CLEVELAND, Ohio – It’s not just about freaking someone out, making them feel ill or causing them to hide under the bed. There’s an art to putting together a great horror movie scene that goes behind revving up a chainsaw or torturing a helpless victim.
The 2000s has seen its fair share of great scares. Some have come in the found footage genre. Others are driven by jump scares. But what they all have in common is that they stay with you.
This list features the best of the bunch. Their scare factor is high. But they’re also some of the most well put together moments in horror movie history. They’ll haunt your nightmares in the best way imaginable (If you’re into that sort of thing).
[SPOILER alert: Many of these video clips and descriptions are obvious spoilers for films if you haven’t seen them. And most if not all of the films are R-rated. So while they’re YouTube approved, they still may not be easy to watch]
30. The Purge
Scene: Please just let us purge
“The Purge” is one of the more unique critiques on America’s social and political issues. But it’s still a horror movie. The main antagonist isn’t what you’d expect. It’s a group of rich kids, who call themselves “fine, young, every educated guys and gals.” The leader looks like Zack Morris, embodying the bloodthirsty evil in this world. The way he says “Please just let us purge” while threatening to enter the home of a family and inflict harm will give you chills.
29. Drag Me To Hell
Scene: You shamed me
Never underestimate an old lady. Especially when she’s hiding in the back of your car inside a garage ready to attack. Even if you manage to knock all of her teeth out, she’ll still try to disgustingly gnaw off your face.
28. Halloween (2018)
Scene: Bathroom massacre
If you haven’t seen the 2018 “Halloween” film, which is a direct sequel to the 1978 original film that thankfully retcons everything that came after, it’s worth your time. What’s most terrifying about the bathroom murder scene is how it makes you feel. Michael Myers goes after two true crime journalists that all but taunted him during a visit at a mental institution. Are they getting what they deserve? Does anyone deserve that?
27. Evil Dead (2014)
Scene: Face carving
The characters in the “Evil Dead” soft reboot from 2013 do a lot of horrible things to themselves when possessed. But no one gets it quite as bad as Olivia, who is discovered in the shower using a piece of glass to rearrange her face.
26. Train to Busan
Scene: Train station
Much of the South Korean blockbuster “Train to Busan” takes place in the tight quarters of a train. But, perhaps, nothing is scarier than when you think you’ve found sanctuary during the zombie apocalypse only to run into a group of soldiers turned zombies that want to eat you and your entire family.
25. Midsommar
Scene: Attestupa
If you’re familiar with Ari Aster’s films (“Midsommar” and “Hereditary”), you know you’re going to get a few moments that will floor you, Perhaps, none are more jarring than the Attestupa scene in “Midsommar." While mysterious, the film is rather calm up until the point where we find out two elder members of this Swedish commune are going to sacrifice themselves by jumping off a cliff. The first woman leaps, hitting a boulder face first (It looks as gruesome as you might imagine). And that’s the sacrifice that goes smoothly. The second guy dives feet first, destroying his leg. He’s still alive. So the members of the commune crush his skull with an extremely large mallet. The only thing left is for you to pick your jaw up off the floor.
24. Annihilation
Scene: Mutant bear
Annihilation is a film whose violence always seems imminent. Much of the time it’s cloaked in mystery. But when a mutant bear (We think that’s what it is) shows up, there’s no hiding just how much danger this group of women is in. What gives the creature an even scarier presence is the noise it makes, which appears to come from the screams of its victims.
23. Us
Scene: The Tethered
The best thing about Jordan Peele’s “Us" is Lupita Nyongo’s performance. Whether it’s the way she moves as the character Red or the way tears roll down her wide-open eyes, you can’t take your eyes off her. When she first speaks that the true horror sets in. “Us” has humorous moments and is widely entertaining. But every time you hear Red’s voice, you’re brought back to the film’s creepy vibes.
22. Green Room
Scene: Keep the gun
“Green Room” is a movie that gets off to a slow start. But once the horror gets rolling, it’s thrilling. Much of that occurs in one room, where a punk band has found themselves in a situation they can’t get out of with a group of neo-Nazi skinheads. The band has a gun but is debating it trading it for their freedom. That’s when all hell breaks loose. Struggles take place, bones are broken, wrists are slit with a box cutter and things reach the point of no return.
21. The Mist
Scene: The final decision
The gut-punch of an ending to “The Mist” has nothing to do with the mysterious monsters hidden in the fog. It’s about one man’s decision to protect his family and the consequences that come with it. We won’t spoil it here other to say that it’s heartbreaking.
