Andre over at the awesome
The Horror Digest blog put out a call for people to post things from movies that give them the willies. I tried to mix it up a little by picking some stuff that freaked me out as a kid and some more recent film moments. I listed my ten in alphabetical order.
Side note, is it me or does searching for screen caps a major pain? I could not believe how much it sucked. Search engines seem to turn up everything but what you put in. So not every picture/screencap matches the moment I'm talking about.
Please take notice that a lot of these will contain SPOILERS. My picks:
An American Werewolf In London - As a kid I some how managed to get my dad to take me to see this film. What I didn't know is that I would be traumatized for years to come. The opening scene where David and Jack are being surrounded and eventually attacked by the werewolf messed me up. For years to come if I was ever outside at night, especially near any kind of wooded area, I always wondered if a werewolf was going to come out and get me.
The Amityville Horror - While the actual case is most likely a hoax the film is still a scary tale. And one scene that freaked me out as a kid (and possibly as an adult too but I won't say) is when the young daughter claims she has an imaginary friend who is a pig. One time when the mom comes in and the girl claims she just scared her friend out the window the mom playfully goes to the window to play along only to see two big red eyes staring at her with a pig sound squealing. Heebie jeebies.
Burnt Offerings - Another kid creepy moment which freaked me out has to do with the driver from this movie. The guy appears at one point (which is the actual screen shot above) and it creeped me out.
Creepshow - While my love of 'Creepshow' knows no bounds it was almost unwatchable for me at one point because of the one segment called "The Crate". The first time "Fluffy" attacks a lowly janitor and turns him into a meal freaked me out so much I had to leave the theatre and ended up watching the rest of the segment from the lobby.
The Exorcist - What is probably the scariest film ever for me, and I am sure I could point out several moments, but one specifically is the appearance of the infamous demon face during Father Karrass' dream. The quick flash, while only a few frames long, is enough to make you think the film itself is possessed. I can't even look at the picture. *shivers*
The Eye - One of the Japanese ghost films (among the hundreds that have come out) that I found effective. One scene that made me jump out of my chair was when the lead character, who sees ghosts everywhere, sees a woman who comes right at her claiming to get out of her chair. I am glad no one saw me jump because it literally got me.
Henry Portrait Of A Serial Killer - One of the creepiest and disturbing scenes, and one that made me creeped out even being in my own house, was the infamous scene when Henry and Otis have videotaped their attack on a family and are watching it. It is so disturbing that even the dark humor of the film is no where to be found.
Session 9 - Without a doubt one of the creepiest things I've seen in the last ten years is in this film. When one character sneaks back into the hospital to steal some items he's found buried in a wall he finds getting out is a little hard in this abandoned place. He hears something and when he looks back down the hallway he sees a figure appear. A simple image but one that is just completely scary. Just made my hair stand on end thinking about it.
Paranormal Activity - I was one of the people that found this film really creepy and the one moment that really got to me because it went beyond what I was already freaked out about (sounds, a door closing) is when the lead character is actually dragged out of bed and down the hall. Making you realize things are indeed getting worse.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - The first appearance of Leatherface is definitely one that gave me the willies. It was so intense and almost unbelievable because it just happens. No build up. He comes out and hits the guy with the hammer and slams the door shut. So stunning and very shocking.
So these were my picks. I could have listed more but I wanted to have a few different ones. Some childhood picks and more recent ones. List your own and share.
