For those who know me and for those who don't, I'm a huge lover of horror movies. From the best horror movies out there to comedy horror films to anything in between, I will gladly sit down to watch them. But let's be honest – there are plenty of horror films in the past that all of us have seen and thought, "Wow, I am never going to forget this scene because it will haunt me for life." That's what this is all about. Let's get into it.
The Ending (The Mist)
Yeah, I don't need to explain why The Mist's ending was traumatizing. If you've seen it, you know. If you haven't, consider yourselves lucky. Let's say many people die, and it's not a fun experience.
Michael Hiding In The Closet (Halloween)
There's nothing quite like a classic horror movie villain, and Michael Myers is about as classic as you can get. The film itself is all about Myers on a killing quest, which leads him to Laurie Strode. He chases her throughout her house, and just when we think he's dead, he rises from the floor in one motion, clearly not. This scene remains chilling to this day.
Andre Realizing Where He Is (Get Out)
Jordan Peele's movies surprisingly have many scenes that really stick with you. One I have to mention is in Get Out when Andre realizes where he is and tries to warn Chris to leave Rose's family's house. He screams and yells at him when the flash goes off on a camera, and his yelling at Chris will always live in my head.
Regan's Seizure (The Exorcist)
If we're being honest, there are plenty of moments in The Exorcist that I could put on this list. But the one I have to name is when Regan has a seizure due to the demon in her body flailing her up and down. Whether it's the chilling nature of the shot or the fact that the actress suffered severe injuries because of it, it sat with me for a long time.
Pennywise Gets Georgie (IT)
The IT films are some of the best Stephen King adaptations, but that opening death in IT let me know exactly what I was getting myself into. We all knew Georgie had to die in IT, but in the first film, we are shown how graphic it will be when Pennywise lures him into the sewer and ends him quite violently.
The First Time We See The Demon (Insidious)
There are plenty of moments in the Insidious films that we could discuss, but I have to point out the red demon—you and I both know which one I'm talking about—that randomly appears behind Josh's head. It's such an effective jumpscare, but my god, does it haunt you.
The Entirety Of The Human Centipede (2009)
Yeah, I won't even get into this. Just don't watch the movie—or movies—if you don't want to be scarred for life. Ew.
Justine Biting Her Own Arm (Raw)
Many people forget about Raw in many ways, and I'm not sure why. It was a great film that explored an excellent horror topic and was told brilliantly; somehow, we never got a sequel. Plenty of scenes stand out, but the one I'll never forget is when Justine, instead of biting the flesh of her lover, bites her arm. Yeah, it's pretty gross – but it's a great shot.
Mike Facing The Wall (The Blair Witch Project)
While The Blair Witch Project might be getting rebooted, there's nothing quite as haunting as the original, where film students are capturing footage in the woods, and they get lost – while their footage is found. In the last shot, Mike is facing the wall, doing nothing, as evil forces surround them. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking of it.
The First Ceremony (Midsommar)
Ari Aster's films always have moments that make you want to squirm, but the one I have to point out from Midsommar is the first ceremony they do during the festival. The two eldest of the group jump off a cliff, and their lives end rather quickly, but the slow-motion and graphic way they pass sits with you.
The Scream Of The Innocent (Nope)
Of Peele's three directed features, Nope is arguably the least scary. But that doesn't mean it doesn't have haunting moments, including this one. When Jean Jacket finds its way over Jupiter's Claim, it kills everyone there, sucking them up into its mouth. It's horrifying when you hear the screams of everyone there.
The Logs (Final Destination 2)
Yeah, the log scene in Final Destination 2 scarred an entire generation from riding behind any truck that has anything that could potentially fall out of it – especially logs. We all know what happens. I'm not going to relive that while writing this, no siree.
David's First Wolf Transformation (An American Werewolf In London)
There are plenty of great werewolf movies, but An American Werewolf in London is hands down one of the best. The movie isn't scary, but you want to know what it is? When David becomes a werewolf for the first time – that shakes you to your core. His werewolf transformation is genuinely out of this world.
Seok-woo Realizes He's Bit (Train To Busan)
Train to Busan is one of the best zombie movies out there, and the scene that haunts me the most is definitely Seok-woo realizing he was bitten. It happens so quickly, but through it all, he finds a way to keep his daughter safe despite dying. It's sad as heck and will make you sob.
Every Torture Scene (Hostel)
I watched Hostel and regretted it immensely, but you know what? You have to live through the pain with me. The film is all about tourists taking shelter in a hostel only to be kidnapped and tortured, and every torture scene in this film made me squirm and still haunts me to this day.
