Primal Screen
Directed by Rodney Ascher
Why are we simultaneously attracted to and repelled by the things that scare us the most? In this special presentation, acclaimed filmmaker Rodney Ascher (ROOM 237, THE NIGHTMARE) explores the pop culture that left dark impressions on us as children. Starting from the immortal ventriloquist dummy of MAGIC, Ascher asks real people to look back at pop-culture artifacts that traumatized them in their youth and describe the effect they had on their lives. A singular hybrid of documentary and horror, stare into the Primal Screen.
In this Shudder Original, acclaimed filmmaker Rodney Ascher explores the pop culture that left dark impressions on us as children.
Cast: Gregory Burkart, Daniel Ferranti, Gary Holland
Member Reviews
I really liked this, but was disappointed it was focused on only the one horror movie, 'Magic'. I thought it was going to explore a far broader range of horror movies and the fear they instilled on interviewees as children.
A very idiosyncratic story with surprising details... I can, however, vouch for the creepiness of that commercial; it freaked the hell out of my 9-year-old self back in the day.
wierd
wierd
I found this curiously cathartic. As a person who was quite young when the Magic ad campaign happened, it validated my fears that were dismissed as irrational as a child. Still haven’t mustered up the courage to watch the film itself, but this was a good way to confront the fear.