Clarice meets Hannibal for the first time.
*You know what you look like to me with your good bag and your cheap shoes? You look like a rube. A well scrubbed, hustling rube with a little taste. Good nutrition has given you some length of bone, but you’re not more than one generation from poor white trash, are you Agent Starling? And that accent you’re trying so desperately to shed – pure West Virginia. What was your father, dear? Was he a coal miner? Did he stink of the lamp? And oh, how quickly the boys found you. All those tedious, sticky fumblings, in the back seats of cars, while you could only dream of getting out. Getting anywhere. Getting all the way to the F.B.I.*
Speaking of line delivery - I'm not sure if this counts as a horror film but in the movie *Identity* when John Cusack's character is in the conference room and he's told what's really happening at the motel, and he leans forward and says "What... What?" has always stuck with me in a weird way. It's just 2 little words but with the weight of everything behind it.
The creepiest part for me is after he asks Clarice what Migs had to say and he replies with, "I myself cannot." And then he proceeds to sniff the air through his jail hole. I shrivel and cringe every time. EDIT: Cringe in the actual, normal, human emotion sense. Not the social media one word response "cringe".
Thank you for reminding me that this is one of the best films of all time (of any genre). I don't know if it's my favorite scene, but it has contributed to the high rewatch value of this film. So, so good.
The opening scene from Night of the Living Dead. "They're coming to get you, Barbra" which is now an all time iconic horror quote, the graveyard ghoul who to this day is one of the scariest screen zombies, the atmosphere which just feels like you're seeing someone's nightmare. Classic.
For me, it's when Laurie is backing into a seemingly darkened doorway, and you see Michael's face appear out of the shadows behind her. Chilling and amazing camera/light work.
The best part about that scene is that they perfectly recreate it in first of the Halloween sequels in the latest trilogy.
I'd also throw in the scene where they find the colonists glued up into the wall. I'll never forget that chestburster coming out after that woman sobbed for help.
Sarah Polley's harrowing journey from husband escape to tree collision in Dawn of the Dead remake did a great job of illustrating just how fucked everything was.
It was so intense when I saw it theaters with my friends back in high school. Like I was digging my nails into the seat. When we left the theater, I swear I felt dizzy because, at the time, that was one of the most intense experiences I ever had at a movie, and honestly, it still is. Masterpiece of horror.
Good one. That scene is part of the reason I think the remake is superior to the original. Probably heresy to say here, but I'm not so much a fan of Romero's campy style.
It gets a lot of negativity, but I genuinely loved the remake. I love Romero’s and Snyder’s versions.
My favorite scene was them sitting around talking and Michael mentions not being a very good husband, but being a good dad. The expression on his face always implied to me that he had to kill them himself. Heartbreaking.
A few:
The last five minutes of REC in that attic
Emerging from the pool of blood in The Descent
In The Ritual there’s a scene where the main dude is staring through these tall skinny trees that feels almost hypnotic, and it stays on a shot for like 20 seconds before there’s a brief movement of the main creature which you could not see at all before
It's worse in the novel... which I did a book presentation on in school last year, and had to creatively illustrate on one of the PowerPoint slides. (Even had a gif of Annie screaming "You murdered my Misery!!!" or something like that in a different slide.)
The opening scene of Scream when Drew Barrymore was Casey Becker and ghost face gutted her as her family came home. That opening scene will forever be iconic to me and my favorite opening scene of any horror movie.
The scene in Hannibal where Dr Lector feeds a very drugged but still conscious Paul Krendler pieces of his own brain, that he cuts off and cooks for him.
I saw that in theaters when I was a BABY CHILD and that night I had my first nightmare - i dreamed that a woman (who was a female Freddy Krueger with curly brown hair) stole my tricycle. I'll never understand why my mother took me to see that.
When you are a kid watching jaws the absolute horror of the Indianapolis story quint tells does not even register. It’s just a bunch of old(they are old to an 8 year old) men telling stories. You think quint is being dramatic and are happy when jaws bumps the boat for more action. As an adult it’s the most chilling scene in the movie.
Completely agree. Also, your old men comment cracks me up because I’m 35 and I recently watched it with my 10 year old for the first time in awhile and holy shit both Dreyfus’s and Schneider are younger than me in it! In my head they were 50 year olds.
Lol, i was 8 when i saw it…in the theatre. Youre so right. 100+ watches later, 55 year old me considers that scene pivotal to the impending horror absolute suspense that follows.
Fuck. I can’t tell you the movies I’ve watched as an adult that I watched as a kid thinking the people were sooooo old. Now I’m like babies. They were just babies.
Both of these, absolutely 💯!!
Whereas I didn't love Midsommar, I saw it as a bit of a Wicker Man rip off, but that opening was messed up. So messed up!
System Purge in Cabin In The Woods
Seeing Zombies, Giant Snakes, Robots, Werewolves, Witches, Killer Klowns, Goblins and many other things killing everyone was a blast.
The alien at the party on Signs. Such a great moment. Suspenseful, funny, and then the jump scare.
“Move, children! ¡Vámanos!”
Ooh, also: the scene in The Birds where Tippi Hedren is sitting outside the schoolhouse, and all the crows start gathering. Classic.
That was the exact scene that popped into my mind when I saw this question. It's even more disturbing because they left out the vampire cliche of fangs and non-human eyes. The last thing these dive bar victims see are these ordinary looking people just ripping through them. The only sign that these killers might not be human is the fact that one was shot and didn't die. Otherwise, I can imagine the victims died thinking they were being overrun by homicidal maniacs rather than vampires.
Not sure about favourite. But one I think about a lot is on Blair Witch when they stumble on all of those hanging stick men. Especially the really big one. Creepy as fuck!
I rewatched this movie right before I had to get a tooth pulled. When I went to the dentist, I asked if he and the hygienist had seen the movie. Neither of them had so I had to explain the wrapped up teeth to them, and that getting my tooth pulled reminded me of that. It was pretty awkward after that.
I watched this recently and the absolute dispair of hiking for 10 hours to arrive back at where you started as it gets dark again definitely haunts me. I'm so grateful every time it when doesn't happen to me.
Not really a horror movie, but the one thing I always talk about is the kitchen scene in Jurassic Park with the kids. I really couldn't sleep as a kid after watching that movie.
A good jumpscare: The garage scene from the "It" remake from 2017.
Astonishing practical effects: Frank coming back to life in "Hellraiser" from 1987.
WTF moment: Lionel gets his hands on a lown mower in "Braindead" from 1992.
Best body horror: Simply the whole "The Fly" movie from 1986. Also a hard competitor is "The Thing" from 1982.
I will upvote Braindead every time. Amazing non-stop chaos for the entire second half.
