'Scarred For Life, Volume One: The 1970s'

[Serge]

It's been mentioned in a couple of other threads, and I know those of you who know me on FB as well will have seen me banging on about it, but as I've just finished ploughing through this monster (740 pages, and tiny print), I thought I'd start a thread specifically about it and the things it's about.

Basically an exploration of the darker side of the Seventies split into several sections - the biggest being TV shows, followed by Public Information Films, Toys and Games, Films, Books and Comics, Food and the Paranormal, written by two geeks from the Northwest, Stephen Brotherstone and Dave Lawrence.

The section on TV shows is almost certainly going to be ruinous to my finances over the coming months, as there are so many things that I now want to buy on DVD (yes, a lot of them are up on Youtube, but it's not the same.) Somehow I've never got around to seeing The Owl Service, Children Of The Stones, Beasts, Shadows, Shadows Of Fear, Gangsters, etc, etc, and the essays on each of them make me realise just what I'm missing. I have seen 'The Changes' recently, and know how good that is, and I do remember 'The Ghosts Of Motley Hall' from my childhood. Although I loved it, and have seen tham all again in recent years, I still don't understand why so many people found 'Worzel Gummidge' scary - Dafthead aside - as he was just a loveable old scarecrow who just got into scrapes. I have to admit that not even the enthusiastic write-up for 'Sapphire And Steel' is likely to make me overcome my hatred of Lumley and MacCallum enough to ever watch it, though.

Thankfully, I already have most of the Public Information Films on DVD, thanks to the two BFI collections of COI stuff, and the Network 'Charley Says' compilation. And there's already a good thread about those on these here boards, anyway. I have to admit that I skipped the odd bit in the Games section, as I've never really been interested in them. And the Comics section, while interesting, and certainly worth reading (especially for those who have a bigger interest than me in the subject), is not really my thing. Although I may invest in some of the 2000AD collections at some point. (My bank balance is going to regret the day it was born.) The Food section cheered me up, as it's the first time that I've heard anyone other than myself mention 'Mummies', the boiled sweets that used to come in a wrapper with a ghost story on the inside. 10p a packet, they were, from the newsagents on Burton Road.

There are certainly a few films I have to see or revisit - among the latter, 'Phase IV' and 'Colossus: The Forbin Project', both of which I remember liking. But thanks to 'Scarred For Life', I have now checked out the original ending for 'Phase IV', which the studio insisted be cut. And it's well worth seeing. I've never been a massive fan of supernatural horror films, but the essays on them (and many other genres) are great. And, of course, the folk horror trilogy of 'Witchfinder General', 'Blood On Satan's Claw' and 'The Wicker Man' get their own chapter.

And the section on the Paranormal is great. Like me, the authors admit that, although they were obsessed with UFOs, Nessie, Bigfoot, ghosts, etc when they were younger, nowadays they don't believe in any of it, but are still fascinated by them. Thanks to this book, I've now just ordered a second hand copy of the Usborne 'Mysteries Of The Unknown' omnibus that I used to own as a kid, because the descriptions of the book bought back such strong memories that I have to see it again. There's also a chapter on 'Close Encounters Of The Third Kind', which, again, like me, Brotherstone admits is his favourite film, but one with a weird twist - the aliens scared the living fuck out of both of us as kids (and I still find them creepy to this day.) I think I might start a thread on CE3K soon - I wouldn't even have to watch it, it's hardwired into my brain. But I will probably watch it again if I do.

It's obvious to see that so much of this stuff influenced so much of the stuff I like today - League Of Gentlemen/Inside No. 9, Ben Wheatley, Scarfolk (there's a quote from Richard Littler on the back), Boards Of Canada, Ghostbox, etc, etc. I also wouldn't be surprised if either Brotherstone or Lawrence were CaB members! (Say hi if you're there!) One of the things I loved most about it is that Brotherstone is the same age as I am, and so much of what he writes was basically about me at that age, and my obsessions and fears.

The only piece of nitpicking is that there are a lot of printing errors (to be fair, that's a major bugbear of mine across all publishing these days), and, as Sydward Lartle pointed out in another thread, many of the links to other pages simply read '(see page xx)', hopefully a bug they'll iron out before future editions. Now I just have to wait for Volume 2 ('The 1980s'), due next year. Though I think I might read that in chunks rather than in one go as I did with this (and I would recommend that method for reading it.)

Great stuff.

[Glebe]

You continue to stoke my interest with this Serge, it sound's custom-made for the CaB Generation (as we are affectionately known to me). Close Encounters (and E.T.) had an absolutely massive effect on me as a kid, I wasn't able to look at the aliens at the end until I was a bit older!

