kindertrauma

Name That Trauma :: Reader Lenamachina on a Stalker Sewing Machine & a Creepy Clock

Posted on By aunt john

I remember my older sister telling me about a movie that scared her years ago. All she can recall is a weird old sewing machine chasing some girl down a hallway(??) and an eerie voice saying "Jennifer."

The second movie had something to do with an evil nurse and a clock that struck 13:00??

Late '60s or early '70s guessing?

Have been searching for along time.


UPDATE: Per a message from Lena, the sewing machine movie is JENNIFER (1953) starring IDA LUPINO.

UNK SEZ: Wha? A killer sewing machine that chases people?! I 've never heard of that one and I can't find any evidence of it anywhere! When I googled "killer sewing machine" all I got was a video of this crazy lady totally freaking out about her sewing machine. Can anyone help Lenamachina?

Traumfessions :: Reader V. on Sesame Street Short "Electric H"

Posted on By aunt john

Hi Kindertrauma,

SESAME STREET had a sequence about the letter H augmented with animation from a Scanimate (an early analog computer animation system) that COMPLETELY. EFFING. TERRIFIED me. You'd be hanging out, minding your own business watching Big Bird and whatever, and all of a sudden this droning, existential, solarized, hypnotic meditation on the letter H came on. That first stoned animal growl of "Riiiiight . . ." from Luis was the call announcing that we had left the safe world of SESAME STREET and were going to enter a frightening Interzone parallel universe. I called it "Electric H", in the same tones of "He Who Must Not Be Named."

The worst was that it was a clip that wasn't in heavy rotation, so you never knew when it would come on. It got to the point where I would check to see what the letter of the day was and wouldn't watch any shows that said they were "sponsored by the letter H." My parents knew I was terrified of this and were very sympathetic about me running to turn the T.V. off as soon as it came on, but I remember one day in the kitchen when it came on, right after a Bert and Ernie sketch (and it wasn't even an H day!) and there I was, trapped, because our old black and white T.V. was on top of the refrigerator and I wasn't tall enough to reach it. Electric H, beaming its satanic bizarreness from little me from on high, for what seemed like eternity. I screamed and screamed until one of my parents came to rescue me. (Electric H is even scarier in black and white, btw. It's like ERASERHEAD.)

The irony is, I grew up to be quite fascinated with the computer animation and video art of this era (Nam Jun Paik, for example), so even though this was a traumatic experience maybe it horrified and fascinated me in equal measure? In any case, after finding "Electric H" on YouTube I'm not going to sleep tonight.

Thanks,

V.

Name That Trauma :: Reader RedDevil on an Egyptian Hand

Posted on By aunt john

OK, I'm a newby on your site, but I have a Name that Trauma. I don't have very much info. to go on, and I have searched for a long time for this movie. I thought I would see if any of you can offer any help on this one.

The movie is one of the infamous "Crawling Hand" movies. I was pretty young when I saw this movie on a hotel room T.V. while we were vacationing, must be late '70s, to very early '80s when I saw it, but what I remember was – it had an Egyptian feel to it. I remember the hand had a large ring on one finger, possibly with a large ruby setting. I remember it crawling across the floor, I guess going after someone, with the usual finger crawl bad effects you see in these movies. Seems like it would be a HAMMER or AMICUS-style movie to me nowadays, but not any that I have found as of yet.

I know it is not much to go on and they have done a ton of these type movies, after all, what's worse than crawling body parts? I have searched the web for crawling hand movie lists, and have actively sought the ones out that sound promising.

Well that's about it folks. Any more ideas would be appreciated.

— RedDevil

Happy Arbogast Day 2011!

Posted on By unkle lancifer

It's the day after Mother's Day and around these parts that means it's Arbogast Day! This is the day we honor fellow blogger Arbogast of ARBOGAST ON FILM by taking part in his "The One I Might Have Saved" meme. It's a kindertrauma tradition and it must be upheld even though this year I believe I may have figured out who the mysterious Arbogast actually is. I can't explain how I came to this conclusion but I am now convinced that he may, in fact, be noted author Margaret Atwood working under a nom de plume.

