Greatish horror movie scenes of ALL TIME

[Rawhead Rotten]

Inspired by my recent viewing of Kathryn Bigelow's "Near Dark"...

Give me one of your favorite horror movie scenes of all time. Be it an actual sequence that sealed your love for a particular film, or, a scene that just stood out from an utter piece of crap.

One of my faves is the bar scene from "Near Dark" in which the vamps completely taunt, poke fun at, then annihilate every patron of the establishment.

"I hate it when they ain't been shaved!"

[Alan "Nordling" Cerny]

The dinner scene of ALIEN.

"What's the matter, man? This shit ain't that bad."

[i3ullseye]

Spiderwalk..... nuff said.....

Dinner scene in Braindead/Dead Alive.

Lipstick scene in Night of the Demons.

[Eric Binford]

The very last minutes of The Blair Witch Project.

I know many are on the fence concerning this film, but I've always loved it. It was a slow-burn the whole way through, but at the end- that cabin goes down as one of the eeriest sets ever. Racing through it frantic and frightened made for some of the most intense moments in horror. My heart was racing.

Standing in the corner. Utter heart attack.

[Robert Hill]

Psycho and Jaws both have many truly classic scenes.
Psycho the shower, and Norman's mother in the last scene.
Jaws the opening scene, the beach scene when Bruce eat the boy, the pare scene, “we need a bigger boat” scene, and the Indianapolis story.

[BillJohnson]

The door bending in the original "The Haunting".

[SwanEater]

Holy shit, too many to mention.

Recently I’d have to say Blade II.
Besides the general level of carnage throughout which I did not expect but thoroughly enjoyed, the first scene when one of the new breed shows it’s vicious chops and subsequent feast on vampire flesh had me dumbfounded. My mouth hit the soda soaked floor and I was literally in awe, thought I had seen it all I suppose but was most certainly proved wrong. That film made me seek out Del Toro films with a vengeance.

I’ve said it before but “Session 9” will always be remembered by that stunning (albeit Blair Witch like) scene where our greedy friend Hank sees someone (or something, we’ll keep it spoiler free for those who’ve yet to see it) slide out from around that dark corner in the asylum basement. That and when Hank “returns” at the top of the staircase had the wife shit scared, thereby enhancing my pure enjoyment of the film.

As far as riding the fence on Blair Witch as mentioned above, love it or hate it, if you were paying attention or were indeed into the movie on any level, that ending was remarkable and very effective.

[Rob]

I would have to say that the scene that freaked me out the most would be when Sadako comes out of the tv in Ringu. That jerky motion/backwards walk gives me the creeps just thinking about it.

I also really love the scene in Jason X in the holodeck thing with the girls. "Wanna smoke some pot?" lol... Not really horrorish but still my favorite part in the so-so movie...

[Boys #22: elmie]

Great scenes that come to mind are:

********************SPOILERS*********************

- In REAR WINDOW when Grace Kelly is in Burr's apartment, and we watch as he is returning home

- In FRIDAY THE 13TH when Betsy Palmer enters the film and is exposed as the killer

- The finale of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT

- Near end of SUSPIRIA when Jessica Harper's friend returns, complete with pins in her eyes

- The eyeball scene in ZOMBIE is right up there too

[Boys #22: elmie]

Yikes, how could I forget Asami ?!?!?!?!

DEEPER, DEEPER

[Boys #22: elmie]

ooops, sorry, I just realized you said ONE scene

[i3ullseye]

My wifes one scene is Samara coming out of the well. gave her nightmares.

[shootitinthehead]

The last scene in RACE WITH THE DEVIL
The last scene in BURNT OFFERINGS
The introduction of Karras to Reagan/Pazuzu in THE EXORCIST Jeezus when she/it starts kibuttzing with him in different languages that just creeps me out, like two old friends...
The PJ Soles "Did someone get your ghost?" scene in HALLOWEENplus PJ SOles had some nice and more importantly REAL boobies in that!
The Sea-Grass scene in THE FOG

[Rawhead Rotten]

elmie:
ooops, sorry, I just realized you said ONE scene

Yeah, well, when I say "one" I know to expect five. wink I just ask for one so everyone can get a shot at post their favorites without getting repetition.

[Fright Flick Guy]

Gotta go with the climax to "Don't Look Now". One of the most emotionally devastating endings ever. And creepy as all get out.

The original version of "The Cat People" was one of the first horror movies I ever saw... so, I give special mention to the "swimming pool" and "bus door opening" scenes.

[Dr. Vitus Werdegast]

shootitinthehead:
The Sea-Grass scene in THE FOG

I was going to say The Fog as well, one of my all time favorite horror movies.
Curious as to if you mean the murder of the Sea Grass' crew? I was going to say the scene below when Tom Atkins tells Jamie Lee Curtis the story about his father. One of my favorite parts of the film.
And frankly, I absolutely love the John Housseman opening campfire story.

