kindertrauma

Year: 2011

Name That Trauma :: Joseph of The Body Count Continues on a Busted Bully & a Boy in a Box

Posted on By aunt john

I have two…

The first I saw back in the mid to late '80s, and the only scene I remember was a bunch of bullies picking on a kid with mental disabilities, and I believe they were near a construction site or a sand pit or something to that effect. The mentally handicapped kid, or maybe even one of the bullies, has his/her arm broken, and one or the other carries him to the hospital (I'm thinking a bully gets his arm broken and the handicapped kid helps him; sounds more correct). It MAY have been one of those After School Specials, and I think the moral of the story was that even handicapped people want to lead normal lives. Any clue?

The second I saw in the mid to late '80s as well, and it featured a couple who adopted a child, but he may have been artificial, and I know for a fact that his name was Conrad, and he was mailed to them in a box. I have no idea if this was an After School Special or a real movie.

I've Googled both, with no luck!

Best,

Joseph



UPDATE: 2nd NAME THAT TRAUMA SOLVED! Thanks to reader dasklyter for knowing that the robot boy in the box is KONRAD.

That just leaves us with the case of the bullies…

Creepy Crawly Funhouse!

Posted on By unkle lancifer

First came the back-to-back ARACHNOPHOBIA traumafessions, then I found crazy cabbage worms chomping on my garden! Now I can't stop itching! My current feelings can best be expressed with an all-bug FUNHOUSE! Now, I know all the creatures in today's FUNHOUSE flicks are not actually bugs but I don't have time to count legs and look these things up in fancy science books. If it ain't got fur then it ain't that cute and it needs to stand down and back the cuss up! Can you identify the creepy crawly movies below? One smart cookie will win an XXL Kindertrauma T-shirt for trying!

Traumafessions :: Spooky Sean on Arachnophobia

Posted on By aunt john

UNK SEZ: As promised, here is a follow up ARACHNOPHOBIA traumafession from kinderpal Spooky Sean. I guess when it rains spiders, it pours spiders!

If I had to guess, I'd say that I was seven or eight when I first saw this movie, based on the fact that the IMDb lists it as being released in 1990. Where do I even start with how badly ARACHNOPHOBIA traumatized my wee little noggin?

I've always been afraid of bugs. I don't like picturing them, underneath everything, in the walls. The infestations, the crawling and the insect noises. So, of course, someone thought, "Hey, let's rent that movie ARACHNOPHOBIA for Sean!" To be fair, I was a quiet child, so I don't know how often I spoke of this fear.

The one scene in particular that got to me was the scene about halfway through that takes place in the shower. It's some minor character's daughter or someone; I don't really remember who she was. The important thing was what happened to her. She was shampooing her hair; blissfully unaware a giant spider was crawling above her. She has her eyes closed, and feels like she is in a safe place. And then said spider…drops.

Needless to say, for months after the film I was traumatized. I would shampoo my hair very quickly, constantly on guard for a giant arachnid to drop onto my face. To this day, I have trouble keeping my eyes closed for very long, when washing my hair.

— Spooky Sean

Traumafessions :: Reader Patrick M. on Arachnophobia

Posted on By aunt john

I recently found your site and was amazed no one seems to have mentioned the 1990 film ARACHNOPHOBIA… It wasn't gory, it was a campy comedy horror, but seriously, tiny spiders that kill near-instantly with a single bite. Tiny. Deadly. Spiders.

I've got a zombie plan (as we all should). Nightmare-based killers? Lucid dreaming. Psycho killers? I don't meander into run-down buildings in the middle of nowhere and I'm not a prep or jock so I know I'm not at the top of the kill list. Ancient curses, demonic entities, vengeful ghosts? Always some motivating reason with a means of cleansing, avoiding or placating. Little spider that might not even be noticed until it's too late? You got me there.

I know my brother and sister (roughly 8 and 12 at the time) were fairly traumatized, not by any scene in particular but just how… feasible it is, you could say. Nothing like a film you can watch and laugh at, then over-think once you're in bed and think you saw something on the wall or felt something on your foot.

UNK SEZ: Thanks Patrick! Funny you you should mention the absence of ARACHNOPHOBIA traumas. We found another traumafession concerning that movie crawling around in the KT mailbag and we'll have it up very soon!

Special Report :: Christmas TV History's Joanna Wilson on "Edith's Crisis of Faith"

Posted on By unkle lancifer

"Edith's Crisis of Faith" features the character Beverly LaSalle, a transvestite and female impersonator, played by Lori Shannon. Beverly appeared in two earlier AITF episodes, "Archie the Hero" in 1975 and "Beverly Rides Again" in 1976. A friend of the family, Beverly returns to the Bunker home in "Edith's Crisis of Faith" in order to invite them to her scheduled performance at the prestigious Carnegie Hall the week before Christmas. The Bunkers are happy to see Beverly and accept her invitation while Edith, who considers Beverly to be "like family," returns the gesture and invites the performer to Christmas dinner at the Bunker home.

