• 6 hours ago
Hope you brought a change of pants. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at films that fall under the horror umbrella, unearthing the scariest moments ever to grace the silver screen. Beware the following spoilers.
Transcript
00:00Get it from your own lips.
00:02This isn't for your eyes.
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo,
00:07and today we're looking at films that fall under the horror umbrella,
00:10unearthing the scariest moments ever to grace the silver screen.
00:14Beware the following spoilers.
00:23Number 100, The Gas Station, The Hitcher.
00:26Whenever it looks like Jim Halsey has seen the last of John Ryder,
00:29the mysterious hitchhiker hits the gas pedal when he least expects it.
00:33Stumbling upon a gas station, Jim seemingly finds salvation,
00:36only to realize nobody is there.
00:45Well, almost nobody.
00:47The scene lures us in with an emphasis on sound effects over dialogue,
00:50creating a sense of isolation.
00:53Jim isn't alone, however.
01:00Charging out of the garage, Ryder resists running over Jim,
01:05opting to light a match with a stream of gasoline engulfing the station.
01:09Jim narrowly escapes with his car on fire,
01:12but Ryder has made his point even more apparent.
01:15He won't stop until one of them permanently runs out of gas,
01:18kicking the stakes into high gear.
01:22Number 99, Behind You, Hush.
01:32Mike Flanagan has carved out his place as a modern horror master,
01:36often collaborating with his wife, Kate Siegel.
01:39In Hush, Siegel plays a woman who lost her ability to hear or speak in her youth,
01:43who realizes she's being stalked.
01:52SIEGEL'S MADDIE LOCKS HERSELF IN THE BATHROOM
01:59Proving more resourceful than the intruder assumes,
02:02Siegel's Maddie locks herself in the bathroom.
02:04On the verge of passing out, she arms herself with a knife
02:07and waits for her stalker to break through the door.
02:10The sound is removed from this tense moment, putting us in Maddie's shoes.
02:14The audience can still see what she can't, though.
02:17As the man drops in, we want to scream out, despite knowing it'll have no impact.
02:22Maddie might not be able to hear him,
02:24but she can feel his breath creeping up on her neck.
02:39Number 98, Train Station Apocalypse, Train to Busan.
02:47ZOMBIES AND TRAINS
02:55Zombies and trains. It's a winning combination.
02:58Although we didn't anticipate how well these elements would pair
03:01until Young Sang-ho's wickedly entertaining Train to Busan.
03:04After getting off one infected train, the survivors find that the station
03:08and the rest of South Korea are not much safer.
03:11The scene escalates from 0 to 11,
03:14as we initially only see one person limping down a hallway.
03:17In a matter of seconds, our protagonist finds himself
03:20between a hallway of the undead darting toward him
03:23and another horde chasing fellow survivors.
03:36This visual underlines the notion that there's virtually nowhere to run.
03:39That won't stop those who remain from trying.
03:42And remember, when zombies attack, it's always good to have a book and coat on hand.
03:52Number 97, Auto Body Horror, Titan.
03:59Titan is truly unlike anything you've seen,
04:02centering on a female serial killer who's impregnated by a car.
04:06It sounds comedic, but there are far more gasps than laughs.
04:10Throughout the film, we watch Alexia's body undergo unnatural changes
04:14as the baby growing inside turns her into a mechanical monstrosity.
04:17Along the way, she develops a complicated relationship with a man named Vincent,
04:22posing as his long-lost son.
04:24Vincent is there to assist in the excruciating birth,
04:27which rips the life out of Alexia.
04:29Feeling as if he's lost a child all over again,
04:31Vincent commits to raising the baby, who takes after both of its parents.
04:36The haunting final image is sure to send shivers up your spine,
04:39no matter what you're made of.
05:00Spending the holidays with her fiancé's children in a remote lodge,
05:03Grace feels as if she's spiraling into madness.
05:06Her paranoia is taken into overdrive
05:08when eldest child Aiden tries to prove that they're in purgatory.
05:11Walking in on Aiden swinging over the stairs,
05:14Grace and the audience jump to the most logical conclusion.
05:17Topping one shocker with another,
05:19the noose has no effect on Aiden,
05:21enforcing his theory that they're frozen in time
05:24and will remain in the snowy prison until they repent.
05:34Of course, there's more happening behind the scenes than Grace realizes.
05:38While the final twist is a jaw-dropper,
05:41nothing quite competes with the initial terror
05:44of seeing Aiden's not-so-lifeless body hanging from above.