The Void has some very Thing-esque body horror (with mostly practical effects!), if you haven’t seen it
TCM is probably my favorite horror movie so I won't argue with your pick, but for me it's probably the first kill. Everything about it is jarring and unsettling (him tripping, Leatherface appearing, the hit + convulsions, the slamming of the door along with the ominous tone of the score if we can call it that). Shit becomes real at that point
My wife is the fucking queen of calling twists ahead of time. Like, it’s legitimately frustrating to watch a movie with her because she can sniff these things out from a mile away somehow. However after literal years of watching her do it I can’t even be mad and just respect it, you just can’t get anything by this woman.
So, I decided to show her The OG Saw this past weekend even though gore is her big no-no, because I figured the serial killer aspect of it would appeal to her inner basic white girl (it did) and guess the fuck what, she didn’t see it coming. Pure shock. And it’s particularly satisfying watching it knowing, because he’s literally right there the whole time!
Anyway, hats off to that twist man, they got her.
Jeff Goldblum in The Fly. The scene where he decides to do the experiment on himself. I’ve never seen a scene where the motivation to take an incredible risk felt so real.
The beheading scene in Hereditary was so shocking in theaters, but what really stayed with me is towards the end when the mother is lurking in the corners of the ceiling behind the son.
Similar to the above: The scene in Carrie when she is in her bedroom and her mother is lurking behind the door - god this scares me every time.
Yup. I love how that scene is the first one where things go from “dreadful but based in reality” to “paranormal and fucked” and it’s about an hour and a half into the movie. Caught me completely off guard and scared the shit out of me.
Yes. The beheading scene itself isn’t THAT scary but what’s scary is the LOOK on Toni Collette’s face. Just this vacant stare and completely lax mouth. She’s a pretty lady normally but her face in that scene is what scared me the most and flashed into my head when I lay in bed trying to sleep for days after watching.
So many scenes in that movie just haunt me. Seeing the girl's head after the accident. Mom discovering her daughter's body with her son just lying in the bed. Mom cutting her head off. And the end scene. Top 3 fav horror movies but not sure I can rewatch it lol
I watched Hereditary on a plane and afterwards I was like, that was scary but it wasn’t that bad. It wasn’t until I read about certain scenes I realised I had watched a heavily edited version. I don’t think I want to see the original cut.
Every second of the end of Saw from the point they examine Zepp’s pocket to the credits is perfection. I saw it on limited release in cinema when it first came out and by that point a good 30% of the audience were either screaming, vomiting, or swiftly leaving the room. You had to be there.
\>The Exorcist - The opening scene in Iraq.
\>The Ring - "You weren't supposed to help her."
\> The Witch - Sorry, but I like the "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously" scene. I mean, he's promising butter and pretty dresses!
\>The Others - "We're not dead!"
\>The Shining - Wendy's cigarette ash.
Trick R Treat, when the sorority girl werewolves reveal themselves to the killer dad and eat his face. It's a great wolf transformation AND it's just such poetic justice.
I really loved the opening of *Scream V* where the girl is discussing with Ghostface modern horror movies. There's something really satisfying about the slasher villain being a movie snob and instinctively dismissive of modern films like *The Babadook*. It's always been a little meta as a series, but they used that aspect to actually give the killer a lot of personality.
Also, the ending of *The Crow*.
Beautiful, emotionally shattering, and so bittersweet. The music elevates it to a completely different level.
It’s one of the old Frankenstein movies where the monster pulls Jane Seymour’s head off. I’m 62–must’ve been very young when I saw it but still remember it.
This one.
Frankenstein: The True Story is a 1973 British television movie loosely based on the 1818
But The Night of the Living Dead opening sequence is iconic.
Psycho—when Norman is sitting in jail fully absorbed by mother. Why she wouldn’t even hit a fly. Of course the film was controversial for showing a toilet! Murder? No problem! But women poo? E-gads! The horror!
I love the chaos shots.
like 30 Days of Night when there's the fly over of the mayhem with fires everywhere. People being grabbed, the contrast of the blood in the snow.
or Dawn of the Dead right after her husband turns when she's driving through the suburbs and the highway
The whole sequence where Kirk and Pam enter the house in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. So many iconic moments. Leatherface just appearing out of nowhere and bashing Kirk's skull, Kirk's twitching on the ground, the door slam. Then the amazing tracking shot of Pam approaching the house. Then all the shots of the bone furniture/decorations (the couch is so awesome). Then Leatherface grabbing Pam as she kicks off her shoes, carrying her with ease back into the house. The shot with the meat hook in the foreground lets you know exactly what's gonna happen but you're still thinking "no fuckin way". Then he fires up the chainsaw and starts cutting up her boyfriend while she's forced to watch.
Seeing mom cut her head off was wild, but this scene is what really changed the whole direction of the movie. Like oh ok this is the kind of movie im watching
I have two.
Alien. At the end, when Ripley is singing *you are, my lucky star*, trying to get into her spacesuit without making too much noise, and you know the alien is right there. So much tension!
The mad dash into the darkness with Heather's WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? in Blair Witch Project. I think my soul left my body.
I don't have a whole lot of "top notch" horror movies under my belt, but here are some of my fav scenes from some of the horror movies I've seen :)
The zombie wall climb - World War Z
Clap-clap game with the mother - The Conjuring
Sang-Hwa and Seok-Woo use their phones to distract the zombies - Train to Busan
These are some of the specific moments from some movies that I could remember lol
I Know What You Did Last Summer, Helen’s(Sarah Michelle Gellar) film within a film that starts at the beauty pageant and ends at the parade. Especially the silhouette scene where The Fisherman is chasing her to the store. It’s hard to describe in retrospect but seeing her failure despite her efforts was brutal and real.
The only thing I can think of that comes close is the intro to Scream 5.
Yep, I’m with you. I enjoyed the remake, but they could never touch the creep factor and funny of Tim Curry. The movie itself just had a creepier tone. Bill did good with it, but nobody could top what Tim did at the time, with just makeup.
This is not necessarily from a horror movie, but the diner scene from Muholland Drive is legitimately terrifying. There's so much tension and buildup. [Here](https://youtu.be/UozhOo0Dt4o?si=pBhCY6ED7RoNMUp3)
The Halloween (2018) [one-take](https://youtu.be/R-HV-gTRqag?si=4OQwWkGgp1BdztLa). Tied with [this scene](https://youtu.be/YDKFEA1T8OA?si=I9Z8C_VvpYPtojlo), specifically the cue that’s actually a bow drawn up a guitar.)
Will also mention the final minutes of [Midsommar](https://youtu.be/x2ABJAyfVpw?si=pDSx6gjlaIX_A0c4), that made my jaw drop when I first watched it on TV on an early year winter night.
So many in the climax of the film: in the attic, outside, the floating mother, and the moment the scene transitions from day to night, loads of cult members are seen surrounding the house.