What comes next is disturbing and unexpected. Though the action takes place off camera, we learn that son-in-law Mike Stivic and Beverly are mugged. Eventually we see Mike in the hospital in bandages–he was beaten but will be fine. Mike describes the mugging saying that Beverly had successfully defended him against the gang of violent attackers but then the gang turned on Beverly with a lead pipe. Mike says, "I guess they figured out what he was and they just started smashing him with the pipe." A doctor tells Edith and Archie in the waiting room that Beverly has died. "Just because he was different," Gloria later adds. The rest of "Part 1" sees Edith numb in her grief at Christmas time.

The storyline continues into the following episode "Edith's Crisis of Faith, Part 2" where we see more fully how deeply Edith is affected by the death of her dear friend. Not only is Edith unable to put aside her grief, she finds she can't even be happy at Christmas for the sake of her two year-old grandson Joey. Even worse, Edith who is usually a person of unwavering faith now questions her belief in a God that would allow someone as kind, gentle and good as Beverly be so tragically murdered. She won't go to church at Christmas and even suggests that she may never go back. Archie encourages her to return to church but Edith's disillusioned response is: "Why? What good does it do?" Edith's family is beside themselves trying to cheer her up but Edith is inconsolable. She even runs out of the room when Archie offers a prayer over the family's Christmas dinner. Eventually, Mike is the only one able to offer any comfort to Edith. Mike reminds her that we can't always understand everything. Though Mike's answer is simple, he is actually making a complex point that a crime such as this is beyond reasonableness–it may never make sense. Watching a character as gentle and decent as Edith suffer so terribly is torturous and emotionally draining.

What many may find difficult here is that this deeply emotional and tragic episode occurs at Christmas–the one time of year most people want to feel uplifted, optimistic and hopeful. That may be the exact point the writers of this episode may have been communicating–juxtaposing this sad episode with the usual bright spirit of the holiday. It also makes it difficult to re-watch year after year as we all so often do with Christmas TV sitcom episodes.

However, the tone of this painful episode is handled correctly. AITF had perfected the appropriate manner in which to handle the sensitive issues of the day in previous episodes that dealt with topics such as racism, bigotry, war, politics, cancer, and more button-pushing issues one wouldn't immediately associate with family sitcoms. Even other Christmas episodes of AITF took on hot topics such as Edith's breast cancer scare, the divorce of Gloria and Mike, and my favorite: 1976's "The Draft Dodger" where Mike's friend, a draft dodger on the run, comes to Christmas dinner to share a table with Archie's friend who's son was just killed in Vietnam.

Yet, Christmas may just be the most appropriate time of year to remind ourselves of our desire for a world filled with peace. Hate crimes such as these unfortunately still exist and occur all too frequently. Part of what makes AITF such a groundbreaking show is the fact that its take on subjects such as this are still relevant today. Perhaps the depth of emotion felt in "Edith's Crisis of Faith" can serve as an annual reminder to grab our loved ones even closer and find compassion and acceptance for everyone.

Though a situation comedy, the jokes are never at the expense of the social issue but are aimed squarely at the insensitive fool, Archie Bunker. This show so successfully tackled social issues that many other TV series in the 1970s and 1980s went on to try to do the same thing with varying degrees of success.

UNK SEZ: Thanks so much Joanna for sharing such a wonderful post! I have a strong recollection of this episode as well and you really captured what made it so memorable.

Folks, not only is Joanna one of Kindertrauma's favorite people in general but she is also the author of the books THE CHRISTMAS TV COMPANION and 'TIS THE SEASON TV. You can pay her a visit at her official home base CHRISTMAS TV HISTORY!

Traumafessions :: Kinderpal Turnidoff of Death to CGI on Cipher in the Snow (1973)

Posted on By aunt john

cipher in the snow

Grade school in the '80s was bizarre. If you weren't dying of dysentery in Oregon Trail on the classroom Apple II C, you were watching films like CIPHER IN THE SNOW (1973).

CIPHER IN THE SNOW was the CITIZEN KANE of educational films. Made by Brigham Young University, it revolved around a sad pasty boy that everyone ignored until he just ups and dies right before the opening credits. The rest of the film plays in flashbacks as one teacher investigates the dead boy's life, learning that if he paid attention to the boy's feelings instead of teaching math, he would still be alive today.

cipher in the snow

Seeing this as a grade schooler was pretty shocking, but I fear it did no good to the "loner" kids because kids are kids and they will continue to mock and make fun of others because they're evil. I remember the classroom giggling at the over the top drunken Step-Father and his use of the word, "Pussywillow" (which they edit out for some reason on the YouTube video.)