05:57The bathroom is commonly cited as the most dangerous room,
06:00even if your house isn't haunted.
06:02Harrison Ford's Norman places his wife Claire in the bathtub,
06:05attempting to make her drowning appear self-inflicted.
06:08Claire is wearing a necklace that belonged to Madison,
06:11Norman's murdered lover.
06:13In one of cinema's stealthiest jump scares,
06:15Norman removes the necklace from Claire's neck,
06:26only to find Madison's ghoulish face staring back.
06:30If the audience weren't already sitting down,
06:32they'd jolt backward like Norman,
06:34who slips and accidentally slams his head on the sink.
06:37This ingeniously edited sequence merges supernatural horror
06:40with the real-world horror of bathroom accidents.
06:43Norman's fall looks and sounds like it genuinely hurt,
06:46although we can all agree he deserves the pain.
07:00Maud, or Katie as she once went by,
07:03is convinced that God has a greater purpose for her.
07:06Searching for that purpose, Maud becomes lost
07:09with her world turned sideways.
07:11Calling for guidance, Maud is pointed to the sky
07:14as she descends into insanity.
07:16Losing control of her body, Maud's agony is drowned out
07:19by the sounds of fireworks and water from the sink running over.
07:30Everything suddenly goes silent when Maud levitates off the floor.
07:34Some might say that this is a miracle.
07:36Seeing Maud draped in darkness, though,
07:39it's clear that something more demonic is pulling the strings.
07:42The question is whether it's a literal demon or an inner demon.
07:46Either way, Maud is more committed than ever to serving her master.
07:50Pinhead might be a good example of a character
07:53who is willing to take a leap of faith.
07:55But it's not a character who's willing to give up.
07:58He's a character who's willing to accept the reality
08:01and face it head-on.
08:03If you're interested in learning more about the character,
08:06check out our video on this topic.
08:08And if you're not, check out our other videos.
08:11And if you're not, check out our other videos.
08:14And if you're not, check out our other videos.
08:17You set me up.
08:19Pinhead might be the face of the Hellraiser franchise,
08:22but Frank Cotton is the true villain in the original classic.
08:25Wearing his brother's skin,
08:27Frank plans to slice up his niece Kirstie as a grand finale.
08:31It's Frank who's torn to pieces, however.
08:40Admitting to his sins, Frank answers to the Cenobites,
08:43who have a twisted punishment in store.
08:46It isn't enough to drag Frank back to Hell.
08:48The Cenobites ensure that he won't be going anywhere,
08:51wrapping him in chains and sinking their hooks in.
08:54As far as gore goes,
08:56Frank's demise contains some of the genre's most creatively grotesque imagery.
09:00The audience's skin crawls while Frank's is pulled away.
09:04As ghastly as this sight is,
09:06it's also deeply satisfying watching Frank's comeuppance.
09:09We have such sights to show you.
09:23We wouldn't call Robert Carlyle's Don the antagonist of this sequel.
09:27He's definitely not the hero, though.
09:29He establishes this early on
09:31when a young boy inadvertently leads the infected to Don,
09:34his wife Alice, and the other survivors.
09:36When Alice refuses to leave the boy behind,
09:39Don slams the door to save his own skin.
09:41Don gets out of the house,
09:43although the chase is just getting started.
09:45The infected sprint after him like zombified running backs.
09:48All the while, Alice screams for her husband,
09:51banging on the window.
09:59The chaotic editing, cinematography, and music reflect Don's snap decisions.
10:04Everything happens so quickly that Don has no time to think twice.
10:08He may have loved his wife,
10:10but self-preservation comes more naturally.
10:12From the moment a gator surfaces in the lake,
10:34we know how at least one character will inevitably exit the picture.
10:38We just weren't sure if it would be Bobby Lin.
10:40The gator is far from the most horrifying sight on this remote farm.
10:44That designation goes to the elderly Pearl,
10:47who has a vendetta against blondes.
10:55She's especially hostile towards Bobby Lin,
10:57despite her attempt to help Pearl.
10:59Bobby Lin just delivered the performance of a lifetime back at the guest house,
11:03while Pearl's dreams of stardom have faded.
11:05She doesn't realize it, but it was her last performance.
11:08Pushed into the water,
11:10Bobby Lin meets a watery grave as the gator goes straight for her head.
11:14Even if she had survived,
11:16her adult film days would be over.
11:30This Vincent Price classic contains one of cinema's earlier jump scares.
