4 ms·

> I finally discovered that I hadn’t imagined it—it’s a 1977 public information film called “The Finishing Line,” which was made to deter children from playing

> I finally discovered that I hadn’t imagined it—it’s a 1977 public information film called “The Finishing Line,” which was made to deter children from playing near railway lines. The film was screened at my junior school https://youtube.com/watch?v=SXGqwCbeFD8 https://youtube.com/watch?v=SXGqwCbeFD8

qingcharles 3y ago
I remember these films, but at the time you don't realize how bizarre they are. What sort of fever dream birthed this script? Who organizes a race where children have to climb through barbed wire fences to cross railway lines?
helsinkiandrew 3y ago
I still have difficulty crossing rail tracks on foot after that film. Same period was "Apaches" (farm safety), in which 10 children are killed one by one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3yyKFaq-aw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3yyKFaq-aw
- zelos 3y ago
  That film is disturbing for adults, let alone kids. The cut to the girl screaming is terrifying.
- UncleSlacky 3y ago
  Not to forget the classic "Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water" narrated by Donald Pleasance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNPMYRlvySY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNPMYRlvySY
  - hermitcrab 3y ago
    Couple that with 'children's' TV program "The singing ringing tree" and it is a wonder any of us grew up even vaguely normal.
    - lukan 3y ago
      How would you know how sane people would act, if all the people around you were raised similar?
- derbOac 3y ago
  That reminded me of The Gashlycrumb Tinies: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gashlycrumb_Tinies https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gashlycrumb_Tinies ... I feel like some cultural element, at least during a certain era, is coming into focus for me.
notahacker 3y ago
cf the 1990s version. Skip to the end for a song which is enough of an earworm for me to still remember it after 30 odd years... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVF8gCzrXnc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVF8gCzrXnc
- dtgriscom 3y ago
  My mom was a big Gorey fan, and I'm sure that shaped me.
danw1979 3y ago
And the replacement railway safety film “Robbie” which was shown well into the 80s - I remember being quite horrified by it, despite there being no blood or gore. https://youtu.be/WxXDw3WOGQs https://youtu.be/WxXDw3WOGQs However, the line “Robbie had lost both feet … and broken half the bones in his body” made logical, adult me chuckle. I mean, unlikely a train running over his ankles also resulted in over 100 other bones being broken, without actually killing him surely ?

qingcharles 3y ago

I remember these films, but at the time you don't realize how bizarre they are. What sort of fever dream birthed this script? Who organizes a race where children have to climb through barbed wire fences to cross railway lines?

helsinkiandrew 3y ago

I still have difficulty crossing rail tracks on foot after that film. Same period was "Apaches" (farm safety), in which 10 children are killed one by one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3yyKFaq-aw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3yyKFaq-aw

zelos 3y ago
That film is disturbing for adults, let alone kids. The cut to the girl screaming is terrifying.
UncleSlacky 3y ago
Not to forget the classic "Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water" narrated by Donald Pleasance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNPMYRlvySY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNPMYRlvySY
- hermitcrab 3y ago
  Couple that with 'children's' TV program "The singing ringing tree" and it is a wonder any of us grew up even vaguely normal.
  - lukan 3y ago
    How would you know how sane people would act, if all the people around you were raised similar?
derbOac 3y ago
That reminded me of The Gashlycrumb Tinies: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gashlycrumb_Tinies https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gashlycrumb_Tinies ... I feel like some cultural element, at least during a certain era, is coming into focus for me.

notahacker 3y ago

cf the 1990s version. Skip to the end for a song which is enough of an earworm for me to still remember it after 30 odd years... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVF8gCzrXnc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVF8gCzrXnc

dtgriscom 3y ago
My mom was a big Gorey fan, and I'm sure that shaped me.

danw1979 3y ago

And the replacement railway safety film “Robbie” which was shown well into the 80s - I remember being quite horrified by it, despite there being no blood or gore. https://youtu.be/WxXDw3WOGQs https://youtu.be/WxXDw3WOGQs However, the line “Robbie had lost both feet … and broken half the bones in his body” made logical, adult me chuckle. I mean, unlikely a train running over his ankles also resulted in over 100 other bones being broken, without actually killing him surely ?