[tom de plume]

Almost every one of the scenes mentioned so far have been great ones but the "blood test" from Carpenter's The Thing was the first one that sprung into my mind. Great stuff.

[Beautiful Nightmare]

The head spin from Exorcist still gives me the willies! *shudders* that grin on her face is what does it.

[Floydian Trip]

The ending of Blair Witch was great!

My ultimate most horrifying scene in a movie that scared the crap out of me as a 9 year old boy was 'The Shining' when Jack finally enters room 237 for the first time.

Hallorann: I can remember when I was a little boy. My grandmother and I could hold conversations entirely without ever opening our mouths. She called it "shining." And for a long time, I thought it was just the two of us that had the shine to us. Just like you probably thought you was the only one. But there are other folks, though mostly they don't know it, or don't believe it. How long have you been able to do it? (No response from a reluctant Danny) Why don't you want to talk about it?
Danny: I'm not supposed to.
Hallorann: Who said you ain't supposed to?
Danny: Tony.
Hallorann: Who's Tony?
Danny: Tony is a little boy that lives in my mouth.
Hallorann: Is Tony the one that tells you things?
Danny: Yes.
Hallorann: How does he tell you things?
Danny: It's like I go to sleep, and he shows me things. But when I wake up, I can't remember everything.
Hallorann: Does your Mom and Dad know about Tony?
Danny: Yes.
Hallorann: Do they know he tells you things?
Danny: No. Tony told me never to tell 'em.
Hallorann: Has Tony ever told you anything about this place? About the Overlook Hotel?
Danny: I don't know.
Hallorann: Now think real hard now. Think!
Danny: Maybe he showed me something.
Hallorann: Try to think of what it was.
Danny: Mr. Hallorann, are you scared of this place?
Hallorann: No. Scared - there's nothin' here. It's just that, you know, some places are like people. Some 'shine' and some don't. I guess you could say the Overlook Hotel here has somethin' almost like 'shining.'
Danny: Is there something bad here?
Hallorann: Well, you know, Doc, when something happens, you can leave a trace of itself behind. Say like, if someone burns toast. Well, maybe things that happen leave other kinds of traces behind. Not things that anyone can notice, but things that people who 'shine' can see. Just like they can see things that haven't happened yet. Well, sometimes they can see things that happened a long time ago. I think a lot of things happened right here in this particular hotel over the years. And not all of 'em was good.
Danny: What about Room 237?
Hallorann: Room 237?
Danny: You're scared of Room 237, ain't ya?
Hallorann: No I ain't.
Danny: Mr. Hallorann. What is in Room 237?
Hallorann: Nothin'! There ain't nothin' in Room 237. But you ain't got no business goin' in there anyway. (forcefully) So stay out! You understand? Stay out!

The whole scene of Jack entering the room then finding the beautiful woman in the bathtub, dancing with her, then seeing her reflection in the mirror made me afraid to go in the bathroom for weeks. I always had to open the shower curtain. That's what made me love horror and love to be scared. Pure adrenelin.

[EDIT]

Oh and Doc I love The Fog as well and the opening campfire scene is one of my favorite openings for a movie. Next to "The Shining' of course, I love the opening music and driving sequence. In fact, I love everything about 'The Shining from the second it starts til the end. Kubrick was a genious. Think I might have to go watch it again now.

[shootitinthehead]

Dr Vitus...I mean the killing of the Sea-Grass crew.

Ya know we need to start thinking about getting a horror fest together every year. I have 17 acres of prime northern Cali land and a HUGE wall on my barn. I hear those digital projectors are per-ity darn nifty.

[Dr. Vitus Werdegast]

Hell, that might be worth a trip
And yes, they are pretty nifty, a friend of mine has one in his basement. I closed alot of movie theatres for the chain I work for last year, and at one I cut a 10x10 section of screen out for him (the building was being bulldozed by the land owners) and we watch movies on it every Sunday night. They're pretty amazing. Problem is, none of my buddies are really horror movie fans.

[EvilFutsin]

The dog scene in The Thing. That forever scarred me, but made me fall in love forever with the grand thing of juicey, grisly, transforming critters. The shocker of an opening also kicked ass.

Additional little ones:

The explosion bit from Devil's Backbone. Totally took me off-guard. Nice little surprise, particularly that final shot with the chunk of metal hitting the screen. SLAM!

The entire Apartment set-piece from Dawn Of The Dead. Another "scarring, but changed my life forever" thing. The gore, the style, the quotable lines, and the realization of where "there's a lotta people that're running out" line comes from.

Sorry that's more than one, too, Ryan.
I'd also probably second the bar scene from Near Dark...if it weren't for the fact I haven't seen that movie in 5 years. Need to get the super kewl DVD.

