Childhood Scaries: Memorable Terror from Movies and TV Shows

As children, we have often faced the eerie and terrifying tales of movies and TV shows that managed to scare the socks off of us. These scary moments have stayed with us and continue to create a nostalgic impression as we remember the originating moments. Let's take a journey down memory lane and revisit some of the most memorable childhood scares from movies and TV shows.

Scary Scenes from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs isn't typically considered one of the scariest films for children, but there is one scene that still remains a little scary for many, including myself. The scene involving Snow White in the woods is particularly striking. The forest is filled with the sounds of seemingly monstrous creatures, such as owls, which add to the eerie atmosphere (Owls in the woods scene).

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: A Family Night Nightmare

In the 70s, when I was a preteen, my older sisters and I watched Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with them (The old black and white adaptation, 1941 version). The movie was terrifying, especially during the transformation scenes and the coach ride in the storm (Bad enough when he's changing, but the stormy coach ride, Mr. Midol, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). Despite the haunting scene, my sisters humorously referred to the character as 'Mr. Midol,' recalling their school days and a particularly unpleasant teacher named Mr. Midon.

creature features and svengoolie: Halloween Fun Night

During the 1970s, a show called 'Creature Features' aired on Friday nights in the Chicagoland area. The show's host, Svengoolie, was a mysterious and creepy figure known for his top hat and undertaker-type coat. Despite his appearance, he was a comforting and funny presence for us kids, who enjoyed staying up late to watch his show (Svengoolie, Creature Features, scary movies in the 70s). Our routine involved sitting up late, snuggling together, and trying to remain brave throughout the scariest scenes of the movie. Sometimes, we would even pull the afghan over ourselves, just to escape the fear for a moment.

Classic Horror Movies That Scared Us

There were several classics that would create the most memorable scares. The House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price was one of the scariest experiences. His slow, ominous delivery made him highly intimidating (The House on Haunted Hill, Vincent Price, slow delivery).

During these late-night movie marathons, we would always cheer when Svengoolie would step in to lighten the mood, with jokes about the town of Berwyn (Berwyn joke, Svengoolie jokes). Each movie featuring actors like Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, or Vincent Price would send us into a frenzy of terror (Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Vincent Price).

After these long, scary nights, we would nervously check the locks on the front door and windows, even though we lived on the second story of a walk-up apartment (Checking locks, vampires can fly, second story walk-up).

Our love for these scary movies extended even to other aspects of our lives. Whenever we visited Chicago's Grant Park for a music festival, we would notice the exit signs and yell with excitement (Yelling excitement, exit signs, music festival).