Cursed Kleenex TV Commercial

This TV advert, known as "Kleenex, the Red Demon Version" (aired 1985-6) is rumoured to be cursed. Here is a list of some of the rumours it spawned:

1. Everyone involved in making it became ill or died mysteriously.

  • The camera man who shot it burned to death in the sauna from the machine failure.

  • By the time the film was aired, not one of the film crew was alive.

2. The actress in it suffered from mental illness and was forced to retire from acting.

  • She was incarcerated in a mental institution.

  • She eventually hanged herself.

3. The child actor impersonating as the red demon died suddenly:

  • by getting hit by a car soon after filming - he got decapitated.

  • after suffering nightmares and sleep paralysis non-stop for three days and nights

4.If you watch this advert, you will be cursed and/or die.

  • After seeing this advert, many people committed suicide.

  • If you play it in SAP the girl's singing voice transforms into that of old woman's.

  • If you record it first and then replay it, the red demon turns into a blue demon.


It is understandable why people would start such rumours, seeing the eerie atmosphere which permeates the movie: the blood red background, the demon, the ethereal singing voice... But before you freak out, you should know that these rumours are totally unfounded! (After all the song, which was rumoured to be cursed and said to become a demon-summoning incantation when sung in reverse, seemed to have once been a no.1 UK hit single!) There was a newspaper article of a camera man who died in the sauna, but it is not known whether he was the same person who filmed the advert.

Here is another Kleenex advert known as the "Angel Version", which was aired between 1977-78 and also sometimes rumoured to be cursed.

Comments

Anonymous said…
The music was part of the dance culture of the early 90s. It was "It's a Fine Day (Accappella Version)" by Opus III which was released in 1992. So the ad couldn't have been aired in 1985/6 with this music.
What is SAP?
Do one-horned, red-skinned, green-haired, small people have any place in Japanese folklore and mythology? Or is this just the advertisers being creative?
Anonymous said…
Actually I'm wrong. Jane and Barton released a version in 1983 which pre-dates this commercial by two years. So it could be true.
I've got this strange rash and I don't feel very welll riiggght nioew
Anonymous said…
The kid is dressed up as an "Oni" demon (sometimes translated as ogre). =3 They can be wither evil and violent or goofy. Usually they come in bright colors like that, and wear tiger skins.
Anonymous said…
Ok, so I read the rumours and proceeded to watch the video, but halfway through my computer froze and when it came back, the music was playing, but not the ad itself. Needless to say, that was creepy.
Anonymous said…
I'm sitting here pondering if I should watch this video or not. Pretty spooky. Oh well I already looked at the suicide painting, what do I got to lose???
Anonymous said…
At the end of it when the guy was talking my computer went black but the song started playing.... now that is scary....
THE WATCHER said…
is it just me or does the little demon kid look like that little demon kid from the old anime movie unico? lololol
Anonymous said…
The angel version makes me pee my pants.
Meanwhile...
I'M NOT WEARING UNDERWEAR TODA-AYYYYY!!!
Shan. said…
I watched them both.

I'm going to die.
Nabakov said…
I watched them both and... NOTHING HAPPENED :O
Nabakov said…
Oh. And here's the link to the song if they want it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0zySiUtank&feature=related
Yoku said…
I don't really want to watch it..

And first a demon, then an Angel?
.....I find this creepy.
Minty Miku said…
I'm not sure if anyone will be interested in this or not, but there were two other Akaoni (Red Demon) ads made and a second Angel Version.

Akaoni (Red Demon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG8vQhCQiAo

Second Angel Version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuIeU-97xYA
hudkhalessi said…
Morale: do not put evil nor angle in any advs. Neither of them were user of . . . tissues(?). There're millions of human. Just pay us and we did NOT cursing anyone XD
Unknown said…
SHOULD I WATCH THISSSS? My connection is so slow and I'm scared. XD