I've mentioned I was a latch-key kid. At 7 years old, I had my own house key to let myself into the house afterschool because my mother worked. I was often alone for two or three hours during the afternoon before Ma came home from work.
When I was 10 years old, Ma and Dad must have decided I was old enough to stay home alone at night. I think it was a Friday night, and they must have decided they would go grocery shopping. The Brother was off with his friends so I'd be alone for a couple of hours. Didn't seem like a big deal.
I was watching a movie on television. I remember a scene where a man was sitting at an organ and playing music. Kind of creepy music, but nice. As I recall, the camera panned on the organist's hands, and then up his arms, and then when the music reached a crescendo, his face. Oh my gawd his FACE! And when I was watching television and scared, I planted my face in the carpet. Waited for the music to change or a commercial to come on. I turned the television off so fast and raced to my room to get of all things, a life-size walking doll for comfort. And then I telephoned next door to Himself's mother (my future mother-in-law)
My memory is hazy because I can't remember whether she came over to sit with me until my parents came home.
From the movie clip, you will know I was watching The Phantom of the Opera. I'm not sure what version, I'm guessing the 1926 silent movie. But, I can't find the scene I described. Memory is a funny thing.
All I know is The Phantom scared the willies out of me.
What was the first horror movie that frightened you?
The movie that scared me the most as a kid was a sci-fi movie. I don't remember the title but aliens took over the grownups and the only way the kid in the movie could tell was by two dots on the back of the adult's necks. I kept a close eye on my parents necks for months after watching that movie! lol
ReplyDeleteThat sounds kind of familiar. Outer Limits, maybe?
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