15 films of the late 20th century, during which in childhood I wanted to hide under the covers

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

With the dawn of the era of videotapes and the beginning of screenings of "foreign" films in cinemas, most people saw many films for the first time. It would seem that most films that children were allowed to watch should be colorful and fun, but in the 80s and 90s this was not always the case. Given their wild imaginations, children can be afraid of almost anything. What their parents thought was a completely harmless movie could actually scare them half to death. Here are some examples of such films.

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Of course, this film is not intended for children, but here is who did not watch it as a child. The scene of a nuclear apocalypse, in which Linda Hamilton's screaming fiery skeleton clings to a fence, could haunt many at night in nightmares.

2. Bambi

It would seem that there is such a thing - a Disney children's cartoon about frolicking forest creatures seems innocent enough. At least until the mother of young Bambi was shot in the middle of the film. The feeling of loss and loneliness is scary for any child, therefore, watching how it happened with a helpless deer is unlikely to delight children.

3. Witches

The fact that the film was adapted from a book by Roald Dahl does not mean that the baby will not cry under the bed for several days. A case in point is the scene in which Angelica Houston rips off her human skin and becomes a grotesque witch.

4. Alien

This is, of course, a slightly controversial example. For some, Alien was a favorite, quirky and funny coming-of-age movie. Others, however, were really frightened of the turtle-like creature of the shell. And those heartbreaking scenes of an alien dying and calling for Eliot … brr.

5. Dumbo

For the most part, this film is about an elephant with huge ears that people laugh at, except for the scene where the elephant accidentally gets drunk and witnesses an eerie procession of pink smiling elephants walking around in a nightmare. The scene can really scare any kid.

6. Endless story

There were many strange and eerie moments in this film, but what really scared the young viewers to death was the scene when Atreya and Artax walked through the Swamp of Sorrows. Artax refuses to go any further and the abyss slowly sucks him in while Atreya desperately tries to save him. He fails and Artax drowns.

7. Pet cemetery

Another film that is highly discouraged for children to watch, but which, for sure, many have seen in childhood. From Zelda's sister to the demon cat and the terrifying resurrected boy … for sure, kids never treated animals or cemeteries the same way they used to.

8. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Everyone agrees that this film is just a hilarious fairy tale full of chocolate and miracles. Until Willy Wonka, the kids and their parents, take a boat ride through the tunnel into madness. At first, everyone stupidly pretends not to sit in front of a real nutcase and insane, but then Wonka whispers an eerie melody that turns into a manic scream. With blinking red lights all around and a gruesome video in the background, all that candy-like ecstasy turns into a veritable hell of a landscape.

nine. Tremors of the earth

Let's remember a couple of scenes from this film when Kevin Bacon and his co-star Fred Ward find a frightened farmer whose face is sticking out of the ground, or when, after one of the tremors, the car is sucked underground. Surely, many were afraid after that to go to the ground from the sidewalk.

10. The ghost of the house on the hill

In this film, a group of people take part in an experiment involving sleeping in an abandoned mansion, and as a result, they face a terrible nightmare. Now you won't scare anyone like that, but in those days such films were new and could scare not only children, but also adults.

11. The Wizard of Oz

From tornadoes to witches and flying monkeys … It's easier to ask what is not scary in this film for children.

12. It (1990)

Now we are talking about a mini-series, not a 2017 film. Its plot is about the same - the creepy clown Pennywise by any means and continuous kill and devour every member of the Losers Club. No doubt it was scary.

13. Jaws

Everyone knows the sinister music from this movie. Although the shark image looked pretty silly, the film used the viewer's imagination to scare him. And since children have too much imagination, it left its mark. Let us remember who was not afraid to swim in the sea after that.

14. Films about Indiana Jones

Although these films had a 13+ limit, the kids shouldn't have watched them, but they did. From melting faces and an Indian shaman ripping hearts out of his chest, to hideous ghosts and chopping off heads, it's safe to say that every child was significantly intimidated while watching the adventures of Indiana Jones.

15. Fire in the sky

A horror film about the abduction of people by aliens was released in 1993. If someone accidentally saw him as a child, there is no doubt that his life has changed significantly. Although he seems rather harmless today, there are some rather frightening scenes in this film, including a strange scene of alien experiments on humans.