This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

[MommaMystique]

Lonely Water


Duration 1min 29sec
Release Date 1973
Sponsor Central Office of Information for Home Office
Text version of this film




Warning children not to play near ‘dark and lonely’ water, a horror film style look and voiceover is used in this film to highlight the dangers.
An ominous sounding Donald Pleasance voices the ‘Spirit’ of the water, a Grim Reaper figure ready to bring death to ‘the show off’, the ‘fool’ and those ignoring no swimming signs.
In 1973 following pressure from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) the Home Secretary set up a working party to look at ways of reducing drowning accidents.
Although the rate has fallen since the 1970s, drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death among the under 16s. (Source: RoSPA, August 2004)
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/

[Mojo]

Did I imagine it or was there an advert telling kids not to get in cars with strangers, and it featured Duncan Preston (Stan in Dinnerladies amongst other things) in a purple maxi asking a little girl if she wanted to go & see some puppies???

Its not on the "Charley Says" 2 disc DVD set which has pretty much all the PI films from the days of yore.

[MommaMystique]

Sounds familiar Mojo.....cant find it in National Archives though.

[OrangeCremolaFoam]

Momma,

It terrified me too!! I often mimick that scary Donald Pleasnace voice when drunk with a blanket over my head pretending to be'that monk' from the P.I. Film!!! lol.. 'sensible children they need not fear me..ill be baaaaaaaaaaackkkkkkkkkkkkk' and 'ewww..its all slimy'

'you often find me by dark and lonely water'..often scares me just even thinking about it!! lol..

all the best..

Rab ;0)

[Fatboy]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

Ill be back back back back, used to scare the s*** out of me as well, I can remember there was a young Benny Green on it as well, Benny Green was the black kid who used to hang around with Tucker Jenkins on Grange Hill.

Other adverts that used to scare the s*** out of me were Jimmy when he goes to retrieve his frisby.

Another that makes me cringe even today, is the one warning people of the dangers of leaving their rubbish on the beach, a kid is running along the beach and is looking up in the air, the advert stops just as he is about to step on to a broken bottle in bear feet, Ooooooooooor.

[sixtyten]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

Bear feet?? heheh

[Garry Turner]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

Lonely Water


Duration 1min 29sec
Release Date 1973
Sponsor Central Office of Information for Home Office
Text version of this film




Warning children not to play near ‘dark and lonely’ water, a horror film style look and voiceover is used in this film to highlight the dangers.
An ominous sounding Donald Pleasance voices the ‘Spirit’ of the water, a Grim Reaper figure ready to bring death to ‘the show off’, the ‘fool’ and those ignoring no swimming signs.
In 1973 following pressure from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) the Home Secretary set up a working party to look at ways of reducing drowning accidents.
Although the rate has fallen since the 1970s, drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death among the under 16s. (Source: RoSPA, August 2004)
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/

Who would of thought years later Hoodies are still a threat

[sixtyten]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

[Oggy]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

What goes around comes around I guess...

[pedro]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

Not half as scarey as Rolf Harris in his speedos sending a similar message!!!

[MommaMystique]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

Stop it please the images of Rolf's speedos and Scarey hoodies is now plaguing me.

[Garry Turner]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

Can we draw the line please, i think its being stepped over now !

[Dr Beauchamp]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

I have never seen that Lonely Water thing...if I had seen it as a kid it would've given me nightmares!IT'S HORRIBLE!!

But very effective...bring it back that's what I say!

[The Lurker In The Shadows]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

Did I imagine it or was there an advert telling kids not to get in cars with strangers, and it featured Duncan Preston (Stan in Dinnerladies amongst other things) in a purple maxi asking a little girl if she wanted to go & see some puppies???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK8ZOiDyINk

Duncan Preston from all those Victoria Wood programmes, Bernard Hill, the sister from "May To December" and Timothy Spall? I never realised the PIFs were so full of familiar faces.

I actually vaguely remember the shots of Duncan Preston sitting in the car. I wonder if there was a much shorter version of this used on the telly.

[Gothic]

Re: This Scared Me Silly as a Child!

The Lonely Water information film actually appears in the top 100 scary moments as compiled by C4, so it was obviously quite effective!?