The film had a good message, but I think it did more harm than good since now counselors outnumber teachers it seems. Kids, be good to the loners. I'm not talking about the emo ones, I'm talking about the real ones. The ones that just want to pick some pussywillows.

— Turnidoff

cipher in the snow

AUNT JOHN SEZ: Thanks so much Turnidoff for having the courage to remind us that the never rightfully credited Brigham Young University was the first the first to throw down the anti-bullying gauntlet nearly thirty years before it became the cause de célèbres. Stick that in your Slushie cup, cast of GLEE.

Your dear old Aunt John would also like to comment on how touchingly Turnidoff's traumafession aligns with the other consciousness raising efforts he has brought to the Internet as of late. You see, when he is not giving a voice to those who cannot speak or recording catchy odes to lure a cultural icon out her self-imposed exile, Turnidoff is fighting the good fight over at DEATH TO CGI!

cipher in the snow

Streaming Alert: I Start Counting (1969)

Posted on By unkle lancifer

I have a superb and seldom seen recommendation for you guys today. This is exactly the type of near impossible to find treasure that keeps me so enthusiast about Netflix Streaming. 1969's I START COUNTING (based on a novel by Audrey Erskine-Lindop) is a coming of age horror/thriller and it fits nicely as a sort of missing link between HITCHCOCK's SHADOW OF A DOUBT and 1985's SMOOTH TALK. It stars a young JENNY AGUTTER, who you're sure to know from AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, and it's directed by DAVID GREENE who also helmed THE SHUTTERED ROOM (1967). From what I can tell it never made an appearance in the US, either in theaters or on television. The subject matter does walk a fine, leering line sometimes but to me, it reads more frank than exploitive.

AGUTTER plays Wynne, a fourteen-year-old who has developed a fervent crush on her much older (he's 32) half-brother George (BRYAN MARSHALL). This situation would be complicated enough but as Wynne's obsession leads to stalking she also finds many a reason to suspect that George is directly responsible for all of the dead ladies that have been popping up all over town. Rather than allow George's apparent violent, deviant side to dissuade her though, Wynne grows more and more infatuated and condoning while her courting of danger escalates. Again and again she finds herself gravitating towards the abandoned wreck of her childhood home, a place that she has been warned never to go. Eventually she discovers that her dark imaginings are a couple shades lighter than what's going on in the real world and that her yearnings have clouded her view.

I START COUNTING does a beautiful job of capturing the confusion of being trapped in a limbo between a dissolving childhood and an alluring, yet threatening adult world. It's quite a character study as we are granted near full access to Wynne's haunting memories and current fantasies. It's a beautifully shot film utilizing an almost uniform palate of gray and beige hues and the soundtrack and locations bring to life an idiosyncratic bubble of history during radically shifting social mores. (Wait until you get a load of the record store Wynne's other brother Jim (MICHAEL FEAST) works at!) Best of all, I START COUNTING delivers a pretty steady pulse of suspense and even a few punches of horror. Its focus on the psychological, strong use of symbolism and willingness to jump freely between what's going on in reality and what's going on in Wynne's head insures that the viewer always has something to chew on.. You may figure things out before Wynne does but that just makes things all the more nerve racking. I don't want to ruin too much, so I'll say no more. Now get watching!

Name That Trauma :: Reader M. Hidden on a Desert Trailer Maybe From The Hidden VHS

Posted on By aunt john

Love your site…for many years now.

Long time ago, in the late ‘80s, I rented a VHS (I believe it was THE HIDDEN) and in the trailers section at the beginning they had this ONE trailer that was VERY serious and that still today I try to figure out the movie. It showed a guy, wearing a suit, crawling on the orangie sands of a desert with some dramatic music. Then they showed a gigantic mechanical insect flying on top of a big city skyline. The scenes were back and forward between the insect and the guy. Then the insect (what I think it is was a dragonfly) gets on top of a big skyscraper and grabs with his legs the top of the building (imagine about a third of the building bring broken apart) and it flies away with it.

The editing keeps going back and forward with the dude crawling in the desert when now we see a big shadow starting to catch up with the crawling man. The music/sound is very intense at this point. The guy turns around and screams, and we see the giant insect drop the building on top of the guy.

That's it.

The effects were very stop-animation-y. Kinda like a HARRYHAUSEN style. The movie could have been European for the quality of the film didn't feel like a Hollywood film.

The tape was in the HORROR section (hence THE HIDDEN) and I remember that around it they had the cheapest horror films like the MONDO CANE, documentaries, etc.

Still today I research for it.

Thanks,

M.Hidden

Overlook Funhouse!

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Egad, those rascally Overlook spookies have trashed the radio room! Can you help Wendy find the ten discrepancies before her husband loses his temper? All work and no Kindertrauma Funhouse makes everybody dull! Don't be dull! Click the middle images to enlarge!