Halloween is just around the corner, and with that comes scantily clad costumes, spooky haunted houses, and delicious October treats. My favorite part, however, is the horror movie marathon I have every year. It lasts throughout the month of October, and sometimes goes even longer. I try to find the scariest (or most gruesome) movies out there and scare myself. There are a few I watch every year, and although they may not scare me like they used to, the impact they had on my life is unforgettable. Here are my top 10 horror movie moments.
10. Jeepers Creepers (2001)
Let’s forget the fact that Victor Salva is some kind of perverted freak. This movie is great. The low budget actually worked for it, giving it a realistic, gritty tone. Others may not agree. But the scene in the creature’s “lair,” as well as the final scene of the movie (I won’t give away any spoilers) had me scared for months as a kid.
9. 28 Days Later (2002)
Some regard this as simply a “zombie” movie (although it isn’t really about zombies). I like to look at it as symbolism for the world to come. But I digress. The greatest scene of this Danny Boyle film is near the end, at the climax. I think this is the film that spawned the zombie we come to know today: superhumanly strong, fast, growling monsters, very different from the zombies of Night of the Living Dead (1968).
8. Perfect Blue (1997)
The late Japanese director Satoshi Kon directed this animated masterpiece. The animation might fool you into thinking this is some cute anime, but it’s a gruesome horror fest. I might even say it’s more of a psychological thriller. Some say this influenced Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan (2010). I’m not so sure. The bathtub scene, however, did influence Requiem for a Dream (2000). My favorite scene from this film is near the end. I like to call it “the chase.”
7. Scream (1996)
Wes Craven is known for his horror films. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) may be his most famous one. Scream was my first taste of this morbid director. I used to watch the opening scene of Drew Barrymore’s character over and over again as a child; I watched it at least ten consecutive times without even watching the rest of the movie. I still don’t get tired of that scene, and I think it’s one of the greatest scenes in movie history.
6. The Loved Ones (2009)
Australian director Sean Byrne created this unique blood-fest, which has little recognition outside of Australia. The (very) dark comedy of this film makes it even scarier. The greatest scene is definitely the torture of the main character, Brent. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but it involves power tools, salt, and a prom dress.
5. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
This is the film that inspired films like Quarantine (2008) and the Paranormal Activity series; The Blair Witch Project will always be the best. The documentary style cinematography makes you second guess that it’s just a fictional tale. The best scene, like most of the films listed, is the end. I still would like to know what happened, and each time I watch it, I expect an answer.
4. Spoorloos (1988)
George Sluizer directed this Dutch-French film. Labeling it as a horror movie can turn some people away. In reality, it’s more sad than anything, lying mostly in the drama category. It doesn’t rely on cheap scares or gore to tell the story, but instead gives us most of the answers up front and relies heavily on dialogue and atmosphere. The greatest scene is the end, but I won’t give away any spoilers.
3. Ginger Snaps (2000)
Director John Fawcett included heavy symbolism about the maturation of females, comparing getting your period to getting “the curse,” being sexually aroused to being ravenously hungry, and growing hair “down there” to growing the hair of a wolf. That’s right, this movie is about becoming a werewolf (or a woman, they’re really the same thing). The best scene that exemplifies this theme is when Ginger “snaps” and fully ‘turns’ near the end.
2. Psycho (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock will always be a legend when it comes to horror films. Psycho’s Norman Bates is one of the greatest villains of all time. His awkwardness paired with the dark, suspenseful atmosphere is what makes this film so great. The greatest scene is, of course, the shower scene.
1. The Ring (2002)
The scene where Samara comes out of the TV will always be one of the scariest horror movie scenes of all time. I like the very beginning, however, with the two school girls alone at home. I was scared for months afterward. Some say the original 1998 Japanese version is the best, but I think Gore Verbinski did a great job creating the atmosphere making them equal in quality, and that’s why I put it at number one on this list.