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This is really embarrassing to admit and I didn't know if I should put this in movies or psychology but here goes.
When I was a little kid (8? 9?) my irresponsible older brother in charge let me watch the TV version of "The Exorcist". My mother was working late I guess and it was easier for him than having to actually watch me. Teenagers. So, I was a pretty gullible little kid as it was and, while we were not Catholic, I was what you'd probably call"quasi-Catholic" anyway because I spent every Sunday at Mass with my close friend whose family was Catholic and I was very familiar with a lot of Catholic teachings.
So at that age, that movie did a number on me that has literally lasted a lifetime. Now, I am 42 years old and I am not scared by movies at all. I haven't been for a long time. I have seen all the classic scary movies and while I may enjoy them, they don't scare me. I've seen other movies in childhood (not that young though!) that didn't scare me much either, The Omen movies, The Shining, Children of the Corn, etc, and if so it wasn't a lasting thing.
The Exorcist, however!? I had nightmares for months that followed seeing it. I was convinced that a demon lived under my bed. I prayed non-stop because I believed that this was the only way to keep from being possessed. I slept with my rosary.
Obviously that got better (and I am not Catholic), but I NEVER watched the film again and to this day, if I hear the opening theme I get chills and a little sick to my stomach.
It all seems really silly when I read it all typed out but I wondered if anyone else had this kind of extreme reaction to a movie, lasting years!? People have told me I should watch it now, as an adult, and that I'd probably find it ridiculous, the way I do most other horror films, but I just can't bring myself to do it.
I have an irrational dislike of Barbara Hershey. I don't know why. I think she's a fine actress. But every time I see her on screen, I start to grind my teeth and scowl. Maybe it's because when I was a teenager I actually managed to sit through all 19 hours of BEACHES.
As for THE EXORCIST, I remember it really scared me as a kid, and we were only casually religious. But I watched it as an adult a couple of years ago, and I was kind of underwhelmed by it honestly. It's a good movie, but not great, and I was never once scared. Maybe it's because I'm Catholic now. The good guys win.
I can only remember one movie that REALLY scared me as a teenager: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I saw it when I was 12 or 13, and it really freaked me out. Maybe it was because I lived in that part of the world, and there was something very realistic about the way the movie was made. I could see it actually happening, whereas I had very little real fear of vampires hovering outside my window or a haunted hotel possessing my father. I got over it though. Now I find TTCM gross and disturbing, but not really scary.
If I want a good scare these days, I watch the news.
I have an irrational dislike of Barbara Hershey. I don't know why. I think she's a fine actress. But every time I see her on screen, I start to grind my teeth and scowl. Maybe it's because when I was a teenager I actually managed to sit through all 19 hours of BEACHES.
Ha! I am that way about more than one actress, honestly, and I have no idea why. My son is always calling me on it because I will say "Ick, that has so and so in it, I don't want to watch that..." and he says "What's wrong with her? What'd she ever do to you?" -- I have no legit reason for the dislike, but there it is. Jennifer Jason Leigh is one, Victoria Tennant is another. Just a gut reaction (though Victoria Tennant does look like a prettier version of my stepmother so that one might have a real reason behind it)..
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark S.
As for THE EXORCIST, I remember it really scared me as a kid, and we were only casually religious. But I watched it as an adult a couple of years ago, and I was kind of underwhelmed by it honestly. It's a good movie, but not great, and I was never once scared. Maybe it's because I'm Catholic now. The good guys win.
I can only remember one movie that REALLY scared me as a teenager: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I saw it when I was 12 or 13, and it really freaked me out. Maybe it was because I lived in that part of the world, and there was something very realistic about the way the movie was made. I could see it actually happening, whereas I had very little real fear of vampires hovering outside my window or a haunted hotel possessing my father. I got over it though. Now I find TTCM gross and disturbing, but not really scary.
If I want a good scare these days, I watch the news.
See, now that is my take on most horror movies. Gross & disturbing, or flat out stupid. Sometimes they fall into the category of "creepy" and I like that kind of scare. But nothing, ever, has had the effect of the Exorcist. Maybe I SHOULD force myself to watch it as a grownup.
This is really embarrassing to admit and I didn't know if I should put this in movies or psychology but here goes.
