Making Memories

Babble has come out with "The 26 Most Disturbing Kid Movies Ever."  

I was somewhat relieved to see that my kids have only seen five of the movies on the list and I'd have to say "Dumbo" was more traumatizing for me to watch than it was for them. But they were pretty freaked out by "Wizard of Oz," only not so much because of the witch or the monkeys, more by the idea that a tornado could just scoop up your house...it figures they'd fear the most realistic part of the film. Assuring them that flying monkeys don't exist would have been too simple. 

Anyway, I'm sure you'll recognize a few of the movies on the list as sources of your own childhood trauma. And if you still aren't convinced to click over and read the damn thing, please enjoy this excerpt on "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory":

The tunnel scene of this movie is the single most frightening sequence in all of '70s cinema. And we're talking about a decade that brought us The Exorcist and Alien. Gene Wilder is simply brilliant in this subversive kiddie classic. One look at him and there is no way you're believing this movie really is for children. Let me ask you, if Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka rang your doorbell, would you let him in? Didn't think so. He's the pusherman, baby. A totally Technicolor, sociopathic pimp. In one master stroke, this film says, "Hey kids, this is what dropping acid is like. The first time's free. Enjoy the '70s!"

I totally agree. (And btw, I must thank my friend Rachel for gifting this movie to my boys this year...I'm sure they were only mildly traumatized.)