Scarred for life

[Slugjc]

Following on from @GooseOnTheLoose example of stealing ideas. I am going to nick on myself.

The idea, 3 things that you saw at a young age that still scare you to this day. With an explanation as to why and when it happened. I would use the phrase "nightmare fuel" but I'm not that much of a prick.

What made you run behind the sofa, shouting for mummy?

1, Opening shadow of the beast 2.

6/7 years old. I would watch my brother play on the Amiga. I think this game came as part of the bundle. The animation is superb. But as for tiny little Jonny. It caused no end of sleepless nights.


From: https://youtu.be/xcOkQKeDigs?si=XN6ntgt81oOcw-JP


2, protect and survive.

13/14 years old. Little family jaunt to Edinburgh. Little trip to the Nuclear bunker. They played 2 of films and I couldn't wait to get out of there. That night, I couldn't sleep. Me and r kid shared a hotel room and I just could sleep. Couldn't even turn off my back in bed.

3. PG Tips chimps.

Supposedly classic advertising. To me, just an excuse to run and cower in the corner. I think it's the mouth movements that did it. Especially when one is portrayed to be laughing. My grandma collected the hologram fridge magnets for me. Stuck them on her fridge freezer, which was by the door as you walk in. Head down and get past as quickly as possible.




From: https://youtu.be/z5em8lQAcvg?si=oMFIOB9PYLGiHUVs

 

[DiogoJ42]

That AIDS PSA with the tombstone scarred anyone alive at the time.

This site may be of interest.

...:::kindertrauma:::...

kindertrauma :: your happy childhood ends here!

www.kindertrauma.com

 

[RicketyCricket]

Threads.

 

[Shaggy_Dog_]

1) The Shroud Of Turin

I remember that during the mid 80’s there was a promotion in boxes of PG Tips I think it was where you got a card based on mysteries of the world. I have a memory of getting one with a picture of the Shroud Of Turin on it and absolutely crapping myself at it.

2) When The Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs.

As a child I was a fan of Raymond Briggs from reading Fungus The Bogeyman and The Snowman. I made the mistake of reading this one next. Jeez, it was grim.

3) *That* scene in the Watership Down film

There are no words for the terrifying gas scene in this one.

Actually no, just make it there entire movie. Absolute nightmare stuff (but with the most beautiful angelic song by Art Garfunkel).

 

[Slugjc]

We got shown when the wind blows at primary school. Age 8.

I get the feeling miss Snowdon was a little sick in the head.

 

[John_P]

The film Arachnophobia, genuinely don't remember having any worry about spiders before seeing it.

 

[DiogoJ42]

As an aracnophobe, the big boss spider just made me laugh.
.... The little’uns, on the other hand....

 

[Matt.GC]

Threads also terrified me as a kid. Jimmy Saville on kids TV did back then even before he was found out 100% (c'mon though, it was pretty obvious back then wasn't it?).

But for some reason, this scene out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory terrified me as real young 'un. The room itself is creepy enough, then sleazy Slugworth popping in at the end. But Wilder kicking off like that? Inhuman Monster!


From: https://youtu.be/fpK36FZmTFY?feature=shared


And then at school we were shown videos like this.


From: https://youtu.be/4HzAuSA8Syk?si=Bt9M_RqvzTwAkyr6


Other notable mentions include seeing the attempted cleanup after the Chernobyl disaster on the news, and watching Hiroshima documentaries on the 40th anniversary of the bomb being dropped. Then when I got older I realised just how much nuclear danger I was in as kid on the 80's!

 

[Slugjc]

The killing time. "Hey kids, railways are dangerous. Just look at these limbs we have had to pick up?"

 

[pluk]

 

[jon81uk]

The whale in Disney's Pinocchio.

 

[Slugjc]

Another one for me. This game gave me chills. Not only was it the first time I heard a voice on a computer game. The whole atmosphere around it was chilling



From: https://youtu.be/S7oojCEj8HM?si=5WJaM9Zgs5Joyk_y

 

[BooMT]

At school we had to watch VHS tapes of 'Look & Read' a BBC learning series, some of which had no business being so unnerving especially for a 6 year old Through the Dragons Eye always unsettled me but it was the following 'The Boy from Space' that haunted my childhood... in particular, the man in the trench coat! Had nightmares for years



Also, as above, Watership down was another! However, I was fascinated with 'When the wind blows' for some bizarre reason.

My third would be Pinocchio... no thank you Disney!

 

[DiogoJ42]

I’ll take Through the Dragon’s Eye over Geordie Racer any day. What kid is interested in pigeons? I wanna see dragons!

 

[Matt.GC]

Carol Lee-Scott lived near a store I used to manage and used to come in every week to do her shopping with her son. When I first got there, I had no idea who she was but remember her asking me a few things and thinking to myself "you really remind me of Grotbags". Something very familiar about her voice. Of course I wouldn't realise for a few weeks until someone told me that she actually was Grotbags!