11:33Decades later, it's still one of the most unexpected.
11:39Spending the night in a supposedly haunted house,
11:43Nora is given the first sign that the $10,000 reward may not be worth it.
11:48Searching the house,
11:49Nora turns around to find a corpse-like figure lurking in the darkness.
11:59With dead eyes, crooked teeth and petrifying hair,
12:03this face will either leave you screaming like Nora or fainting in your seat.
12:07Admittedly, seeing the figure slide out of the room like she's on a moving walkway is a little silly.
12:13After the initial shock practically gave us a heart attack though,
12:16a touch of levity isn't unwelcome.
12:38Number 88
12:40If It Has To Be Done – Frailty
12:51Number 87
12:52Subway Tunnel – Possession
13:08Number 86
13:10The Bear – Annihilation
13:24Number 85
13:26Ali's Death – Terrifier 2
13:32In a market oversaturated with evil clowns,
13:34standing out isn't easy.
13:36This makes it all the more impressive that Art the Clown has become a contemporary horror icon.
13:41While part of that is thanks to his sick design and David Howard Thornton's performance,
13:45we're here for the mayhem and Art never falls short on that front.
13:49Breaking into Ali's house, Art mutilates her with tiny everyday objects.
13:54That sounds a tad goofy, which is appropriate for a clown.
13:57Don't underestimate how much damage items around the house can do.
14:01Whereas most villains would have been satisfied with taking Ali's scalp,
14:05Art keeps finding new ways to reshape her into a bloody pulp.
14:09Just when you think he's done, Art returns to rub salt in the wounds.
14:15Number 84
14:16Phony Therapist – Smile
14:25Number 83
14:26Mother On Fire – Pearl
14:36Number 82
14:38Nailed It – A Quiet Place
14:51Number 81
14:52The Doorway – Nosferatu
15:05Number 82
15:23Number 80
15:24Gabriel Malignant
15:31Madison is haunted by the enigmatic Gabriel,
15:34whom she initially believes to be a childhood imaginary friend.
15:37To an extent, Gabriel is in Madison's head.
15:40Just as significant, Gabriel also grew out of her head.
15:44On a VHS tape, we see a young Madison in the hospital.
15:47The camera casually moves around Madison,
15:49making it even more jolting when Gabriel is exposed on the other side.
16:01Revealed to be a parasitic twin,
16:03Gabriel has since been removed from Madison's back,
16:06but he continues to influence her.
16:08This is one of the rare horror movie twists that we can safely say few saw coming.
16:13Even if you did,
16:14Gabriel's introduction will leave everybody checking the back of their head
16:18to ensure nothing is there.
16:23Number 79
16:24Greetings From The Grabber – The Black Phone
16:34Number 78
16:36The Mermaid – The Lighthouse
16:53Number 77
16:54Lawnmower – Sinister
17:04Number 76
17:05Raining Blood – Nope
17:19Number 75
17:20The Stairs – Jew on the Grudge
17:34Most scary scenes are executed in a snap,
17:37giving the characters and the audience little time to react.
17:40In this scene, we see the advantage of slow building tension,
17:44which continues even after the big reveal.
17:47The spine-chilling sound effects are eerie enough
17:49as an upstairs door creaks open and something crawls down the stairs.
18:04The ghostly Kayako surfaces,
18:06growing more petrifying as her disfigured body is fully exposed.
18:10Rather than have Kayako leap out at Rika,
18:12the scene lets the terror stew,
18:14stressing that there's no point in running.
18:27Rika's fate has already been tied to Kayako,
18:30and trying to escape would only delay the inevitable.
18:33As powerless as Rika may feel,
18:35we also see how powerless Kayako felt as she took her last breath.
18:56Number 75
18:58Number 74
18:59Abandoned City – 28 Days Later
19:15Number 73
19:16Alien Hand – Signs
19:28Number 72
19:30Man With No Eyes – Jacob's Ladder
19:41Number 71
19:42Invite Me In – Let The Right One In
19:58Number 70
19:59Slice In An Eye – Un Chien Andalou
20:11This silent French short establishes its surreal tone
20:14as a man sharpens a razor and approaches a woman's eye.
20:17Don't worry, he doesn't slice it open.
20:19Instead, we cut to a calf's eye being slit.
20:22The film plays like a dream,
20:25which is essentially how it came to fruition, over a meal.
20:28Director Luis Buñuel told co-writer Salvador Dalí
20:31about a dream he had where the moon was sliced like an eyeball.