When I was a little kid (8? 9?) my irresponsible older brother in charge let me watch the TV version of "The Exorcist". My mother was working late I guess and it was easier for him than having to actually watch me. Teenagers. So, I was a pretty gullible little kid as it was and, while we were not Catholic, I was what you'd probably call"quasi-Catholic" anyway because I spent every Sunday at Mass with my close friend whose family was Catholic and I was very familiar with a lot of Catholic teachings.
So at that age, that movie did a number on me that has literally lasted a lifetime. Now, I am 42 years old and I am not scared by movies at all. I haven't been for a long time. I have seen all the classic scary movies and while I may enjoy them, they don't scare me. I've seen other movies in childhood (not that young though!) that didn't scare me much either, The Omen movies, The Shining, Children of the Corn, etc, and if so it wasn't a lasting thing.
The Exorcist, however!? I had nightmares for months that followed seeing it. I was convinced that a demon lived under my bed. I prayed non-stop because I believed that this was the only way to keep from being possessed. I slept with my rosary.
Obviously that got better (and I am not Catholic), but I NEVER watched the film again and to this day, if I hear the opening theme I get chills and a little sick to my stomach.
It all seems really silly when I read it all typed out but I wondered if anyone else had this kind of extreme reaction to a movie, lasting years!? People have told me I should watch it now, as an adult, and that I'd probably find it ridiculous, the way I do most other horror films, but I just can't bring myself to do it.
I'm glad it's not just me!! I've watched so many horror movies growing up but that is one movie I cannot watch. I remember seeing bits of it as a kid but I didn't watch the whole thing until I was 14. My parents had gone out and for some crazy reason I thought watching a horror movie by myself at night would entertain me LOL..I had nightmares for months. I'm now 43 and can't bring myself to watch it either!!
The ones I can think of from the top of my head, I'm sure there are more:
Fear of a deadly snake being put in my mailbox like in The Color of Night
Fear of detours in isolated areas from some movie where someone was killed after taking a fake detour. Semi-related is fear of taking the wrong exit and getting chased down by gangsters like in Judgement Night.
Fear of truckers running me down like in Duel.
I've watched hundreds of horror movies and can't think of one of them that ever caused me pause in real life. It's the mundane, more realistic attacks that get into my head.
I know someone who, after seeing Psycho, could not take a shower with an opaque curtain again.
There are lots of films I wouldn't see again for similar reasons, but it's easier just to avoid horror and not watch when something obviously bad is coming.
Reminds me the time when I made my siblings watch EVIL DEAD with me. They were even younger than you. Well, they haven't been the same since. I think EVIL DEAD was the first and last horror movie they ever saw. LMFAO.
I must close all closet doors before I go to bed. Why? Because in Dark Shadows, the secret passage at Collinwood had one terminus in the closet in Victoria Winters' bedroom. Ghosts and vampires and werewolves and ne'er do wells used it often.
It creeps me out when I see people (or my cats, LOL) facing a corner. Reminds me of the last scenes in The Blair Witch Project.
Last edited by Ohiogirl81; 07-27-2013 at 12:08 PM..
I'm glad it's not just me!! I've watched so many horror movies growing up but that is one movie I cannot watch. I remember seeing bits of it as a kid but I didn't watch the whole thing until I was 14. My parents had gone out and for some crazy reason I thought watching a horror movie by myself at night would entertain me LOL..I had nightmares for months. I'm now 43 and can't bring myself to watch it either!!
Same here and I still get creeped out from this one (let the opening play) that gave me years of nightmares. I was no more than six when I saw this, shame on whomever it was I was with.
But there was these other movies that feature a hand that would come after people, that haunted my dreams from adolescence till late teens. I remember writing a story about it for my English class, my teacher loved what I wrote, I sort of gave it a comical slant, I think. Her comments also included that she enjoyed reading my story, but, next time, pause to put a period or two in there. There were other movies that haunted me for a bit.
btw, I can't eat pepper steak, because as an adult, The Exorcist, was on Cable, mid 80's, I chose the head spin puking moment to sit and join my then boyfriend and watch while I had a mouth full. So now just the smell of pepper steak from the Chinese restaurant, makes me nauseous.
I know of plenty of people my age who were completely freaked out by that clown doll from Poltergeist.
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but here goes. 
I had nightmares for months that followed seeing it. I was convinced that a demon lived under my bed. I prayed non-stop because I believed that this was the only way to keep from being possessed. I slept with my rosary. 
Ghosts and vampires and werewolves and ne'er do wells used it often.