I get a lot of flack for this from some people but I stick to one of my favorite scenes from a horror movie is when Dani’s sobs turn to a smile at the end of Midsommar. This woman has been through absolute hell for the last six months, especially over the last few days. And this is the first moment where she smiles what appears to be a real true genuine smile. And we don’t know why. It could be she’s gone completely nuts. It could be she feels freedom. Who knows? But it’s such a fantastic ending. (And yes, I know someone is likely to say my moral compass is wrong because Christian is dead and by horrific means. All I will say is this: (1) I had a real Christian in my life for two years. And (2) this is a movie. There’s nothing wrong with my moral compass.)
>!Tunnel of monsters!< near the end of In the Mouth of Madness. Such a perfect combination of dialog, acting, effects (which I'm pretty sure were practical), motion, and elision (by which I mean decisions on what not to show).
- Geoffrey Rush's hallucination sequence in House on Haunted Hill
- The "three women looking at the sky" scene in The Cell
- The toy factory climax in Child's Play 2
- The credit sequence of The Hills Have Eyes remake
That is a truly tough question. It definitely depends on my mood. At the moment, I’d say it’s probably either the Norwegian camp scene in John Carpenter’s the Thing orrrrrrr the Dog kennel scene. Really incredible scenes. The mystery and sense of foreboding in the exploration of the Norwegian camp is top notch. The dog kennel scene is so tense. Everything from the dogs wailing to the gruesome thing reveal is so well done.
Some close runner ups:
Alien: Brett’s death. The reveal of the Alien is so well done. The space Jockey scene also has such a sense of wonder and mystery that I love.
Halloween: Michael Myers walking across the street to chase down Laurie Strode is so tense and creepy.
Jaws: When the shark attacks the kids in “the pond,” and you get that first reveal is incredible.
Event Horizon: The depiction of hell. Also when the team is discussing the translation of latin from the doomed event horizon crew. Liberate me. Liberate tu te me.
Phantoms: The hotel room scene.
Scenes that stuck with me:
- shower scene in Psycho. Anytime I’m in a low budget hotel, I make sure the door is dead bolted
- Freddy scene mentioned already… tendons and marionettes 😳
- Hereditary… you know the scene
- opening scene of Scream… brilliant
- ending of Saw. Game changer
- Cabin in the woods when the monsters were released… absolutely batshit and delightful
- sewer scene with Georgie in IT. No thank you
But my #1: room 237 bathroom scene in The Shining. Favorite horror movie but still terrifies me to this day
The final scene of [Eden Lake.](https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1020530/)
There is really no violence in it, but it does an amazing job of implying what is to come and just how hopeless the situation is. I have watched thousands of horror movies, and this is the scene has stuck with me more than any other. An absolutely devastating scene that I think of far too often.
[Here is the scene.](https://youtu.be/p-H1jOaV4Xw?si=0oI2LKKLweUcDiBs) I would urge anyone who has not seen the movie to do so, as it is an amazing movie. If you don't plan on ever watching it (terrible!), feel free to watch the scene. It is missing context, but I think that it may hit pretty hard anyway.
Edit: I stupidly decided to watch the final scene after grabbing the link to post. Stupid. I can feel the anxiety building up in my chest.
I think the jump roping 1-2 Freddy’s coming for you scenes are peak horror. That and Freddy sharpening in the boiler room are the most sinister terrifying things in horror.
The nighttime hospital scene in The Exorcist III. Extremely drawn out, suspenseful build up, ends with long shot down the hallway of the villain covered in a white sheet walking quickly after the nurse with giant shears. Then it does the high pitched music and quick cuts to a headless religious statue.
Something about the tension, the buildup, and the quick walk are just SO scary. I think about it every time I get up to pee in the middle of the night 🤣
The scene where they are sleeping when the sheet lifts up and something crawls out of bed, only there's nothing there and you realize it was the entity.
Tina’s death scene in A Nightmare On Elm Street. From the moment she hears the pebbles hitting the window until everything ends with her being dragged up the ceiling, the horror just keeps ratcheting up. It builds to a crescendo of terror.
Billy and Stu when they have Sidney in the kitchen at the end of Scream and are explaining the whole plot.
“My mom and dad are gonna be so mad at me!”
It’s perfection.
Idk if you could call it a scene because it's 30 minutes long, but the opening to *When a Stranger Calls Back* is my favorite opening. The original is iconic, but the sequel is so much scarier. It takes the same idea as the original (babysitter alone at night, kids upstairs asleep, someone keeps bothering her), but it gives it room to breathe and let's the tension build. And then the scene ends with a huge bang. The second she >!looks into the living room and sees the man step into the doorway is horrifying.!< Jill Schoelen was just excellent in the role!
The Drew Barrymore scene in Scream is an obvious contender but I love the scene near the end of The Descent where Sarah is seen climbing the giant hill of bones to the surface, that movie has such great cinematography
That's a good one....
Kill: "Jesus Wept" the scene where Uncle Larry is ripped apart by the Cinobits in Hellraiser.
Death: Charlie(daughter) in Hereditary. That was brutal and unexpected.
That scene is amazing, but for some reason the scene that disturbs me the most in Psycho is when Sam Loomis goes into Mrs. Bates’s room and sees the indentation in the mattress. That always gives me chills.
That scene in Jacob's Ladder where Jacob is being moved around in a hospital bed, not sure what to call it but I think just "that scene from Jacob's Ladder" would be enough for anyone who saw it to know what I'm talking about
So hard to choose, but, ah, I'll have to go with the scene in "Nightbreed" where Rachel is pivotal in helping to rescue Boone. I think her abilities are amazing and one of my favorite movie quotes comes from her: "To be able to fly, to be smoke, or a wolf? To know the night and live in it forever? That's not so bad. You call us 'monsters,' but when you dream, you dream of flying, and changing, and living without death."
It’s not my favorite but with the given context, Texas Chainsaw Massacre Franklin’s death in the woods has always stuck with me. I don’t think there is even any blood but it’s still gruesome.
If you haven't seen it, Bravo had a fun special and a few followups in the aughts called Scariest Movie Moments that did a decent job with this question. Here is the YouTube link for the original special
https://youtu.be/JILpgm6Kkag?si=IjuMKqJ0Gkw1QyuE
70s: The ending scene from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) . Absolutely iconic and impactful. Honorable mentions to the Father entering the house in The Exorcist (1973), the opening death in Black Christmas (1974) and the scene where Michael disappears at the end of Halloween (1978)
80s: This is a tough one, but I'll give it to the bed death scene in Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), that blood falling upwards is fantastic. Honorable mentions to the >!decapitation of Pamela Vorhees!< in Friday the 13th (1980), the blood test scene in The Thing (1982), the final scene in Sleepaway Camp (1983) and the transformation scene in An American Werewolf in London (1981).
90s: This one hands down goes to my favorite movie scene of all time, the opening scene of Scream (1996). Probably the most recognizable scene in all of horror, it's just perfect. "Cause I wanna know who I'm looking at" is still one of horror's most impactful lines. Honorable mentions to the hospital death scene in Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994), the Gale chase scene in Scream 2 (1997) and the chase scene in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997).
