The Sandman (Paul Berry, 1991)

[@AceyMcSpade]

Saw this when I was a kid. I woke up in the middle of the night and turned on MTV. I wasn't supposed to be up and this came on. It scared the shit outta me and probably traumatized me. It's great 😂

[@roadkill-creations7628]

Mad respect to a single father just trying to feed his kids Lmao

[@jjs5072]

The Sandman: punishes kids that refuse to go to sleep by stealing their eyes. Also The Sandman: purposely wakes the kids up or keeps them awake using guerrilla tactics. Sandman is kind of a DB...

[@missdaisy11000]

No wonder this thing won an oscar truly terrifying.

[@Curructus1]

Nope, no oscar for this short movie. Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase won the oscar.

[@x99ribs]

@@Curructus1 Correct, it was only Oscar-nominated. Still though, a great short film!

[@femboynihilism2595]

I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere

[@lurkingShadows]

John Doom I understood that reference from a long long time ago, in a galaxy far away.

[@anakinskywalker5795]

Agreed especially now after watching this nightmare!

[@upsidebrown74]

Did you ever hear the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?

[@deathstrokeclanrules8562]

Wiz: DON"T YOU F###ING DARE!!!

[@PixelsPolygonsNPetrichor]

like in eyes

[@Spring_32]

This thing traumatized me when I was little.

[@noryukenpirate]

Gorgeous look, music and direction, but... still... the scariest and most cruel short story EVER !!

[@EmberWhyte]

easily scarrier than most of the horror films I've seen lately

[@broodjejonko]

It is well made but scary for little kids. You have seen the wrong horror movies if this is scarier lmfao.

[@fantasyalover4782]

@@broodjejonko That person had a point though. especially if we're talking about some horror films nowadays especially the mainstream ones they're starting to get superficial, repetitive, and flat out boring since mostly would use a stupid jumpscare as a scare factor. and I find war films and some Anime thriller much scarier than some Hollywood horror films that are producing lately (probably the exception is Hereditary). and you may not find this short film creepy or scary but for some it is.

[@bettyottman1718]

Has anyone seen the sandman in their nightmares? Anyone?

[@samanthabradley4004]

This with me from my year seven of scool ! Scary

[@McProVidz]

@@samanthabradley4004 Same here.

[@bangtangbombsbts6612]

Damn that kids forehead Also that is the cleanest eye removal I've ever seen, professionals look up to this guy

[@Verte7]

Wtf is a professional eye remover

[@FlorianFlorian573]

Green _ me basically

[@peoplesucks_3326]

clearly, she is like a grandmother with food, she has so much experience that she no longer makes it with mistakes

[@mikedaviot854]

This is very specifically based on the details of Hoffmann's dark reworking of a benign folk tale. Superb short. Makes you wish they'd done the whole Hoffmann story. Very sad that Berry died in 2001 at the age of 40; there's real talent here.

[@Quirderph]

It's based on only a few sentences of he story... and yet it's probably one of the best adaptations.

[@TheAllSeeingEye2468]

Link please

[@xXLunatikxXlul]

R.I.P. to the genius that was Paul Berry! Thank you for bringing fright and delights to my childhood

[@SwEtchinmusic]

Any recommendations to watch? I'm barley finding out about this guy

[@bobob9969]

I had to look it up. Really sad, he was pretty young when he passed

[@dreadfuljoy5111]

My fav stopmotion short ever. The way the sandman moved still hunts my dreams.

[@CharliesVenom]

I've been looking for this animation for years! I watched this when I was little kid (around 5-6) and it fucked up my life forever. Almost 20 years later and I still can't sleep with the door open and I'm terrified of the dark and refuse to open my eyes when it's dark

[@FranzHBlake]

I watched it when I was eleven maybe, and it remained in my memory for 17 years, before I could finally find it with the help of a friend... but I was older, didn't scare me but the last few seconds got stuck in my mind

[@aname5901]

Just confront your fears close the door and sleep with your eyes open it seems hard, but try to muster up some bravery you don’t need to do it all at once, just make small steps and you’ll get there

[@samanthadashiel]

Same for me! It's been in my head ever since. Gave me the creeps but even then I found it utterly fascinating. It grows deep.