Be that as it probably is, I've got Arbogast Day work to do. The idea behind "The One I Might Have Saved" is to write about a character in a film who you would have not die if you could and this year my pick was super easy.

I guess I should shout spoiler alert, but if you did not go see SCREAM 4 in the movie theater than really what kind of fan are you and do you even care? I can't wait around here for everybody to see everything before I talk about it! Try to keep up!

With apologies to stalwart Kinderpal Chris who feels exactly the opposite way as I do, I have no choice but to save Kirby Reed (HAYDEN PANETTIERE) of SCREAM 4. Hey, did I really ruin anything? You don't know how she dies or whether it sticks. This is a slasher series so it would be easy enough to recon Kirby back from the grave. If ROB ZOMBIE can breath life back into Annie Brackett for H2 I'd think anything outside of a decapitation can be bounced back from (and Michael Myers even once found a way to recover from that!). Sadly Kirby as a character faces something more deadly than on screen mutilation and that is slim box office revenue. SCREAM 4 was sorta a financial dud but nobody, try as they might, can blame me for that.

The reason I like Kirby so much is because I originally thought I was going to hate her and she totally won me over. I can't resist a secret cinephile and I love people who just happen to know things and aren't so insecure that they have to brag about it all the time. Kirby basically embodied all of the strong points of the original SCREAM characters and therefore to me comes across as more well-rounded than the lot of them. She also had a very progressive haircut, which makes me think she was far too clever to kick the bucket in the way that she did. That girl had sass without being an ass and I loved the way she shook that ice in her glass! Kirby fans know what I'm talking about!

Yes, frighteningly I am for once not alone. Go visit the IMDb message boards and look what's brewing. Many people not only agree that Kirby is boss but also are quite convinced that she MUST be still alive. You may as well know that I just joined the Facebook page of like-minded individuals. Surely I am the oldest among them daydreaming that Kirby shall return from the ashes but who cares? You don't stay young with exercise folks, you stay young through the magic of utter denial of reality. How do you think I still get carded? Fan-demonium is the fountain of youth!

Kirby needs to be brought back. She needs to now carry the franchise. I don't care if Part 4 was a financial bust because I have a solution and it's called make the next one cheaper. Why the hell did SCREAM 4 cost 40 million dollars to begin with? I just know it went to into the paychecks of the original stars and so I say drop em'! Who needs them? They're just treading water anyway! They're not Kirby. Holy crap, I just signed a petition to save her! This Arbogast Day won't be about "The One I Might Have Saved!" This year is about "The One I WILL Save!" Kirby lives!

"She cared so much she offered up her body to the grave."-OMD

NOTE: Arbogast Day is not Arbogast Day without visiting Arbogast! Go check Arby out HERE and tell him I said, "Thanks for Kirby-ing my enthusiasm!"

Trauma-Mommas :: Mother of the Year 2011

Posted on By aunt john

When it came to selecting the Trauma-Momma of the Year, there was really no competition. Let's take a lookie-loo at this mother's impressive resume:


1. She's an accomplished artist specializing in portraiture.


2. She has an appreciation for the sweeter things in life.


3. She gives a mean manicure.


4. She's not above kissing boo-boos.


5. She's always calling to check in.


6. Her daughter has a face that only she can love.


7. She has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to Ecstasy-fueled pottymouth.


8. She knows sleep is the best cure for a hangover.


9. The kitchen is the heart of her home.


10. Again, her paintings are very life-like.


11. She's not afraid to get physical when a game of "hide the doorknob" gets heated.


12. When it comes time for her daughter's swan song, she is front and center.


It is for the above reasons, your Aunt John is pleased to crown BLACK SWAN's Erica Sayers with the coveted Trauma-Momma of the Year Award. You earned it, you crazy bitch!


Special thanks to my own Mommy for buying me a copy of this DVD the other day during our mother/son shopping excursion and extra thanks for never napping in my room during my teen years. Seriously.

