This week is all about trauma. Share which movies have shaken us to the core so much that we’ve never been the same because of them. Visit the Bumbles for other lists.
I’ve only got few…
Old Yeller – Heartbreak and tears.
The Believers (1987) This one is silly, but the the mom was killed by a coffee pot and the girlfriend’s pimple got so big that dozens of spiders finally broke out running all over her face. I never liked spiders before the movie, but was terrified after. That scene has stayed with me. I’ve never looked at spiders or pimples the same way.
Jaws – This one should need no explanation.
Schindler’s List – There have been other movies and specials I’ve seen, but this stark look at the Holocaust shook me. How can people hate this much? Still a question that troubles me.
Platoon and other war movies – I’m a lover, not a fighter. These haunt me, so I try to avoid them.
Stacy's Books 
Old Yeller – I can’t handle animal deaths. You are so right about this choice.
I have never heard of The Believers – that sounds utterly disgusting! Although I am curious how you get killed by a coffee pot.
Okay, it was electrocution and a coffee pot, but still…
Definitely, Jaws!! Also, E.T.
Platoon was a devastating movie wasn’t it? Old Yeller-always makes me cry. That other movie with the mom getting killed by the coffee pot..crazy sounding!! LOL
My favourite Jaws story involves my mother waking up and swearing she saw the captain’s head floating by her second-story bedroom window after she and my father had gone to see it in theatres as a date.
My most traumatic movie moment involved seeing just one small section of Deadbolt (1992) as a young teen, just between watching movies (Grease and Home Alone, I believe) at someone’s sleepover. Bad guy strangles someone and I had trouble sleeping and nightmares for months after.
Jaws seems to be the standard all round for traumatizing kiddies in the 80’s!
I haven’t seen The Believers. I’m not even sure I’d heard of it before now, but that could just be my poor memory showing through.
I’ve never seen Jaws all the way through. Never really had an interest too. I did see Pirahnas though and that was kind of freaky. LOL
I’m glad that I am not the only one that was traumatized by the movie Jaws. I am going to make sure I avoid the other movies on your list as well!
I think my main one would be “The Towering Inferno.” It was probably the last disaster movie I was ever able to watch. I really can’t handle them any more, so I try to avoid them. The image of that young woman with her clothes on fire, falling (or jumping?) from the highrise building…ack, still makes me kind of sick to my stomach now, years later.
Another one that wasn’t traumatic but really moving was “Dead Man Walking.” I really felt it examined the issues around capital punishment so well, and so compassionately, that it would be deeply moving to people on either side of the issue, and would help them regard those on the “other side” with more mercy and understanding. Very deep, great movie.