So a friend I’m currently visiting has a deep, mortal fear of ventriloquist dummies and clowns. These are not actually uncommon things that freak people out, and furthermore, there is actually a theory about this. It is called the Uncanny Valley.
The uncanny valley is a hypothesis in the field of human aesthetics which holds that when human features look and move almost, but not exactly, like natural human beings, it causes a response of revulsion among some human observers.
Animators have long had to straddle this tricky nether region where something goes from really cute and cool to utterly creepy, back to cool.
We list a number of pictures to illustrate this concept agreed upon (more or less) by an incompetent commitee of intoxicated people.
Oompa Loompas. (although we had one abstention citing they are actually a huge sexual turn on):
Ventriliquist Dummies
Baby Laugh A Lot. This is apparently a real commercial from the 70s:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44e-Y08_B-0]
Baby Secret:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlqsLto-xA]
Clowns. Like Pennywise, the clown from IT:
and THIS:
Lady Elaine Fairchild from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood (because come on, that was one creepy damn puppet)
Polar express. Look, i know this is an awesome movie, but admit it, those characters are OFF and it’s kind of creepy:
Guy Fawkes masks. Which i believe is purposeful.
Dancing baby. Isn’t thism, like, the first viral video of the internet?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5x5OXfe9KY]
Live grinch
The Dark Crystal:
Michael Jackson. Post black.
And a Michael Jackson marionette basically seals the deal
This video shows excellent examples. I will state that i don;t think the uneasiness is because of some basic fear of death, i think it’s a primal mistrust of something, like a predator, attempting to mimic your species but not quite achieving it. Or someone pretending to be your mommy or a trusted adult but who is not.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNdAIPoh8a4]