[@ninjarocha3]

Same! Its been 25 years or so for me. I couldn't sleep for days after watching it. I wasn't even in kinder yet. Scarred for life.

[@Navitaro]

Me too, it showed up on Jetix or w/e the channel was called back then, during halloween, it scared me so much I couldnt sleep for that night and probably the next few nights too!

[@finnsanity9438]

Reminds me of coraline

[@NyscanRohid]

Neil Gaiman may have taken inspiration from this short when he wrote the story.

[@cartooncandy3857]

coraline was way les creepier than this

[@Isitthough69420]

@@cartooncandy3857 read the book Anyway, I'm actually watching Coralline while watching this

[@cartooncandy3857]

@@Isitthough69420 i have and i dont creeped out ass much with this video

[@willlyon7129]

It may have been infused before Coralline was made. Since it was made in the early 90s.

[@Terestrasz]

Count Olaf, the depths you've sank...

[@caydenmichael98]

Terestrasz Oh my! I see it now! I can't unsee!

[@israelstraight6127]

(Claps) good joke

[@willlyon7129]

This would almost pass for a Tim Burton shot film or Laika.

[@evilemperordude]

Paul Berry helped animate The Nightmare Before Christmas, so it makes sense that there are stylistic similarities.

[@rohangarling7715]

This is better than a Tim Burton short film, The puppets are perfect and every single piece of this short film is unsettling in the perfect way. There is not a good ending and no resolution which is what makes it work so well!

[@grimsonforce7504]

@@rohangarling7715 I agree far better than what Tim Burton would produce.

[@natashasummerford7944]

Did u know the guy who animated this also animated Primus version of devil went down to Georgia music video

[@ANDCFC95]

More like a David Lynch short film

[@Noratcat]

So dark and one of the best animations I have seen.

[@animatic1685]

A classic, glad it exists online, its timeless.

[@xxxtheshadowxxx6085]

Sleepless children over their room A light of beam entering their room As the cresent moon floating above the sky A man will come and fly A sprinkle of his magic sand,He will make sure every children will sleep tight And they all going to have a good night But at terrible cost it will be the food of his own children Who knows that this man only was a pair of eyes So that his children will sleep peace and tight Every children who sees a beam of lunar cresent moon All alone and terrified in their room want to sleep or not Parents still don't know the truth,the room is left by their own little ones body, eyeless Sleepless children now they see only is darkness and that is so true The sorrow of their own parents is the joy of the man in the moon His routine will keep repeat as long as he live,unfortunately he never dies So,make sure you will sleep tight and a have a real good night don't let the man sprinkle some sand in your eyes Just keep your eyes shut if your hear a noise don't open your eyes if you don't want to loose it in the hand of the Sandman

[@cwbyx4503]

did you write this? i love it

[@xxxtheshadowxxx6085]

@@cwbyx4503 yes and thanks that you like it and i didn't notice this was written year ago. Anyways, i was planning to post or comment something like this again on my other channel Grim Shadow 2.0 besides i miss this animation and the time i comment here.

[@Animefan-ty4vt]

So, if you see the crescent moon and he looks down at you, he steals your eyes?

[@8f303yk]

u r great

[@bijibadness]

This is so, SO much better than the other version on KZbin. This is pretty great. Thank you so much.

[@mc.gemstone]

What other version?

[@nihilist4184]

@@mc.gemstone he probably means the song from metalica.

[@pee_0656]

@@mc.gemstone kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5vKeZWIp9Odnrc this one, video is from 2006 and has nearly 1.5 million views

[@JRMARTS]

He’s just a caring father

[@bettyottman1718]

How freaking cute.

[@ezrastardust3124]

@@bettyottman1718 yeah the babies of whatever species the sandman is are pretty cute but the adult...nope

[@DemonPikachu]

Fair point, parents have to take care of their little ones and get them fed...but try telling that to the mother who's little one no longer has eyes. Not really a fair trade off.

