What are the things you recall from your childhood? What favourite shows, foods, music, or pastimes did you enjoy at this time? Looking back decades ago almost feels like a lifetime has passed. The world we were born into doesn’t exist anymore, sadly, and that’s why remembering key parts of our childhood seems soothing, and, more often than not, we’d like to preserve that idea. If you clicked on this article with that mindset, then be prepared to have everything ruined for you because that’s what people do.
Ever since we started telling stories, humans have used their power to share lessons and morals rather than entertain. It’s only fairly recently that we took these dark stories, such as the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales, and gave them a more wholesome spin. Now, people are sending those stories back with an all-new twist for an audience that believes they have outgrown them.
Clowns – 2016 Clown Case Trend
Alright, clowns aren’t necessarily well liked already; some people are weirded out by them because of their crazy outfits and makeup. Originally taking the form of court jesters, they were primarily a source of entertainment for ye olde upper class. But as they moved away from castle courtrooms to circus tents, they became the source of laughter for many people in the 19th to mid-20th centuries, with some people remaining indifferent to the colourful clutz throughout this period.
Some people have capitalised on this fear, creating films like the sci-fi/horror film “Killer Klowns from Outer Space” back in 1988. Though the films had gruesome kills and terrifying imagery, they didn’t do much in terms of the actual fear factor. However, a different crowd decided to take on the identity of clowns and make it entertaining for themselves but terrifying for others. Known as the “2016 clown case,” this dangerous trend caused mass hysteria with reported sightings of creepy or evil clowns in out-of-place settings, like forests or schools. After the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old, clown costumes were banned, and threats of a mass purge were the only thing that ended the trend. Side note: It was also because of this that McDonald’s announced the quiet retirement of their mascot, Ronald McDonald, because of the growing association. Despite attempts to rekindle the wonder and humour they inspired, it seems clowns won’t be making a comeback anytime soon.
Winnie the Pooh – Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey
Though it was a critical flop, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey was a proof of concept. For the longest time, Disney has been integrating various classic stories from various authors into their own cinematic universe. However, this was only possible due to America’s copyright laws, which protect an author’s work for 50 years, allowing the creator to earn enough money in their lifetime before it enters the public domain, which lets people take those famous characters and integrate them into their own stories. Mickey Mouse was about to enter the public domain as well until Disney lobbied for several extensions, keeping all stolen IP, like “The Little Mermaid”, to themselves.
Winnie the Pooh entered the public domain on the 1st of January, 2022, and the film’s announcement was made on 24th of May of the same year. Due to it being a childhood icon, it was met with divided reactions; when it was released, it was slammed for its disjointed plot and story, but it didn’t stop curious moviegoers from watching the film, which grossed $5 million at the box office. We wonder what the people will do once Mickey Mouse is out in the public domain.
T.W.: Violence, intense blood, torture and gore
Unicorns & Teddy Bears – Unicorn Wars
UNICORN WARSWho didn’t have a teddy bear or believe in unicorns when they were kids? When you think of childhood associations, it’s these two things that seemingly transcend time and borders, as everyone must have seen, heard, or thought of these two things at least once in their life. It was also probably the first thing the creator thought of when he made them fight each other in a brutal war.
Unicorn Wars is a Spanish-French animated splatter war film filled with stylised colours that you’d only see in the Care Bears or My Little Pony shows. However, it’s that aesthetic choice that makes the film all the more terrifying, lowering your defence for an unapologetically violent film that you might want to pass on if you do not have the stomach for it. But if you do make it through that, then you are rewarded with a gripping story that will definitely leave its mark on your brain. You may think that this is glorified Happy Tree Friends with the violence, but it is far more than that, with so many layers and metaphors for you to piece together as the film draws inspiration from Apocalypse Now, Bambi, and the Bible.
T.W.: graphic violence, suicide, cannibalism, drug use, gore, and nudity
Dora the Explorer – Amanda the Adventurer
If you watched Dora the Explorer, you must have heard her ask for directions from the viewer, and sometimes this results in younger viewers responding with an answer. However, have you ever thought of giving Dora the wrong answer? If so, can you imagine her actually responding to you? If she doesn’t like your answer, a demon will come out and kill you.
That is essentially the guiding principle of Amanda the Adventurer, an indie game that has caught on like wildfire. In it, you help Amanda in her adventures, from preparing a birthday gift to visiting a farm. However, it slowly begins to explore a darker space, filled with death, decay, isolation, helplessness, and demonic possession. As you progress through the story and unlock various cassette tapes, you explore strange happenings in the game’s real world and how she’s still out there.
T.W.: Abuse, violence, gore, and abduction
Mermaids – The Lovers
We mentioned mermaids on this list earlier, so it’s only fitting to officially add them to the list too. We’ve always had this sense of wonder about what lies beneath the ocean’s surface, as it is vast and largely unexplored and has given way to mythmaking. People from around the globe have their own ideas of life under the sea, and that is the main focal point of the yet-to-be-released animated series, The Lovers. Created by an indie animation studio, STUDIO HEARTBREAK, the show is a dark fantasy set in the Philippines’ Chinatown that follows Sara, a reluctant seafood chef who is burdened by expectations to live up to her late father’s reputation and keep the store alive. When a governor’s inauguration is planned at the restaurant, featuring a sirena (mermaid) centrepiece, Sara finds herself in a dangerous relationship with the mythical creature.
As the name and premise suggest, though it has yet to be released, The Lovers is set to be a violent clash between normality and disturbing fantasy, and we expect plenty of gore. The show is shaping up to live up to the studio’s namesake, leaving us to expect the most gut-wrenching of emotional fallouts with a w|w relationship taking centre stage, something that we don’t really see much in mainstream media.
T.W: graphic violence, gore, (potentially) dysmorphia
Source: Wikimedia Commons [1], [2], Wallpaper Flare, Wired, Unicorn Wars, YouTube, Anime Corner
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