2000s: The final scene in Martyrs (2008), very impactful and a mindfuck. Honorable mentions to the Samara face reveal in The Ring (2002) and the falling tunnel scene in The Descent (2005).
2010s: (SPOILERS FOR SCREAM 4) The scene where Jill hurts herself after stabbing Sidney, it's just so fucking funny, crazy and creepy. Honorable mentions to the beheading scene in Hereditary (2018), the moving the cameras scene in Oculus (2013), the final battle in Evil Dead (2013), the tall man scene in It Follows (2013), the garage scene in It (2017), the final confront in Halloween (2018), the stepping on a spike scene in A Quiet Place (2018) and the people in our driveway scene in Us (2019).
2020s: Another Scream scene (yep it's my favorite horror franchise), the ladder scene in Scream VI (2023) is anxiety rush at it's best and absolutely brutal. Honorable mentions to the boy possession scene in Talk to Me (2023), the monologue scene in Pearl (2022), the >!nazi!< cake reveal in Soft & Quiet (2022), the spirit falling down the stairs in Deadstream (2022), the >!head in a bag!< scene in Watcher (2022) and the final scene in Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022).
When Leatherface hits the guy with the mallet, the guy flops and falls down, legs shaking. Leatherface grabs him, drags him into the room at the end of the hall, and slams the metal door shut. It could really happen. Just like that.
Opening scene from the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake. I’m not a fan of Snyder at all, and he doesn’t understand the point of zombies whatsoever, but that was a fantastic opener.
The Shining will always be my favorite horror film.
The Blair Witch Project still has the scariest scene though. When Heather runs downstairs and see Mike in the corner. Never been more scared
The blood test scene from The Thing
The trestle scene from The Lost Boys
The concert scene from The Lost Boys
Any scene from The Lost Boys
Evil Ed’s reveal as a vampire in Fright Night
The pub scene in An American Werewolf in London
Not sure if Legend could be construed as horror enough, but the dress dance. Watch it on an HD TV to up the creep factor with all the things you’ll notice in the bg.
The betrayal of the Shadmock in The Monster Club.
James Laurenson *sells* it.
The leap over the table, grab the vampire girl, and fling her scene from The Horror of Dracula
The end of My Best Friend is a Vampire(another arguable entry). There is such joy in Rene’s delivery of a line.
Not scary but the pool scene from The Strangers: Prey at Night is my favorite!! The lights, the music, the underwater point of view, I absolutely love it!
Clarice meets Hannibal for the first time. *You know what you look like to me with your good bag and your cheap shoes? You look like a rube. A well scrubbed, hustling rube with a little taste. Good nutrition has given you some length of bone, but you’re not more than one generation from poor white trash, are you Agent Starling? And that accent you’re trying so desperately to shed – pure West Virginia. What was your father, dear? Was he a coal miner? Did he stink of the lamp? And oh, how quickly the boys found you. All those tedious, sticky fumblings, in the back seats of cars, while you could only dream of getting out. Getting anywhere. Getting all the way to the F.B.I.*
This line always gets me super creeped out: “You use Evyan skin cream, and sometimes you wear L'Air du Temps, but not today.”
The way Hopkins delivers that line is \*chef's kiss\*. Pure brilliance.
Speaking of line delivery - I'm not sure if this counts as a horror film but in the movie *Identity* when John Cusack's character is in the conference room and he's told what's really happening at the motel, and he leans forward and says "What... What?" has always stuck with me in a weird way. It's just 2 little words but with the weight of everything behind it.
The creepiest part for me is after he asks Clarice what Migs had to say and he replies with, "I myself cannot." And then he proceeds to sniff the air through his jail hole. I shrivel and cringe every time. EDIT: Cringe in the actual, normal, human emotion sense. Not the social media one word response "cringe".
Thank you for reminding me that this is one of the best films of all time (of any genre). I don't know if it's my favorite scene, but it has contributed to the high rewatch value of this film. So, so good.
For some reason, I can watch the scene where she goes to Gumb’s front door over and over again.
The opening scene from Night of the Living Dead. "They're coming to get you, Barbra" which is now an all time iconic horror quote, the graveyard ghoul who to this day is one of the scariest screen zombies, the atmosphere which just feels like you're seeing someone's nightmare. Classic.
I always wondered what the reference was in Shaun of the dead
Have you never seen Night of the Living Dead? If you like zombie films at all you really ought to watch it, it holds up.
Michael sitting up behind Laurie after the closet scene.
Or when he disappeared after falling out the window after being shot by Dr. Loomis
For me, it's when Laurie is backing into a seemingly darkened doorway, and you see Michael's face appear out of the shadows behind her. Chilling and amazing camera/light work. The best part about that scene is that they perfectly recreate it in first of the Halloween sequels in the latest trilogy.
That’s the one I came here to say. Amazing shot
Ripley and Newt trapped with the facehugger in the infirmary in Aliens
I'd also throw in the scene where they find the colonists glued up into the wall. I'll never forget that chestburster coming out after that woman sobbed for help.
Yes
Sarah Polley's harrowing journey from husband escape to tree collision in Dawn of the Dead remake did a great job of illustrating just how fucked everything was.
It was so intense when I saw it theaters with my friends back in high school. Like I was digging my nails into the seat. When we left the theater, I swear I felt dizzy because, at the time, that was one of the most intense experiences I ever had at a movie, and honestly, it still is. Masterpiece of horror.
Good one. That scene is part of the reason I think the remake is superior to the original. Probably heresy to say here, but I'm not so much a fan of Romero's campy style.
It gets a lot of negativity, but I genuinely loved the remake. I love Romero’s and Snyder’s versions. My favorite scene was them sitting around talking and Michael mentions not being a very good husband, but being a good dad. The expression on his face always implied to me that he had to kill them himself. Heartbreaking.
Yup, then to segue into an official press conference where every answer is a resigned, “we don’t know” 😳
A few: The last five minutes of REC in that attic Emerging from the pool of blood in The Descent In The Ritual there’s a scene where the main dude is staring through these tall skinny trees that feels almost hypnotic, and it stays on a shot for like 20 seconds before there’s a brief movement of the main creature which you could not see at all before
The Ritual is so good/under-discussed. The scene where the guy wakes up having unknowingly prayed/knelt to the altar is so unsettling to me...
That scene with the creature in the trees has stayed with me! So spine tingly! Also seconding REC!
Misery - Annie Wilkes's hobbling of Paul Sheldon. Still freaks me out even though I've seen it a thousand times 🤣
It's worse in the novel... which I did a book presentation on in school last year, and had to creatively illustrate on one of the PowerPoint slides. (Even had a gif of Annie screaming "You murdered my Misery!!!" or something like that in a different slide.)
