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If you think that the horror genre is at its strongest right now, you might be surprised by what you find by looking further back in time. Black-and-white photography used to be wild in the past, and some of the images evoke such a strong aura of dread and fear that they’ve become iconic.
‘Happy Weird Day’ is a niche Instagram account that curates some of the strangest photos ever taken throughout history. We’re featuring some of the most bizarre, creepy, and unsettling ones to show you that fear can wear many masks. Keep scrolling to take a trip down the uncanny valley and to spook yourself out. Just be sure to grab a vial of holy water first.
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Michael Reid 17 hours ago
Keep scrolling to take a trip down the uncanny valley and to spook yourself out. Just be sure to grab a vial of holy water first.
RELATED:
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One of the main reasons why we find vintage costumes and masks so creepy is that they evoke the uncanny valley effect. In the modern world, the uncanny valley is most often something you notice in robots, animations, and generative AI, Verywell Mind notes.
Essentially, this effect refers to the fact that some things look almost human, but they have some non-human, mismatched traits that are very unsettling. In other words, you feel creeped out because there’s too much ambiguity or inconsistency in what you’re looking at. You’re not quite sure if it’s a threat or not because your expectations and reality don’t match up.
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Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 day ago
Holy sh!t! had to look it up but you are right. it realy is him.
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Lee Gilliland 1 day ago
This was a measuring device used in Hollywood in the thirties to figure out what "imperfections" needed correcting with makeup.
UnclePanda 19 hours ago (edited)
The inevitable remake of Man in the Iron Mask. She wears it so much better.
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Many of the vintage photos that we’re featuring here today feel unsettling, confusing, and even disturbing. We understand that there are clear, logical, rational explanations for these images. The subject matter itself might be slightly eerie, or we see creative and fun-loving people goofing about with masks, costumes, and photo-editing. And yet, our imaginations still get the best of us.
Fear, while unpleasant, in and of itself plays a vital function in your survival. It’s what helps keep you safe from threats, real, potential, and imagined. Even though these photos don’t threaten you directly, they can still evoke similar feelings to seeing these figures approaching you in real life. That being said, if you live with chronic anxiety or things evoke a disproportionate fear response, it’s far from healthy.
#7
SouthernGal 12 hours ago
And people think Covid babies went through a lot from lockdowns.
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UnclePanda 18 hours ago (edited)
Food cart. They just swap out the accessories.
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Glen Ellyn 13 hours ago
If one is concerned about inhaling poisoning gas, why go outside anyway?? Especially the baby!
#8
Glen Ellyn 12 hours ago
When Jack-Jack got married. [referring to the Disney short "Jack-Jack Attack.]
tameson 13 hours ago
Had to look this one up. This image is an altered photograph, a piece of art created by artist Colin Batty. The artwork is titled "Blazin' Groom" and is part of a series where Batty modifies late-19th and early-20th-century formal portraits (cabinet cards). The artist adds "unexpected monstrous elements" with a science-fiction influence to the vintage photos. The original image is a genuine Victorian-era wedding photo, but the groom's "burning head" effect is a modern manipulation. These altered images are often sold as prints or postcards.
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Babs Ishkabibble 1 day ago
This is the cover photo on David Sedaris's book Happy Go Lucky! Creepy af.
Glen Ellyn 12 hours ago
Obviously the child is not looking at the clown. 😬 All her focus is on the dog. Once she looks up... 🏃🏼♀️ 💨
It’s also important to distinguish between fear and anxiety. They are, of course, related and can occur together. And yet, the context behind both is different.
Namely, fear is related to known or understood threats, Verywell Mind explains. On the flip side, anxiety arises from unknown, unexpected, or poorly defined threats.
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Rick Murray 12 hours ago
Sorry, I barely noticed the women. Too busy looking at that awesome ship in the background there.
royal crablets 7 hours ago
Sadly, they've all been hunted to extinction due to people's need of dolphin free tuna.
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WubiDubi 1 day ago
Santa will be visiting you today Clare but due to an administative error also Satan.
WednesdayAddams'HashbrownOrder 1 day ago
Your comment is not rated highly enough!
Load More Replies... Eugene the Jeep 1 day ago
Before Scared Straight , there was Scared Healthy. Results were inconclusive.
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
Clown doctors have actually been really good for lots of kids who have to spend long stretches in hospital, though I've never seen ones exactly like this
Fear is usually short-lived. It’s how you respond to clear, definite threats. To put it simply, if the danger is very real and immediate, and there’s a clear subject related to the threat, this is most likely a fear response.
Meanwhile, anxiety is ambiguous and tends to last longer. It’s the vague and unpleasant sensation of uneasiness that something bad might happen. Anxiety has its roots in how you interpret potential dangers.
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Rick Murray 11 hours ago (edited)
Almost has The Birthday Måssacre vibes.
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Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 1 day ago
Alfred Hitchcock. Made some good films. Also harassed a lot of his leading ladies.
Peter Bear 13 hours ago
It's vital to separate the art from the artist. Thank you!