20. Paranormal Activity
Scene: Night #21
“Paranormal Activity” could have ended with nothing happening and the film would have still worked. The magic is in the tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The brilliance of the ending is that it keeps that tension going. Everything important happens off-screen and the final sequence that proves to be worth the wait.
19. The Conjuring
Scene: Wardrobe closet
If you weren’t already hooked by “The Conjuring,” the wardrobe closet scene certainly takes care of that for you. The random noise, followed by the threat that something is going to happen is a trademark of director James Wan. But when it pays off, it usually pays off in a big way. Here, Wan pulls a fake-out, making us think it’s yet another case of two young girls worrying for no reason. But, oh, did they have a reason.
18. Insidious
Scene: Lipstick-Face Demon
The first two “Insidious” films are the ultimate showcases for James Wan, aka the master of the jump scare. His defining moment in that first film comes when the story of a mysterious demon is being told only to have it briefly appear behind Josh. The legend of the Lipstick-Face Demon is born.
17. The Strangers
Scene: The kitchen
“The Strangers” has some brutal scenes (the violent climax is almost unwatchable). But the beauty of the kitchen scene is just how subtle it is. Kristen (Liv Tyler) smokes a cigarette as a silent, masked figure stares at her from the shadows of another room. One thud later and the movie is off and running. The image of Tyler staring off-camera with the figure behind her was so spooky, it ultimately became one of the movie’s promotional poster.
16. Let the Right One In
Scene: You have to invite me in
The power of Tomas Alfredson’s “Let the Right One In” is that it contrasts the innocence of childhood with the folklore of vampires and the undead. So when Oskar asks Eli what would happen if he doesn’t invite her, a vampire, into his apartment and she still enters, we’re hit with this brutal scene of her bleeding from the inside out. It’s an intense moment involving tremendous acting.
15. It Follows
Scene: The tall man
“There’s something wrong with me.” Those are the words from Jay, the main character in “It Follows." They come right before the film’s best scene. Her anxiety is created by a bunch of odd figures (like an old woman in a hospital gown) constantly following her around. There aren’t many special effects or CGI monsters. The terror is psychological. The arrival of the tall man is captivating because it’s build-up pays off with a terrifying, eyeless figure that sets Jay off into a panic while her friends (who can’t see him) are left scratching their heads.
14. Sinister
Scene: Lawnmower
The art of the jump scare. In “Sinister,” Author Ellison Oswalt (Ellison Oswalt) has moved into a home where a family was murdered as a way of researching his new book. You know it’s not going to end well, especially when he discovers home movies that depict the murders of different families. One such video lulls you into a sense of calm as you watch a lawnmower moving silently over grass. Then, suddenly, the lawnmower runs over one of the family members. You never see it coming.
13. The Descent
Scene: Night vision
“The Descent” combines several elements of classic horror films, especially in its big reveal of the monsters that have been stalking a group of women who go spelunking. They’re in an unfamiliar, dark, confined space. They’re surrounded by the remains of dead animals and the only way for the audience to truly see what’s going on is through a camera’s night vision (nice touch). You wait and wait for the big reveal. Ultimately, “The Descent” takes a page out of the “Alien” playbook, giving us a monster that looks scarier than we imagined.
12. The Witch
Scene: Peek-a-boo
The setup is simple. In 17th century New England, a young girl plays peek-a-boo with her baby brother only for him to shockingly disappear on the fourth time. The camera angles are perfect and the horror lies in the idea that an innocent baby has disappeared in a matter of seconds. It’s one of the creepiest standalone scenes from a horror movie you’ll ever see.
11. Hereditary
Scene: The attic
There are multiple scenes in “Hereditary” that will knock your head off. But the ending is about as bonkers as it gets. Charlie runs the gamut of seeing naked coven members, his father’s burned corpse and his mother severing her head with a piano wire. It’s an intense race to a finish and one that is ruled by Toni Collette’s stunning performance as Annie.
10. Saw
Scene: Reverse bear trap
“I woke up. All I could taste was blood and metal.” Some of the things from the first “Saw” movie may seem tame by today’s standards. But the reverse beartrap scene holds up because of how it is presented. A woman wakes up with a contraption wrapped around her head. A video plays with Jigsaw explaining what’s about to happen: “I want to play a game...When the timer in the back goes off, your mouth will be permanently ripped open.” To save herself she must retrieve a key out of a dead man’s stomach. And to make things even more terrifying, Jigsaw throws in an unexpected twist. “Live or die. Make your choice.”