20:34Dalí recounted an equally bizarre dream about ants crawling on someone's hand.
20:38Whereas most people would end the conversation there,
20:41these two decided to make a movie.
20:43While the film isn't easily categorized,
20:45it could be seen as one of cinema's earliest examples of body horror,
20:49the eye being the most cringe-inducing shape.
20:52The eye being the most cringe-inducing shocker.
20:55Number 69
20:56Riley's Possession – Talk To Me
21:10Number 68
21:11The Torture – Audition
21:23Number 67
21:25Get Outta There – Zodiac
21:47Number 66
21:48The Stabbing – The Last House on the Left
21:53That's your fat baby.
22:07Number 65
22:09The Lootin' Bus – Cat People
22:11Don't you want me to walk you home?
22:13No thanks, I'm a big girl now and I'm not afraid.
22:16Well, goodnight.
22:17Goodnight.
22:18The most influential scene in this classic horror movie
22:21arguably doesn't involve cats, but a bus.
22:24Walking home, Irene senses that someone or something is stalking her.
22:29The suspense rises with every footstep Irene takes down a dark sidewalk.
22:41The otherwise dead-silent street is suddenly overcome with a hissing sound
22:45almost like a savage jungle cat.
22:47It's merely the bus, but by the time the audience realizes this,
22:50they're still catching their breath.
22:59Editor Mark Robson was largely responsible for this scene,
23:02emphasizing the air brake's sound effect.
23:04Robson inadvertently created a technique that came to be known as the Lootin' Bus,
23:09named after producer Val Luton.
23:11Today, we call it a jump scare, which this film helped popularize.
23:15Are you riding with me or ain't you?
23:20You look as if you've seen a ghost.
23:36The hills have eyes.
23:37We went into the mines.
23:41You set off your bombs.
23:45And turned everything to ashes.
24:03Oh, lousy.
24:05Shh.
24:14We have to go this way. Someone's there.
24:17I'm not going back there.
24:27Candyman.
24:28Candyman.
24:31Candyman.
24:35Candyman.
24:36With Candyman, you'll be lucky if those five words aren't your last.
24:40There have been a few variations on this idea,
24:42but the most impactful and iconic instance is Candyman's introduction
24:46when Clara nonchalantly says his name into a mirror.
24:49There's a slight delay as Clara turns off the lights,
24:52confident that this urban legend is just that, a legend.
24:55In the blink of an eye, Candyman appears behind her.
25:01Clara's demise takes place offscreen,
25:04but her blood dripping through the ceiling
25:06is all the evidence we need that Candyman is the real deal.
25:10He'll appear behind you, breathing down your neck.
25:13You wanna try it?
25:18Once...
25:21upon...
25:25a time.
25:34Martyrs.
26:01Who are you?
26:04Ahem.
26:10I'm not gonna be here much longer.
26:22No!
26:23No!
26:33You're like a cop, Emily,
26:35and you have this brute force strength
26:38that is so, so comforting.
26:43Scary movies have rules.
26:45If you go down a dark hallway or into the woods,
26:47you're gonna have a bad time.
26:49If you're in a public setting like a restaurant, though,
26:51there's nothing to fear,
26:53unless the enemy is invisible.
26:55We didn't even consider that last part
26:57until seeing the Invisible Man remake.
26:59For a brief instance,
27:01Cecilia feels secure as she sits across from her sister Emily,
27:04pleading for help.
27:05Cecilia's theory that her late partner is alive
27:08and stalking her in an invisible suit
27:10might be a tough pill to swallow,
27:12yet the truth is as apparent
27:14as the floating knife that slits Emily's throat.
27:16It has cameras, and it somehow...
27:19What?
27:20Framing Cecilia for the crime,
27:22we see more than ever that Adrian's reach knows no end.
27:40What's the matter?
27:41Where is my daughter?
27:47What have you done with my daughter?
27:49Are you mad?
27:51I am your daughter.
27:54You're not my daughter!
28:20What?
28:36Now...
28:39sink into the floor.
28:40Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
28:41Sink.
28:50Number 50,
28:51Zelda, Pet Sematary.
28:58This Stephen King adaptation
29:00admittedly isn't without its melodramatic moments,
29:02but the film takes a sharp turn into the nightmare zone
29:05when Rachel reminisces about her sister Zelda.
29:08Described as a dirty secret,
29:10Zelda is a bedridden, disfigured soul
29:12who's treated like a helpless animal.