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)

Posted on By unkle lancifer

The weather is getting nice and you are now thinking of betraying the computer that kept you company all winter and taking a walk outside. Don't bother. The air may be fresh but there are also bugs flying around out there that want to bite you and steal your blood or maybe lay eggs in your hair. Best to just stay indoors and watch VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS, a 1970 Czech film that looks more beautiful than anything going on in your neighborhood. I can say that with confidence even though I don't know where you live because this movie is perpetually gorgeous from first frame to last. I'm not entirely sure what the hell is going on in it but it sure is something to behold. To call it dreamlike is an understatement, VALERIE is like having ten dreams at the same time that overlap and blend into each other with the ease of a breeze. It's simultaneously simple and complex and feels like falling into a painting that morphs from one style to another without pause. One moment it's lush and expressionistic, the other moment it's gruesome and darkly gothic and then back again.

VALERIE is based on a novel from 1935 and depicts the surreal perceptions of a young girl shedding her childhood and moving forward into a confusing adult world. It reminds me very much of 1973's LEMORA: A CHILD'S TALE OF THE SUPERNATURAL with its preoccupation with innocence, corruption and aging. Both films also share a curious protagonist seemingly surrounded by exploitive forces ready to pounce. For Valerie, growing up is essentially the act of learning that monsters are not only real, but they also just happen to be everybody she knows. We're witnessing a rite of passage of sorts; she is being welcomed to sit at the adult table but it comes with the knowledge that she will be dining with parasitic vampires. We've all been there. It's not all darkness and depravity though, as terrifying as some of the people and situations that Valerie encounters are, she retains a clear adventurous spirit. It's hard not to like a gal who, when tied to a stake to be burned as a witch, has the moxie to make faces and jeer at the threatening mob. Plus this movie has weasels.

Folks who get frustrated with ambiguity may want to take a pass here. Characters change identities like hats and for every concrete step forward, there is a dizzying step back. Personally I can't resist a film this visually stunning and I like the idea that with every return trip I may spot something new and understand it a shade more (or not). I'm also rather in love with the soundtrack which is just as haunting and provocative as the film itself. To be honest with you, this is a difficult film to write about. The more you think about it the more it evaporates. All I know is that for a film that runs a mere 73 minutes, it casts a formidable spell that may leave you in a trance like state. I advise watching this movie, but I don't advise operating any heavy machinery afterward.

Mimic 3: Sentinel (2003)

Posted on By unkle lancifer

I have another LANCE HENRIKSEN log to throw on the blogothon fire. Truth be told, this movie involves more of a supporting role for HENRIKSEN but I can't let the chance of speaking about MIMIC 3: SENTINEL pass me by. I know what you're thinking, the world of straight-to-DVD sequels, particularly those dispensed by DIMENSION FILMS, is a treacherous one. Why would anyone give this film a chance when even the first film in the series was hobbled by massive studio interference? I don't know how this happened but somebody actually allowed director/writer J.T. PETTY (SOFT FOR DIGGING, THE BURROWERS) to do his own thing and retain his own voice and the result is a film with strong enough legs to crawl on its own. Many MIMIC fans apparently disagree. The knee jerk desire for "bigger, stronger, faster!" is just too strong to break. For myself though, I can only admire this micro-budgeted, limited setting, psychological thriller with a purposeful pace. It's as if FRANZ KAFKA did a rewrite of REAR WINDOW.

Obvious action elements are buried in the dust from the start when we are introduced to the sickly and paranoid Marvin Montrose. He's as twitchy as a bug and actor KARL GEARY's offbeat idiosyncratic performance may even bring to mind JEFF GOLDBLUM's work in THE FLY. Marvin is a survivor of the disease mentioned in the first film and it has left him allergic to nearly everything in his environment. Homebound due to his condition, he connects to the outside world through photography, snapping shots at the slices of life he spies from his window. The city hums like a hive all around him but Marvin is trapped in amber, his only consistent contacts being his Mother (AMANDA PLUMMER…score!) and his scamp of a younger sister (ALEXIS DZIENA, have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy 05's HAVOC?) From his perch, Martin begins to observe suspicious activity in the urban arena that involves giant looming insectoid creatures chomping on passersby and a mysterious "garbage man" portrayed by our man HENRIKSEN. The police are as much as help as ever and Marvin is is forced to confront the beasties with his very limited powers and resources.

