Entertainment Learning/Trauma Effects On Young Minds

chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
edited April 2016 in General Discussion Posts: 17,687
What movie, novel, TV show, comic book, song, or other piece of entertainment shocked/disturbed/taught/instructed you at a young age, and emotionally scarred or prepared you for life? Tell your story.

Here's mine:
Growing up I'd seen disturbing stuff (movies like The Incredible Shrinking Man at age 6, The Crawling Eye at age 9, Beneath The Planet Of The Apes at age 11), but none of it prepared for me for what was to come...
I was an avid comic book fan from the 60's as a child, Superman, Batman, & Supergirl were my favourites. Then came Spider-man. I entered into his world as John Romita Sr. was illustrating, and instantly loved the 'real' feel of the character. His falling in love with Gwen, his fight with Fisk, his problematic friendship with Harry when Harry fell prey to drugs... I bought (and still own) every issue. I read & re-read & re-re-read all of them.
Then, when I was 13 they saw fit to have the Goblin kill Gwen Stacy. I was actually traumatized. I cried massive tears, and I tossed issue 121 into the bottom of my sock drawer where it ended up being frayed beyond recognition due to my regular violent thrusting of clean socks into it (as was my subconscious plan, I guess). It was the end of my buying comics. I reasoned that if it could happen in THIS series, no title was safe. 8-|
Years later I bought & read the issues from 121 and on... and then I sold them to a comic dealer. It was just too painful.
And THIS is a big reason why I like the movie Spider-man 3... GWEN DOES NOT DIE.

I feel a bit lighter now....


;;)

Comments

  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,374
    Good thread idea, but I'd say this just about covers it, unless you feel that isn't the case?

    http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/8902/scariest-childhood-moments
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited April 2016 Posts: 17,687
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    Good thread idea, but I'd say this just about covers it, unless you feel that isn't the case?

    http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/8902/scariest-childhood-moments

    Hmmm, that's about scary (and I commented in that thread)
    - I'm asking about stuff that stays with you, alters your perception of the world you live in, and affects your view of how you see everything. Life-changing, not just something like a crazy clown under your bed kind of lasting fear.
    When Gwen died in the comic book, I decided that if that ever happened to ME I could not go on.... like I'd need to join my love on the other side. Yeah, sounds dark (and ME, not liking dark superhero films so vocally & so recently), but that's the lasting impression on my young soul that got imprinted.
    Strangely, the movie Somewhere In Time that came out when I turned 20 brought all those feelings back...

    A different (and WAY more positive) example would be from Star Trek, when I was 7. Kirk fought the Gorn, and in the end although he won the fight he wouldn't kill his adversary. That stuck with me also, and taught me a lifelong lesson in the value of life. At 12 I would see this lesson occur again in the Kung-Fu TV series, and it was devastatingly profound to my young self.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,374
    Fair enough, that's why I figured I'd ask to make sure!
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Thanks for making me refine it!
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