29:14Rachel wishes Zelda would put everyone out of their misery
29:17and kick the bucket already,
29:18which is what inevitably happens.
29:21Even in death,
29:22Zelda continues to haunt Rachel
29:24as she's lured upstairs by her sister's horrific voice.
29:27Andrew Hubacek's transformative,
29:29spine-tingling performance as Zelda
29:31makes the audience twist in their seats
29:33whenever he's on screen.
29:35I'm going to twist your back like mine,
29:38so you'll never get out of bed again.
29:42Never get out of bed again.
29:45Never get out of bed again!
29:48Number 49,
29:49The Ending, Paranormal Activity.
29:53Number 48,
29:54A Nighttime Visit, The Babadook.
30:00Number 47,
30:01Hobbling, Misery.
30:03Trust me.
30:04God's sake.
30:06It's for the best.
30:07Annie, please!
30:08Number 46,
30:09Emerging from the Tent,
30:10A Field in England.
30:19Number 45,
30:22He's Still There,
30:23Friday the 13th.
30:25Jason Voorhees has become a mascot
30:27for the Friday the 13th franchise,
30:29not to mention a staple of the horror genre in general.
30:32People often forget, however,
30:33that Jason was barely in the original slasher classic.
30:36This makes it all the more alarming
30:38when Jason surfaces from Crystal Lake,
30:40pulling Alice down with him
30:42into the unforgiving waters.
30:49Alice wakes up in the hospital safe and sound,
30:51but soon comes to the realization
30:53that Jason is still out there,
30:55preparing to strike back in an onslaught of sequels.
30:58For a film that was written off as trashy
31:00and gratuitously violent upon release,
31:03the final shot is surprisingly understated
31:05and unsettling,
31:06leaving us with a feeling of dread.
31:09Number 44,
31:10Walking Through the Subway,
31:12Cloverfield.
31:13Another night vision.
31:14What?
31:15It's right here.
31:16I know.
31:17It's right here.
31:18All right.
31:19There.
31:23Is it on?
31:24Number 43,
31:25The Birth,
31:26The Fly.
31:31Number 42,
31:32The Ritual,
31:33The House of the Devil.
31:40Number 41,
31:41The Bathroom,
31:42The Orphanage.
31:48Number 40,
31:49The TV,
31:50The Ring.
31:59As scary as these scenes get,
32:01we can take comfort in knowing that it's only a movie,
32:03and whatever happens on the screen
32:05can't hurt us in real life,
32:07right?
32:08This movie plays with our fears,
32:10suggesting that watching a video
32:12can indeed bring your days to an end.
32:14It culminates in the now famous climax
32:16in which Noah finds himself unable to turn off the TV,
32:19with a familiar well appearing on screen.
32:27The scene slowly builds tension
32:29as the grisly Samara rises from her watery grave
32:32and limps forward.
32:33We dare you to keep your jaw shut
32:35when Samara crawls out of the television,
32:37claiming Noah's life with a haunting death glare.
32:47Number 39,
32:49Abandoned Hospital,
32:51One Missed Call.
32:58Number 38,
32:59Drag to Hell,
33:00Drag Me to Hell.
33:06Number 37,
33:07Claustrophobia,
33:08The Vanishing.
33:14Number 36,
33:15Climax,
33:16Carnival of Souls.
33:30Number 35,
33:31The Tall Man,
33:32It Follows.
33:36In this instant cult classic,
33:38our protagonist is stalked by a mysterious figure
33:41that acts as a metaphor for sexual transmission.
33:43This entity takes on an assortment of creepy forms throughout the film,
33:46making each of its appearances sudden and shocking.
33:54One of the entity's most disturbing personas
33:56is a tall man played by the Lake Mike Lanier.
33:58Emerging from the shadows,
34:00this giant strikes fear into the audience
34:02with his mounting physique,
34:04but it's his gouged out eyes that stand out the most.
34:07Everything's okay.
34:10The fact that Jay is seemingly the only one who can see this foe
34:15further contributes to the paranoia.
34:17No matter where Jay runs,
34:19the entity will never be far behind.
34:22Number 34,
34:23The Witch in the Cave,
34:25The Witch.
34:33Number 33,
34:34Sloth,
34:35Seven.
34:40He's alive! He's alive!
34:45Number 32,
34:46Look Behind You,
34:47The Strangers.
34:55Number 31,
34:56Sacrifice,
34:57The Wicker Man.
35:10Number 30,
35:11Georgie Meets Pennywise,
35:13It.
