Film Feature: The 10 Scariest Scenes in Film History

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3. “The Shining”

The Shining
Photo credit: WB

Speaking of stillness, there are few films scarier in their slow-burn suspense than Kubrick’s one-of-a-kind masterpiece. The director already proved he could blend sound and image in ways both unsettling and unforgettable. Who can forget the hallucinogenic trip through the monolith scored by György Ligeti in “2001,” or the rape scene choreographed to “Singin’ in the Rain” that doubled the notoriety of “A Clockwork Orange”? Here, Kubrick utilized the work of five composers, including the great Krzysztof Penderecki, to achieve his desired atmosphere. The music forges an arresting duet with John Alcott’s mesmerizing Steadicam cinematography, resulting in sequences so bone-chilling that viewers may find themselves holding their collective breath, afraid to move. Though the film’s scary moments are numerous, the sequence that puts them all into motion occurs early on, as little Danny (Danny Lloyd), has his first telepathic visions of the horrors to come. It begins with Danny staring into his bathroom mirror, as he converses with the voice in his head, warning him of his impending doom. With nothing but a foreboding score on the soundtrack, the film cuts to an image of terrifying abstractness: an elevator opens in a bland hotel lobby, unleashing an ocean of blood that floods the entire space. This shot is intercut with two flash frames: one of sinisterly smirking sisters in matching outfits, and one of Danny, his face frozen in horror. After that sequence, Kubrick has you tight in his grip forever and ever and ever…

2. “The Blair Witch Project”

The Blair Witch Project
Photo credit: Artisan

Nearly a decade before “Paranormal Activity,” two young filmmakers attempted to make a horror film that abandoned many of the genre’s formulaic tropes, and went straight for the jugular, in terms of psychological terror. The resulting picture is utterly spellbinding. Viewers approaching it with a cynical mindset will leave empty-handed, but those brave enough to lose themselves within its deftly convincing “reality” are in for a series of sleepless nights. Part of the film’s success must be attributed to the completely convincing work from its three lead actors: Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael C. Williams. They play aspiring filmmakers aiming to assemble a documentary on the mythological Blair Witch. Like “Activity,” the story is viewed entirely within the found footage of the characters, as they descend deeper and deeper into the woods, supposedly haunted by the unseen witch. While “Activity” was at least confined within the comfort of a bedroom, this film’s outdoor location forces the viewer to feel far more vulnerable. I distinctly remember viewing the film upon its initial release, and being entirely horrified. The climactic sequence is monumentally scary in all sorts of ways, with a final shot that packs a powerful wallop. Yet the moment that spawns the most resonant nightmares, particularly among campers, is the one in which the three sleeping friends awaken in the middle of the night to hear the sound of children’s voices outside their tent. This effect was achieved in the simplest of ways: the filmmakers crept toward the tent armed with boom boxes playing the voices, and proceeded to violently shake the tent, terrifying their unsuspecting actors. Even with all that in mind, the scene is still jaw-dropping in its effectiveness, particularly because of the authentic reaction elicited from the actors.

1. “The Vanishing”

The Vanishing
Photo credit: Fox Lorber

The scariest movie moment on this list is also the most straightfoward. It emerges entirely out of the logic of a coldly calculating plot, and yet still manages to shake viewers to their very core. It also encompasses the fears of all the previous moments on this list, epitomizing humanity’s fear of mortality in one astoundingly effective scene late in the film. Dutch director Sluizer inexplicably remade his thriller for American audiences in 1993, undermining its horror with cheap slasher films clichés. Movie lovers are well advised to seek out the original picture in its pristine Criterion edition. “The Vanishing” (a.k.a. “Spoorloos”) begins with the sudden disappearance of a young woman (Johanna ter Steege) at a rest stop. After an initial bout of disbelief, her boyfriend, Rex (Gene Bervoets), embarks on a three-year journey to discover what happened to his lost love. His fervent obsession becomes our own, as we become complicit in Rex’s tireless pursuit of the truth, regardless of the cost. He eventually encounters a benign chemistry teacher, Raymond (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu), who may be responsible for his lover’s disappearance. Their scenes together are profoundly ominous, as Raymond leads the bewildered Rex down the path of no return. Several recent films have attempted to surpass this film’s immortal climax, but none have come close. It unforgettably illustrates the passivity of evil, the inevitability of horror and the universality of death, all in one agonizing take. Sweet dreams.

By MATT FAGERHOLM Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com matt@hollywoodchicago.com