Thursday, July 16, 2009

The woman in the window

Peter’s comment about the beast behind the sea-radiator giving Brit Jnr nightmares got me thinking about the things that frighten children.

In fact, it’s quite hard to predict what will traumatise kiddies, isn’t it? Accidential exposure to horror films can leave no impression while seemingly harmless illustrations in Ladybird books might haunt you for years.

I remember finding the opening titles to Miss Marple terribly disturbing. Particularly that woman in the window.


6 comments:

worm said...

Personally, I was scared witless by the blank staring eyes and uncontrollable nature of the pantomime horse in Rentaghost,

and dont even get me started on Mr. Noseybonk...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyh4fQ9bEAw&NR=1


- dont forget, as a father, it is also one of the priviledges of fatherhood to scare your children witless with your dancing.

Brit said...

Aaaagh, Noseybonk!

That gave me a dreadful recurring nightmare as a kid - Noseybonk was driving a steamroller at me as I lay paralysed on the floor - he came closer and closer and never quite hit me.

What the hell were they thinking?

Anonymous said...

Noseybonk never crossed the pond and so all I have to go on is that clip. I can't say I understand why you found him so scary, but he does explain the fall of the Empire.

Uncle Dick Madeley said...

For some unknown reason, I was always frightened by the child-catcher in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' (though what child wasn't?) and, for some unknown reason, Nicholas Parsons in his 'Sale of the Century' hayday.

malty said...

Gilbert Harding, scared me, and my dad, he though, put up with the frights just to ogle Isobel Barnett. Also my daughters headmistress, Cruella DeVille,

Xantia56 said...

I do remember scaring myself silly one teatime watching the news. I was scurrying around behind the sofa. Regardless of which end I went to, that damn newsreader knew just where I'd be and was looking directly at me.

It was most probably that benign looking Gordon Honeycomb.