Give Me The Flying Monkeys Anyday

I grew up in the age of no movie rentals, no DVD purchases and quite frankly I can remember when we got a color TV, which was a huge deal even though we only got three channel, but I digress. The point that I wanted to make is that you had to wait from year to year for certain shows to air on TV. Once year you got to see The Wizard of Oz which always seemed to air around Thanksgiving, The Sound of Music - December, and Chitty, Chitty Bang-Bang in October. And here is where I want to make my point. I love the movie Chitty, Chitty Bang-Bang (CCBB) I love the car, and I love to sing the songs. However, there is a part of the movie that I HATE and to this day it gives me the creeps. It is the "Child Catcher" - the one who smells out the children and then captures them and sends them to the underground caves to live. He had that long nose that allowed him to smell the kids, that pale makeup that made him appear that he never really saw the light of day, long black hair, a top hat with flowers on it and a net so big that could lift a shark out of the ocean with it. Ooohhh - it makes me shudder and makes the hair on my body stand-up. Someone must have been strung out on crack and booze when they decided what the child catcher should look like in this film. Holy cow, I will take the flying monkeys any day. After watching CCBB - it would take me about 4 days and nights before I could shake the child catcher much to my sister's disdain. Being a year younger she took great pride in the fact that he didn't seem to bother her that much. I know that you are probably saying to yourself, "Donna, why not stop watching the movie if it bothers you that much?" And I would reply, "Because it only came on once a year." Fast forward to 2009. You find that you regret the minute that it leaves your mouth - when you mentioned to your 17 year old son that the child catcher gives you the creeps. And being the caring, loving son that he is - it has now become his wall paper on his computer and he added "Hi Donna" in black and red letters. Oh and did I mention that he will periodically pull the clip from the internet and play it for me. A what nice son and what a wonderful thing the internet is. [Insert Sarcasm Here]

I went out on the internet to see who portrayed the Child Catcher. An actor named Robert Helpmann who out of character and without makeup still looks that if he turned around quickly he would instantly be in character. He was made a Sir in the British Empire and by all accounts was recognized as a great actor from Australia. However, when he died The Times in London wrote he was "...strange, haunting, and rather frightening." I feel somehow that my fear justified especially when the The Times was scared of him also.

Did I mention that I think that the Burger King "King" creeps me out as well????