10 Things that Scare Me (Thanks to Books + Movies)

In honor of Halloween tomorrow, I feel like I have to do the obligatory fear post. So here goes: a list of the ways books and movies have made me afraid of things.

1. Ebola. Specially, a genetically-enhanced super-strain that turns into a worldwide epidemic and leads to one of the most painful deaths imaginable. Thanks, EXECUTIVE ORDERS by Tom Clancy.  Honorable mention: the movie OUTBREAK.

2. Clowns. I should never have read Stephen King's IT when I was 13 years old.

3. People who pick up hitchhikers. Thanks to UNDER THE SKIN by Michel Faber, I know that these seemingly helpful souls have nefarious intentions.

4. Being locked in the attic with my siblings.  Thanks, FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC by VC Andrews.

5. Room 101. This is the place, according to 1984 by George Orwell, that all your worst fears come to haunt you. No thanks.

6. Being buried alive. In KILL BILL PART 2, The Bride gets out of her 6 ft deep coffin using her special skills. In the Alfred Hitchcock episode "Final Escape", the woman prisoner is not so lucky.

7. Dark subway tunnels.  If ENCLAVE by Ann Aguirre and the film 28 WEEKS LATER have taught me anything, it's that nothing good lurks in dark subway tunnels. Do not enter.

8. Being trapped in darkness for all eternity. Thanks WES CRAVEN'S THEY for making me have to sleep with a nightlight again.

9. Having a kid who turns out to be a killer. There are quite a few of these, but most chilling are Lionel Shriver's WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN and the film THE GOOD SON. (Note: I have no children.)

10. Every other scary thing in horror books and movies. This is why I avoid them whenever possible.

What fears have books and movies cultivated in you?

8 comments:

Jen said...

These are good ones. I never had to read "It" to be afraid of clowns. *shudder* and knowing what I know about that book, I'll probably NEVER read it!

Jen

Christina said...

3. Also, people who hitchhike. No one involved in the hitchhiking process is remotely trustworthy.

4. LOL. Oh dear.

9. Oooh, I always need more reasons to explain to people why I don't want children. *adds to list*

10. I am such a wimp about horror movies. I cannot handle them AT ALL.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

I'm more scared of being a hitch hiker. I have a cell and will call my mother if I have to. Yes at age 28 I will call my mom over getting in the car with some stranger any day. I'm sorry but nothing short of a clown attacking me will make me scared of clowns. I'm scared of It's clown, but no other. I like horror movies but sometimes they can be beyond scary.

Nice list.

Lenore Appelhans said...

Jen - Good decision!

Christina - Re #9. It is an excuse I like to use sometimes.

Sheena-Kay - I think it's a good idea to call one's parents at ANY age rather than hitchhike.

Linda said...

Read IT too many years ago to remember much, but I know it hasn't made me scared of clowns. Now Kaitlin? That's another story.

Definitely don't want to be locked in an attic with my siblings. I'm sure you know why! Loved reading the VC Andrews series many moons ago.

Never been in a subway...and better NOT have a kid who turns out to be a killer!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Regarding no6: Mythbusters tested that and busted the myth. To get out of the coffin like The Bride does is impossible - which makes no6 even scarier since all hope of getting out is gone! :-)

Lenore Appelhans said...

Ellie - Well, that's a bummer!!

Unknown said...

I haven't remembered what scare me a lot of scary movies or books. But last I watch a horror movie Insidious: The Last Key alone. A while watching the movie I was scared too much. You can imagine how difficult to watch Full movie alone in theater