handle it again.
United 93 - The last scene of the movie, taken from the vantage point of the cockpit, with the ground coming at them at 200mph, is one that is difficult to forget. This is the stuff that nightmares are made of.
What were the most damaging movies you saw as a kid? Are you over them yet? Have you been affected by anything as an adult?
19 comments:
I just thought of poltergist. A TV that could eat you?? My worst nightmare *shudder*.
Good list and I agree with Jaws and Exorcist. I think they (originals) worked so well because they actually have something in there called suspense.
Good list thanks for sharing.
My list is here.
I agree with you on Bambi and The Wizard of Oz. I had recurring nightmares about monkeys for years after seeing the latter. I guess in one way, you could say Bambi was true to life. Still, who wants to see someone's mother shot and killed when you're that small? Most traumatic!
My pre-teen trauma came with "The Hand of the Mummy." At one point I turned away and looked at the windows behind me and was sure that I saw, looking back at me, THE MUMMY!!!!! I scurried off to bed, leaving, for my parents to find later, the front door open and unlocked, all the lights on and the TV broadcasting into the now-empty room. I was found cowering under my covers.
I forgot about United 93 - that was quite an ending. For me, banjo music will never be the same after Deliverance.
When I was really little I got nightmares from the Wizard of Oz! (those flying monkeys were scary.)
I've never seen United 93. I haven't watched anything having to do with 09/11. Too close too soon. I know how it ends so no thank you - I don't feel like traumatizing myself with the movie.
I'll have to go back and watch the Deer Hunter though - I don't think I've ever made it through the whole thing - sections here and there. Maybe that's the way to watch it?
Have a great trip - stay away from those in-flight movies - you don't want to end up with a traumatic one!
Great list -- during Jaws, my sister dug her fingernails into my arm so deeply that it bled! She was also traumatized by The Exorcist and had to sleep with me for a couple of weeks afterward.
As for me, I'm not scared of anything, well, except for clowns.
My favorite sci fi/horror flick of all time is "The Thing," with Kurt Russell. That spider thingy with the dude's head is just freaky!
My worse movie from my childhood would have to be Gremlins. Never again will I watch that movie.
Movie trauma. Childhood: The Birds (was sleeping over at a friend's house & it was on TV;how did her mother allow this? She was watching it in the living room--in color)
Adult: Totally agree re The Deer Hunter. Also with Caspette on Poltergeist (left the movie theatre hyperventilating & hysterical. To this day, if a television goes static, I freak...)
Have a wonderful trip, Sandy, and choose your movies wisely ;)
Caspette - I forgot about Poltergeist...maybe I should tell my kids about it, so they aren't such TV zombies!
Bellezza - I don't think there is a kid on earth that wasn't damaged by Bambi. Who says Disney is warm and cuddly?
Kevin - so good to see you on here. You need to comment more often! I love the image of you leaving everything open and abandoned and taking cover!!HAHAHA
Rhapsody - that movie haunted me. After I wrapped it up in my Netflix envelope, I had to cut it open and watch again. The movie was so well done. Soon after I watched the movie, my son got a tour of the Orlando Magic corporate jet, and when I saw the cockpit, I freaked out.
Beth - they were bad monkeys! My daughter still doesn't like to see them at the zoo.
Bumbles - Yeah, it ain't easy watching those 9/11 movies. The thing about Deer Hunter is that as awful as that one scene is, it is SO well acted. Its like who's who of acting. No in-flight movies for me (except To Kill a Mockingbird, which I rented from iTunes). Kindle all the way baby!
Chartroose - then I guess you freaked a little with "It"? Talk about the epitome of bad clowns. That one put me over the edge with clowns.
Jess - I'm trying to think back to Gremlins. I don't remember it doing much to me, but maybe I was old and cynical by then!
ds - oh yes, The Birds was bad news. My mom has psychological issues over that one!
United 93 traumatized me big time, especially when I made the mistake watching it before a long-haul flight I made. Exorcist was okay because I've got company.
When my sister was younger the movie that scared her was ET. We had an ET doll that was forbidden from going into her room because she would have nightmares.
Matt - I cannot even CONCEIVE of flying right after I saw that movie. I need to stop thinking about it or I will get spooked for tomorrow!
Melissa - I can see where ET would freak a little kid out. He was pretty creepy looking!
Great list!
Jaws is definitely one on my list, along with The Exorcist and Carrie.
Those damn flying monkeys! Now my children mock me for not being able to watch The Wizard of Oz still. They think it is sooooo hilarious. But they just give me the creeps. As an adult, I feel The Shining is one extreme creepfest. Last summer, we stayed at The Stanley in Colorado upon which King based The Overlook. I skipped the ghost tour and the constant feed of the movie on hotel TV.
The flying monkeys from Wizard of Oz freak me out as well!
I was always good about watching scary movies... I could handle them. But the Exorcist... wow, that was the scariest movie ever! Eek. I still get chills.
I still haven't seen Jaws all the way through. Not because I found it too scary--just because I've never had the opportunity to watch it.
Hm. For me, I would have to say Nightmare on Elm Street. I wasn't easily scared as a child, but that one got to me when I saw it the first time. It was such a relief to find a horror movie that I could buy into--I remember thinking. LOL
I can think of plenty of titles that had an impact on me from my childhood, but none that I would say traumatized me really.
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