35:19Anyone who read Stephen King's original novel
35:21or saw the 1990 It miniseries
35:23already knew Georgie's fate going into this 2017 adaptation.
35:27Nevertheless,
35:28that didn't detract from the film's opening scene,
35:30which only took the terror to another level.
35:33Searching a storm drain for his boat,
35:35Georgie encounters a pair of yellow eyes
35:37that belong to Pennywise.
35:39Wearing a sinister grin,
35:41the dancing clown manages to be eerie
35:43while also being playful,
35:45sending serious Stranger Danger vibes.
35:47I should get going now.
35:51Without your boat?
35:52The hair on our arms raises
35:54as Georgie reaches for his boat
35:56and Pennywise sinks his teeth in.
35:58We can't think of a more traumatizing
36:00or fitting way to start a film
36:02about the end of childhood innocence.
36:08Number 29,
36:10Mirror Jump Scare,
36:12Repulsion.
36:17Number 28,
36:18Night Vision,
36:19The Silence of the Lambs.
36:27Number 27,
36:28Wardrobe Scare,
36:29The Conjuring.
36:38Number 26,
36:39Game Over,
36:40Saw.
36:48Number 25,
36:49The Nurse Station,
36:50The Exorcist 3.
36:52After the disappointment of Exorcist 2,
36:54William Peter Blatty delivered a superior sequel
36:56that still didn't top the original,
36:58but did have some worthy scares nonetheless.
37:01This scene starts off by submerging the audience
37:03into a false sense of security.
37:05Nothing especially ominous seems to be afoot
37:07as we watch a nurse lock up for the night.
37:09Then, without warning,
37:11we leap to the end of the hallway
37:13where a sheeted killer approaches the nurse from behind,
37:15armed with shears.
37:22We may not see any gore,
37:24but the beheaded Jesus sculpture tells us everything.
37:27This brilliantly shot sequence
37:29puts an atmospheric spin on jump scares,
37:31practically grabbing a hold of the audience
37:33and pulling them into danger.
37:39Number 24,
37:40The Attic,
37:41Hereditary.
37:49Number 23,
37:50The Baby,
37:51Eraserhead.
37:58Number 22,
37:59Night Vision,
38:00The Descent.
38:04Number 21,
38:06The Ending,
38:07Wreck.
38:10Number 20,
38:11The Devil Impregnates Rosemary,
38:13Rosemary's Baby.
38:21Being sexually assaulted after passing out
38:23is already one of the most appalling concepts imaginable.
38:26The circumstances are made even more distressing, however,
38:29when the assaulter is Satan himself.
38:32The lines between reality and insanity are blurred
38:35when Rosemary appears to drift off into a bizarre dream.
38:38Our anxiety escalates
38:40as Rosemary finds herself strapped down in a bed,
38:42surrounded by her husband and neighbors,
38:45all of whom are entirely nude.
38:50The most we ever see of the devil
38:52is a close-up of his hellish reptilian eyes,
38:54which his offspring will eventually inherit.
38:57With unreal visuals and an intense musical score,
39:00anyone watching this scene can't help but feel unclean
39:03while watching the vulnerable Rosemary.
39:10Number 19,
39:11Transformation,
39:12An American Werewolf in London.
39:25Number 18,
39:26The Nanny's Death,
39:27The Omen.
39:30It's all for you!
39:33Number 17,
39:34Back from the Grave,
39:35Carrie.
39:41Number 16,
39:42The Figure Behind the Diner,
39:44Mulholland Drive.
39:50Number 15,
39:51Do You Like Scary Movies?
39:53Scream.
39:54You like scary movies?
39:55Uh-huh.
39:56What's your favorite scary movie?
39:58Uh, I don't know.
40:00This opening scene has echoes of When a Stranger Calls and Psycho,
40:03while also poking fun at other scary movies.
40:06But, even at its most self-referential,
40:09the scene remains utterly original.
40:11A phone call goes from light-hearted to heart-pounding
40:14when it becomes clear that Drew Barrymore's Casey is not alone.
40:17You never told me your name.
40:19Why do you want to know my name?
40:21Because I want to know who I'm looking at.
40:25What did you say?
40:26The fate of Casey and her detained boyfriend
40:28boils down to a trivia game that ends in failure.
40:32If you think this movie wouldn't dare kill off its biggest star
40:34within the first several minutes,
40:36Ghostface asserts up front that he does not play by the rules.