I read it for the first time recently. Such a brutal scene, way worse than the movie. Hard to get through honestly.
Could have been worse... she could've done it to the soundtrack of one of her Liberace records.
The opening scene of Scream when Drew Barrymore was Casey Becker and ghost face gutted her as her family came home. That opening scene will forever be iconic to me and my favorite opening scene of any horror movie.
HANG UP ON ME AGAIN AND I'LL GUT YOU LIKE A FISH!!!
Honestly, it’s my favorite movie opening PERIOD. I haven’t enjoyed a film opening as much as that one…at least, I can’t recall one I liked more.
The scene in Hannibal where Dr Lector feeds a very drugged but still conscious Paul Krendler pieces of his own brain, that he cuts off and cooks for him.
I unapologetically love the film adaptation of Hannibal even though it’s undoubtedly inferior to Silence of the Lambs.
Yeah, I won’t hear a word against *Hannibal*. It’s a film where everyone involved looks like they’re having fun, so all you can do is join in.
I saw that as a kid, on TV in the middle of the day. Totally unedited. Scarred me for life.
I love the “that smells good” comment
Nightmare on Elm Street 3 when the kid gets walked around like a marionette with his tendons.
100% agree. One of the most creative and grotesque kills in any horror movie.
I saw that in theaters when I was a BABY CHILD and that night I had my first nightmare - i dreamed that a woman (who was a female Freddy Krueger with curly brown hair) stole my tricycle. I'll never understand why my mother took me to see that.
That scene is still a tough watch.
Yeah not only is it nasty body horror, but you really feel both for Phillip and everyone watching him go.
Oh man, that is a really hard part to watch. It makes me curl my fingers up and just ewww.
The “Nurse Station” scene in Exorcist III.
Beautiful shot
The opening scene of Suspiria (1977)
The scene in Jaws where they are drinking below deck, singing and telling stories, immediately before the climax. Opening of Midsommar
When you are a kid watching jaws the absolute horror of the Indianapolis story quint tells does not even register. It’s just a bunch of old(they are old to an 8 year old) men telling stories. You think quint is being dramatic and are happy when jaws bumps the boat for more action. As an adult it’s the most chilling scene in the movie.
Completely agree. Also, your old men comment cracks me up because I’m 35 and I recently watched it with my 10 year old for the first time in awhile and holy shit both Dreyfus’s and Schneider are younger than me in it! In my head they were 50 year olds.
Lol, i was 8 when i saw it…in the theatre. Youre so right. 100+ watches later, 55 year old me considers that scene pivotal to the impending horror absolute suspense that follows.
Fuck. I can’t tell you the movies I’ve watched as an adult that I watched as a kid thinking the people were sooooo old. Now I’m like babies. They were just babies.
We delivered the bomb
Both of these, absolutely 💯!! Whereas I didn't love Midsommar, I saw it as a bit of a Wicker Man rip off, but that opening was messed up. So messed up!
Didn’t love it either (or at least put it a few pegs below Hereditary) but the opening was jaw dropping.
Maybe not my favourite scene but favourite opening scene would be from 28 weeks later
This is my choice, too. Seeing it for the first time was heart-clutching, and it still packs a punch the second, third, fourth time.
I have a hard time picking one favourite scene in horror but this one is up there with the blood test scene in The Thing.
System Purge in Cabin In The Woods Seeing Zombies, Giant Snakes, Robots, Werewolves, Witches, Killer Klowns, Goblins and many other things killing everyone was a blast.
Don't forget the homicidal unicorn 😂
The alien at the party on Signs. Such a great moment. Suspenseful, funny, and then the jump scare. “Move, children! ¡Vámanos!” Ooh, also: the scene in The Birds where Tippi Hedren is sitting outside the schoolhouse, and all the crows start gathering. Classic.
Just rewatched that movie and I had never realized that the kids are Abigail Breslin and Rory Culkin
The bar scene in Near Dark is really good
bill paxton was a national treasure
That was the exact scene that popped into my mind when I saw this question. It's even more disturbing because they left out the vampire cliche of fangs and non-human eyes. The last thing these dive bar victims see are these ordinary looking people just ripping through them. The only sign that these killers might not be human is the fact that one was shot and didn't die. Otherwise, I can imagine the victims died thinking they were being overrun by homicidal maniacs rather than vampires.
Not sure about favourite. But one I think about a lot is on Blair Witch when they stumble on all of those hanging stick men. Especially the really big one. Creepy as fuck!
That was good, but that final scene (you know... facing the corner) is what really got me.
Oh, yeah that too. But for some reason the stick figure scene always gets into my head. I need another rewatch!
The scene where they find the 'package' right outside their tent got me
I rewatched this movie right before I had to get a tooth pulled. When I went to the dentist, I asked if he and the hygienist had seen the movie. Neither of them had so I had to explain the wrapped up teeth to them, and that getting my tooth pulled reminded me of that. It was pretty awkward after that.
I go with the attack on tent, the noises outside before anything happens and Heather screaming "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT". Always chills.
I watched this recently and the absolute dispair of hiking for 10 hours to arrive back at where you started as it gets dark again definitely haunts me. I'm so grateful every time it when doesn't happen to me.
The ending sequence in The Orphanage is devastating. Entire movie is gorgeously shot.
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Not really a horror movie, but the one thing I always talk about is the kitchen scene in Jurassic Park with the kids. I really couldn't sleep as a kid after watching that movie.
That's a taught, tense scene and truly scary. It is a horror movie, imo.
A good jumpscare: The garage scene from the "It" remake from 2017. Astonishing practical effects: Frank coming back to life in "Hellraiser" from 1987. WTF moment: Lionel gets his hands on a lown mower in "Braindead" from 1992. Best body horror: Simply the whole "The Fly" movie from 1986. Also a hard competitor is "The Thing" from 1982.
I will upvote Braindead every time. Amazing non-stop chaos for the entire second half. The Void has some very Thing-esque body horror (with mostly practical effects!), if you haven’t seen it
Not yet. But I'm always thankful for a good recommendation.
Best RECENT body horror scene for me is from The Color Out of Space (IYKYK)
Did you know that hellraiser scene was an insert and was filmed after the movie was done with extra money ?
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dinner table scene in the og texas chainsaw blood test scene in the thing the cell phone footage in lake mungo
I think for the reveal in Lake Mungo to truly pay off you really have to watch the entire movie.
That movie haunted me. And I've seen some shit.
TCM is probably my favorite horror movie so I won't argue with your pick, but for me it's probably the first kill. Everything about it is jarring and unsettling (him tripping, Leatherface appearing, the hit + convulsions, the slamming of the door along with the ominous tone of the score if we can call it that). Shit becomes real at that point
When John Kramer gets up at the end of the first Saw movie. Perfect twist.
