kindertrauma

Name That Trauma:: Bud on a Santa Slaying, a Beheading Bed & a Traumafession on Aunt Ada

Posted on By unkle lancifer

No one seems to have any recollection of two items from my childhood that have haunted me for years — I have a fairly strong memory, so I'm certain I was exposed to these things, but I had a very vivid imagination as a child, and now wonder if I made up these things, but I digress…

The first item is an old comic book story, probably a DC Comic from the 1970s, perhaps one of their "House of…" titles — "Mystery, Secrets," or possibly their "It's Midnight…THE WITCHING HOUR." I doubt it was "GHOSTS," but I read all of these titles. The story in question, if it ever existed, was probably printed around the time that the TV movie FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY aired…

Anyway, the story I'm dying to re-acquire is set during Christmas-time. Seems like it's about a thief who discovers Santa's workshop on Christmas Eve, and decides to steal Santa's sleigh with its loaded bag of goodies. It was played straight, and at the very end of the story, when the bad guy is about to steal the sleigh, something happens, and he ends up being strangled (I think by the rope around Santa's bag), and as Santa takes off to deliver the toys, he flies past a full moon, completely unaware that the thief is dead and dangling from behind the sleigh. The last panel of the story, if memory serves, is of a silhouette of Santa's sleigh, with the hanged man's corpse dangling behind. DID I DREAM THIS THING UP or was it a real comic?

The other item is a clip from an old Horror movie I saw either in the late 60s or early 70s, when I was a really small kid. I was a Hammer Horror movie fiend back then, but I also loved European Horror movies, and I'd watch them on the late show with family and friends in Newport News, Virginia, and we'd all get scared to death.

Don't know if this was the opening of the movie (seems like it was), or a later scene, but I have never stumbled onto this movie again, and I am a die-hard movie buff, and have been hunting this thing down forever. Anyway, this is what I remember:

A beautiful woman comes home late one night, and readies herself for bed; her room is shadowy, and seems like there's a large vanity mirror atop a dresser that she primps in just before she retires. She lies down in the bed, and we see that there's a mysterious figure underneath it who has tricked out her mattress in such a way that this mystery person is able to somehow saw this woman's head off at the neck; the shadow figure then stuffs her head into, I think, a doctor's bag, and as they flee the scene of the crime, a chambermaid or something walks in and screams — then we see a ferris wheel and hear carnival music…and that's all I remember. DID IT EXIST, or did I dream it?

Oh, and for the record, I was horrified of CIRCLE OF FEAR and NIGHT GALLERY when I was a kid; the NIGHT GALLERY episode "Since Aunt Ada Came to Stay" REALLY traumatized me: if my sister said, "Aunt Ada," I would be reduced to a mass of quivering, weeping jelly, begging for her to stop.

Love the site! Hope someone can help me out.

BUD

Name That Trauma:: Josh K. on Poison Injected Meat

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Hi,

Let me nerd out for a second and say "thank you" for this site. Besides being a lifelong horror fan, it's also helped me remember some great memories that I had associated with some of these films.

I'm trying to remember the name of a movie/show. I remember only two scenes. The first was a woman shopping in a grocery store and she walks away from her cart for a moment and a gloved hand (because every killer must wear gloves) with a syringe injects something into the meat thru it's package. The next scene is then the woman going home, eating and dying from being poisoned. ???

Thanks in advance,

Josh K.

Name That Trauma:: Reader Mr. Brown on a Hand in a Meat Grinder

Posted on By unkle lancifer

I'm trying to figure out what movie from my childhood scarred me. Foggy memory, indeed. It was probably from the 70's and about the only scene I remember is a guy's hand gets put into a meat grinder. Did his arm fall in or was it forcibly pushed in? I don't know… I just remember the shot of the "meat" coming out of the grinder while the guy screamed. Possibly one of the "Omen" films? But I don't know.

Name That Trauma:: Goorlap on a Blood Drinking Cellar Dweller Countess

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Ellow there Kindertrauma,

I'm looking for a movie and was hoping you guys can help me out once again!

I believe it's a movie from the 60's or 70's, probably a British one. It's about an old countess who has to drink the blood of young women to stay young. At the end of the movie, the countess is captured and locked up in a cellar, the camera zoom's in on her creepy old face, then the movie ends.

That's all I know about it.

Thanks in advance,

Goorlap

UNK SEZ: I hope I'm right on this! It sounds to me like you are looking for HAMMER's COUNTESS DRACULA (1971) which is based n the Eizabeth Bathory legend and stars INGRID PITT. Check out the trailer below and let us know if it rings any bloody bells! And if anybody has any other guesses make sure you leave them in the comments section!

