Monday, September 6, 2010

Freaky Stuff on the TV

Scary Logos

Why are TV Logos Scary?

While watching your favorite cartoons, you may remember those scary logos that appear either at the start or the end of the show.  These logos scare factors may because of the combination of weird synthesized sound and visual effects.  Here is a list of the logos that scared me in my childhood.

Hanna Barbera Twisting Star


The Hanna Barbera Logo is on of the most freaky logos on television.  After watching the Smurfs, Jetsons, Flintstones, and etc, I got freaked out by this logo.  In the early 1990's the USA network had a cartoon block known as the Cartoon Express which featured cartoons like the Smurfs and the Flintstones.  The train got me interested in watching the channel and than I got freaked out by the Twisting Star.

The Universal Pictures Logo


This can freak you out if you are not expecting it.  You will know that this logo appears before the movie ET begins.  If you see the stars and the approach, you will be less scared of it.  If you are watching a TV show and the logo suddenly appears, you may get freaked out by the music and the blue rings that circle the globe.

Other Scary Logos

This youtube video below features a collection of scary TV logos from Childhood


Post Traumatic Effects of Scary Logos

Logo Nightmares

Having repeated nightmares of the scary TV logos in your dreams.

Not watching your favorite show anymore

You may be afraid to watch the show and seeing the logo following the closing credits or if the logo appears before the show begins. 
Breaking Glass

TV shows that feature breaking glass or mirrors freak me out when I am not expecting it.  When I see a breaking window or mirror on TV, I will yell Hoomp.  Sometimes the screen will shatter or crack during a transition between scenes. 

TV shows or movies with Breaking Glass

Prom Night II, Hello Mary Lou

At the beginning of the movie, the glass in a picture frame cracks.

Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith

During the battle within the first 20 minutes of the movie, a large bay window cracks.

The Amityville Curse

The washroom mirror cracks after a lady wipes the steam away.

Cracking / Breaking glass transitions

Arthur: Episode 54, Let's Talk to some Kids,

Sue-Ellen makes a high kick and the camera cracks.



You can see the transition for yourself by watching the video. The screen cracks at 3:56.  The screen will turn blue and crack.

Arthur: Episode 66, Arthur's Big Hit

After Arthur finds out that DW was playing with his model plane, there screen will crack and smash.



You can see the transition effect for yourself.  Wathc the video above.  the screen cracks at 4:12

Inquiring Minds: Superstitions

At the end of the Superstitions segment of this episode, the screen will suddenly crack when the host mentions that it's bad luck to break a mirror.

Video Games Sounds and Visuals

In video games there are scary sound and visual effects that may tramatize you from playing the game anymore.  For example if you play Air Fortress, there is a scary moment when you die inside the Air Fortress, the screen will invert colours and the game ends  I will post this in a new posting, Freaky Stuff in Gaming.

There are many more breaking / shattering window transition effects out there.  I will add them as I locate them.  Keep your ears to the tracks.


Resource

Wikipedia, USA Cartoon Express, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Cartoon_Express

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