Wow, where to begin….
My big trauma as a kid took place at a drive in. There were five of us kids, all cousins and routinely, my mom and aunt would pile us into a an old tank of a station wagon, and take us to the Disney Films as they came out. I guess I was about 6 or 7, anyways, they took us to see DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE. The movie was harmless enough and, as kids do, we would climb over the seats bouncing around to the light music.
I liked cute King O'Brien and Katey Darlin, but then it happened… the storm started up and all of a sudden is there is what seems to be a huge horse that takes on a ghostly looking cast.
"She's chasing a pooka," is what I believe what Darby said as his daughter chased off after her horse into the crags the Irish moors. The five of us kids all screamed at the same time and I hurled myself into the very back of the car and hid under a blanket. I peeked out just in time to see the most horrifying ghost looking thing, wailing and screaming on the screen… the "Banshee."
This was too much to bear. I tore out of the car, in my Dr. Dentons, running to the safety of the playground. I guess I thought the swings could save me. To this day, I don't like the word, or the sounds of that hideous wail. What was supposed to be a sweet little people movie turned, for me, into a tale of horror!
And, to add insult to injury, my husband and I are going to Ireland this spring, I wanted to go see where the "Banshee" was filmed along with the ruins in the scene. Come to find out the whole movie was shot at Foothill Ranch and/or Albertson Ranch and/or at the Burbank Studios…. guess the Banshee is closer than I think!
AUNT JOHN SEZ: Carol, if it's any consolation, one of my elementary school classmates had an even more visceral reaction to this Disney chestnut!