Load More Replies... Lotekguy 1 day ago (edited)
Besides the movies, the droll humor of his intro and segments during his half-hour TV series was priceless. He would gently mock sponsors and commercials in an era before anyone else dared to, or was allowed to, do so.
Lady Eowyn 17 hours ago
It started out a half hour, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, then moved to an hour, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. The half hour dramas were actually better in my opinion.
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As Verywell Mind stresses, fear and anxiety are interrelated and can experience similar physical reactions. Furthermore, fear can cause anxiety and vice versa.
The most common signs of fear are a racing heartbeat, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, a dry mouth, trembling, and chills.
Meanwhile, the most common symptoms of anxiety include things like an accelerated heart rate, chest pain, cold chills or hot flushes, dizziness or feeling faint, and depersonalization. Other signs are things like excessive sweating, headache, muscle pain or tension, numbness and tingling, ringing in your ears, shaking and trembling, shortness of breath, and an upset stomach or nausea.
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Kitty Litter 20 hours ago
What's racist? I see a guy with a puppet. Oh wait there's a white person so, it has to be racist, oh okay sure
Serena Myers 15 hours ago
I can remember watching "The Black and White Minstrel Show" when I was young. Pearls would be clutched and people "offended" today. The last episode was screened in 1978. It was entertainment, simple entertainment, back in the last century. Times change, we move on (or backwards in some cases).
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 1 day ago
If ventriloquism is not disturbing enough as it is, let's make it worse with a racist puppet.
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Serena Myers 1 day ago
Josephine Myrtle Corbin, born 1868, had a condition known as "dipygus". She married, and had five children, although only one survived infancy. She dǐed in 1928.
Glen Ellyn 12 hours ago
She was 59 at the time of her dea-th, and her casket was covered in concrete and various family members kept watch until it was fully cured. This was to prevent grave robbers from stealing her corpse. Several medical practitioners and private collectors offered financial compensation for her corpse.
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JB 17 hours ago
Gee, if only we could reply to Taibhse Sealgair that the supposed photos of Josephine getting married are fake.
Taibhse Sealgair 16 hours ago (edited)
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Load More Replies... If your fear and anxiety are out of control and directly negatively affect your daily life, you may want to reach out to your doctor or a mental health specialist. They’ll be able to diagnose you and come up with a treatment plan so that you’re more in control and feel less scared and anxious all the time.
For example, they might suggest that you start cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, or even put you on anti-anxiety medication.
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Old plastic surgery
Bi.Felicia 17 hours ago
An English sailor, in WWI was injured. Original photo is on the right side and the left photo was taken after reconstructive facial surgery. The severe facial injuries, including the loss of his upper and lower eyelids were sustained while Walter was manning the guns aboard HMS Warspite. He was treated in 1917 by Sir Harold Gillies, a New Zealand born surgeon, who is widely considered 'the father of plastic surgery.'
Load More Replies... alchemilla vulgaris 16 hours ago
Look at those eyes, he would have been a Peter O'Toole before his injury. Poor man, I hope the surgery made him feel a bit better, get a semblance of normal life.
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Billo66 1 day ago
Well.. That's just silly. I didn't wanna smile today. stop it. :)
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Huddo's sister 1 day ago
Reminds me of a picture I have of a great uncle riding one of their cows
Michael Largey 17 hours ago
"All right, Chicky, it's time to cross that road. Why? Well, ...."
But of course, you don’t necessarily need therapy or meds to create a healthy relationship with fear and anxiety. However, that’s easier said than done. It requires changes in your lifestyle, habits, and thinking patterns.
One of the best ways to get over a fear is to face it. Repeatedly. Eventually, through exposure, you’ll feel more comfortable in otherwise challenging situations.
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Auntriarch 1 day ago
When his mum called him a little monkey, she wasn't speaking metaphorically
Pollywog 16 hours ago
Me too! Tiny body with that big mask and clunky boots is cute. 😄
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Bi.Felicia 17 hours ago
The tall man is known as the Welsh giant, George Auger, standing at 8'6" (262cm) and the little person is Tom Sodrie who was 29" (73.6cm). As Ace stated that they were co-performers in a circus act.
Michael Largey 17 hours ago
A byproduct of Bush's "Leave No Child Behind" program. Apparently the only successful one.
In the meantime, it’s essential that you take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. When you feel well-rested and meet your body’s needs, you’re in a much better position to react to stressful situations in a healthier way.
That means developing healthy habits like getting enough sleep, eating nutritious food, regularly moving your body, staying hydrated, fostering your positive relationships, spending time outdoors, practicing gratitude, etc.
On top of that, you can practice mindfulness, take up meditation, and practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing or guided visualization. The end goal is to feel calmer and less fearful.
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Rafael 17 hours ago
What the pyromaniac fúck is that thing on the left holding Mickey's hand? And the thing on the other left holding other Mickey's hand isn't far behind either.
Michael Largey 17 hours ago
On the old Mickey Mouse Club, Wednesday was "Anything Can Happen Day", but I don't remember this episode.