[@OK-lm1hj]

When the sandman moved his arms to wake up the kid it sounds very much like when Coraline’s climbing the web in Coraline

[@alextunstall6912]

make sure you watch 9:00... most people click away by then

[@JSKY_358]

There were more children before him!!!???

[@albertomartinez3862]

J Sky696 I think the scariest part of this is the music and how it’s classic it’s old not like now a days it’s a masterpiece so scary

[@juanpablonunez3854]

@@JSKY_358 he was not the first and definitely not the last

[@RoachDoggJR.-]

The moon is shining through my window now. I'm scared.

[@thefool7831]

wtf roachdoggjr what are you doing outside of newgrounds

[@Winduct]

The Sandman reminds me of Count Olaf.

[@Hoosrice13]

Winduct fair comparison

[@israelstraight6127]

Meh beats me it really depends

[@bruninghouse4137]

The guy from frozen.

[@Lazycoffee913]

@@bruninghouse4137he talking about a series of unfortunate events

[@evanhuntergale484]

saw this on MTV back then.

[@albertomartinez3862]

When mtv was actually good

[@connorb3302]

Anyone else find the mother creepier than the monster?

[@marklittle5131]

From Coraline, yes definitely no question about it.

[@alienbastard55]

The kid is honestly more wierd looking than either of them

[@willlyon7129]

Not as creepy compared to the Other Mother.

[@The_Renegade_Prj]

The kid's mom being a Chris Fehn looking ass

[@MrKaje72]

The mother is the monster

[@bobhank1562]

I watched this in English class a few years ago, and I haven't slept since

[@jack-uc3ni]

Bob Hank omg same

[@OhHeckNono]

I would KILL to see Stefan Karl portraying this sandman!!!

[@caesthoffe]

heck No yES

[@zurisadaiRj98]

Won't be possible. R.I.P Stephan Karl.

[@BlazeHeartPanther]

Or if he could have a voice, he'd be well performed by Tony Jay (Judge Claude Frollo in Hunchback of Notre Dame)

[@MuertaRara]

this is one of my bloody childhood traumas!!!

[@arekusu.]

Oh my God...I've been searching for this for over twenty fucking years. I saw it as a kid and it scared the ever loving shit out of me!

[@Kitty-wq3qe]

The kids haircut is the scariest thing of all

[@alejandraituza]

😄😄

[@pepethepuppet1942]

We were forced to watch this video in school ... man I hate school!

[@maxjoyce1297]

Pep'e the Puppet same

[@__-sn6lt]

Pep'e the Puppet Same!

[@Imptweek]

Pep'e the Puppet same ! I was 10 at the time

[@roseyblack18]

Pep'e the Puppet I watched it at school too it was pretty cool to me.

[@SweetPop241]

Pep'e the Puppet same

[@Reziac]

Remember, the monster can only take your eyes if you look at him....

[@z2yn]

This is one of the main rules as a child when - you're afraid of the dark - have nightmares or fear something like this As long as you don't look at it, it can't hurt you or in some sense, things sometimes don't exist for us unless we see them

[@briseydamelendez4098]

I'm ngl, I need me some acylics like the sandman got. I find the noise his fingers do when they wiggle kinda satisfying.

[@theavootar]

sandman asmr

[@mattmedrala1947]

Remember watching this as a little kid in school, the ending haunted me. Beautiful work though!

[@whitezombie6594]

Dude why do i keep coming back to this I like alot😂

[@apollocvermouth2915]

THANK YOU-I have been looking for this short for years. ( not easy when you don't know the title.)

[@Hoosrice13]

apollo c vermouth 'the sandman'

[@wolfil8019]

Great dark animation film! And I love the nod to German Expressionism in the design of the staircases, the bed, and such. Beautifully done!

