What is the scariest movie you have ever seen?

[AVON]

The only trouble with the recent two-parter on Channel 4 called, The 100 Scariest Moments, was that most of them weren't!

Those clips from films that were actually scary, like "THE WICKER MAN", "PEEPING TOM", original "NOSFERATU" etc, weren't always the best chosen bits! Likewise, some of the tv clips. "DOOMWATCH" {devised by two "DW" writers "KIT PEDLER" & "GERRY DAVIES") was, good for it's time (1970's) and, is now like other shows of that period, considered a "classic".

Two other episodes with rats, instantly spring to mind!

An episode of the "NEW AVENGERS" when, they used a real sequence of rats, to prove that a giant rat was killing folk in a sewer system and, the 'fake' Giant Rat used in the "DR. WHO" story, "TALLONS OF WENG-CHIANG!" The "AVENGERS" looked more realistic because it used real rats, than did the latter and, both were shown at the same time!

Don't forget, series made by the "BBC" from "B7", "DW", "SURVIVORS", "DOOMWATCH", "MOONBASE 3", etc all had one major problem (small budgets but, produced the best they could with what resources they had!!!) The "BBC" didn't like spending money if they could avoid it, then or, now!

 

[Foxbat]

Scary Films

I can watch the Exorcist on my own, in the dark - no problem. But Ring (japanese original - not weak American remake) really gets to me. I've just watched that and immediately followed it by Ring 2....God I need a drink!

So what floats your boat across the River Styxx? What scary movie sends a shiver up your spine? Go on, give a penny to Charon

 

[littlemissattitude]

Re: Scary Films

"Alien" - the original - was the most frightening film I've ever seen.

My own view is the most frightening thing is what you don't see. So, films that are all bloody and gory just don't scare me at all. I rarely see them, as I don't care much for blood and guts just for the sake of blood and guts. I haven't got that strong a stomach. That's why, while I will read Clive Barker, I've only seen a couple of his films.

I didn't find the film of "The Exorcist" frightening at all, although the book scared the wits out of me.

 

[dwndrgn]

Re: Scary Films

I'm not a fan of scary movies. I was severely scarred (mentally not physically) by a horror movies I was taken to as a child - still remember the horror of it.

I'm also with LittleMiss on this one, blood and guts are really silly to me, not realistic so not scary.

The ones that freak me out are the psychological ones, where you never know if there is a killer watching you as you go about your business...especially those based on real life stories. War movies do the same thing to me, those that are realistic that is. I had a real hard time getting through Schindler's List because of this, but all the same I couldn't stop watching it.

Anything that is scary without being blood and guts (like Exorcist or The Omen or somesuch) I can watch but I just don't enjoy them. I'd rather sit back with a large bowl of popcorn and re-watch Godzilla Vs Mothra .

 

[Foxbat]

Re: Scary Films

Although Ring has some startling visuals, it's basically one that plays with your mind. From what you've both posted I think you'd enjoy it.

Alien...yep this one got me first time around. All that steam, dirt and shadows - plus of course the incomparable visual imagination of H.R. Geiger.

The shower scene in Schindler's list was a real tension builder - wonderful film but too exhausting emotionally to watch on anything close to a regular basis.

For all those Godzilla movies - I've just uncovered a website specialising in this stuff (and much much more) http://www.oldies.com

 

[dwndrgn]

Re: Scary Films

Although Ring has some startling visuals, it's basically one that plays with your mind. From what you've both posted I think you'd enjoy it.

Alien...yep this one got me first time around. All that steam, dirt and shadows - plus of course the incomparable visual imagination of H.R. Geiger.

The shower scene in Schindler's list was a real tension builder - wonderful film but too exhausting emotionally to watch on anything close to a regular basis.

For all those Godzilla movies - I've just uncovered a website specialising in this stuff (and much much more) http://www.oldies.com

Well thanks for the link to a fascinating site! Although I couldn't find any Godzilla movies listed there.

 

[Foxbat]

Re: Scary Films

My fault. I should have posted 'Godzilla-type movies'. Here's some of the titles I've found:
Attack of The Monsters, Youngray-monster from the deep, War of The Monsters, Gammera The Invincible.

They're from the same people responsible for the Godzilla movies. Should be fun

 

[dwndrgn]

Re: Scary Films

If I could afford I'd have a library of those type of films, including all of the Godzilla ones. Fun stuff. Unfortunately nobody in the house would watch them with me. They'd be saved for those rare days when I've got the house to myself. There's some cool stuff on that site. Nice find.

 

[rune]

Re: Scary Films

This is something that I feel is much lacking now. A good horror movie that scares you

What is it that makes so many people love to be scared. I use to think I was abnormal or strange, but when I got older I realised I'm not alone

I personally liked The Ring, had some good creepy scenes. I also thought The Grudge wasn't a bad movie, it had a japenese director too so possible that's why it worked

The oldest movie I still find creepy is Saloms Lot (the Stephen King adaptation)
I've never seen vampire scenes in another movie so disturbing

I also think for disturbing factor 28 Days Later is very good. Something about how the infection affected it's victims and the shiftness in how the changed into mindless creatures It made me cringe the first time I watched it.

I've seen clips to a new Amytiville (sorry can't spell) movie. A remake.
I quite enjoyed the first version.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Re: Scary Films

I thought the original Japanese Ring was really disturbing. It was made worse that I first saw it on a VHS that my friend had lent me!
I actually couldn't sleep at all that night!
I like most of the Japanese/Korean horror movies. I recommend one called "The Eye" if anyone's interested.

