Four Horror Movie Commercials That Scared Me Shitless As a Child

Like most of you, the television never was turned off in our house when I was a child. And even though we didn't have cable television and whatever movies that were shown on the Late Late Show were rather tame compared to what children have access to these days, some of the most traumatizing images I saw as a child were in commercials for horror movies. Here are four that haunted me for many years.

Suspiria 

It seems like for months on end I'd see this commercial would come on and freeze in terror. When the woman turns around and her face is a skull that traumatized me. And I mean that sincerely. 

It's Alive

I see that this movie was made in 1974, so I was five when these tv spots would have been running. But I saw them. And they terrorized me. I don't think I've seen the movie. One night I saw some ridiculous installment in the sequel series, but the shock of it all had been reduced to a comical punchline. 

Schizo

This 1976 movie was released with the title Amok, and I can't remember what it was that gave me the chills about the television commercial, I just remember it did. Another movie I refuse to watch. It's already done enough to me. 

The Exorcist

1973. Really? On television? Thanks, mom. My parents do have a semi-defense, however, in that there were no remote controls in those days. In fact, I WAS the remote control, and good luck getting me to get anywhere close to the television screen when I saw this.