[alice's girl (chucky's ex)]

The autopsy room scene in RE-ANIMATOR (actually, any scene in Re-animator would do...)

[Charlie Brigden]

David Kessler's transformation from human to lycanthrope, scored by Sam Cooke's sublime cover of Blue Moon in AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON. Technically groundbreaking, editorially amazing, just a scene that will forever last in my memory.

[Straxboy - An Anthony Hickox Film]

Bob Keen's astonishingly-constructed rebirth of Frank scene in Hellraiser - not only one of the greatest effects sequences of all time, it also features one of my Top 5 score moments in film from Christopher Young.

[Living Dead Milkman]

A lot of great ones mentioned already. And happily not a spoiler in the bunch. Some more worth consideration:

The party scene in Jacob's Ladder

The conclusion to The Vanishing
(Obligatory warning: Avoid the Keefer-starring remake)

The thing in the bathtub at the end of Les Diaboliques

The feasting scene in Dawn of the Dead

The diabolical mannequins of Tourist Trap--still weirdly scary

The rape of ned, and finding Ronny Cox in Deliverance

The end of Mulholland Drive

[thedudeabides]

Here's the first scene that I remember shocking me into the land of all things wet and red:

The sledgehammer scene in Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Yowza!

[Living Dead Milkman]

The Changeling. Bouncing rubber ball.

'Nuff said.

[Aghora Eats Kittens]

I'm going to go with Two very distinctive moments from my childhood.

The impromtu surgery scene at the end of "The Abominable Dr. Phibes". The idea of a kid getting acid dumped onto his face freaked me out to no end.

Every time I watch "Dawn of the Dead" I'm taken back to the very first time I accidently was allowed to see the scene where the zombie bites his girl on the shoulder as she hugs him on the stairs of the apartment complex that is being raided.

Shocked isn't even to the word that describes how that affected me.

[The Inspector]

The Changeling. Bouncing rubber ball.

'Nuff said.

Fuck yeah.

On the George C. Scott tip, do I need to say anything more than "Exorcist III hallway scene"?

[The Inspector]

P.S.

I'm really glad to see so much love for The Fog. I often feel like the freak for digging that movie so much. I put this one on quite a bit, sometimes just to chill out and let it play in the background. (I also managed to be present for Johnny Butane's very first viewing of the film!)

I know it's not Carpenter's best film, but it is absolutely my favorite (and that's saying a lot, I love about 75 to 80% of his filmography).

[Fright Flick Guy]

How could I have forgotten to include one of my all time favorites?

Although it has been copied/parodied countless times... the opening sequence from "When a Stranger Calls" still scares the hell out of me! Reagrdless of genre, those 20 mintues are some of the most brilliantly directed, acted, and edited that I have ever seen. Powerful stuff.

[Mr. Fat]

The shower birth scene from 'Shatter Dead'. The implications had me reeling. As meandering and off as that movie can be, it definately had no shortage of original ideas. I actually feel that 'Shatter Dead' had too much ambition for it's own (or it's budgets) good.

And, although it's probably the most cliche one put forth yet, when Frankenstein's monster meets his bride in 'Bride Of Frankenstein'. It really is a scene with a lot of impact. "We Belong Dead".

[Doug]

"Have you checked the children?"

"Wanna see something REALLY scary?"

"Carrie White burns in Hell"

[Living Dead Milkman]

The Inspector:
On the George C. Scott tip, do I need to say anything more than "Exorcist III hallway scene"?

Yeah, but the problem for me is that little scene proved more memorable than anything else in the movie.

[The13th]

Lot's of great ones already mentioned, but one that really got me going was when Herbert West threw the cat against the wall, breaking it's back, and then reanimated it to prove to Dan Cain that his re-agent was legit.

[Slater]

Englebert:

Yeah, but the problem for me is that little scene proved more memorable than anything else in the movie.

I haven't seen this flick in probably a decade. I remember that there was one scene that I *loved*, but I can't remember what it was. Anybody care to help me out with the "hallway scene"?

As far as a moment of pure horror that influenced my love for the genre, it was probably Quint's death in Jaws. The entire movie is pretty relentless when you're seven or eight years old, but the shot of Robert Shaw helplessly sliding down the canted deck towards the shark's thrashing teeth fucking TRAUMATIZED me. It's one of the only things I've ever seen in a movie that has stayed with me for my entire life.

[Doug]

Slater Cancels Christmas:

I haven't seen this flick in probably a decade. I remember that there was one scene that I *loved*, but I can't remember what it was. Anybody care to help me out with the "hallway scene"?

QB]

Exorcist 3: Legion
Hallway scene.
A static shot of a hospital hallway with a nurse sitting at her station about thirty feet down the hall, dead center. She walks in and out of doors, investigating a sound. She realizes it's ice cubes clinking as they melt in a glass. As she returns to her desk, a figure in a flowing robe suddenly walks right up to her from behind holding a gigantic pair of metal shears towards her neck.
Music crashes.
Audience shits its pants.

