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- Don’t Look Under the Bed Featured a Chilling Premise & Storyline
- What Made Don’t Look Under the Bed So Scary for Audiences?
- Don’t Look Under the Bed Sparked Major Backlash From Disney Fans
As someone who grew up in the golden age of Disney Channel, I can vividly remember the chilling impact “Don’t Look Under The Bed” left on me and countless other kids back in 1999. Having been a young viewer myself at that time, I recall the initial shock and fear that gripped us when Larry transformed into a boogeyman right before our eyes. It wasn’t just about the monster under the bed; it was about the very real anxieties of growing up that Frances had to face, mirroring our own fears as we grappled with the unknowns of adulthood.
As Halloween approaches with its eerie allure, horror enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating every ghoulish and grotesque detail. Many find themselves drawn into the holiday’s atmosphere prematurely, indulging in marathons of their preferred spine-tingling series and films. Contrary to its current image as a provider of family-friendly content, Disney Channel made a significant impact during the ’90s. This era saw the release of some of the network’s most cherished original movies that continue to resonate with fans today.
1999’s “Don’t Look Under the Bed” was a chilling film that stirred quite a commotion when it first hit screens during the fall season. This controversial horror movie follows a fearless teenage girl as she confronts the dreadful Boogeyman to save her family and town. She receives assistance from an imaginary friend in her quest.
The strong and immediate criticism that followed the release of “Don’t Look Under the Bed” from upset parents forced the network to halt production of familiar scary films for children, and even led to a temporary ban on the re-broadcast of this Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM). As we approach its 25th anniversary, let’s delve deeper into Disney’s final chilling original horror movie.
Don’t Look Under the Bed Featured a Chilling Premise & Storyline
Unlike fellow Halloween-inspired Disney Channel Original Movies released at the time, Don’t Look under the Bed held nothing back and amped up the thrills and chills for the 1999 fantasy horror flick, pushing the envelope for what was acceptable to air on a children’s network at the time. Instead of following the example that other horror-adjacent DCOMs like Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire and fan-favorite Halloweentown employed (a safe blend of spookiness and humor), Don’t Look Under the Bed opted for a far more dark and sinister tone that left young viewers on the edge of their seats.
In a chilling movie, the sensible and quick-thinking teenage character Frances Bacon McCausland, portrayed by Erin Chambers, faces allegations for a series of peculiar pranks happening in her quaint town of Middleburg. These pranks range from adding gelatin to the school’s pool, placing dogs on rooftops, and spraying the letter “B” everywhere. When Frances encounters an enigmatic older boy named Larry Houdini, played by Eric “Ty” Hodges II, he reveals himself as an imaginary companion and claims that she is being tormented by none other than the Boogeyman.
To begin with, Frances harbors doubts concerning this proposal, but as the mischief escalates, she finds herself joining forces with Larry to restore tranquility to their town and clear her name. The situation grows increasingly sinister when Darwin, Frances’ young brother, gets abducted by the ominous Boogeyman, who snatches him from under the bed in a chilling fashion. This leads to a harrowing journey into the Boogeyman’s terrifying realm, where Frances engages in an epic struggle against the legendary monster. The true origins of the Boogeyman are eventually unveiled as this gripping tale unfolds.
What Made Don’t Look Under the Bed So Scary for Audiences?
Beyond the fear of a bogeyman lurking under beds, the terrifying makeup of this character and the movie’s oppressive, eerie ambiance left many viewers feeling uneasy (and consequently made parents nervous). ’90s children can still recall the heart-stopping moment when the Boogeyman tapped his long, ghastly nails on a rooftop as he stalked Frances, constantly watching her. The Boogeyman stood out as Disney’s most chilling and grotesque villain due to his visually unsettling design, and his image was indelibly etched into the memories of young and vulnerable viewers at the time of its debut.
In addition to the distressing images in the movie “Don’t Look Under the Bed” being overly intense for young audiences, it delved into some quite serious and mature subjects, such as the loss of innocence, fear of mortality, and cancer. The character Frances lost faith in her imaginary friend Zoe following her brother’s Leukemia diagnosis, which marked the end of her childhood and set into motion the unsettling events depicted in the film. The theme of growing up too rapidly and relinquishing childlike innocence was also emphasized throughout the movie, making it a difficult topic for viewers to grasp while being tormented by the antics of the Boogeyman.
Initially, the mere presence of the Boogeyman would make one sleep with a night-light. However, watching Larry transform into a monster was equally unsettling. The transformation, though gradual, was terrifying as Larry, who used to be jovial and optimistic, started exhibiting anger and sinister traits. His nails grew into claws, his teeth became jagged and sharp, and his eyes glowed a menacing purple. When viewers learned that imaginary friends turned into boogeypeople when children stopped believing in them, it was an emotional blow for many, causing Frances to ponder deeply about her own fears concerning growing up.
Don’t Look Under the Bed Sparked Major Backlash From Disney Fans
The movie titled “Don’t Look Under the Bed” premiered on Disney Channel on October 9, 1999. This was only the second film on the network to receive a TV-PG rating due to its scary content. Though director Kenneth Johnson tried to make this Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) less frightening for viewers, many adults were upset about it. The movie was criticized as being too dark and disturbing for younger audiences, with some parents complaining that the network had missed the mark for its intended audience. In 2017, Johnson told Entertainment Weekly that he regretted not making the film less scary.
We held several discussions focusing on the desired tone, aiming for something both frightening yet not excessively so – that was our goal. We believed we had achieved it, but following its broadcast, we began receiving negative, critical correspondence.
The public outcry was not the first time that Disney was accused of venturing too far into spooky territory, as the 1997 made-for-TV horror film Tower of Terror (presented by The Wonderful World of Disney) also attracted some flack for being too scary for young viewers. Due to the massive number of complaints Disney Channel received from concerned parents once Don’t Look Under the Bed premiered, the network largely stopped airing reruns of the movie as a result of the backlash and stopped making horror-themed original movies (aside from the more kid-friendly Halloweentown series).
25 years ago this October, I remember the buzz surrounding the premiere of “Don’t Look Under the Bed” like it was yesterday. At first, there was quite a fuss from some upset parents, but over time, this film has earned its place as a cult classic in the Disney world. Critics have often ranked it among the best Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs), with lists from Complex and Entertainment Weekly singling it out for praise. Collider even went so far as to say that the chilling movie “still stands tall in the DCOM history books because, quite simply, it’s downright terrifying.
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2024-09-07 22:31