'Puss In Boots' Screening: 'Devil Inside' Trailer Shown Accidentally, Terrifying Kids

Imagine you're eight years old again. You've just sat down at a movie theater with your parents to see the "Shrek" spinoff, "Puss in Boots," where a lovable talking cat goes around sword fighting and making cute jokes. You're expecting some kid-friendly trailers before the film begins, too! But, unfortunately, the downright terrifying clip for "The Devil Inside" plays instead, subsequently scarring you for life and making you sleep with a nightlight on until you're 25.

This is the reality one such audience encountered during a UK screening of "Puss in Boots." Before the movie started, the cinema accidentally played the trailers for "The Devil Inside" and "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." The children -- and parents -- were not pleased by the horrifying exorcisms or Nic Cage's attempt at the cultural understanding of his muse that is part of the zeitgeist head exploding into flames.

"Cinemagoer Peter Flynn told the Mirror his four-year-old daughter Laura "was extremely frightened by what were exceptionally strong images, even by adult standards ... I tried to cover her eyes." Another filmgoer, Catherine Walker, said: "It was every parent's nightmare -- kids watching exorcism trailers."

The cinema's general manager, David Denyer, apologized afterward, stating, "I would be upset if my children had seen those trailers, which were meant for 'Underworld Awakening,' the next film to be shown. We're investigating how this error happened and action will be taken if appropriate."

This isn't the first time adult films have been shown to unsuspecting kids at theaters. In 2010, children were given the torture-porn flick "Saw 3D," instead of "Megamind."

[via Guardian and Mirror]

Comments

[jeffrey e]

07:24 AM on 02/23/2012

can you say oops...lol...

[donnyraindog]

04:28 PM on 02/22/2012

As wrong as it is I can't help but laugh thinking of that theater full of poor freaked out kids Whomever was responsible should be made to buy all the parents a nice bottle of wine though as you can bet it was a long difficult night for most of them.

[KIMBER]

02:49 PM on 02/22/2012

I'm a long way from childhood and I am a big fan of horror films, but when I was a kid, a scary image from a horror movie could creep me out for days. Those poor kids - they definitely should not have seen that.

[aristippe]

02:42 PM on 02/22/2012

I'm still mad with Spielberg about Jaws. Many a summer i stayed away from that pool.

[kapalabhati]

12:55 PM on 02/22/2012

That completely sucks. I am way beyond a kid, but I effing hate horror films. I wouldn't be able to sleep for a month.

[patman77]

12:02 PM on 02/22/2012

I made the mistake ogf going to see the exorcist while tripping many years ago. whew. I almost started going back to church.

[kapalabhati]

12:56 PM on 02/22/2012

I saw a clip of the "remastered version" of it on CBS Sunday Morning several years ago, and it still freaks me the heck out.

[KIMBER]

02:50 PM on 02/22/2012

Oh good grief! That is so not an @cid movie!

[broui]

11:35 AM on 02/22/2012

Part of why I don't take my 3 year old to the movies anymore.

Trailers unrelated to the film. This is an extreme version but seriously, I as a parent have no way to screen the content and the greedy movie houses and studios no longer take their audience into consideration.

This would have seriously scarred my daughter.

[kapalabhati]

12:56 PM on 02/22/2012

I didn't take my kids at 3; too many potty breaks.

[saysaycollins]

11:02 AM on 02/22/2012

hahahaha oh man someone's gonna have a reallllllllllllllllllllly bad talk talk with their manager. Its funny, but I understand the seriousness. Its just .......hahahaha.

[SpeakupNation]

10:52 AM on 02/22/2012

Lol! Maybe next time it'll be the trailer for the new Linda Lovelace flick!

[ReadMyLipstick1]

10:34 AM on 02/22/2012

That is a really awful error, and I'm sure many of these kids will never be the same! However, I have to admit I did giggle for a fraction of a second when my mind pictured that scene! No, don't misunderstand, it's not funny.

[independent32955-2]

11:14 AM on 02/22/2012

I am right there with you...if I was in the theater I would have been ticked off, but I did have to LOL a little at the stupidity of it all.

makes a strong argument for allowing movies to be screened directly at home rather than going to the theater.

[skunky93]

01:21 PM on 02/22/2012

Me too. lol...It's not right but I can't help but imagine the horror as a child myself and I giggled a little hysterically. It took me right back to being a little kid and having my brother tie me up with my jump rope so that I couldn't' get away from watching Friday the 13th.

[Mrsbean54]

10:20 AM on 02/22/2012

I remember sitting in the theater watching Ghost Rider (worst movie ever)....it was pretty much at the climax of the movie....a skeleton bursting into flames and riding a motorcycle, when the screen literally looked like it was burning, and then we heard a nasally voice singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Turned out the film reel really did start burning up, and they automatically started playing a trailer for Veggie Tales.

Opposite problem, same level of creepiness.

[kapalabhati]

12:57 PM on 02/22/2012

OMFG that is totally creepy.

[skunky93]

01:22 PM on 02/22/2012

o_O

[Martiniman]

09:20 AM on 02/22/2012

Went to the theater to see "Puss in Heels" with my kids thinking it was the other movie, imagine THAT horror!

[deucejuice]

08:30 AM on 02/22/2012

This is funny but I understand. Because of jaws I hate the ocean.

[ReadMyLipstick1]

10:32 AM on 02/22/2012

Have to fan you deucejuice, you made me LOL! I too am a victim of Jaws and haven't been the same since!! :)

[skunky93]

01:23 PM on 02/22/2012

lmao! Me too!!

[anitafeeney]

07:53 AM on 02/22/2012

i can understand why some parents would be upset but as a kid i grew up on scary movies like alien which i watched as a small kid i remember getting scared and my mom explaining about special effects and how that was not really blood but ketchup and how when the android got ripped to pieces she told me it was spagetti and stuff and it was not real it was just make up and lighting and prosthetics and all fake and how no one really got killed at all but i guess not every kid is like i was

[kapalabhati]

12:58 PM on 02/22/2012

But from your micro, you clearly are a Buckaroo Banzai fan!

[anitafeeney]

05:25 AM on 02/23/2012

well its not really scary if its fake is it freddy and jason vorhes dont scare me half as much as what i see on the evening news

[skunky93]

01:27 PM on 02/22/2012

I said the same thing. Also, it taught me never to run up the stairs if being chased, never have sessie time in the woods, always run down the middle of the street (never by the trees or houses or alleys), react quickly bc anything more than 3 sec is bound to mean a death sentence for you, don't open the door to strangers, always triple lock the doors, if you pick up the phone and someone says they are in the house = run!, never get into cars with strangers, always be wary of the extra nice stranger, don't babysit as a job, always check your backseat and under your car as you approach before getting in, and anything can be used as a weapon so just grab it and fight.

[anitafeeney]

05:21 AM on 02/23/2012

yep

[anitafeeney]

05:28 AM on 02/23/2012

exactly

[VioletGrey]

07:47 AM on 02/22/2012

Well at least we know that those movies are able to scare someone. God knows adults didn't seem to respond to them. Maybe someone in Hollywood should pay attention to this seemingly small story and take note; these are supposed to be big ticket films for grown ups that only seem to affect children under the age of 12. Time to start making movies for big people again, Hollywood.