[@BobOrton7829]

I went on this video and paused right before a second to look at comments... I refuse to press play

[@alexk8792]

Damn is this some real stop motion terror, and to top it off, it looks to be based on the E.T.A. Hoffman short story of 1816.

[@Mugulord]

Saw this shortly after it came out, on public broadcast TV. I'm 38 now. This is the first time seeing it since that one fucking time, and yah. It is pretty firmly engraved on my mind.

[@T13HS]

This is the most fucked up thing ever.

[@psychoboom653]

I know, I first watch this back in February 2012 and got post dramatic stress disorder for about six months because of it, no joke!

[@kimsingu]

I am sure that this animation is based on the novel of the German writer, E.T.A. Hoffmann. The title is 'Der Sandmann'; „Das ist ein böser Mann, der kommt zu dem Kindern, wenn sie nicht zu Bett gehen wollen und wirft ihnen Händevoll Sand in die Augen, daß sie blutig zum Kopf herausspringen, die wirft er dann in den Sack und trägt sie in den Halbmond zur Atzung für seine Kinderchen; die sitzen dort im Nest und haben krumme Schnäbel, wie die Eulen, damit picken sie der unartigen Menschenkindlein Augen auf.“

[@carlottathefriendlyperson7710]

Sandmann, lieber Sandmann...

[@elehatz7764]

Nope, the sandman is a folklore that is difficult to pinpoint. There were oneiric deities in both Greek and Roman mythology that were later mixed with Central European paganistic rituals. I think the most recent direct ancestor of the Sandman is Mora, which is theorized to be the personification of sleep paralysis

[@reallyann0yingdin0saur65]

"There is a bad man, that comes for the children, when they can't go to sleep, or will not go to sleep, and he raises his hands full of sand. Their bloody eyes jump out of their head, and he puts them into his sack and carries them into the crescent moon to feed to his little ones. They have crooked beaks and sit in a nest like owls. They eat the eyes of naughty human children." I tried to do a rough translation. I'm not fluent in German, but I do it in school, and I could make out most of this. Although I had to use Google Translate for a few words. I tried my best!

[@elehatz7764]

@@reallyann0yingdin0saur65 Yeah, I can speak German and was merely indicating the origin of the story.

[@clarissaacr]

@@reallyann0yingdin0saur65 thank you so much!!! i was rlly curious about the meaning.

[@nightowl_9021]

I was not expecting that ending. If I had watched this as a kid this would have haunted me to my grave. Still creepy af.

[@blucie9768]

I stumbled upon it on tv as a kid... absolutely terrified me.

[@johnmidelacruz6619]

Vi esto en locomotion cuando niño, me creó traumas en ese tiempo 🥺

[@Angelemmanuel-y1m]

Yo apenas lo veo y me aterro

[@nicholewalters22]

why am i watching before bed!

[@thewhitechocolateprince]

JH211309 and you cant talk when you are actually replying to people about how pathetic they are :thinking:

[@theempress9422]

Same

[@cartooncandy3857]

same

[@davidprice5563]

Same here.

[@Fr_d3r1ck]

OH DIOS MIO, MI INFANCIAAAAAAAA este video me lo mostró mi papá cuando tenía 6 años :)

[@lordrumpkin1412]

I saw this on MTV when I was like 12, sleeping over at a friend's house. It just so happened he lived up on the second story, with a staircase much like the one in this video. It just so happened, there also was a big spooky window by the couch where I was sleeping. My friend was asleep, so I was all alone when this came on, and I don't think I've ever been more spooked in my entire life. Didn't sleep so well!

[@jewelhaines8842]

I like when the Birdman clicks his elbows!! 😊😯

[@cheeselord3655]

The sandman looks fabulous

[@theavootar]

In what way? That he is a well designed puppet? Or that he is disturbingly attractive?

[@cheeselord3655]

@@theavootar Both, I suppose

[@theavootar]

@@cheeselord3655really

[@alchemicmercury]

I agree on all counts. I love that the Sandman in this short is some bird-like creature and how his face mimics the crescent moon. I also enjoy his dandy clothes, the character just looks like he has so much more story in him then what we see in the film.

