My cousin was sleeping over my house, and as kids are known to do, we decided to take all the sheets and blankets I had and create a "tent" that encompassed most of the room. We made sure to include my TV in our hideaway. On HBO was GHOULIES, and we were watching intently.

All of a sudden I hear my pet Cockatiel let out a horrible squawk and then a "thud."

I popped my head out of our makeshift safe-haven to find Willie, feet-up at the bottom of the cage, now an ex-Cockatiel.

So from that day forward, every time I see the GHOULIES, I think of poor dead Willie and how I'll never know if it was the crapatcular movie that killed my bird.

 

As I like to think we all did, I had a great mom and pop video store in New Jersey by the name of Showbiz Video in the 80's before it was run out of town by Blockbuster (who I would incidentally work for years later). One of my favorite past times was to sneak off into the horror section, and look at all the VHS covers with promises of the most horrible things you could possibly imagine. I would dare myself to look at the back covers, which always had more gruesome images, read what the movie was about, and wonder if I could ever bring myself to watch something so terrifying. But one cover above them all I could not even bring myself to even look at, and would turn my head away whenever I approached the "C" section. That film was CREEPERS, the U.S. edited version of DARIO ARGENTO's PHENOMENA. With JENNIFER CONNELLY's half-eaten face and hand holding hundreds of bugs, it was just too much for my eight year old mind to handle. I could not even fathom what the movie would actually be, if that was the picture that was advertising it. I never mustered the courage to find out what the back cover said!Now years later I am a complete devotee to DARIO ARGENTO's work, but I still to this day have not watched any version of PHENOMENA. I'm sure it is no worse than SUSPIRIA or OPERA, but something deep within the dark recesses of my mind will just not let me watch it, let alone rent it before sheepishly returning it unviewed. That is the power of horror film advertising, something which I dare say has lost its oomph in this more glossy day and age.  

Thanks Ryan Midnight of MOVIES AT MIDNIGHT! Ryan's TRAUMAFESSION is a good reminder that TRAUMAFESSIONS don't necessarily have to be about the movies and T.V. shows you've seen. Remember kiddies, you can write in about music, books, toys, art or even an illustration on a VHS tape as Ryan has done. Anything that freaked out your little brain as a child is fair game. We want to hear from you and trust us, other people do as well!

As a child growing up in Australia during the late '70s and early '80s, I suckled on the teat that is bad US sitcoms. MORK & MINDY, GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, THREE'S COMPANY… and later… SMALL WONDER, SILVER SPOONS and JENNIFER SLEPT HERE. Normally these shows weren't scary, just frighteningly camp. However, one episode of a TV classic did haunt me when I originally saw it and for years later.

During its second season, HAPPY DAYS filmed a Halloween episode called 'Haunted'. It involved Richie scouting the old Simpson house with Joanie to determine its suitability for a Ralph-hosted party. Inside the house, Richie claims to have seen a headless body in the closet. The talk amongst the kids is old Lady Simpson was beheaded and if you go into the house, she will behead you too. After allowing Howard to convince him to go to the party, Richie is humiliated in front of everyone when he freaks out when a Ralph prank catches him off-guard. As they are all laughing, a headless woman starts floating down the stairs. I don't know why this scared me so much, but I was convinced this was how I was to meet my demise. Richie finds the courage to unmask the headless horror and the viewer is shown the culprit to be Bag of the Demons.Another equally horrifying occurrence from this episode involves TOM BOSLEY as Howard asking a young boy for a kiss after handing him some Halloween candy?!?!

Editor's Note: To check out more musings and pretty pictures from KINDERTRAUMA's first-ever commenter, visit Sean of the Dead @ Lost in MySpace.

Of all horror films, GHOULIES II had the biggest impact on my life. This is not a point of contention, this is literal. The world is round, GHOULIES II scared me shitless. When I was 7 or 8, the babysitter let us watch the schlocky sequel that features a sequence of a man getting his cheeks chomped off by a bald ghoulie hiding in the toilet bowl. Of course, when you're 7 years old, nothing is schlocky.

I was fucking terrified. My cheeks did not touch a toilet bowl for months.

Fact: DEAD MAN WALKING was inspired by my fate every time I made that journey to the bathroom. Every time I entered that porcelain closet of terror I knew, knew with more certainty than any supercomputers can muster, that a hideous, bald child of Lucifer was going to enjoy the flesh of my rump. Not only that, but it turned me off of horror for years. I would not touch the genre. I would not even be on the same floor in a house playing a horror movie. I am now 22 years old and read Fangoria while I take a dump.

Cute how the wheel of Kah turns.

Thanks Peter, I think you just singlehandedly justified the existence of this site with that TRAUMAFESSION! Where else can you read a tale like that folks? Well, for starters you might try HORRORS NOT DEAD The recently engaged (congrats!) Peter's regular stomping ground. If it's a unique take on the genre you're looking for, look no further!