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Sunday, October 31, 2010

Scariest Movie Scenes

Happy Halloween!

Warning: Do not watch any of these clips if you don't want to ruin the scene or if you don't have a pair of clean underwear handy. Note: these are the scariest movie scenes, not the scariest movies. Also, there is not much gore in this list because gore is not scary. It's the build-up and release of tension that is scary. Hitchcock was the master of this. It's too bad that modern horror has lost the formula.

Mulholland Drive - The Diner Scene (video)
1) Mulholland Drive - The Diner Scene (video) Mulholland Drive - The Diner Scene (video)
I nearly had a heart attack when I first saw this. The YouTube clip is rather low quality. I suggest that you watch the original and have a change of drawers nearby. It's perfectly paced. David Lynch tells you exactly what is coming, but it's still the scariest scene ever.

Twin Peaks - Ronette's Dream (video)
2) Twin Peaks - Ronette's Dream (video) Twin Peaks - Ronette's Dream (video)
This is kinda cheating since Twin Peaks is a TV miniseries. Still, Bob is the scariest villain ever put on screen. This scene, where Ronette wakes up from her coma to a horrific hypnogogic hallucination/nightmare, slightly edges the Maddy scene, the final 10 minutes of season 2, and the scene with Laura and Ronette in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, but all four scenes are terrifying.

Jacob's Ladder - Hospital Hell (video)
3) Jacob's Ladder - Hospital Hell (video) Jacob's Ladder - Hospital Hell (video)
It's your worst nightmare materialized on-screen.

Exorcist III - Night Shift (video)
4) Exorcist III - Night Shift (video) Exorcist III - Night Shift (video)
Turn the speakers up loud. And have a defibrillator nearby. Classic and stylish jump scare scene.

The Shining - The Twins (video)
5) The Shining - The Twins (video) The Shining - The Twins (video)
"Come and play with us. Come and play with us, Danny. Forever... and ever... and ever." Scarier still is Danny talking to "Tony".

IT - Georgie (video)
6) IT - Georgie (video) IT - Georgie (video)
If you are scared of clowns, do not watch this.

Psycho - Shower Scene (video)
7) Psycho - Shower Scene (video) Psycho - Shower Scene (video)
This is probably not as scary as it was in 1960, but it is so meticulously crafted by Hitchcock that I had to include it in the top 10. It is the standard by which all other scary scenes are judged.

Carrie - Ending (video)
8) Carrie - Ending (video) Carrie - Ending (video)
The first time you watch this film, and even afterward, the end will get you.

9) Poltergeist - Clown in the Bedroom (video) Poltergeist - Clown in the Bedroom (video)
More clown bashing, sorry. Check underneath the bed. No, nothing there...

10) Salem's Lot - Window (video) Salem's Lot - Window (video)
This is a really creepy scene that will give you nightmares. Any time there is a storm and something scratching at the window...

Honorable mentions:
Eye Scenes
There's something about eyes... A Clockwork Orange (video) A Clockwork Orange, Un Chien Andalou (video) Un Chien Andalou, and Zombi 2 (video) Zombi 2

Alien - Birth (video) Alien - Birth (video)
Probably not as scary these days because it's been parodied to death, most famously in Spaceballs Alien Parody (video) Spaceballs.

Deliverance - Squeal Like a Pig (video) Deliverance - Squeal Like a Pig (video)
Not a horror film, but this infamous scene deserves a spot on this list.

Don't Look Now - Ending (video) Don't Look Now - Ending (video)
The ending is much better if you understand the context of the protagonist searching for his daughter in the red coat.

The Evil Dead - Tree Scene
The infamous tree scene is still shocking today. No clip available. Sorry.

The Exorcist - Father Karras' Dream (video) The Exorcist - Father Karras' Dream (video)
This scene captures the essence of a nightmare quite well and is a nice contrast to the shock value of the rest of the film. The death face is pretty creepy too. Runner-up: The Exorcist - Help Me (video) Help Me.

Hannibal - Brain Scene (video) Hannibal - Brain Scene (video)
Food for thought. Or thought for food.

Irreversible - You Know The Scene
Controversial and chilling. No clip available. Sorry.

A Nightmare on Elm Street - Phone Scene (video) A Nightmare on Elm Street - Phone Scene (video)
I don't find Freddy to be scary. But the phone scene is quite creepy.

The Omen - Nanny Scene (video) The Omen - Nanny Scene (video)
Quite a scary and realistic scene. It must have been really shocking in 1976.

Pet Semetary - Gage Scenes (video) Pet Semetary - Gage Scenes (video)
It's amazing they got away with filming these scenes.

Requiem For A Dream - Montage (video) Requiem For A Dream - Montage (video)
Probably the most effective anti-drug education you can get is watching this film and the depressing ending. Brilliant montage by Aronofsky.

Ringu - Well Girl (video) Ringu - Well Girl (video)
The Japanese version is scarier than the remake, but the scene is not that scary out of context.

Se7en - Sloth (video) Se7en - Sloth (video)
Se7en is more creepy than scary, but the jump scare in the sloth scene may require a change of undergarments.

The Sixth Sense - Kyra's poisoning
No clip available. Sorry.

Suspiria - Ending (video) Suspiria - Ending (video)
Actually, the last 15 minutes of this are some of the best in horror.

Trilogy of Terror- Zuni Fetish Doll Ending (video) Trilogy of Terror- Zuni Fetish Doll Ending (video)
I cannot believe that this was a made-for-TV movie. This is ten times scarier than Chucky, but also kinda funny as well. You can watch the entire mini-movie on Youtube.

Wild Strawberries - Dream (video) Wild Strawberries - Dream (video)
Not a horror movie, but a highly effective dream sequence from the Swedish auteur.

Have other suggestions? Post your recommendations!

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DJMonsterMo | 3:12 PM |

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