Every Christmas until she passed away, she would use the store tannoy in character. "Right you 'orrible lot" and would wish us all "a horrid Christmas". Absolutely lovely and generous lady. But is it sad to admit that, as a middle aged man, I was scared of a sweet little old lady? As soon as she went into character, she was terrifying! Although it would have been even worse if an emu with Rod Hull's arm stuck up it's ass came out as well.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

I’ll take Through the Dragon’s Eye over Geordie Racer any day. What kid is interested in pigeons? I wanna see dragons!

I have so many fond memories of this and the other Look and Read series. I never want to read, or see, anything about them though for fear of tainting their perfection in my memory.

So many scarring memories from The Chronicles of Narnia, especially the wolf. The theme music haunts me to this day too.


From: https://youtu.be/6Fft9DLIp7E?

 

[Slugjc]

That mint. I once met her in character. Weirdly considering I was a wuss she didn't scare me

Carol Lee-Scott lived near a store I used to manage and used to come in every week to do her shopping with her son. When I first got there, I had no idea who she was but remember her asking me a few things and thinking to myself "you really remind me of Grotbags". Something very familiar about her voice. Of course I wouldn't realise for a few weeks until someone told me that she actually was Grotbags!

Every Christmas until she passed away, she would use the store tannoy in character. "Right you 'orrible lot" and would wish us all "a horrid Christmas". Absolutely lovely and generous lady. But is it sad to admit that, as a middle aged man, I was scared of a sweet little old lady? As soon as she went into character, she was terrifying! Although it would have been even worse if an emu with Rod Hull's arm stuck up it's ass came out as well.

 

[mo237]

Couple from the the noughties here (to make you feel old/young/whatever).

Imagine you're a young kid at the turn of the millenia. You've had a lovely day with your Grandmother - she even took you to the library to choose a tape to watch at hers. Naturally you chose Jimmy Neutron, but what you weren't expecting to see was Paul...


From: https://youtu.be/X9fFMUJ9bUQ?si=DFpJL8KZEKuSp7d9


There's something just... off about the whole thing. The loud, wobbly O, the emptiness of the idylic beach, the moving trees, the somewhat spiky bush... and then out of nowhere, a three eyed monkey just spawns and starts talking. All in the space of five disorienting seconds. Pure nightmare fuel. Ok, there's nothing inherently scary about this, but as a kid this just terrified me. So much so that - whenever watching DVDs for a good 10yrs or so - I'd get incredibly nervous when the credits came and would turn it off as quickly as possible. At one point monkeys even creeped me out. Of course, whenever Paul came along I'd burst into tears and hide, to which my Grandma would always ask why the hell I was suddenly upset. So much for a fun, innocent end to your cartoon!

Another one that's a tiny bit more recent, and never quite provoked such extreme reactions from me, but still sends shivers down my spine...


From: https://youtu.be/AoeEpkQ2_bY?si=wYGywiwLwHzZ-I6A


I think it was the sudden verbosity of it all, especially when paired with the darkness of a cinema, and the intricate sounds designed to make the speakers really fire up. Weirdly uncomfortable.

And finally, we couldn't talk about early 2000s idents without the legendary...


From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzirQIU-R2A


A much more common one, and I don't recall ever being completely terrified, but this is certainly (and very intentionally) uncomfortable. Again, mostly the sound design here, but the pirate is truly a devil incarnate. Looking back, it's completely over the top, but that makes it all the more fun.

 

[Burner]

And finally, we couldn't talk about early 2000s idents without the legendary...


From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzirQIU-R2A


A much more common one, and I don't recall ever being completely terrified, but this is certainly (and very intentionally) uncomfortable. Again, mostly the sound design here, but the pirate is truly a devil incarnate. Looking back, it's completely over the top, but that makes it all the more fun.

God that brought back memories. Exactly what 7 year old me wanted to see before watching my VHS of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.


Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids had no right to be as creepy as it was being broadcast on CITV. This one in particular stuck in my mind.


From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i6yzz9SlLE&pp=ygUjZ3JpenpseSB0YWxlcyBmb3IgZ3J1ZXNvbWUga2lkcyBwaWU%3D

 

[pluk]

Carol Lee-Scott lived near a store I used to manage and used to come in every week to do her shopping with her son. When I first got there, I had no idea who she was but remember her asking me a few things and thinking to myself "you really remind me of Grotbags". Something very familiar about her voice. Of course I wouldn't realise for a few weeks until someone told me that she actually was Grotbags!

Every Christmas until she passed away, she would use the store tannoy in character. "Right you 'orrible lot" and would wish us all "a horrid Christmas". Absolutely lovely and generous lady. But is it sad to admit that, as a middle aged man, I was scared of a sweet little old lady? As soon as she went into character, she was terrifying! Although it would have been even worse if an emu with Rod Hull's arm stuck up it's ass came out as well.

Funnily enough my Dad got to know her, they worked together on the cabaret circuit quite a lot. He only had good things to say about her too.