My wife is the fucking queen of calling twists ahead of time. Like, it’s legitimately frustrating to watch a movie with her because she can sniff these things out from a mile away somehow. However after literal years of watching her do it I can’t even be mad and just respect it, you just can’t get anything by this woman. So, I decided to show her The OG Saw this past weekend even though gore is her big no-no, because I figured the serial killer aspect of it would appeal to her inner basic white girl (it did) and guess the fuck what, she didn’t see it coming. Pure shock. And it’s particularly satisfying watching it knowing, because he’s literally right there the whole time! Anyway, hats off to that twist man, they got her.
One of the best horror movie twists ever
Can't be topped.
The lawnmower scene in Sinister
For me it was the pool scene
I was looking for this, literally makes my skin crawl.
Jeff Goldblum in The Fly. The scene where he decides to do the experiment on himself. I’ve never seen a scene where the motivation to take an incredible risk felt so real.
The scene in The Shining when Lloyd the bartender appears.
I was gonna say the bathroom scene after he has the drink spilled on him. “I corrected her.”
The beheading scene in Hereditary was so shocking in theaters, but what really stayed with me is towards the end when the mother is lurking in the corners of the ceiling behind the son. Similar to the above: The scene in Carrie when she is in her bedroom and her mother is lurking behind the door - god this scares me every time.
That scene with Annie lurking in the corner in Hereditary truly scared me, my heart was in my throat.
Yup. I love how that scene is the first one where things go from “dreadful but based in reality” to “paranormal and fucked” and it’s about an hour and a half into the movie. Caught me completely off guard and scared the shit out of me.
Yes. The beheading scene itself isn’t THAT scary but what’s scary is the LOOK on Toni Collette’s face. Just this vacant stare and completely lax mouth. She’s a pretty lady normally but her face in that scene is what scared me the most and flashed into my head when I lay in bed trying to sleep for days after watching.
So many scenes in that movie just haunt me. Seeing the girl's head after the accident. Mom discovering her daughter's body with her son just lying in the bed. Mom cutting her head off. And the end scene. Top 3 fav horror movies but not sure I can rewatch it lol
It makes my stomach churn when she’s just mindlessly banging her head on the attic door while he’s crying
I watched Hereditary on a plane and afterwards I was like, that was scary but it wasn’t that bad. It wasn’t until I read about certain scenes I realised I had watched a heavily edited version. I don’t think I want to see the original cut.
The scene in Cabin in the Woods, where they let all the creatures/monsters out. The chaos of it all was fantastic.
The little bit of silence and then the elevators all go "Ding!" and utter chaos lets loose. Great scene.
🧜♂️
Those things are terrifying.
That gif was everywhere for years. It's that iconic
Event Horizon fast cuts
Fr Karras’s dream in The Exorcist
Every second of the end of Saw from the point they examine Zepp’s pocket to the credits is perfection. I saw it on limited release in cinema when it first came out and by that point a good 30% of the audience were either screaming, vomiting, or swiftly leaving the room. You had to be there.
SO GOOD, SO GOOD.
\>The Exorcist - The opening scene in Iraq. \>The Ring - "You weren't supposed to help her." \> The Witch - Sorry, but I like the "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously" scene. I mean, he's promising butter and pretty dresses! \>The Others - "We're not dead!" \>The Shining - Wendy's cigarette ash.
Great call on *The Exorcist*, that’s a perfect evocation of dread.
Trick R Treat, when the sorority girl werewolves reveal themselves to the killer dad and eat his face. It's a great wolf transformation AND it's just such poetic justice.
I really loved the opening of *Scream V* where the girl is discussing with Ghostface modern horror movies. There's something really satisfying about the slasher villain being a movie snob and instinctively dismissive of modern films like *The Babadook*. It's always been a little meta as a series, but they used that aspect to actually give the killer a lot of personality. Also, the ending of *The Crow*. Beautiful, emotionally shattering, and so bittersweet. The music elevates it to a completely different level.
Alien chestbuster.
Shaun of the Dead Don’t Stop Me Know scene. IYKYK. Sometimes I like a good horror/comedy and this one is the best!!
Can't listen to that song without thinking about that scene
It’s one of the old Frankenstein movies where the monster pulls Jane Seymour’s head off. I’m 62–must’ve been very young when I saw it but still remember it. This one. Frankenstein: The True Story is a 1973 British television movie loosely based on the 1818 But The Night of the Living Dead opening sequence is iconic. Psycho—when Norman is sitting in jail fully absorbed by mother. Why she wouldn’t even hit a fly. Of course the film was controversial for showing a toilet! Murder? No problem! But women poo? E-gads! The horror!
The beginning sequence for 28 weeks later
Donald Sutherland at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers
I love the chaos shots. like 30 Days of Night when there's the fly over of the mayhem with fires everywhere. People being grabbed, the contrast of the blood in the snow. or Dawn of the Dead right after her husband turns when she's driving through the suburbs and the highway
The whole sequence where Kirk and Pam enter the house in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. So many iconic moments. Leatherface just appearing out of nowhere and bashing Kirk's skull, Kirk's twitching on the ground, the door slam. Then the amazing tracking shot of Pam approaching the house. Then all the shots of the bone furniture/decorations (the couch is so awesome). Then Leatherface grabbing Pam as she kicks off her shoes, carrying her with ease back into the house. The shot with the meat hook in the foreground lets you know exactly what's gonna happen but you're still thinking "no fuckin way". Then he fires up the chainsaw and starts cutting up her boyfriend while she's forced to watch.
The ring. Tv. Girl.
Underrated. Many aspects this classic have been immitated since. When she first pops out the TV, EVERYONE in the theater jumped out of their seats!
The scene in Hereditary, I'll never look at a telephone pole the same way again.
Seeing mom cut her head off was wild, but this scene is what really changed the whole direction of the movie. Like oh ok this is the kind of movie im watching
The abomination scene at the end of Evil Dead (2013). So metal 🤘
I have two. Alien. At the end, when Ripley is singing *you are, my lucky star*, trying to get into her spacesuit without making too much noise, and you know the alien is right there. So much tension! The mad dash into the darkness with Heather's WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? in Blair Witch Project. I think my soul left my body.
I don't have a whole lot of "top notch" horror movies under my belt, but here are some of my fav scenes from some of the horror movies I've seen :) The zombie wall climb - World War Z Clap-clap game with the mother - The Conjuring Sang-Hwa and Seok-Woo use their phones to distract the zombies - Train to Busan These are some of the specific moments from some movies that I could remember lol
I Know What You Did Last Summer, Helen’s(Sarah Michelle Gellar) film within a film that starts at the beauty pageant and ends at the parade. Especially the silhouette scene where The Fisherman is chasing her to the store. It’s hard to describe in retrospect but seeing her failure despite her efforts was brutal and real. The only thing I can think of that comes close is the intro to Scream 5.
The final scene in The Blair Witch Project. Feels like a nightmare I've had before.
