I'll start off by saying I was an odd child, and I'm sure I've never grown out of it. And I've always had a pretty extensive memory.
I've had a long-lived affair with Horror films. Sad to say, as this is true and I am now 16, meaning there has been some questionable factors in my upbringing.
I remember a scene of my childhood, around 6-7 years of age, going to Blockbustet with my mother, attempting to rent Jeepers Creepers, but seeing it being an R rating, my mother refused, and I easily felt obliged to follow her rules.
But soon after that, with a brother well into his teens and a movie-fanatic uncle, I happened to catch the end of Carpenter's Halloween. That must have stuck with me, as a series of attempts to catch all these horror films followed.
I was a very resourceful child and knew how to work a television well, having access to HBO, Starz, and many of the premium channels that offered 24-hour access to films.
My mother being very lax, and my being very sneaky, I would sly off inthe middle of the night to the living room to watch whatever I had planned for the night before, with the volume low and face to the television. Before night I would only quench my thirst for horror with the after school episodes of Goosebumps and Courage the Cowardly Dog.
Now there was no limit to what I watched, and I was not selective to what I would choose. Still under the age of 10, I had seen all of the mainstream slasher flicks, indie slashers, low-budget zombie films, whatever available. I really loved it.
As much as this surprises me, I remember at a maximum age of 9, I was clamouring over such films as House of 1000 Corpses, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre(74), Saw, and Sleepaway Camp with its sequels.
All at the age of 9, I was exposed to subjects of gore, full frontal nudity, demonic possession, cannibalism, films just short of torture porn, some very rank things.
I'm sure it sounds like a nightmare to some parents, but I was young, and i didn't know better.
But it makes me very curious. I read so many articles on how horror films can scar children under the age of 12. I was well under the age of 12, and watching films well over the rating of R.
Me now, a junior in high school. Never any problem in school, no agressive behavior. In fact, I'm a very passive person.
I've always been an optimistic, creative, open-minded, and caring individual. No psychological stress, disorders, really nothing out of the ordinary.
Growing older, I feel I've matured away feom many of the films I "abused" as a child. I still do enjoy a good horror with taste like that in 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, and Eraserhead.
If anything, I believe the films I watched as a child had no affect on me whatsoever, other than making me a more creative individual.
I'd just like to know what your opinions are about the topic of children being exposed to horror elements. I mean I'm sure I'd be a much different person and probably would be as interested in Film and Art as much as I am today.
I've had a long-lived affair with Horror films. Sad to say, as this is true and I am now 16, meaning there has been some questionable factors in my upbringing.
I remember a scene of my childhood, around 6-7 years of age, going to Blockbustet with my mother, attempting to rent Jeepers Creepers, but seeing it being an R rating, my mother refused, and I easily felt obliged to follow her rules.
But soon after that, with a brother well into his teens and a movie-fanatic uncle, I happened to catch the end of Carpenter's Halloween. That must have stuck with me, as a series of attempts to catch all these horror films followed.
I was a very resourceful child and knew how to work a television well, having access to HBO, Starz, and many of the premium channels that offered 24-hour access to films.
My mother being very lax, and my being very sneaky, I would sly off inthe middle of the night to the living room to watch whatever I had planned for the night before, with the volume low and face to the television. Before night I would only quench my thirst for horror with the after school episodes of Goosebumps and Courage the Cowardly Dog.
Now there was no limit to what I watched, and I was not selective to what I would choose. Still under the age of 10, I had seen all of the mainstream slasher flicks, indie slashers, low-budget zombie films, whatever available. I really loved it.
As much as this surprises me, I remember at a maximum age of 9, I was clamouring over such films as House of 1000 Corpses, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre(74), Saw, and Sleepaway Camp with its sequels.
All at the age of 9, I was exposed to subjects of gore, full frontal nudity, demonic possession, cannibalism, films just short of torture porn, some very rank things.
I'm sure it sounds like a nightmare to some parents, but I was young, and i didn't know better.
But it makes me very curious. I read so many articles on how horror films can scar children under the age of 12. I was well under the age of 12, and watching films well over the rating of R.
Me now, a junior in high school. Never any problem in school, no agressive behavior. In fact, I'm a very passive person.
I've always been an optimistic, creative, open-minded, and caring individual. No psychological stress, disorders, really nothing out of the ordinary.
Growing older, I feel I've matured away feom many of the films I "abused" as a child. I still do enjoy a good horror with taste like that in 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, and Eraserhead.
If anything, I believe the films I watched as a child had no affect on me whatsoever, other than making me a more creative individual.
I'd just like to know what your opinions are about the topic of children being exposed to horror elements. I mean I'm sure I'd be a much different person and probably would be as interested in Film and Art as much as I am today.
