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No art form was more significant in the '80s than the music videos that appeared on MTV, the fabled source of our MTV2. And while history and even the songs themselves paint the '80s as a period of shallow prosperity, the music videos seemed to be on a mission to make George Orwell's vision of their decade look like Epcot Center. Sure, other generation may have lived through wars and depressions, but '80s kids have just as much a claim to psychological trauma, on account of videos like: #5.
A-Ha's "Take On Me"
Why it's Scarring:
The metaphysical questions tied up in the video would be enough to make the writers of Lost go [even more] insane. If that waitress in the diner had burnt the comic instead of simply throwing it out, would the world of the comic cease to exist? Is it possible that we are in a comic right now? What black magic could give life to a drawing? Is Alan Moore actually the reincarnation of Rasputin?
Yes, it would appear so. Try reading "Peanuts" the same way now. Most Terrifying Moment: Remember that scene from The Ring, when the creepy little girl crawled out of the TV? This video has that moment topped when, about one minute in, a beckoning hand reaches out of a comic book frame. And don't even get us started on the black staring eyes of the police officers in the comic, who like to do their particular brand of policing with giant wrenches. No amount of therapy can make us come to terms with that.
#4.
Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself"
Why it's Scarring: We always assumed "Dancing With Myself" was about ... well, something much more giggle-worthy than being the last man on earth after the zombies take over. The video paints a picture of a devastating zombocalypse, and a man who managed to survive by looking creepier than most flesh-eaters.
Luckily Idol is able to thwart their attack with Nikola Tesla's wet dream, a giant electricity conductor that gives him the ability to give sexually suggestive looks that shoot lightning (to be fair, it's rumored Idol actually had this ability for a brief period around the time of "White Wedding"). The video ends rather Shyamalantastically, as Billy Idol stops merely dancing with himself and begins dancing with the zombies, revealing that he probably was one them the ENTIRE TIME and that his attackers were actually rabid fans.
Most Terrifying Moment: No words can describe the stomach-churning horror we feel about 50 seconds into the video, when the camera zooms in on the grinning faces of a decomposing corpse and Pinocchio from Hell as they laugh at the fate of mankind.
#3.
Corey Hart's "Sunglasses at Night"
Why it's Scarring: If Billy Idol's zombie-infested post-apocalyptic landscape wasn't pant-crappingly troubling enough for you back in the day, you could always count on the '80s to provide another horrific vision of the not-too-distant future.
But what is truly disturbing is the expressionless, Terminator-like police force that patrols the world making people put on sunglasses. The '80s were famous for creating technophobe-bating visions of a dystopic future, but a fear that sunglasses might take over has to rank as the least threatening technology to ever scare them.
Most Terrifying Moment: At about 2:02, when what appears to be a creepy little kid stares on with clinical detachment as Hart is apprehended and presumably dragged off to his death. Maybe a bit excessive for a song he probably wrote because he thought wearing Ray-Bans made him look like Tom Cruise.
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On youtube, there's a version of Total Eclipse of the heart that narrates the music video, to the tune of the song. Pretty great.
drknox5: Gotta agree with you--I was really surprised Land Of Confusion didn't make it. That was WAY more disturbing than at least one or two of the ones that made this list.
Yep, gotta agree. Herbie Hancock's Rockit scared the shit out of me as a child. I wouldn't even watch it. I'd cover my eyes while my dad tried to trick me into watching it. How's that for child abuse?
The scariest thing about "Wild Boys" is it was the set up for a Duran Duran film based on the erotic novel by William S Burroughs that, appearently, no one involved with the video bothered to read. So Burroughs said "fuck you," and sod the rights to a gay porn studio.
v Oh my god best thing ever.
It is absolutely vital that you watch this video....it's a literal interpretation of Total Eclispe of the Heart.
HILARIOUS
http://www.youtube.com/watch
Ok, they sound scary.
Although I liked Take on me.
But before you judge the other 4, watch Journey's Seperate Ways.
All 5 members singing and pointing to the camera.
It looks so gay, it's scary.
And I never realized this until a Beavis and Butthead episode.
no one of the scarring videos *i think it was intentional tho* was
that song called i don't want to rock dj
it showed this buy being his skin off throwing it into a crowd of girls and they consumed it NOW HOW IS THAT FOR SCARRING !
Scariest video of all time is definitely Rockwell ft. Michael Jackson - Somebody s watching me
The postman in the end is so creepy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch
Terminator: Salvation trailer! awesome...
http://www.tokillfor.com/view_video.php
I love the Motels
I am surprised that Duran Duran's "The Wild Boys" didn't make this list, with all of the creepy gray zombie robots and half teeth-half fish grabs one of them out of the water.
Herbie Hancock's "Rockit" never failed to creep me the heck out when I was a kid. Still does.
"Don't come around here no more" by tom petty....She gets turned into a goddamn cake, dissected and eaten. And the music makes me feel like Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs when he continually tells himself in a mirror to have sex with himself.
boring. I found a tall chix&guys love making club at ----- tallkiss .com-----
Those aren't police officers in the A-Ha video, those are the guys he was racing against at the start of the video. Notice on guy has goggles on his head, and the other has a helmet with a number on the front? HELLO, MCFLY!
"Land of Confusion" by Genesis is extremely creepy. it should be on here
"Zombocalypse"
Awesome word.
Oi, nblack41, thanks for the heads up. I love Duran Duran and that was indeed a traumatising video.
The guy on the Ice Cream Man cover is Ron Howards brother. He's in a lot of campy/cool movies. I just saw him in Barb Wire.