BTW- I liked this movie a lot. It had a sedate, creepy vibe punctuated by bizarre moments. Very underrated.

[Slater]

Yeah, THAT's the scene I couldn't quite remember. Great jump scare. Made me jump a good goddamned foot out of my chair. Thanks, Bob.

[Scott Standridge]

Englebert:

Yeah, but the problem for me is that little scene proved more memorable than anything else in the movie.

Shut yo' mouth, Englebert! I love that movie with a passion.

Brad Dourif is a maniac god in that movie, and he creeps me out every time I watch it, which is often.

Little old lady crawling on the ceiling? Anyone?

[Disciple]

Exorcist III is superior to the original Exorcist in almost every way. Blatty needs to direct more.

[Straxboy - An Anthony Hickox Film]

"Oh, she is issuing a clear invitation to the dance"

*shudder*

[Scott Standridge]

Mr. Fat:

And, although it's probably the most cliche one put forth yet, when Frankenstein's monster meets his bride in 'Bride Of Frankenstein'. It really is a scene with a lot of impact. "We Belong Dead".

MUCH props to Mr. Fat for the Universal Classics love, and for pointing out one of the great scenes.

A few others from my extensive Universal library of love:

The Mummy - Boris Karloff in the makeup. The archeologist going mad, that disturbing laugh. "Do you have to open graves to find girls to fall in love with?" wink

The Wolf Man - Transformation. Cliched now, but at the time it had people dropping their loads to the same extent that Matrix did a few years ago. Lon Chaney Jr.'s whole performance. Claude Rains clubbing his own son to death.

Dracula - Bela Lugosi, natch. A small scene, but one I will love passionately till death: Van Helsing confronts Drac with the mirror, and Lugosi slaps it out of his hand, shattering it. For a moment he looks like a trapped animal, vicious, ready to strike. Then, with no cuts, he slowly regains composure, going from animal to gentleman with real feeling and power. "You will...forgive me. I do not like...mirrors. Van Helsing...will explain." Exit. KICK ASS. And of course, Renfield's laught (Dwight Frye da MAN), "To die, to be TRULY dead...that must be glorious!"

Creature from the Black Lagoon - The swimming scene that Jaws ripped off. Classic, beautiful stuff.

Not really Universal, but :
Phantom of the Opera (silent) - the unmasking scene. You know Chaney's makeup, you know it's iconic, but it still gets you. Or it gets me, anyway.

I could go on like this for days...

[Doug]

As long as we're kickin' it old school-
"Freaks"- The freaky deaky crawl through the rain at the climax. Tod Browning's best stuff.
"Nosferatu"- The count's shadow moves ever closer toward his cowering victim.
"Bride of Frankenstein"- The monster first emerges from the shadows below the burned down windmill and dispatches the parents of the little flower girl from the original.
"The Leopard Man"- The young lady is killed on the other side of the front door as her mother tries desperately to open it and save her.

Man, I forgot how much cool stuff there was. After Val Lewton's films in the early forties, horror movies didn't get scary again until the 60's.

[Alex Riviello]

Since you guys have mentioned 2 other classic scenes from The Thing - let me add mine- the defibrillator scene.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me."

'nuff said.

[Scott Standridge]

The Black Cat - Lugosi flaying Karloff alive in silhouette.

The Body Snatcher - (not the scifi, but the RKO period piece starring Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Henry Daniell, produced by Hal Lewton, Directed by Robert Wise): Karloff's corpse in the stagecoach at the end, flopping all over the doctor/driver, his ghostly voice beating along with the pounding of the horse's hoove: "You'll never get rid of me, never get rid of me, NEVER get rid of me, NEVER NEVER NEVER..."

*shudder*

[Ashxking2001]

The "Blender sence" From NOES1.

Tree Love from Evil Dead

[Gruber]

When Frank opens the box in Hellraiser at the beginnning. Part of its the attic he's in and the lighting and candles. It's horrifying.

[NERV Personnel]

The opening scene of Halloween is maybe my favorite horror movie scene.

Leatherface's reveal in TCM is one of the great shit your pants moments in cinema.

Barbara's brother "returning" for her in Nightof the Living Dead.

The opening credits of Ginger Snaps.

[DamienThorn]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How could I have forgotten to include one of my all time favorites?

Although it has been copied/parodied countless times... the opening sequence from "When a Stranger Calls" still scares the hell out of me! Reagrdless of genre, those 20 mintues are some of the most brilliantly directed, acted, and edited that I have ever seen. Powerful stuff.

Just to tell you that it was a copy of an early movie.....Black Sunday,starring Margot Kidder(it is great,the voice is ....fabulous).
Exorcist 3 is a good film, superieur than average