A thing that scared and thrilled me in equal measure as a kid ...

Kittyfrisk · June 2020

TheOtherDennis said:

The Singing Ringing Tree for me. The dwarf and that fish that would stick its head out of the pond and talk gave me the shivers.

I still remember the first time I ever had a nightmare as a kid - the night after seeing the Cybermen for the first time.

stickyfiddle said:

Who dat? Both character and actor. Genuinely no idea.

Ghostbusters II, Vigo the Carpathian. Played by 'actor' Wilhelm von Homburg.

thumpingrug · June 2020

I remember a Dr Who Christmas special in the late 70s (78 or 79 at a guess). It involved giant maggots taking over London. Scared the bejesus out of me but I had to keep watching to see what happened right till the end.

Kittyfrisk · June 2020

thumpingrug said:

I remember a Dr Who Christmas special in the late 70s (78 or 79 at a guess). It involved giant maggots taking over London. Scared the bejesus out of me but I had to keep watching to see what happened right till the end.

'The Green Death' I think.

Woodenhead · June 2020

Changing heads and what not, stuff of nightmares!

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/94/66/49946675fa4fe695bb8556aa87dcf5b8.jpg

LastMantra · June 2020

Woodenhead said:

Changing heads and what not, stuff of nightmares!
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/94/66/49946675fa4fe695bb8556aa87dcf5b8.jpg

That was really weird when you think about it. There were bits that gave me the creeps.

The evil scarecrow!

Musicwolf · June 2020

I was too young to remember but I’m told that the Dr Who music terrified me.

HAL9000 · June 2020

Teyeplayer · June 2020

Worzel Gummidge, gave me the same creeps as ‘uncle jimmy’ saville. That was a tough time to be a kid; Rolph was the nice guy!?!?

fob · June 2020

Well that was a rather strange rabbit hole I went down.

When I was a kid me and my mate were very into Bruce Lee films. Way too young to watch them (about 10) but video players/recorders were just becoming a thing and his uncles were able to get the films from somewhere (along with others we were way too young to watch). He snuck them out of their rooms while they were asleep - thrilling and scary in its own right.

For all the scary scenes (to a 10yo) in the Bruce Lee films, the one that really gave me nightmares was the one where someone got an axe in the head in The Big Boss - I remember seeing his head split open. Off I go to find an image or YT clip to post only to find it was actually a saw and that there is a lot of doubt as to whether the scene ever existed. It definitely did but it seems to have disappeared from the world for now.

Moominpapa · June 2020

@TheOtherDennis The Singing Ringing Tree made a big impression on me, too; not scary, just that I never forgot theimagery because it was so imaginative.

TheMarlin · June 2020

I was a kid, maybe ages 4 or 5. Our TV had died. My father ordered a new one, and I sat eagerly as soon as it was plugged in.

A documentary was on, and it’s threw up clip of Nosfetatu - the bit where he’s on a ship, the coffin open, and he rises rigid and straight, as if nailed to a plank hinged at his heels.... Then he set about the crew. It’s crapped me up - terrified me. Gave me nightmares for years.

blobb · June 2020

Kate Bush

Kittyfrisk · June 2020

I remember feeling distinctly spooked by the 'Mars Attacks" chewing gum cards.
I got banned from having any of them by my mother on pain of (insert threat here).

https://imgur.com/gallery/TsO8f
Loved the Tim Burton film, but it lacked the visceral fear factor of the cards.

TTBZ · June 2020

The kid in the window in Salem's Lot.

TheOtherDennis · June 2020

@Kittyfrisk Thanks for that.

@Moominpapa Most of the stories were ok, but there was something about that fish that messed with my head.

Gizmo · June 2020

A few other things i remember freaking me out as a kid were

Tales of the unexpected....2 eps i clearly remember were a guy staying at a B&B and get taxidermied by some psych old woman & a guy who's brain is kept alive after death & it ends up in a clear plastic box stuck watching horse racing on his hate wifes coffee table.....and those dancing women and freaky fairground theme tune....

One other thing that really got to me (again when i about 8...fucking VHS rentals ) was the Staitc TV scene Poltergeist....

Just finding this image has caused me a feeling of dread and gotten the hair on the back of my neck rising....freaky

Dontgiveupyourdayjob · June 2020

Image: https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--4Ba7fcf_--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_900,q_80,w_1600/sur2inodvhuvnakcrzcv.jpg

I was waaaaay too young to have watched the original 2 VHS TV special of "IT"! Watched the whole 2 tapes in one sitting on a sleep over at a mate's house when I was about 10. Barely slept for weeks afterwards!