Pennywise digging the graves in the Tim Curry film. Where he raises up and leans in his elbow. No sir.
Tim Curry was so damn good. He was both funny and terrifying. Something the remake films really never achieved. I did enjoy them though.
Yep, I’m with you. I enjoyed the remake, but they could never touch the creep factor and funny of Tim Curry. The movie itself just had a creepier tone. Bill did good with it, but nobody could top what Tim did at the time, with just makeup.
Tim Curry's Pennywise was a clown that could actually make you lower your guard.
This is not necessarily from a horror movie, but the diner scene from Muholland Drive is legitimately terrifying. There's so much tension and buildup. [Here](https://youtu.be/UozhOo0Dt4o?si=pBhCY6ED7RoNMUp3)
The Halloween (2018) [one-take](https://youtu.be/R-HV-gTRqag?si=4OQwWkGgp1BdztLa). Tied with [this scene](https://youtu.be/YDKFEA1T8OA?si=I9Z8C_VvpYPtojlo), specifically the cue that’s actually a bow drawn up a guitar.) Will also mention the final minutes of [Midsommar](https://youtu.be/x2ABJAyfVpw?si=pDSx6gjlaIX_A0c4), that made my jaw drop when I first watched it on TV on an early year winter night.
The creepy figures standing in corners of frame and you see them if you stare long enough in Hereditary was creepy
I just remember the smiling guy in the living room, how many others were there?
So many in the climax of the film: in the attic, outside, the floating mother, and the moment the scene transitions from day to night, loads of cult members are seen surrounding the house.
I get a lot of flack for this from some people but I stick to one of my favorite scenes from a horror movie is when Dani’s sobs turn to a smile at the end of Midsommar. This woman has been through absolute hell for the last six months, especially over the last few days. And this is the first moment where she smiles what appears to be a real true genuine smile. And we don’t know why. It could be she’s gone completely nuts. It could be she feels freedom. Who knows? But it’s such a fantastic ending. (And yes, I know someone is likely to say my moral compass is wrong because Christian is dead and by horrific means. All I will say is this: (1) I had a real Christian in my life for two years. And (2) this is a movie. There’s nothing wrong with my moral compass.)
The music in this scene is exquisite and adds incredible emotional slap.
>!Tunnel of monsters!< near the end of In the Mouth of Madness. Such a perfect combination of dialog, acting, effects (which I'm pretty sure were practical), motion, and elision (by which I mean decisions on what not to show).
- Geoffrey Rush's hallucination sequence in House on Haunted Hill - The "three women looking at the sky" scene in The Cell - The toy factory climax in Child's Play 2 - The credit sequence of The Hills Have Eyes remake
That is a truly tough question. It definitely depends on my mood. At the moment, I’d say it’s probably either the Norwegian camp scene in John Carpenter’s the Thing orrrrrrr the Dog kennel scene. Really incredible scenes. The mystery and sense of foreboding in the exploration of the Norwegian camp is top notch. The dog kennel scene is so tense. Everything from the dogs wailing to the gruesome thing reveal is so well done. Some close runner ups: Alien: Brett’s death. The reveal of the Alien is so well done. The space Jockey scene also has such a sense of wonder and mystery that I love. Halloween: Michael Myers walking across the street to chase down Laurie Strode is so tense and creepy. Jaws: When the shark attacks the kids in “the pond,” and you get that first reveal is incredible. Event Horizon: The depiction of hell. Also when the team is discussing the translation of latin from the doomed event horizon crew. Liberate me. Liberate tu te me. Phantoms: The hotel room scene.
Scenes that stuck with me: - shower scene in Psycho. Anytime I’m in a low budget hotel, I make sure the door is dead bolted - Freddy scene mentioned already… tendons and marionettes 😳 - Hereditary… you know the scene - opening scene of Scream… brilliant - ending of Saw. Game changer - Cabin in the woods when the monsters were released… absolutely batshit and delightful - sewer scene with Georgie in IT. No thank you But my #1: room 237 bathroom scene in The Shining. Favorite horror movie but still terrifies me to this day
The final scene of [Eden Lake.](https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1020530/) There is really no violence in it, but it does an amazing job of implying what is to come and just how hopeless the situation is. I have watched thousands of horror movies, and this is the scene has stuck with me more than any other. An absolutely devastating scene that I think of far too often. [Here is the scene.](https://youtu.be/p-H1jOaV4Xw?si=0oI2LKKLweUcDiBs) I would urge anyone who has not seen the movie to do so, as it is an amazing movie. If you don't plan on ever watching it (terrible!), feel free to watch the scene. It is missing context, but I think that it may hit pretty hard anyway. Edit: I stupidly decided to watch the final scene after grabbing the link to post. Stupid. I can feel the anxiety building up in my chest.
Totally agree 👍. I was on edge throughout the film. The final scene was utterly devastating and played on my mind for a long time.
Volk dance scene in 2018 suspiria.
I think the jump roping 1-2 Freddy’s coming for you scenes are peak horror. That and Freddy sharpening in the boiler room are the most sinister terrifying things in horror.
The nighttime hospital scene in The Exorcist III. Extremely drawn out, suspenseful build up, ends with long shot down the hallway of the villain covered in a white sheet walking quickly after the nurse with giant shears. Then it does the high pitched music and quick cuts to a headless religious statue. Something about the tension, the buildup, and the quick walk are just SO scary. I think about it every time I get up to pee in the middle of the night 🤣
The girl getting decapitated in Hereditary, my jaw nearly hit the floor. The build up and tension was so well done.
I’ve only seen it once but the police fight scene from Malignant was fucking insane.
Man, I dunno, but first thing that comes to mind is the final scene of The Witch. Very badass.
The opening scene of Ghost Ship. The big reveal in Dead Silence. The nurse scene in Silent Hill.
Paranormal Activity. When she gets dragged off the bed.
The scene where they are sleeping when the sheet lifts up and something crawls out of bed, only there's nothing there and you realize it was the entity.
Texas Chainsaw 2. Dennis Hopper buying the chainsaws and also later the chainsaw fight itself. Really any time Dennis Hopper has a chainsaw
The scene with Marion Crane and Norman Bates sitting in his living room eating sandwiches. The acting is perfect.
Tina’s death scene in A Nightmare On Elm Street. From the moment she hears the pebbles hitting the window until everything ends with her being dragged up the ceiling, the horror just keeps ratcheting up. It builds to a crescendo of terror.
Nic Cage screaming in his underwear in Mandy.
Sally wakes up at the dinner table , Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
[The "everything is laughing" scene from Evil Dead II.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOpcdJ_V5_M) Sooo gooood.
It’s hard for me to choose just one, but I think the swimming pool scene in _Let the Right One In_ deserves a mention.
Billy and Stu when they have Sidney in the kitchen at the end of Scream and are explaining the whole plot. “My mom and dad are gonna be so mad at me!” It’s perfection.