[Sydward Lartle]

I'd much rather the book had been published in A4 format, especially since the cover was designed to look like one of the old Countdown annuals...



...as I can see a lot of people with less patience than me being put off by the smaller format and the painfully tiny print. And the presence of the 'see page xx' bugs is annoying, to say the least. But as a labour of love, a reference work and a treasure trove of memories and a mind-map of things worth checking out at a future date (I have all six episodes of Beasts lined up on my laptop, waiting for me), it's close to invaluable. I think the second volume will be slightly more 'of my time' though, and I can't wait to read what they have to say about the old video nasties, the spate of nuclear war films and the Mad Death!

[Sydward Lartle]

I was working at WH Smith when Egmont - the company that owns the rights to all the old IPC / Fleetway titles - decided to put out the Best of Misty back in 2009, and I could immediately see why the comic's main writer, Pat Mills, was none too impressed with it, calling it 'the Worst of Misty'. It was an offensively play-it-safe, say-nothing, offend-nobody whitewashing of a comic that wasn't afraid to be properly bloody terrifying, of getting its hands dirty and of providing a genuinely radically different weekly title that was probably read by as many thrill-seeking lads as it was by girls who were after a good cry at the latest indignities heaped upon the tragic characters therein (or at least a few stimulating nightmares). A complete missed opportunity.

By the way, if you happen to spot one of the old Misty annuals or Holiday Specials in a second-hand shop or at a boot sale, snap it up, devour the contents, then sell it to the highest bidder on Ebay. Take it from me, in good condition, they go for small fortunes.

https://static4.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_small/10/109303/2074839-misty_holiday_special_1979.jpg

[Serge]

Yeah, I was expecting the book to be a larger format for some reason. I didn't know that that's where they cribbed the cover design from, though, so that's a nice thing to know! Volume 2 is probably likely to have more stuff in that I actually watched/read/ate at the time, going by the hints they drop in Volume 1. But as you say, it's clearly a labour of love, and warts and all, a fantastic thing.

[Sydward Lartle]

The short-lived Target comic from 1972, featuring 'yer actual Bovver Boy'. Not surprisingly, since Target was published by pulp paperback specialists New English Library, purveyors of Richard Allen's Skinhead books and James Herbert's original 'paperback nasty', the Rats...

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_448y6kVhntg/RcZd-bNBwwI/AAAAAAAAAfk/CNAMP9iy6ag/s1600-h/target.jpg

[Glebe]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_448y6kVhntg/RcZd-bNBwwI/AAAAAAAAAfk/CNAMP9iy6ag/s1600-h/target.jpg

'Your free powder that is going to the moon' - sound's like they included a nice bag of Charlie for the astronauts!

Actually, speaking of Wurzel scariness, anyone remember this chilling soup ad? That last shot is nightmare-inducing.

[studpuppet]

Got my copy about a week ago, but have only got as far as the Tomorrow People (ie. not very far). It is a CaBer's delight - well-researched and text-heavy. What was I doing reading The Owl Service to my kids when they were nine?!
My networkonair.com account is going to take a hammering by the looks of things...

[hermitical]

I was working at WH Smith when Egmont - the company that owns the rights to all the old IPC / Fleetway titles - decided to put out the Best of Misty back in 2009, and I could immediately see why the comic's main writer, Pat Mills, was none too impressed with it, calling it 'the Worst of Misty'. It was an offensively play-it-safe, say-nothing, offend-nobody whitewashing of a comic that wasn't afraid to be properly bloody terrifying, of getting its hands dirty and of providing a genuinely radically different weekly title that was probably read by as many thrill-seeking lads as it was by girls who were after a good cry at the latest indignities heaped upon the tragic characters therein (or at least a few stimulating nightmares). A complete missed opportunity.

By the way, if you happen to spot one of the old Misty annuals or Holiday Specials in a second-hand shop or at a boot sale, snap it up, devour the contents, then sell it to the highest bidder on Ebay. Take it from me, in good condition, they go for small fortunes.

https://static4.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_small/10/109303/2074839-misty_holiday_special_1979.jpg

Did you see last year's reprint? Slim but pretty well received from what I can see, more planned for the Autumn

[Norton Canes]

There's also a chapter on 'Close Encounters Of The Third Kind', which, again, like me, Brotherstone admits is his favourite film, but one with a weird twist - the aliens scared the living fuck out of both of us as kids (and I still find them creepy to this day.) I think I might start a thread on CE3K soon - I wouldn't even have to watch it, it's hardwired into my brain. But I will probably watch it again if I do

I'm not really into making favourite movie lists but if I did, Close Encounters would probably be at the top. Yes, the aliens were terrifying. Not sure which one scared me most, the spindly-armed one or the one that gets the close-up shortly after.