SENTINEL takes its time and perhaps I'm a dying breed, but I welcome that. Much like PETTY's later flick THE BURROWERS, the film holds back on the firework show until the viewer has been properly initiated. When things go down, they go down hard and the aggressiveness is all the more shocking thanks to its previous scarcity. There are a slew of interesting ideas scattering about concerning the act of "seeing" in general. We understand Marvin's outlook on the world through his photography. Much of what we observe is through his camera and eventually the line between viewer and subject blurs. When Marvin does finally put his camera down, we suddenly find ourselves watching him from afar through a lens as he once watched others. Trust me, there's more infesting this movie than giant mutant bugs. As much as Martin attempts to look past his situation it seems the shadows from his childhood (the roach/man personifications of his disease) keep knocking at the front door of his shoebox home.

As I said before HENRIKSEN's role is relatively brief, but he does make a strong impression as usual. Like PLUMMER, it's always good to see him in anything. As they say, there's no such thing as a small part…unless of course you count the part of that kid who gets ripped to shreds in the first three minutes of this movie. If you're looking for spectacle, than feel free to watch one of those cars that turn into robots movies instead. Tell that bumble bee-thingy I said, "Hi." MIMIC 3: SENTINEL goes against the grain in a way that is refreshing, taking an expansive story and bringing it home and personalizing it. PETTY smartly stays within his means, focuses on characters and setting and presents a story much more insular and involved than anyone would suspect. I mentioned that this film is small but the miraculous thing is that as you watch it keeps getting smaller and smaller until finally the action is taking place in about 3 feet of space. The final confrontation with the menace that takes place from within a refrigerator still makes me flinch and jump and its flashes of absolute blackness allow the mind to reel. Talk about mimicry, this movie is an absolute keeper running around in the shell of a throwaway. Don't fall for the Camouflage.

NOTE: This post is part of the LANCE HENRIKSEN BLOGATHON! Jump on over to JOHN KENNETH MUIR's REFLECTIONS ON FILM AND TELEVISION for lots more HERE!

Name That Trauma :: Anton Bogaty on a Bottled Baby in a Barn

Posted on By aunt john

Kindertrauma,

Love the site and am a frequent browser. You provide a true service by bringing to light so many obscure films, particularly T.V. movies from the '70s.

I have a 'Name That Trauma' from a friend that's baffled me for a couple of years now. Though possibly best never revealed since it was truly traumatic to him, this is all that I have:

The film takes place in the grasslands, with an AMERICAN GOTHIC feel. A fetus in a jar is discovered in a barn and a young, pale, dark-haired boy believes that the bottled fetus is an angel that fell to Earth. Craziness. Any tips would be much-appreciated.

I wish I had a good trauma-fession that wasn't already discussed on the site. This is the only unspoken one that I can contribute: I remember a scene from an After School Special, where a group of teenage kids walk into a movie theater. The camera zooms in on the poster for the movie they are about to go see and it's the lower half of the classic poster for THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, with the skull-faced woman holding the head on the platter. Took awhile to shake that image from my adolescent nightmares.

Thanks again,

Anton Bogaty

AUNT JOHN SEZ: Anton, based on your pal's recollection, I strongly suspect the fermented fetus in question comes from the 1972 UTA HAGEN-helmed flick THE OTHER. Having been wrong about Name That Traumas in the past, I would recommend your pal peep the trailer HERE. (NOTE: The baby in the bottle in curiously missing from said trailer, but perhaps your friend will recognize the UDVARNOKY twins or even the UTA.)

Say, does anyone remember which AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL the second one stems from? If so, please sound off in the comments.

That said, your Aunt John recommends that everyone visit Anton's site to see all of his stellar short films and animations, especially the kindertraumatic "Death by Dying":

UPDATE: FIRST NAME THAT TRAUMA SOLVED! Yep, your Aunt John was wrong with THE OTHER. Special thanks to reader Mark J. Hansen for being the first to recognize the baby in the bottle in the barn from THE REFLECTING SKIN.