I'm not a huge fans of Horror movies per say but I do enjoy the thrillers.
Funny enough, one of the scariest movies I remember seeing was a B-Movie Horror I saw as a kid called "The Children of Ravensbeck" - or just "The Children" in the US.
Basic plot was that a school bus goes through a radioactive gas cloud released from the local power station (as you do! ) and all the children on it vanish, leaving the driver dead and decomposing!
All the parents are frantic as you'd expect. Then the children start re-appearing in the town but they all have black fingernails and when anyone touches them they start to literally decompose!
Also the only way to kill the children was to chop off their fingers!

btw, I actually found Jaws quite a scary movie too!

 

[Princess Ivy]

Re: Scary Films

I went through a real horror phase when i was a kid, but i had such nightmares that i couldn't keep watching them. I caught the trailer to the ring 2, and it gave me the grillies.
Of the horror movies i have seen, the scariest was Nightmare on Elm Street (original) I first saw it when I was thirteen and didn't think much of it. Years later i was house sitting for a friend and caught it on satellite. Scared the hell out of me.
I much prefer thrillers, which imho can be far scarier than horror films. in that line, the scariest thing i've seen. ever. would be Psyco. the original hitchcock version.

 

[Princess Ivy]

Re: Scary Films

btw, I actually found Jaws quite a scary movie too!

I wouldn't swim after dark for ages after seeing jaws. *shudder*

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Re: Scary Films

I wouldn't swim after dark for ages after seeing jaws. *shudder*

I wouldn't swim in the sea full-stop!
I went to Crete recently and wanted to go snorkelling but as soon as I got in the water I found myself humming the Jaws theme tune and got out of there sharpish!

I love most of Hitchcock's movies (how that man never won an Oscar is a crime).

The scariest scene in Psycho for me was the very last when he's in the Police Station doing the inner monologue plotting how to get away with it!

 

[ravenus]

Re: Scary Films

If I may be so presumptuous as to say, you ain't seen frightening till you've seen The Innocents, chilling 1961 adaptation of Turn of the Screw. I also found these goosebump-inducing:

Picnic at Hanging Rock
Eraserhead
Carnival of Souls
Evil Dead 1 (well not so much now as in my childhood)

 

[Fitz]

Re: Scary Films

I wouldn't swim after dark for ages after seeing jaws. *shudder*

You swim in the ocean AFTER DARK???

when you say scary movies, does it include scary people running around killing people flicks? like Texas Chainsaw and Hide and Seek etc?
well, basically just hearing about scary movies gets to me. I actually never watched Ringu, but my cousin gave me a very very detailed synopsis and I was already pretty spooked after that...
and i actually got spooked by Deep Blue Sea... i know what a crap movie it was, but the sharks were really really vicious... yeah...

 

[Alia]

Re: Scary Films

btw, I actually found Jaws quite a scary movie too!

I consider a scary movie 'good' if I get scared for days afterwards. Jaws was the one! I watched it when I was a child and I remember I wouldn't take bubble baths for a Verrry long time after that because I couldn't see the water and make sure Jaws wasn't coming after me. I also stopped swimming in ponds altogether. Okay, I admit it scared me!

I see that they did a remake on Amityville Horror, I'll have to check that one out. The first was good and I hate flies!

Recently, the most scariest I've seen was Ring and was impressed!
Tonight I'll watch the Grudge.
I watched Alien vs. Predator and wasn't impressed at all.

I'm not into gory at all. Just a good fright!

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Re: Scary Films

I see that they did a remake on Amityville Horror, I'll have to check that one out. The first was good and I hate flies!

There was a glut of horror movies which came out the same time as the original Amityville (I think Alien was released the same year?) so I missed this one.
Sounded much like Poltergist or Pet Cemetary so I never wound up watching it.

Does anyone remember the 'House' movies? They were supposed to be comedy horror films but they scared the hell out of me!! (at least the first one!)

p.s. Alia - the Grudge isn't a patch on the Ring. Not sure if you like subtitled movies, but a Korean movie called "The Eye" is quite spooky. Similar concept to "The Eyes of Laura Mars"

 

[Quokka]

Re: Scary Films

I wouldn't swim after dark for ages after seeing jaws. *shudder*

Lol, i still do a bit of surfing and basically live at the beach in summer but Ive got a really bad habit if Im out there either at night or on my own of starting to humm that tune.

i havent been scared by a movie in ages, not that i watch alot of horror lately. i remember watching lots of monster horror as a kid and not being scared, like gremilins etc. but I do remember two things that really scared me as a young child, both kinda silly now.

the first (and worst) was a kids show on the ABC (an aussie channel thats linked with and shows alot of BBC stuff). I must have been about 6 at the time and i dont remember much but it used to show a different story each week (may or may not have been a show meant to scare kids). One episode was about a some mean old man that wouldnt let the kids clear or use some land to grow flowers, or something like that. Anyway at the very end he actually turns into a tree himself. For some reason the idea of being turned into a tree but still aware hit a nerve with me and I had nightmares for ages.

the second is really ridiculous but i saw a david copperfield special when he supposedly walks through the great wall of china. I was too young to know if it was real or not at the time and I remember having nightmares about people grabbing me through walls.

 

[Old Nick]

Re: Scary Films

I think I'm the only one around that thinks the re-make(s are always better than the original) of House on Haunted Hill is really scary. Apart from the end. Probably worst end ever. But up to that, loved every second of it!

I'm also pretty alone when I say, "Man, the Ring is really boring!" (Also, see comment about re-makes).

 

[Alia]

Re: Scary Films

Quokka, aren't you in JAWS country down there? I don't know if you would ever catch me swimming, alone, in the dark, in JAWS country humming that tune. It freaks me out thinking about it. Personal opinion, but I think your tempting fate.

Old Nick, I love the remakes on movies, with the technology we have it makes them more realistic and more frightening.

Alia