The Child Catcher from CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG… he was my personal childhood nightmare.

 

There are few moments in any film that still haunt me from childhood. I was into horror films whole-heartedly at a young age, my cherry-popper being the original NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET on VHS at around 1st or 2nd grade. After that I went through the HALLOWEEN's, FRIDAY the 13th's, and subsequent ELM STREETS's like a fire burning through southern California in October. I feel compelled to write about one such film that still creeps my once-Catholic soul. Since the only thing as a youth that really scared me was being in church, I still get that bottomless pit stomach feeling when I hear the song, "God is in His Holy Temple…" from POLTERGEIST II. It's the Reverend Henry Kane who can send me back to being 8 years old. Carol-Anne had it rough, the scene in the strip mall when Kane comes up and sings that creepy song to her, holding her hands, smiling at her with those huge teeth, I'm surprised HEATHER O'ROURKE didn't need therapy after that. What really gets me to this day is when Kane comes strolling up to the house in the rain, singing his song, and asks to be let inside. As he peers deeply into CRAIG T. NELSON's eyes, he starts predicting his fears and inadequacies as a husband and father. Then, more forcefully through the screen door, he demands, "Let me in!". If I recall that part in a dream tonight, there is a good chance I might wet the bed. Those old man teeth, those piercing eyes, the hat, that whole religious zealot personality that says "Hey, come join us for the mass suicide!" It proves that religious folks with a scary hats can be just as frightening as a masked guy with a knife. When He screams, "You're gonna die in hell! All of you! You are gonna die!" it's perfectly chilling and holds up just as well today as it did in 1986. Let's not forget the song, "Earthly thoughts, be silent now…".

 

I saw a lot of terrifying movies growing up in long island mostly at my friend John's house who's mother didn't care about what we watched and it was usually what people would consider not appropriate for children… [I] had to pretend I didn't see a lot of these movies later on for my mom. When I was 8, we watched part of Lucio Fulci's ZOMBIE, which all I remember was the shark, the ripping and devouring of human flesh like it reminded me of a big sloppy meatloaf cake. We both ran out of the house grossed out but it was kinda fun to run away from creepy things that can't possibly get you.

Remember kids, write in so we can post your TRAUMAFESSION and then you can be all cool like Eric!