Traumafession:: Psychonator on Tales of the Wizard of Oz

Hi everyone at Kindertrauma, Psychonator here,

I’ve followed this blog for years and have contributed to solving a few Name That Traumas. I thought I’d share a kindertrauma of my own. I was a sickly kid and would contract the flu at least three times during the long Michigan winters. I also had (have) a very vivid imagination (my brother called me “impressionable,” a term he got off of the back of the “Disney’s Sounds of the Haunted House” which creeped the bejesus out of me.) But I digress.

Being home-bound, a latch key kid, I’d entertain myself between bouts of vomitting by watching day time TV. There was one particular cartoon (this would’ve been mid to late sixties) that set with me wrong. It was “Tales of the Wizard of OZ.” Totally creepy. Every episode was frought with downbeat drama. All the characters were drawn in a surreal, unnatural way, especially for this time period. The “Munchkins,” if I recall correctly, looked like fat rain drops with arms and legs. For some reason, I always watched this when I was sick; so, sort of like only ever having drank Seven Up when I was sick, this cartoon (and the taste of Seven Up) cannot be seperated from the light headed feeling of a high fever and the seasick feeling of a sour stomach!

The theme song is uber creepy to me to this day. The background music harkins back to the appearance of the wicked witch from the classic movie (not such a good choice, IMHO). The first scene shows the Tin Man pulling a prank on the Cowardly Lion, punching him in the kisser and making him cry. I think I need a Zoloft.

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FijiMermaid
FijiMermaid
10 years ago

Oh come on now, Psychonator. “You are a bold and courageous human being. Afraid of nothing” 🙂

Atys of Demon Tribe Hollow

“High on a hilltop near your home…” — God I love that record. (But who doesn’t?) What a talent was that Laura Olsher — gorgeous voice.

Anyway, I dig on your kindertrauma big time, Psycho. Ecstatically, wonderfully creepy stuff there. Strangely enough, though, that widening (yellow-brick?) road there toward the end of the intro reminds of “Rainbow Road” in Super Mario Kart!

And I’m sorry to hear you were a bit of a sickly, latchkey child. I was a latchkey, but it didn’t happen ’til I was in my early teens. Anyway, it really kinda sucks when that happens during one’s developing years: illness and isolation.

But I’m sending reaffirmingly positive vibes your way (though I sense yer not sick anymore; well, not physically 😉 ), especially considering your resolution to my kindertrauma just a couple days ago.

I kinda love ya for that, man. And I hope that doesn’t creep you out. 😉 — ∆☩Y§ ☨♆∀☥✠

Atys of Demon Tribe Hollow

( Sorry for the weird emoji line breaks above. I accidentally posted when I meant to preview. ☨♆∀☥✠ )

Psychonator
10 years ago

Here’s a link to my blog with the “disclaimer” from the back of that particular Disney album:

http://helveticasindiehorrorstories.blogspot.com/2013/05/kindertrauma-rules.html

Atys of Demon Tribe Hollow

I like it, man — gotta check out your “Ten Little Terrors”! Plus — Bierce, Lovecraft — you can’t go wrong for sure. ☨♆∀☥

dvyoung444
dvyoung444
10 years ago

I second the love of that Disney album. The last track, “Things in Space” was particularly disturbing. I spent many Sundays listening to this along with “Sounds of Terror.” Yep, those were the days!

bdwilcox
bdwilcox
10 years ago

Am I the only one that found the Cowardly Lion’s phallic resemblance disturbing? He has the same phallic nose as Joe the Camel but his entire head looks even more phallic when viewed from behind. Take a look at the back of his head at 00:22 in that Free Trade video above. That can’t just be a coincidence…

kristy
kristy
10 years ago

I remember watching Tales of the Wizard of Oz when I was a kid too. I do remember liking it, but also that it was a little weird. It aired on Sundays and usually there was slim pickings. L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the late 80s used to scare me. Something about the animation and the music that really creeped me out.