If I do watch it again it'll have to be the original cut - I don't need no inside the mothership nonsense thankyou. 

I have to admit that not even the enthusiastic write-up for 'Sapphire And Steel' is likely to make me overcome my hatred of Lumley and MacCallum enough to ever watch it, though

??!!

Explain your irrational dislike, please...

[Brundle-Fly]

I'm currently wading through SFL. Great fun, brilliantly researched and loads of unexpected memory joggers. Thanks for the recommendation whoever it was.

Before reading this bit, I chuckled to myself at how sensitive could a child be to get scarred by the innocuous animated proto-Simpsons sit-com, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home until they point out that it must be the only cartoon title sequence to include a suggested TRIGGER WARNING

Spoiler alert

date rape

[close]

scenario.

And what daddy doesn't know can't hurt him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbsEYoKm9X8

[Brundle-Fly]

BTW, has anybody watched any of these from the Network DVD people? I want to know if they're worth picking up. They look great.

[Norton Canes]

I got Issue One ages ago. It's all pre-school childrens' lunchtime programmes, so really one episode is all you need to see. It might be a bit more frustrating only getting single episodes of drama series.

[Catalogue Trousers]

Hopefully the 80s volume will contain some material on Scream. A very worthy successor to Misty. I love the sheer nastiness of Max in The 13th Floor in particular.

[Glebe]

Hopefully the 80s volume will contain some material on Scream. A very worthy successor to Misty. I love the sheer nastiness of Max in The 13th Floor in particular.

Used to love the Eagle, it was kinda my gateway to 2000AD. And being a Speccy kid, 'Computer Warrior' was an added thrill!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbsEYoKm9X8

It was The Simpsons for the Watergate generation, man!

BTW, has anybody watched any of these from the Network DVD people? I want to know if they're worth picking up. They look great.

Catweazle as a transvestite roller skater is freaking me out! Is that the caretaker guy out of Are You Being Served? as a Motley Hall ghost?

[Sydward Lartle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP8NoCcf1LQ

What the fuck was that invisible motorbike all about? I wouldn't say it frightened me as a kid, but there was definitely something iffy about it.

[chippedandbattered]

Hopefully the 80s volume will contain some material on Scream. A very worthy successor to Misty. I love the sheer nastiness of Max in The 13th Floor in particular.

I had every issue of Scream and was devastated when they cancelled it. It was a great little comic that was a nice balance to 2000AD and Eagle.

There were a few annuals that I've picked up again from Amazon and Ebay that were childhood memories - Tiger, Warlord, etc. Great little stories in them that I'd read over and over. There was one called "Wolf", I think, that I've never seen referenced anywhere nor is there a copy of for sale, which leads me to think I may be mistakenly remembering the name.

The 70s/80s were a great time to be alive if you were a young reader of comic splendidness!

[worldsgreatestsinner]

Not thinking of The Wolf of Kabul, by any chance?

[manticore]

And the section on the Paranormal is great. Like me, the authors admit that, although they were obsessed with UFOs, Nessie, Bigfoot, ghosts, etc when they were younger, nowadays they don't believe in any of it, but are still fascinated by them.

I was a deadly serious UFO buff in my early teens in the mid 70s, introduced to them by Brad Steiger's pulp 'Strangers in the Skies' and 'Flying Saucers are Hostile', before going on to the serious stuff like J. Allen Hynek (who originated the term 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' and had a walk-on part in the film), Jacques Vallee and Flying Saucer Review. I freaked myself out with it and became seriously fearful of Men in Black and Alien Abductors years before they were well-known.

I became disillusioned after reading sceptical work like the report on a satellite break-up which occured near an aeroplane and the detailed accounts of a 'UFO' given by the passengers. Gradually I became a complete sceptic of all parapsychological phenomena.

I don't know if there are such serious UFO fanatics around today. I think it was a very 70s thing.

[Glebe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP8NoCcf1LQ

What the fuck was that invisible motorbike all about? I wouldn't say it frightened me as a kid, but there was definitely something iffy about it.

Only found out a little while ago that the fantastic hoe-down theme over the end titles Captain Caveman is taken from CB Bears. I'm still trying to cope with the trauma.

