Posted
January 22nd, 2018
Some movies live or die on a collection of scenes -- or one particular bit of business that instantly becomes iconic. For horror movies, that is very true -- as these films prove with some of the scariest moments your eyes have ever seen. Obviously, trigger warning here.- 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991)When Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) realizes she's in the home of serial killer Buffalo Bill, she pursues him into the basement, where she's plunged into complete darkness. We hold our breath as the killer (wearing night vision goggles) comes within touching of distance of her...
- 'The Sixth Sense' (1999)We know poor Cole (Haley Joel Osment) sees dead people, but we still jump a mile when a vomiting ghost of a little girl (Mischa Barton) invades his sanctuary tent.
- 'Signs' (2002)Before this M. Night Shyamalan thriller falls completely apart, it packs a number of intense scares. One of our favorites? The first time we glimpse an alien on Mel Gibson's roof. But the scene that really got our heart going? Seeing that creepy, alien hand reaching out from under the pantry door! Augh!
- '[REC]' (2007)In this Spanish horror movie (remade as "Quarantine"), a reporter and her cameraman have somehow survived a terrifying night in a building full of zombies. And then one of them breaks the camera's light, leaving only night vision to the person with the camera. Those last few seconds...
- 'The Conjuring' (2013)Lili Taylor's family in this excellent haunted house film likes to play a "clap clap" game of hide and seek. Which is fun, except when she's the only one home and a "clap clap" comes out of nowhere!
- 'The Conjuring' (2013)Another huge jump scare: One of the girls hears a knock from inside the wardrobe. When she cautiously investigates, her younger sister points up -- to the creepy ghoul on top of the wardrobe!
- 'Jaws' (1975)The biggest jump scare in Steven Spielberg's blockbuster occurs when Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) does a night-time dive to look for the shark. Instead, he finds a sunken boat, never expecting a severed head to pop out of it!
- 'The Strangers' (2008)Try not to scream/cry at the screen when Liv Tyler is completely unaware that a masked psycho is inside her house.
- 'The Ring' (2002)Fifteen years later, Samara slowly crawling out of the TV is still one of the most terrifying moments in horror films. Hands up if you were a little bit afraid of your own TV after watching this for the first time.
- 'Pet Sematary' (1989)
Yes, a resurrected kitty and razor-wielding toddler are scary, but they're nowhere near as disturbing as the nightmare flashbacks to Rachel (Denise Crosby)'s invalid sister, Zelda. Who, incidentally, was played by a man.
- 'Jacob's Ladder' (1990)There are so many strange and unsettling images in this film, in which Vietnam vet Tim Robbins keeps having disturbing visions. But the bizarre demon glimpsed at the back of a subway train really haunts our nightmares.
- 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (1974)If you can watch the meat hook scene without screaming (or fainting or vomiting), you might want to check if you're still breathing.
- 'The Thing' (1982)We'd already seen a shape-shifting alien kill several of the cast, but we still screamed when Cooper (Richard Dysart) went to revive an unconscious Norris (Charles Hallahan) ... and got his arms bitten off. By Norris' stomach! Augh!
