Scariest Movie You Saw Under The Age Of 12?

[madmarva]

That NightStalker movie that John mentioned earlier scared me as a kid too and that probably predated me seeing Jaws when I was 7 in 1975. I vaguely remember being scared by "Dark Shadows."

But what really scared me the most as a child were commercials for the Exorcist, The Omen, and it's Alive. The whole demon possession devil anything really freaked me out. I would run out of the room when those commercials came on.

I'm also from the Memphis area (West Memphis, ARK) and remember Sivad (which is Davis spelled backwards). He lived across the street from my aunt and he would wear his vampire garb (based on Lon Chaney's "London After Midnight") on Halloween and give out candy. Prett cool.

[johnmiic]

Island of Terror, Horror Express, Baron Blood, some Lost in Space episodes.

This promo from my local area tv station would freak me out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATUJG...eature=related

[babycyclops]

As a kid, the standout scares were delivered by Trilogy of Terror, and Gargoyles. However, the earliest memory I have of a really good scare is watching Planet of the Apes at the age of about 5. This story is a little long, so I hope you guys will bear with me.

I was obsessed with the POTA TV show when I was a little kid, usually sitting as close to the TV as I could, and I even remember trying to tape the intro on a cassette player one night.

Anyway, one day, the TV station advertises that they are going to screen Planet of the Apes the film, and I am over the moon with excitement, I mean, I just can't wait. Only thing is, it's screening Saturday night, and my parents are hosting a party on the night, and the TV will be moved into one of the bedrooms. Plus I'm pretty much told that I can't be sitting alone watching TV when there is a big family get together, so I will just have to miss out.

Saturday rolls around, I make myself scarce and switch on the TV. The lights were off in the room, because I didn't want anyone to know that I was in there. I was so excited that I was about to see the apes on horseback marauding around, and all the other awesomeness that this film promised to be.


Well, right at the start of the film when the spaceship is sinking, and the shrivelled body of the female astronaut is shown with a screaming audio sting.... I ran right out of the room, I was scared ***tless!

I don't think I watched the rest of the film that night.

[Den82]

Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2.

Of course that movie is a total joke to me now, but when I was little it seriously messed my head up and no doubt played a role in turning me into who I am today. The scene where Leatherface slaughters the yuppies while holding the corpse of the hitchhiker terrified me. Watching it Rural PA (at my grandparents house) helped too. I was only 5 or 6 and it shocked me so much, I yelled out: "Holy **** Grandpa, they cut his ****ing head off!" and I automatically put my hand over my mouth, because I cursed out loud lol.

I slept with a light on for years after seeing it and would lay awake at night planning how I'd escape, if Leatherface and Chop Top broke in my house. I was also convinced they were in every card parked near outside my house.

I only saw the box and coming attractions for the first one at that time and even at the early age, I could it was worse. So I didn't see it for years.

I only saw scenes of the Exorcist and it was enough to keep me away.

Hills Have Eyes terrified me too, as did 13 Ghosts and House on Haunted Hill with the blind caretaker on roller skates.

[babycyclops]

^It's crazy that you watched such a full on splatter movie at such a young age.
I mean, I was scared that 'The Family' would be lurking in my closet after seeing The Omega Man, but TCM2 at such a young age? No wonder you slept with the light on!

[mego73]

At the time, I was really scared by the made for TV sequel to Rosemary's Baby "Look What Happened To Rosemary's Baby". I don't remember much about the movie but there was a scene where they showed a skull or a skull like face. When I was a kid, skulls were scary.

[ironman1188]

Carnival of Souls

[shyndman]

Get off the phone!

Interesting note about The Birds. It was one of those films that was shown once a year (kind of like Wizard of Oz or Mary Martin's Peter Pan) and was something of an event. Remember the scene where Tippi Hedren found the schoolteacher (Suzanne Pleshette?) with her eyes pecked out by the phone? That was scary as heck when I was a young'un. The odd thing is that I distinctly remember that particularly scene getting edited more and more over the years until you no longer saw the corpse at all. Just Tippi with her world class acting skills screaming etc.

Ah, censors . . .

Spencer

Again first truly scary movie was "The Birds"...I was also scared of "Creature from the Black Lagoon" for some reason and WOZ when I was younger. When I was about 13 or 14 I saw "Cujo" with my cousin who got me in. I wasn't scared at all. I have had dogs all my life and couldn't imagine a dog acting that way.

[Sideshow Spock]

My father took me with him to see Jaws when I was 6.

It was a mistake.

[cyberlord]

jeeze i remember ALIEN being on tv when i was 10, i had the marvel comic version so i was prepared, right.

i didnt sleep for a week.

[Den82]

I remember Salem's Lot and 13 Ghosts terrifying me too. All the films that messed me up the most all became my favorites years later.

OH YEAH and another that REALLY scared the crap out of me? I do not even remember how I saw it, but Mother's Day (Troma). Today, it's a total joke to me. But I guess when I was really little, I didn't see the intentional humor or just absurdity of it. But the idea of a hooded man sitting besides his demented mother with a head in a box really disturbed me.

[deputypowell]

I saw Jaws in theaters and lived on the beach. I always had the darkest tan and made the best sand castles you ever saw...(cause after I heard in the movie that most shark attacks took place in three feet of water my days of swimming were through.)

I also know I saw The Exorcist when I was under 11. Still scares the h*ll out of me.

When you are scared...you crawl in bed with your parents...however I recall my dad snored so loud I thought he was posessed. I had to sweat-it-out in my own bed under the covers with my MEGOs for protection.

[Toy Talk]

Aliens (the first one) I watched on TV when I was in the 5th grade. I guess I should say I tried to watch because I only made it 20 minutes or so in before I ran from the TV.

[TEXASFETT]

For me had to be the Exorcist . Thats one crazy looking biatch!

[C.H.O.A.M.]

Back in the mid 70s there was a tv movie called "Mud Monster" about some...well, mud monster that terrorizes people on an island.
One scene in particular that fried my circuits was when said monster got his arm chopped off and it kept wriggling around on the floor!
It's on dvd if you look but I never felt compelled to buy it.