Scarred for Life

While I was a little older (about 10) when I saw this one, on cable, it was still horrifying! Ridley Scott’s work was masterful and it delivered one of the best scares of the 70′s. As was the case for most of my preteen years, I had to sneak out after bedtime and watch this alone and in the dark…unable to scream as that would mean parent trouble. In the flickering ambient glow of my friend, the TV, I learn new folds of terror at Ridley’s hands. From the face hugger’s grab to the very bloody chest explosion and on, the dread just kept building. Then the barest of visual hints of the creature and…WTF! THAT DUDES HEAD EXPLODED!! WHERE THOSE TEETH?! I did bite my tongue and tasted blood…In space, no one can hear you scream.

There is a scene in “The Hand” (1981) in which a traffic accident culminates in Michael Caine’s character losing his hand.  I found that moment, when the hand flies free, to be more the a little disturbing.  Sadly, I can not find the clip I wanted for this post so the trailer will have to do.

This is one I saw on cable when I was about 14 or so. If I could have burned my eyes from their sockets at the time I would have. The movie was “Slapstick of Another Kind” and not only must it put Jerry Lewis and Madeline Kahn in to incestuous positions but it is compelled to explain just what incest is and to do so in an uncomfortable way. This is done for a cheap laugh (which didn’t work) and also just in case you happen to be an audience member that is either too young to know or too sheltered to know what incest is. I myself could have gone a few more years (AT LEAST) with out such a creepy demonstration. To Hollywood I say; thank you for this complete and utter piece of SHIT!