40:40For anyone who assumed that horror was dead in 1996,
40:43this scene proved there was still plenty of life left in the genre.
40:51Number 14,
40:52Blood Hanging,
40:53Suspiria.
40:57Screaming
41:02Number 13,
41:03Nancy's School Dream,
41:04A Nightmare on Elm Street.
41:06It's only a dream!
41:08Come to Freddy's.
41:10Number 12,
41:11Going Swimming,
41:12Jaws.
41:22Number 11,
41:23Hiding in the Closet,
41:24Halloween.
41:27Screaming
41:33Number 10,
41:34Linda Possessed,
41:35The Evil Dead.
41:36We're gonna get you.
41:39We're gonna get you.
41:42Not another pee.
41:44When it hit theaters in 1981,
41:46there hadn't been a low-budget horror flick quite like The Evil Dead.
41:50The movie was unapologetically gruesome,
41:52but also had a dark sense of humor that reveled in its goofiness.
41:55As a result, people rarely knew whether to scream or laugh.
41:59This scene is a key example of what makes The Evil Dead such a unique addition to the horror library.
42:11Just when it looks like Ash's night can't possibly get any worse,
42:14he discovers that his girlfriend Linda is turning into a deadite.
42:18The makeup effects give Linda the appearance of a possessed doll,
42:21and her shrieking laughter matches the sentiment,
42:24sending the audience into a hysterical state.
42:27Shut up!
42:33Number 9,
42:34The Clown,
42:35Poltergeist.
42:42This scene touches upon two phobias for the price of one.
42:45Pedophobia, or the fear of dolls,
42:47and Coolrophobia, the fear of clowns.
42:50The filmmakers overwhelm us with jitters,
42:52as Robbie sends his clown doll a suspicious glance.
42:55The second time he looks around,
42:57the inanimate object has vanished.
42:59Although we know what's coming,
43:01we are still unprepared as the clown coils its arm around Robbie,
43:05and drags him under the bed.
43:13Even if you don't have a fear of dolls or clowns,
43:15this toy was designed to give everyone the heebie-jeebies.
43:19Considering how this scene tormented an entire generation of children,
43:22we can see why the PG-13 rating was introduced one month after this film's release.
43:42Few cinematic moments have been parodied more times than the shower scene from Psycho.
43:46There's even a feature-length documentary that breaks down its genius and impact.
44:01No matter how much we talk about that scene though,
44:03it always somehow catches us off guard.
44:06We feel a knot in the pit of our stomachs
44:09every time a dark figure moves closer to the bathing Marion.
44:12Once the shower curtain is pulled back,
44:14Bernard Herrmann's piercing musical score kicks in.
44:21The cinematography makes us feel as if we're in this confined space alongside Marion,
44:25as the life is stabbed out of her.
44:27This sequence left actress Janet Leigh forever skeptical of showers,
44:31and she wasn't the only one.
44:34Don't look now is a film with so many motifs and such clever symbolism
44:38that you'll appreciate it even more after multiple viewings.
44:41The color red in particular plays a prominent role throughout the film.
44:45Spotting a short figure wearing a red coat,
44:47the grieving John is reminded of his deceased daughter.
44:50At first, the red coat appears inviting,
44:52as if it'll lead John to some form of connection.
44:55But as time goes on,
44:57the red coat becomes more and more obvious.
45:04I'm a friend.
45:07I won't hurt you.
45:08The color red turns out to be a warning though,
45:10as John is guided to his own demise.
45:13In the end, it turns out the red hooded figure wasn't a lost child,
45:17but a repulsive looking little person concealing a meat cleaver.
45:20With that, the bell tolls for John.
45:24Wait.
45:34The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
45:40While it was advertised as a true story,
45:42this slasher flick's plot is more fictional than fact.
45:45Even Ed Gein, the murderer who inspired Leatherface had a different MO.
45:49That being said,
45:50the idea of a maniac chopping up victims with a chainsaw
45:53isn't at all far-fetched,
45:55which gave the film a sense of gritty realism.
45:58Nowhere is this more apparent than during the pulse-pounding finale,
46:01as Sally literally runs for her life.
46:09Fortunately, a trucker runs over the hitchhiker,
46:11while Sally narrowly evades Leatherface by hopping aboard another vehicle.
46:15The chaotic staging and low-grade production values
46:18actually work to the scene's advantage,
46:20giving it the authenticity of a documentary
46:22with a blood-curdling final shot.
