Scary Practical Jokes: My Reluctant Association with Horror Movies

Horrors and practical jokes often go hand in hand in the teenage years. While many people may enjoy the thrill of horror movies, there are some moments that send shivers down their spines. For me, certain movies paired with outrageous pranks took my fear levels to a whole new level. Today, I'm going to share two tales of horror movie-induced practical jokes that still make me cringe to this day.

It's Alive - A Childhood Nightmare

As a teenager, I had a penchant for enjoying horror movies, but I knew when to put that enjoyment to bed with no lingering fears. However, during my high school days, a particular movie did manage to nail me emotionally. The movie in question was called It's Alive!, which had recently been reclassified from PG-13 to R due to the abrupt changes in content.

The thing is, my younger cousin thought it would be a hilarious joke to terrorize me with the movie's monstrous baby. To pull off this prank, he procured a crawling doll that my sister had in her room. He positioned the doll in the hallway, where I could easily see it from where I was sitting on a chair at the living room. The hall was semi-darkened, which only added to the eerie atmosphere.

One evening, the doll began its slow crawl on the wooden floor, creating a faint "pat, pat" sound. Naturally, I leaned back to investigate the source of the noise. However, the light from the window backlit the doll with its fluffy head of hair, giving it an uncanny resemblance to the monster baby from the movie. The combination of its appearance and the sound sent me into a panic. I wanted nothing more than to leave the house to escape the horror, so I nearly broke through the glass sliding door to the backyard. I was just another one of the many who struggled with It's Alive!

The Original Amityville Horror - An Unforgettable Scream Session

My cousin's pranks didn't stop there. After watching the original Amityville Horror, he convinced me that the pig in the window with the red eyes had been the most terrifying presence in the house. It's a classic example of how makeup and atmosphere can create a spine-chilling experience. However, he wanted to take it a step further. One night, he set up a pair of glasses with red LED lights on the brow and waited until I was almost asleep. As seen by the rest of the house, he got down close to the bed, where I had a large dog and several cats.

Knowing their movement could wake me, he remained silent as he approached. Then, just as he thought I had turned over in my slumber, he flipped the switch on the glasses and made the animalistic squeaking sounds to imitate the demonic pig. But, to his surprise, the climax of this prank was his own wake-up call. The sudden red lights and sounds sent me into a full scream, startling not only me but the entire household. Despite his passing, I still think he was a sociopath, as he found delight in harming others.

Conclusion

These spine-chilling moments have remained a part of my life, a reminder of the power of horror movies and pranks to create decades-long memories. While I've grown up and now approach horror movies with a cool head, these practical jokes still give me a scare every time I recall them. Who knew that enjoying a movie could lead to such unforgettable and horrifying experiences?