The ‘Happy Weird Day’ account, based in Hungary, has been active for more than a decade. It was first started back in 2013, and, throughout the years, the curator has shared 200 “strange photos from history.” At the time of writing, the account has 27k followers who are big fans of the bizarre atmosphere found within these vintage photos.
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Lotekguy 1 day ago
Be careful who's listening when you say bad things about Vincent Price or Jeff Goldblum.
royal crablets 6 hours ago
Looks like he just found out that the fly is quite anatomically human from the waist down.
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Which of these photos genuinely creeped you out the most? Which ones did you find so bizarre that you couldn’t help but spam your friends with? Do you think that modern horror content is better at inducing fear than these images or the opposite? What's the creepiest thing you've experienced in your life?
Once you’ve finished upvoting the most cursed and weird photos of the lot, swing by the comments to share your impressions.
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Lee Gilliland 1 day ago
Hollywood publicity photo. There were guys who were paid to think this stuff up.
Michael Largey 17 hours ago
"Is your sister still so shy?" "No, she's finally coming out of her shell."
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Zig Zag Wanderer 1 day ago
George and his friends tried a desperate last attempt to start his aging ford....
UnclePanda 18 hours ago
Metamechanics. That's when you psychically will your car through a bad neighborhood. "And I'll get you washed and waxed and an oil change..."
Load More Replies... UnclePanda 18 hours ago
"Look, Renault you're in there. You can't Escape. We're going to Kia you sooner or later..."
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Chich the witch 1 day ago
Even the Kremlin wasn't immune to the great flatulence plague of 1932
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Lee Gilliland 1 day ago
These were a fad in the '50s designed to keep city dirt away from your complexion.
Serena Myers 1 day ago
Also handy for jabbing persons who got a bit too close for comfort, I would have thought.
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Bi.Felicia 17 hours ago
This is the family of musician Anthony Milosevic. He is a musician known for tracks such as "My Heart Belongs To You". The individuals in the photo are not widely recognized public figures.
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Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 1 day ago
Experiment showing how electricity can cause muscles to contract.
Billo66 1 day ago (edited)
I used to have a TENS unit and did this c**p to myself lol. Edit: Sorry, I meant to say shit.
Rafael 17 hours ago
Forgiven. Here, have a cpmplimentary fúck just to confuse the censor bot
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#37
Lotekguy 1 day ago
There were a few false starts in the design before the Teletubbies were cute enough for their own show.
UnclePanda 18 hours ago
That's Lumpy, The Easter Bunny's low-rent cousin. He covers the rough neighborhoods.
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Bi.Felicia 17 hours ago
Yes, it appears so. Whether that chicken is alive or not is definitely questionable.
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UnclePanda 17 hours ago (edited)
Round and round they go. Who will speak? Nobody knows!
Load More Replies... UnclePanda 17 hours ago (edited)
It's a split personality victim choosing his speaker du jour.
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Robert Bailey 17 hours ago
Sure, just like the movie Batman & Robin. You can see the nipples you don't want. And not see the nipples you do want.
Bi.Felicia 17 hours ago
This is a photograph by Michael Grater titled "Paper Faces" from 1968. The image has been associated with retrofuturism and vintage photography.
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Babs Ishkabibble 1 day ago
Famous photograph of "Stanley" by Roger Ballen. He captured real people in marginalized communities in South Africa during apartheid. Such haunting images.
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Michael Largey 17 hours ago
The hood needs to be pointed - to fit the head properly.
Load More Replies... Floeckchen 1 day ago
He wanted to attend AnthroCon but it seems he has been a few decades too early
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Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 1 day ago
Is it the law that all ventriloquist dummies have to be nightmare fuel?
Samantha H 23 hours ago
@Nathaniel. When I was in my 20's I dated a Ventriloquist. His House was full of Vent dolls and I can't tell you how creepy it was. He was really good with his strange talent and was on TV a lot.
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#47
Stephen Wild 1 day ago
The saw has likely been added to the picture to show that the child is a boy. It was fairly common to add a masculine toy into the picture for this purpose... the saw is pretty unusual, however. Little boys wore dresses into the first part of the twentieth century.
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Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 1 day ago
Looks like a scene from The League of Gentlemen. Are you local?
Ace 23 hours ago
I never 'got' it, nor Little Britain which was heavily influenced by it, not the more recent Inside No. 9. I really tried, but the very occasional but I could find funny was vastly outweighed by the weird for the sake of it vibe of the whole thing.
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#50
Note: this post originally had 92 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
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What do you think ?
Lee Gilliland 1 day ago
Half of these are mostly because until the mid '60s we didn't buy costumes for Halloween, you made them; the others could do with a bit of explanation.
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
Also early photographers liked a bit of photo trickery, it's not something that just became popular with photoshop. The others mostly seem to be from old films.
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Lee Gilliland 1 day ago
Half of these are mostly because until the mid '60s we didn't buy costumes for Halloween, you made them; the others could do with a bit of explanation.
Huddo's sister 1 day ago
Also early photographers liked a bit of photo trickery, it's not something that just became popular with photoshop. The others mostly seem to be from old films.
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