9. Ju-on
Scene: The Staircase
Even if you’re not familiar with Japanese horror films, you know this scene from “Ju-On” (aka “The Grudge”). It’s the foundation of the genre during the early 2000s, mimicked endlessly by both Japanese and American movies. You’re hypnotized by this terrifying creature, covered in blood crawling ever so awkwardly down a flight of stairs. Running is the best option, but you can’t look away. It’s a huge payoff moment, not just for the film but for a franchise that consists of 13 films, including four American versions.
8. 28 Weeks Later
Scene: Every man for himself
The brilliant “28 Days Later” did a fantastic job introducing us to its virus. The sequel had to take things to the next level. “28 Weeks Later” does just that. The opening is heartbreaking, infuriating and frightening all at once. As the outbreak finally arrives at a safe house where a collection of families are staying, a man must choose between saving his own life and trying to help his wife and a child. He chooses the former. Yet, before we can judge him, we watch him run in a panic as zombies that could rival Usain Bolt for speed chase after him. There’s hardly time for you to catch your breath and the movie has just started.
7. Zodiac
Scene: I do the posters myself
The entire vibe of “Zodiac” is spooky, in large part because it’s based on a true story. But the basement scene is especially unsettling. Much of that is the performance of Charles Fleischer as Bob Vaughn. He’s not physically intimidating. In fact, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine Jake Gyllenhaal’s character overpowering him with ease. But Bob’s creepy factor is enough to make you feel like a small child. Just the way he says, “Mr. Graysmith, I the posters myself. That’s my handwriting” is enough to make your skin crawl. At that point, the audience is left wondering if this is, indeed, the killer. Then they go to the basement because the best way to make an already scary scene even scarier is to go in a basement.
6. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Scene: So it begins
If you’ve never seen George A. Romero’s original “Dawn of the Dead,” here’s a spoiler: It doesn’t start like this. I’m not sure anything does. Good morning, it’s the start of the zombie apocalypse and your zombified daughter is eating your husband. Oh, and they’re both going to come after you next with super strength and frantic speed. Good luck with that.
5. Mulholland Drive
Scene: Diner
“Mulholland Drive” is not a horror movie. And yet, it contains one of the scariest scenes in the history of film. It starts with two men at a diner. One of them has had a nightmare about that very place where he witnessed something he never wants to see again. The horror exists in his eyes and we’re forced to believe we don’t want to see it either. The tension and buildup to the scene’s conclusion are as hair-raising as it gets.
4. The Babadook
Scene: Babadook dook dook!
Odds are you’ve seen the main image from the scariest scene in “The Babadook.” It’s one of the most paused horror movie moments ever. The Australian movie is a masterclass in sound effects, especially in the terrifying bedroom scene. You can only hear the Babadook coming as Amelia puts the covers over her head. The anticipation is intimidating. And when she finally removes them, we’re faced with a creature that seeks to invade her body and soul.
3. The Ring
Scene: Samara comes out to play
Simply iconic. “The Ring” is a remake of the 1998 Japanese film of the same name (or “Ringu” in Japanese) that was highly influential in the genre. But the American thing takes things to the next level with special effects. The concept is creepy to say the least. You watch a strange videotape and then you have seven days to live. People die one after another. Only we don’t see what kills them until the very end of the film. What makes the climactic scene so incredible is that it’s a TV screen within a screen. Thus, as the uber-creepy Samara is walking towards the TV set, it looks as if she’s coming towards you the viewer.
2. The Conjuring 2
Scene: The Valak painting
This is one of the most well put together scenes in horror movie history. It begins with us seeing the horrified eyes of a teenage girl looking at a demon nun down a hallway. The figure is close enough that we know it’s scary. But it’s far enough away that we need to see more. And that’s what we get. As soon as Lorraine spots the painting in the office, we know where this is going. But the “Conjuring 2” keeps us guessing as to how we’ll get there. Kudos to the slow shadow walk around the walls. The buildup is everything and the Valak painting scene perfects it.
1. Get Out
Scene: The Sunken Place
What else were we going to pick? Entire films go to great lengths for two hours (sometimes longer) to produce the psychological effects Jordan Peele accomplishes in one scene in “Get Out.” The “Sunken Place” serves a purpose in the overall plot of the film. But at that moment, it also brings the main character’s greatest fears to life. He’s paralyzed by the thought of a childhood memory he’s been running away from. The subtle touches – from the spoon circling the teacup to the scratching of the chair – create a chilling atmosphere. It’s impossible not to get caught up in this three and a half minute sequence that ranks the great movie scenes of the past decade regardless of genre.
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October 29, 2020 at 04:22PM
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30 best horror movie scenes of the 21st century - cleveland.com
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