[@theavootar]

@@alchemicmercury more story like a whole backstory on how he got those fine clothes and elbow things AND HIS WONDERFUL boots? hell yeah i would love if someone made that happen so much u dont even know❤❤❤

[@josiahpurtee1156]

If there was dialogue in this short film, the title character would be voiced by Tim Curry.

[@foxsong4508]

We need more stuff like this where has imagination and creativity gone

[@sadiecordes4070]

Sandman:I can only take your eyes when you open them and I blow my sand into them blinding you for a bit Me:wears sleep mask throughout the night

[@emilemorbleu1591]

Good memory of art lessons at school, when i was 11, in France

[@E_user228]

There goes my childhood

[@michaelflores9220]

here because of blameitonjorge & clock man.

[@Kaizoku-o_PirateKing]

This is so awesome!

[@tomomalley7722]

Master piece of stop motion

[@banjogyro]

This is how I imagined Clockman was like before it got found

[@alexandracatherinehall722]

I was watching Alma (the girl in the toy shop) earlier and it got me thinking about this... I remember this short from when I was really young, about 4ish I'd say. As a child, The Sandman was always supposed to help you sleep until I saw this, in early 90's it was once classed as suitable to be viewed by children since it had no dialogue and was only a short story. (Surely 10 minutes wouldn't hurt anyone right? Obviously many didn't agree). I'm 30 now and it's still just as creepy as it was back then. Executed brilliantly! One of the best shorts I've seen. The old classics are always better than the new in my opinion.

[@zacharypayne9619]

One of the darkest, creepiest, and best animations I've seen. One of my favorite animations.

[@BlancheMusicSpace]

nightmare....especially like you watch alone in middle night like me :/

[@theempress9422]

Same

[@jamesmckean3221]

I remember watching this on silent in 2014 when I was 26 and being terrified. The main horror lies in the visuals.

[@dominickarmstrong648]

you know they should make a Creepypasta story of this sandman

[@rosaiselabarrera479]

This is going to sound pathetic, but I had a dream where I tried to save the boy from that monster but I was too late, the house was abandoned and I went up the stairs and touched the wood that creaked, then I entered another room where I saw a doll and I take her in my arms and in the end I ended up waking up. This dream was magical I could feel as if I were in an alternate reality hahahahahaha this happens to me for watching this short film several times😅

[@richardwilliams1921]

Watched this about 6 years ago as part of an illustration course

[@kiemc100]

The music is so creepy

[@ezrastardust3124]

QOQ QOQ the whole thing is creepy

[@ShutUpCatProductions]

I remember watching this with my brother and it scared the shit out of us.

[@nicholasbrande1213]

It seems most likely this child was blinded my falling down the stairs because the room he is in with is mouther looks normal but the more he hose up the weirder it gets. So the child was getting sleepy fell down the stairs got blinded and his concession created the story we see unfold and he believed it was the sandman who blinded him, the same sandman who was told In stories around this time. ( my opinion of what the heck is going on)

[@unclefranklin4575]

In the extended ending, the kid gets his back by using puffs plus with lotion.

[@yosyastongueemoji]

The kids eyes just got yeeted

[@BlazeHeartPanther]

more like EATed 🥁

[@staciebranscombe7709]

Or yoinked 😂

[@godlymegatron5698]

Thank goodness I found this. Now I just need to find the original toy story. It was a black and white silent film I believe? My favorite scene is when the toys start ripping each other part in their small asylum from humans. The main boss I remember was a Devil who was burnt alive at the end. Going on memory here to find it. Can't believe I don't remember the name.

[@emrekilic2877]

teacher made me watch and Now i have to get a pistol with me

[@enya8708]

Me too rn

[@autumnrenee8894]

so can he only take your eyes if you open them? aka if you keep them closed you're safe?

