I can honestly say that from the moment Doctor Who first made its way into the Medd family's living room on a Saturday evening I was genuinely excited as fuck and, at the same time, scared shitless. Daleks. Cibermen. Silurians. And as if those three weren't enough to mess with a young boy's head I also had this lot to contend with: shop mannequins...
The Autons Activate (1974)
Just finding this two minute clip and posting it to the blog has brought back so many childhood nightmares. Is it any wonder I went prematurely grey?
...
I'm not sure if Alan Parsons was a big fan of our favourite timelord. But judging by the video below (despite knowing the song for nearly 40 years, I only discovered the accompanying film earlier this evening), I'm guessing he too was taken with those lifelike monsters hiding in plain sight in our town centre shop windows up and down the land.
The Alan Parsons Project - Prime Time (1984)
Great clip - Jon Pertwee was my childhood Doctor although I remember his predecessor and watched all the other incumbents down the line. This was telly aimed at families with young kids but so many of us still remember how scared we were watching such scenes.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter still has nightmares about the Weeping angels from the David Tennant era. Do we know yet who the new Doctor is going to be? Might have missed it.
Good point about the Alan Parsons video although a recurring theme in film, the old mannequin coming to life. Not always in a bad way.
Not seen it since Eccleston. I didn't even know it was still going. Likewise, Parsons.
DeleteJust had a quick butcher's: yep, he's still kicking a ball. He lives in Santa Barbara - if I'd know I'd have given him a knock when we stopped there earlier this year.
DeleteNot that I ever thought the 1987 film Mannequin was inspired by the Autons from Doctor Who, but an Alan Parsons Project video from 1984? Could be...
DeleteYou've summed up that fear, oh god yes. I *knew* there was a cyberman hiding under my dad's dressing gown on the back of their bedroom door, but no-one believed me. Recurring nightmares too of being suffocated and killed by plastic armchair. But, even in spite of those terrifying Autons, I had a bit of a thing for (more benign looking) shop mannequins and wanted one in my bedroom - like a large doll. That sounds a bit iffy now, I'll leave it there!
ReplyDeleteWhat twisted mind came up with the Cybermen?
DeleteI'm told there the internet is awash with large dolls in bedrooms...
Having watched last night's Doctor Who special (and I'm a fan*), I would struggle to see any child these days terrified by either the Cybermen or the Daleks...
ReplyDelete* Not the World's Greatest Doctor Who Fan™ though https://dubhed.blogspot.com/2022/02/who.html
Wow! Great compilation, K.
DeleteI have a vivid memory of literally hiding behind the settee at my Nan's house in 1968 while watching the Cybermen marching through the streets of London. Who on Earth signed this stuff of nightmares off as children's entertainment? I'd actually forgotten what the Silurians were all about, but having Googled them, it's all come flooding back. Thanks John, I'll be sleeping with the light on tonight.
ReplyDeleteI think that would be wise, TS.
Delete