46:32When it comes to body horror,
46:34CGI just cannot produce the same results as practical effects,
46:37which are simply more revolting,
46:39cringe-inducing,
46:40and inventive.
46:41Take this jaw-dropping scene from The Thing, for example,
46:44as Norris's ribcage sprouts a set of teeth
46:47and bites off Copper's arms.
46:49Clear!
46:50Clear!
46:51Clear!
46:52Clear!
46:53Clear!
46:54Clear!
46:55Clear!
46:56Clear!
46:57Clear!
46:58Clear!
46:59Clear!
47:01One second, you're jumping out of your seat in shock.
47:03The next, you're asking yourself
47:05how the hell did the filmmakers pull this stunt off?
47:08The sequence packs in even more technical wizardry,
47:10as the chest vomits out a snake-like creature,
47:13while Norris's head detaches and grows spider legs.
47:17Well, at least it's nothing a flamethrower can't fix.
47:19Bloody disgusting and bloody brilliant,
47:22horror doesn't get much more creative than this.
47:31I'm gonna die out here.
47:33The Blair Witch Project is another horror film
47:35with the essence of a home movie,
47:37but to an even greater extent.
47:39Coming out when the found footage genre
47:41and the internet were fairly young,
47:43the filmmakers tricked numerous moviegoers
47:45into believing the three protagonists were really missing.
47:48All I'm saying is that you got us lost, man.
47:50For a very brief amount of time.
47:52This largely contributed to the sense of dread
47:55in the film's climax,
47:56as Heather and Mike stumble upon an abandoned house
47:59in search of their missing colleague Josh.
48:02Where is he?
48:03Where are you?
48:04The amateur cinematography and convincing performances
48:07fully immerse the audience,
48:08as Heather finds Mike standing in a corner
48:11before an unseen force attacks her.
48:13When the scene goes black on this ambiguous ending,
48:16it's quiet enough in the audience to hear a pin drop.
48:19Ah!
48:20Ah!
48:21Ah!
48:22Ah!
48:23Ah!
48:28Number 3.
48:29The Bathtub, The Shining.
48:37Interestingly enough,
48:38Jack Torrance isn't the scariest character
48:40in Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of The Shining.
48:42That distinction goes to the woman in the bathtub.
48:45Beginning from Jack's point of view,
48:47this scene escorts us into room 237's bathroom,
48:50where a bathing beauty awaits.
48:52The dull look on Jack's face becomes aroused
48:54as the naked woman climbs out of the tub
48:57and puts her hands on him.
48:58Matters take a total 180 turn
49:00when Jack looks in the mirror
49:02and realizes he's kissing an old, saggy corpse.
49:05The movie doesn't spell out who this woman is
49:08or even the purpose behind this encounter.
49:10All we need to know though
49:12is that it's a masterstroke of surreal suspense.
49:17Oh!
49:18Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
49:21Help!
49:22Number 2.
49:23The Chestburster, Alien.
49:30Alien is not only regarded as one of the best sci-fi movies of all time,
49:34but also one of the best horror movies ever made.
49:36The Nostromo is essentially a haunted house
49:39and this scene delivers the film's first major scare.
49:42A celebratory dinner is spoiled
49:44as Cain convulses and an alien creature bursts out of his chest.
49:48Although the cast members knew the chestburster was coming,
49:51they were not prepared for the amount of blood splattering everywhere.
49:54The petrified looks on the actors' faces are completely genuine,
49:58which in turn left audiences wearing similar expressions.
50:01In space, no one can hear you scream.
50:04At the movies, however, you can hear an entire auditorium erupt in fright.
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50:39There was probably never any doubt that The Exorcist would top this list.
50:42Between Linda Blair's immortal performance as the possessed Regan,
50:45Mercedes McCambridge's menacing voiceover work as the demon Pazuzu,
50:49the revolutionary special effects and the sickening makeup,
50:52William Friedkin's horror masterpiece has no shortage of terror-inducing scenes.
50:57If we have to single out one moment that encompasses the film in all of its ghastly glory,
51:01it would have to be Regan's iconic headspin.
51:05Turning 360 degrees while Father Merrin tries to purge the evil presence from her body,
51:09Regan's flexible neck still has a squirming over 50 years later.
51:13The crackling sound design only adds to this chilling scene.
51:34Which horror movie scene continues to haunt your nightmares?
51:37Let us know in the comments if you dare.
51:50Did you enjoy this video?
51:52Check out these other clips from WatchMojo
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52:04Thanks for watching.

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