[@xannmay2769]

RIP paul berry. You are a great creator.😔❤️🙏

[@jurassicstaff8639]

OK but kids being full on nightmares refusing to go to bed , yet the scared timid kid that actually goes to sleep, let's rip his eyes out and feed them to my demon bird gremlins ! For real tho this is a masterpiece

[@maxjoyce1297]

I showed this to my four year old cousin. I'm a terrible person.

[@adamjohn2108]

Nitex Shockwave indeed

[@YaDuckBoi]

Yes you are

[@gatoespaguetti8115]

You are evil bro

[@Shizzy5321]

Join the club

[@h2oteenleirius235]

Wtf

[@tarantulagirl]

Omg I remember just coming across this on tv 1991, when I was twelve and it freaked me out! I never saw it again and I wondered if I’d imagined it. But here it is, in all it’s freakish glory!

[@SolXiaoyu]

My God!!!!!!

[@LikaLaruku]

Reminds me of both Tim Burton's "Vincent" & the "Puffs Lotion Plus" tissue commercials. Well, what do you know... Collin Batty worked on The Corpse Bride.

[@xXLunatikxXlul]

RIP Paul Berry

[@ANDCFC95]

I’m gonna tell my kids that this was Freddy Krueger And yes I did watch this in English class!

[@yoloimkaitlan4971]

I literally watched this in class for english-

[@franisthebest1234]

Thank you year 8 English for introducing this to me

[@karabenefield8654]

Although brilliant, many thanks to my primary school English teachers for traumatising us with this among others before we were 10

[@thestooge200]

Geez the puffs plus comercials used to be dark!

[@toetuff6732]

Lol

[@RisingMC]

I don’t know what the heck my parents were thinking when they showed this to 7 year old little girl (me)?!?! I didn’t sleep for a week cause I was afraid my eyes were gonna get stolen!!

[@sinaigomezorea6065]

Wtf 🤯

[@BlackObsidiann]

I love this

[@MissBunnydollxo]

Omg.. I’m almost 30 and I can’t remember when I saw this.. but it’s stuck with me since. Even though I’ve tried asking friends about it, I haven’t even able to describe it well to others. All I remember is a little kid losing his eyes and walking around with his hands out because he couldn’t see. But in my head it was much more terrifying than the description I gave. It’s here. I can’t believe it. It wasn’t a dream, it wasn’t me making stuff up.. this is insane. I wonder how old I was when I saw this.. because it’s branded into my brain.

[@ToaAxiomMan]

I totally dig the German expressionism like sets and background that personally for me wouldn't feel out of place in Cabinet of Dr Caligari or Nosferatu

[@Leo-kk9lo]

Vi este corto cuando tenía 5 años y no dormí durante mucho tiempo, ni si quiera recordaba bien lo que pasaba pero lo de que le arrancaban los ojos al niño no me lo esperaba xd, nada está genial la animación.

[@dr.heinzdoofenshmirtz7392]

Poor Sandman, he needs to feed his babies too !

[@zaydeshaddox7015]

Nightmare stuff for sure!! This kinda looks like it was influenced by a stop motion film called The Nutcracker Fantasy, released in the 70's by the Sanrio company. They tended to make darker children's films than Disney. The film opened with a story about "the Ragman" who went around town after midnight, looking for children who were still awake, and if he found one, he would turn the child into a mouse and then scoop it up and throw it into an old sack he carried. This, of course, is quite a bit gorier.

[@TheAllSeeingEye2468]

That's some good ol fashioned nightmare fuel

[@nicolaywoods9817]

I loved this stuff growing up

[@SamuelBlack84]

Reminds me so much of one of my very first nightmares where a hat stand with a hat, long coat and scarf comes to life and moves around a dark house

[@AnimeWolf5193]

Pause at 1:40 Add some facepaint and try to imagine him as an adult. ... That's Pennywise (2017) as a kid.

[@Allaroundtheworld99]

Hunter Webster DONT

[@notgalvatron1698]

And that terrifying smile, you can't forget that smile.

[@ILobSquabs]

8:35 when your parents catch you eating your 4th bag of shredded cheese

[@joshlarson2954]

Watch till after the credits.