Sunday Streaming:: Fragile (2005)

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Hey it's Sunday Streaming time again! The movie I'm recommending today, FRAGILE (2005), certainly deserves a more in depth examination on this site but for now let me just say that if you are a fan of ghost stories, you'll want to see it. It's directed by the hugely talented JAUME BALAQUERO who delivered the horrifying adaptation of RAMSEY CAMPBELL's THE NAMELESS, the flawed but atmospheric DARKNESS and the instant classic [REC]. As is frequently the case with Netflix Streaming, you'll do yourself a favor by ignoring the advertising art supplied which consists of a floating, half space alien looking face and a sadly more meaningless by the minute FANGORIA FRIGHT FEST banner. Do not be worried that ubiquitous late nineties menace CALISTA (ALLIE MCBEAL) FLOCKHART stars, she's quite good in it and the more you think abut it, the more her brittle, twitchy presence makes sense.

FLOCKHART plays nurse Amy Nicholls who has recently started working the night shift at an unnervingly grim children's hospital that is in the midst of packing up and closing down. The children speak of a ghostly presence that lingers on the abandoned second floor named Charlotte who is creepily described as a "mechanical" girl. By all appearances this spirit seems to be raging against being left behind and has taken to smashing bones and throwing people out windows. Of course, nothing is as it seems, there is a mystery that must be solved and Amy must separate the hospital's woeful history from the guilty baggage she brought with her. FRAGILE goes to some seriously dank, dark and convincingly eerie, seriously scary places and like all the best ghost stories it has a tragic heart that plays with your sympathies as much as your fears. File this one right between HOUSE OF VOICES and THE ORPHANAGE. If it's not as well regarded as those two flicks it's only due to its willingness to dive further into unpleasantness.

Traumafession:: Reader Rob on Seeing Alien Alone

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Just found your site after looking for the Mud Monster– that movie gave me nightmares, literally!

When I was 8 my parents thought it would be a good idea to take me and my brother to see "Alien" in the theater. (They must have thought it was just a space movie or something) Of course, we got there late and each had to sit alone in the packed theater since there were only single seats left!

Somehow I made it through the terrifying movie all by myself, but was so scared that my brother and I slept in the same bed that night! LOL

-Rob

It's a Horror to Know You:: Crankenstien of Theater of Guts!

Posted on By unkle lancifer

It's a Horror to Know You: Crankenstien of Theater Of Guts!

1. What is the first film that ever scared you?

Creepshow, I saw it at eight years of age at a friend's house whose parents spoiled him with every '80s toy imaginable (He-Man, G.I. Joe, Star Wars, Thundercats) and let him watch all kinds of craziness (Playboy Channel, Amityville Horror and we even watched Fulci's Zombie). There was some abuse going on in that household! After I saw Creepshow I couldn't tell anyone in my family, because I didn't want to spoil a good thing, but I had an underlying feeling of dread and couldn't sleep. I would go over to his house thinking that Creepshow was a TV show and didn't understand that it was an anthology, so every time it repeated on HBO I figured it was a new episode and kids in my elementary school would even lie to me and make up fictional episodes.

I had a mirror in my grandma's bathroom that looked like the Jordy Verill one and thought maybe a creepy old farmer would appear in it and tell me to slit my wrists. I think that's where my relationship of being repulsed and attracted to horrific movies came from.

2. What is the last film that scared you?

Under The Blossoming Cherry Trees (1975) directed by Masahiro Shinoda. I wanted to see it because it had the guy from Lonewolf and Cub. So I watched it late one night on Huluplus and did not expect to jump out of my skin! You'd never know how scary it is, because the frightening scene comes out of nowhere. Tomisaburo Wakayami the heavy set samurai plays a mountain man who's beheaded his many wives and fears nothing except looking up when the blossoms begin to fall during the season, because anyone who does so will lose their mind! It was 3 in the morning when he finally looks above (in my house) while the leaves fell and as he lifts his head,he sees the most hideous demon riding on his back and I was so alarmed and freaked out, but tried not to react in the middle of the night and wake anyone up, the image was so strange that I wondered if I dreamt it. It was very disturbing and I don't scare easily!

3. Name three horror movies that you believe are underrated.

The Incident (1967) directed by Larry Peerce. This isn't technically a horror film, but is a subway terror film and pretty grimy, it still has yet to come out on DVD. Tony Musante and Martin Sheen are two punks that hold all these various characters on a New York subway hostage and berate and humiliate everyone, its gets really explosive and ugly. Ed McMahon, Beau Bridges and Brock Peters are some of the passengers and give it some kitsch value and The Terry Knight score, the guy who terrorized Grand Funk Railroad and held their records hostage is super creepy.

The Changeling (1980) directed by Peter Medak. I never hear anyone mention this creepy ghost flick with George C. Scott, who's always a great addition to any movie for me. I was expecting to find it laughable and was genuinely freaked out by the poor ghost boy submerged in a death bath. It has a political edge too and a cover up of a murder that no one was supposed to figure out. The ghost led Scott to solve his murder and without the grief brought on by his own family dying in a car accident he never would have solved the case.

Dr. Butcher (The Snuff Maximus Cut) My friend Skunkape who is a long time best friend, genius film maker in his own right and contributor to my blog brought to my attention that the dusty VHS cut of Dr. Butcher is a lot better than the newly restored Zombie Holocaust. Having just watched Holocaust and finding it pretty lame from what I remembered, I felt I should see what the deal was and check out the video version (he hooked me up with a copy). I have to attribute the Walter Sear score as injecting life into Dr. Butcher, it sounds like a hyper violent Atari game and is both laughable and disturbing, which goes well with the subtext of the film! It reminds me of the truncated versions of classics that would turn up in the 80's and the foreign versions, which in many cases were better, for me its the complete opposite and even though I love Nico Fidenco, his score sounds totally phoned in by comparison.