I was a deadly serious UFO buff in my early teens in the mid 70s, introduced to them by Brad Steiger's pulp 'Strangers in the Skies' and 'Flying Saucers are Hostile', before going on to the serious stuff like J. Allen Hynek (who originated the term 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' and had a walk-on part in the film), Jacques Vallee and Flying Saucer Review. I freaked myself out with it and became seriously fearful of Men in Black and Alien Abductors years before they were well-known.

I became disillusioned after reading sceptical work like the report on a satellite break-up which occured near an aeroplane and the detailed accounts of a 'UFO' given by the passengers. Gradually I became a complete sceptic of all parapsychological phenomena.

I don't know if there are such serious UFO fanatics around today. I think it was a very 70s thing.

I certainly credit Close Encounters and E.T. with kicking off my fascination with aliens and UFOs. Then Whitley Strieber came along with Communion, just to ensure the night terrors continued on into my teens.

[chippedandbattered]

Not thinking of The Wolf of Kabul, by any chance?

No, it was a one-off Christmas annualy-thing with mostly horror-type stories and some "fact" pages about "weird coincidences" and "haunted places". It was like "Ripley's Believe it or Not", but for kids, and with action-adventure comic art.

[chippedandbattered]

Another good 70's bit of psychic bumpf was "Link", the story of Matthew Manning. Very good page-turner if you were young and into that kind of thing. A good fantasy story if you're older and couldn't be bothered with it all :D

[Serge]

I don't know if there are such serious UFO fanatics around today. I think it was a very 70s thing.

Ohh, they definitely still exist. It's almost like the internet was invented for them.

I have become a sceptic, and although for a long while I still believed in the possibility of life on other planets coming here at some point, I'm pretty sure that's never going to happen. I still remain open-minded as to whether there is actually life out there, but I do pretty much subscribe to the theory that most advanced civilizations will probably wipe themselves out before they get to the stage where they can travel vast distances in space.

It's therefore annoying to me as a sceptic that I saw two UFOs a couple of years ago. There must be a perfectly rational explanation for what I saw - and I have it in mind that a hoax is the most likely thing, as there is form for that in Derby - but it does drive me crazy that I don't know exactly what it is that I saw.

I certainly credit Close Encounters and E.T. with kicking off my fascination with aliens and UFOs. Then Whitley Strieber came along with Communion, just to ensure the night terrors continued on into my teens.

Yeah, 'Communion' scared the shite out of me as a young man. Then I read the sequel and realised that Streiber was just making it all up.

[Glebe]

Yeah, 'Communion' scared the shite out of me as a young man. Then I read the sequel and realised that Streiber was just making it all up.

When they start walking around in disguise and messing with his bank account, that's when you really start to go, "Now, hold on..."

[surreal]

I've ordered this, how long does it typically take to arrive?  Is there much of a delay in the printing of it?

[Brundle-Fly]

I've ordered this, how long does it typically take to arrive?  Is there much of a delay in the printing of it?

I received it within the week.

[Brundle-Fly]

This item below is probably the rarest but worthless vinyl I possess, (virtually nothing online about it except for one comic page advert). It was one of those relentless Treborland promotions that IPC comics ran in the mid-seventies. You know the drill, collect fifty Whopper chew bar wrappers and send off for your "free" tat.  I'm still paying for that folly with continuing huge dental bills with old replacement fillings.



Anyway one of the offers was a Patch's Raspberry Record Player. It was small flexi disc that came with its own very crude manually revolved turntable and stylus. On the disc was a tiny bit of recorded dialogue that you couldn't play at the correct speed because the needle nail flipped and so you had to rotate it slowly. Consequently, what you heard sounded like drowning souls trapped in the bowels of Hades or an Outer Limits type alien creature trying to communicate through a crystal radio.

It used to make feel quite unnerved. I've just dug it out and attempted to play it again. Still very eerie. Heres some pics.

[dmillburn]

I'd forgotten all about Scarred For Life after reading a review a while back so just placed my order. It's worth mentioning that there's always discount codes for Lulu - they publish some themselves on the homepage but search around and you'll usually do better. The current best one I can see is 6LZFHB4T which knocks off 25% (which comes to £4.25).

[Serge]

I've ordered this, how long does it typically take to arrive?  Is there much of a delay in the printing of it?

Mine took a couple of weeks.

[Sydward Lartle]

Ian McCulloch apparently got his roles in Zombie Flesh Eaters, Zombie Holocaust and Contamination because the BBC series Survivors was a big hit when it was shown in Italy.