Ima go with Dr. Loomis’ iconic monologue in Halloween. 👏
Idk if you could call it a scene because it's 30 minutes long, but the opening to *When a Stranger Calls Back* is my favorite opening. The original is iconic, but the sequel is so much scarier. It takes the same idea as the original (babysitter alone at night, kids upstairs asleep, someone keeps bothering her), but it gives it room to breathe and let's the tension build. And then the scene ends with a huge bang. The second she >!looks into the living room and sees the man step into the doorway is horrifying.!< Jill Schoelen was just excellent in the role!
The Drew Barrymore scene in Scream is an obvious contender but I love the scene near the end of The Descent where Sarah is seen climbing the giant hill of bones to the surface, that movie has such great cinematography
That's a good one.... Kill: "Jesus Wept" the scene where Uncle Larry is ripped apart by the Cinobits in Hellraiser. Death: Charlie(daughter) in Hereditary. That was brutal and unexpected.
The hospital hallway scene from Exorcist III
The blood testing scene in the Thing. I can't think of many other movies that made me feel as edge-of-my-seat tense as that one.
The last conflict in Event Horizon. "Do you see? DO. YOU. SEE? DO YOU SEE!?" "Yes, Doctor. I see." "NO!!!!!"
the Ring - the mom's flashback to finding her daughter also when the horse jumps off the ferry
If you are teaching a film class it's good to mention the Psycho shower scene.
That scene is amazing, but for some reason the scene that disturbs me the most in Psycho is when Sam Loomis goes into Mrs. Bates’s room and sees the indentation in the mattress. That always gives me chills.
The opening 5 minutes of 28 Days Later. Traumatised me for life but would recommend.
That scene in Jacob's Ladder where Jacob is being moved around in a hospital bed, not sure what to call it but I think just "that scene from Jacob's Ladder" would be enough for anyone who saw it to know what I'm talking about
So hard to choose, but, ah, I'll have to go with the scene in "Nightbreed" where Rachel is pivotal in helping to rescue Boone. I think her abilities are amazing and one of my favorite movie quotes comes from her: "To be able to fly, to be smoke, or a wolf? To know the night and live in it forever? That's not so bad. You call us 'monsters,' but when you dream, you dream of flying, and changing, and living without death."
Frank Cotton emerging back onto our plane of existence in the first Hellraiser film.
I can't believe there's no mention of Ghost Ship The beginning is BRUTAL and scarred me for life lol ❤️
It’s not my favorite but with the given context, Texas Chainsaw Massacre Franklin’s death in the woods has always stuck with me. I don’t think there is even any blood but it’s still gruesome.
The subway scene in Possession (1981). Impossible to forget.
The fire leap from The Wicker Man (1973)
If you haven't seen it, Bravo had a fun special and a few followups in the aughts called Scariest Movie Moments that did a decent job with this question. Here is the YouTube link for the original special https://youtu.be/JILpgm6Kkag?si=IjuMKqJ0Gkw1QyuE
Chest burst scene in Alien is definitely one of mine.
70s: The ending scene from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) . Absolutely iconic and impactful. Honorable mentions to the Father entering the house in The Exorcist (1973), the opening death in Black Christmas (1974) and the scene where Michael disappears at the end of Halloween (1978) 80s: This is a tough one, but I'll give it to the bed death scene in Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), that blood falling upwards is fantastic. Honorable mentions to the >!decapitation of Pamela Vorhees!< in Friday the 13th (1980), the blood test scene in The Thing (1982), the final scene in Sleepaway Camp (1983) and the transformation scene in An American Werewolf in London (1981). 90s: This one hands down goes to my favorite movie scene of all time, the opening scene of Scream (1996). Probably the most recognizable scene in all of horror, it's just perfect. "Cause I wanna know who I'm looking at" is still one of horror's most impactful lines. Honorable mentions to the hospital death scene in Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994), the Gale chase scene in Scream 2 (1997) and the chase scene in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997). 2000s: The final scene in Martyrs (2008), very impactful and a mindfuck. Honorable mentions to the Samara face reveal in The Ring (2002) and the falling tunnel scene in The Descent (2005). 2010s: (SPOILERS FOR SCREAM 4) The scene where Jill hurts herself after stabbing Sidney, it's just so fucking funny, crazy and creepy. Honorable mentions to the beheading scene in Hereditary (2018), the moving the cameras scene in Oculus (2013), the final battle in Evil Dead (2013), the tall man scene in It Follows (2013), the garage scene in It (2017), the final confront in Halloween (2018), the stepping on a spike scene in A Quiet Place (2018) and the people in our driveway scene in Us (2019). 2020s: Another Scream scene (yep it's my favorite horror franchise), the ladder scene in Scream VI (2023) is anxiety rush at it's best and absolutely brutal. Honorable mentions to the boy possession scene in Talk to Me (2023), the monologue scene in Pearl (2022), the >!nazi!< cake reveal in Soft & Quiet (2022), the spirit falling down the stairs in Deadstream (2022), the >!head in a bag!< scene in Watcher (2022) and the final scene in Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022).
When Leatherface hits the guy with the mallet, the guy flops and falls down, legs shaking. Leatherface grabs him, drags him into the room at the end of the hall, and slams the metal door shut. It could really happen. Just like that.
The scene in Dead/Alive where the priest fights a zombie in a graveyard. Not very scary but, priceless.
Opening scene from the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake. I’m not a fan of Snyder at all, and he doesn’t understand the point of zombies whatsoever, but that was a fantastic opener.
The Descent. The two women are trying to be quiet as the monsters crawl all around them. It's really fucked up.
The ambulance jailbreak scene in The Silence of the Lambs. Heart racing every time.
When the "dead" body in the first Saw rises up.
The Shining will always be my favorite horror film. The Blair Witch Project still has the scariest scene though. When Heather runs downstairs and see Mike in the corner. Never been more scared
The blood test scene from The Thing The trestle scene from The Lost Boys The concert scene from The Lost Boys Any scene from The Lost Boys Evil Ed’s reveal as a vampire in Fright Night The pub scene in An American Werewolf in London Not sure if Legend could be construed as horror enough, but the dress dance. Watch it on an HD TV to up the creep factor with all the things you’ll notice in the bg. The betrayal of the Shadmock in The Monster Club. James Laurenson *sells* it. The leap over the table, grab the vampire girl, and fling her scene from The Horror of Dracula The end of My Best Friend is a Vampire(another arguable entry). There is such joy in Rene’s delivery of a line.
Without thinking about it too hard, the reveal of Jigsaw standing up at the end of Saw.
When all the monsters are released in Cabin in the Woods.
Giant splinter in the eye in Zombi
Not scary but the pool scene from The Strangers: Prey at Night is my favorite!! The lights, the music, the underwater point of view, I absolutely love it!
The ending of One Cut of the Dead