4. Name three horror movies that you enjoy against your better judgment.

The Manitou (1978) directed by William Girdler. This one is notorious for being so ridiculous and out of control and it is, a classic bomb that I never get tired of watching, I could see it over and over and not get bored. Tony Curtis is so unhinged as a bad psychic down on his luck, the script seems like it was written by a third grader. All electronics and typewriters have their personal Manitou according to this film. Things that make absolutely no sense happen as Susan Strasberg, topless on a hospital bed in space, shoots lasers out of her fingers! John Singing Rock the Syrian Indian is the only one who can save the universe from a pint-sized, demonic bacne baby (hatched out of Strasberg's back). you gotta love that her father is the famed acting teacher Lee Strasberg.

To The Devil…. A Daughter (1976) directed by Peter Sykes. The first movie where Nastassja Kinski appears completely naked, but there's no way to enjoy it because she's like 14! Satanists are trying to get her to have the devil's spawn, which looks like a goldfish inbred puppet that slithers around, looking like that wobbly octopus prize you used to find in a cereal box. Its' pretty lame but very entertaining and anything with Christopher Lee is worth checking out.

Ilsa, Harem Keeper Of the Oil Sheiks (1976) directed by Don Edmonds. This one is wrong on so many levels but is a lot more fun then the first movie! It's got all the giant breasted Russ Meyer women (Haji, Uschi, etc.) and its got the dude with the bizarre features from Slacker (Jerry Delony)! This movie is a hard sell for most, but if you are like me and constantly tuned into the mindset of a 14 year old watching late night Cinemax, just throw in some torture and campiness and you'll be able to stomach some of the mayhem! There's a weird kind of political jab against Arabs and the U.S. making secret deals, this was made by Canadians who were ahead of their time and the next sequel, Tigress of Siberia is awesome too!

5. Send us to five places on the Internet!

1. F THAT S. The sadly gone but not forgotten radio show of Joe Preston (Thrones, Melvins, Earth). This radio show is amazing with some of the best soundtrack mixes and metal comps ever assembled, one episode was an all metal all/ pizza radio ad show and was incredible! Another show was dedicated to the death of his dog with all rare and haunting Morricone tracks. Joe is the reason I now know that the early Bee Gees and Scorps are worth checking out.

2. Netflix Retrieving Screen. This is my sister's blog who is a great writer and a rock and roll drummer in a band with her husband, they are called Hot Hands. She is as obsessed with movies as I am.

3. Illogical Contraption Tumblr. I've contributed for these guys before and they are the funniest people on the planet, their non-picture blog has everything from alien conspiracy theories, metal and hardcore albums worth downloading and there's so much talent goin' on, they have a radio show now too. This one however is all pictures and there is some disturbing junk, but its a lot of fun, some of it is NSFW so watch out kiddies!

4. Dave The Spazz Radio. Here's another favorite radio show that is just incredible. It has everything from the worst novelty songs to the greatest current garage bands, old country, old r&b groups and some of the best holiday themed shows of rare vinyl songs that Dave finds at different flea markets and puts on the turn table. There's a couple of weird hillbilly episodes with guest record collector Greg Germani who stops by and plays the rarest zaniest tunes in the Chainsaw Massacre/ Motel Hell style.

5. Loogyhead on Redbubble. This guy has the most incredible designs on Redbubble and even though it's pricey (25. w/o shipping), they are really worth it, especially for someone like me who loves cult movies but wants more of a choice then only uncomfortable black t-shirts that shrink after a while. I recently bought a C.H.U.D. one and want to get the Pray For Death one next!

Traumafession:: David M. on Aunt Harriet's Railroad System in the Sky

Posted on By unkle lancifer

My mom is an elementary school teacher, which was great for me as a kid because I loved to read. One book, though, disturbed me more than I could say. It's called "Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky" As far as I can remember it was about a girl who falls out of a train and meets up with Harriet Tubman, who gives her a tour of the chattel slavery system and the Underground Railroad. There were two main problems I had with the book. First, was the stark tone of the storytelling. The first page had, in big block letters, "GO FREE NORTH OR DIE". The slave characters all had blank, expressionless looks on their faces. It only got grimmer from there.

The second and most influential factor was the ever-present menace of slave catchers. They lurk in virtually every door-frame, peek through every window, and hide in every bush. Their faces are paper-white, as are their hands. They stare straight out of the book at the reader, threatening to capture and enslave them too. I've only looked at the pages available in the Amazon preview, but I have a vague memory of the white masks floating menacingly in midair, hiding in trees. They're like the face of the devil in that creepy Mark Twain claymation (HERE) .

I guess the author did her job, because it made a Hispanic guy living in New York in the '90s very disturbed by the horrors of slavery. But man, it made me scared of white people peeking in my windows for a long while.