kindertrauma

Traumafession:: Mike R. On a Disturbing Hunger Project Commercial

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Aha! I finally found it! Picture yourself a kid in the 1980's. You are watching The Brady Bunch or an old horror or Sci-fi movie. Then, it goes to a commercial break. And after a Fruity Pebbles and record store commercial comes THIS.


It scared the hell out of me at first sight. And not only do you begin to see this commercial all the time; you don't know when and if it will show up in a commercial break thereafter.

I began to fear commercial breaks. They showed it on Saturday morning TV, afternoon movies, Star Trek reruns. I had nightmares about this gaunt kid coming after me.  I would turn away from the TV on commercial breaks and fear the stab of creepy music. 

Mike R.

Traumafession: Brian K. on Mister Rogers and a Dead Tree

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Okay, you ever have one of those childhood memories where you think 'That couldn't  possibly have happened, I must have misremembered it?' But then it turns out it did happen?

I recall an episode of Mr. Roger's neighborhood that must have aired in the very early 80s. The citizens of the Neighborhood of Make Believe are delighted to meet a tree that could both walk and talk. And then…SOMEONE MURDERS THE TREE! I distinctly remember one of the human characters grimly walking through the neighborhood, CARRYING THE TREE'S CORPSE, a la the father in Frankenstein carrying his dead daughter's body through the village. I assumed I'd just hallucinated this, but I did a google search and apparently, it happened just as I remembered it: HERE.

This allegedly was Rogers's response to children having to deal with a lot of high profile murders and attempted murders at the time (John Lennon, Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul). But what the hell, man? Really?


Did anyone else see this episode? Does anyone have a clip?
Love the website.
Brian K.

Name That Trauma:: A.S. on Tentacle Monster Book

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Howdy! I've got another Name That Trauma query.


I'm struggling to remember the title of a Young Adult horror novel, in the vein of Fear Street but not from that series, involving a tentacled monster (which may have lived beneath a high school) that was killing students. I remember only one of the kills specifically, but it stuck in my mind because the monster used its tentacles to pop off the victim's fingernails "like soda-can tabs." (may not be an accurate quote, but it was something like that.)

I also remember a killer leaving poems for their victims, including one that ends with the line, "Will they wire your coffin with cable?" This might be from the same novel as the tentacle-monster, or it might be a different one.

Any ideas?


Cheers,

-AS

-AS

Name That Trauma: Rick J. on a Sinister Snake Tattoo

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Hello group, 
First timer and thank you.  Saw a MFTV movie between '79 and '83 in the rural South so only got the one shot at seeing it… my recollection was it was set in the 30s or 40s, sinister in nature i.e. a secret group I recall were in men's suits like gangsters.  My resounding and vivid memory was the ending with a close shot on a man standing on a loading dock, zoom in on his neck revealing his "s" or snake tattoo suggesting he was a member of bad guys.  Given my youth, experimentation with drugs (it was the 70's) and the fact that it's been forty years it could be a feature film?  Any help would be appreciated.

Rick J.

R

If I Only Had A Brain Funhouse

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Today's Funhouse is inspired by CINEMANIAC's brand new IF I ONLY HAD A BRAIN film journal which is all about scarecrows in film and television. Every scarecrow you can imagine makes an appearance within this book and I was even fortunate to contribute a few essays myself (as did our old pal AMANDA BY NIGHT). Thanks to the great LEE GAMBIN for stitching it all together. How many of the scarecrows below can you identify?

Name That Trauma:: Gary B. on a Crying Soldier

Posted on By unkle lancifer

Hi! You've helped me with several of these fuzzy memories, and I've got another one for you.

One night in my early teens (so early 80s), I was flipping channels and I saw a movie with a big, ol' fashioned military gun battle. Lots of soldiers shooting at each other. There was a quick 5-10 second shot in the battle scene that I can never forget.

A soldier had been shot in the head, and he slumping down against a wall dying. The wall behind him was splashed with his blood. But what made this so haunting was that the soldier was crying in his last few moments of life.

This poor man was very aware that he had been shot in the head, had only moments left to live, and was weeping and mourning his own imminent death. It was sad and unsettling. I've never forgotten it.

One possibly helpful clue: I am about 95% certain that this was a movie about the battle of the Alamo. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.

Can you guys help me find closure with this?

Thanks!

Gary B.