Freddy Gets Glen (A Nightmare On Elm Street)
Out of Freddy Kreuger's most gruesome kills, this one stands out amongst the rest. Glen, played by Johnny Depp, accidentally falls asleep, but Freddy gets him good – and turns him into a geyser. It's disgusting and still sits with me to this day.
Chest Popper (Alien)
I mean, obviously. If we're talking about some of the best sci-fi horror movies, Alien is undoubtedly up there. While there aren't that many terrifying moments, the Alien coming out of a person's chest will certainly sit with you for years.
Casey's Death (Scream)
I see the Scream movie as almost a love letter to former horror movies, but there's no denying some haunting moments. Casey's death in the first Scream film is probably the most prominent because the young woman was innocent and strung up a tree with her insides hanging out. Not the best way to go.
Katie Lunges Towards The Camera (Paranormal Activity)
There are plenty of great found-footage horror movies out there that I could point to as haunting, but the last scene of Paranormal Activity possibly made everyone in the world jump out of their seats. It concludes with Katie, fully possessed, lunging at the camera before everything cuts to black, and yes, it still makes me jump to this day.
Redrum (The Shining)
The Shining is great for so many reasons, but one of the best moments is when Danny writes "Redrum" on a door while saying it in a raspy voice, over and over and over again, obviously with "Redrum" spelling "Murder" backward. It's a great foreshadowing of the horrors to come, but also a fantastic haunting moment.
Red Looking At Jason (Us)
Us is a great Jordan Peele horror movie about doppelgangers, and the ending scene of Us is one of the best for many reasons. Red somehow survives until the end, revealing that she was always a doppelganger who fights to keep her place in the world, trapping the real her below. Jason realizes that at the very end, the last look she gives her son is chilling to the bone.
The Aftermath Of Charlie's Death (Hereditary)
Hereditary is one of those Ari Aster movies that makes you squirm in your seat, and while I won't get into details of what exactly happens to Charlie, I will say that the aftermath of what we see is enough to make you barf. Flies, dead skin, and much more on the side of the road – and let's not forget the scream of her mother.
The Lawnmower Scene (Sinister)
The lawnmower scene in Sinister is less than a minute long in a film full of haunting moments, but man, it isn't fun. It shows someone with a camera holding a lawnmower that ends a girl lying on the ground without getting into too much detail. I could have gone my whole life without seeing that.
The Truth About Norman Bates' Mother (Psycho)
You can't get more well-known horror than Psycho. Obviously, by the end of the film, we all find out the truth about Bates' mother and how he killed her, but it's that chilling smile, the iconic one, that still haunts our nightmares every time. You can't get creepier than that.
Gage's Death (Pet Sematary)
In many ways, Pet Sematary is the scariest film on this list because it sometimes feels like something a normal person would do out of desperation to bring their loved ones back. The following events in the film happen because of Gage's death, but nothing beats the screams of his family when they realize it.
Pearl's Final Bow (Pearl)
Both X and Pearl are great films within the same universe, but that last shot of Pearl—otherwise known as the Pearl ending—is haunting. In it, she welcomes her husband home after literally killing so many people and just smiles at the camera for a good couple of minutes. Oof, it just sits with you.
The Blood Eagle (Midsommar)
Midsommar has so many moments that could be on this list, but The Blood Eagle has to be one to point out. Without going into too much detail so I don't scar whoever is reading this, a tourist at the festival, who had been brought in, is taken out due to an ancient torture ritual called the Blood Eagle. I won't talk about what it is – look it up if you dare, and then get haunted all over again.
The Spider-Head (The Thing)
The Thing is terrifying in many ways because literally anyone could be the imposter alien. But out of all the haunting moments, the spider-head stands out. Yeah, I'm getting nauseous just writing about it. Ew.
The Final Transformation (The Fly)
Jeff Goldblum's best movies include The Fly for a good reason: his acting is awesome. However, that last transformation—where his character, fully ingrained with the fly's DNA, fully transforms—yeah, that part is gross and still haunts me to this day. The flesh and the effects—ugh, I'm about to vomit. Be right back.
Kayako Goes Under The Sheets (The Grudge)
I have to point out this scene from The Grudge. Kayako pops out from underneath a bed and kills someone, dragging them under the covers. It's terrifying, and to this day, I'm still freaked out by it.
Gabriel Comes Out Of Madison's Skull (Malignant)
Malignant is one of the best movies to watch on Max, and it still freaks me out. The twist comes at the very end when it's revealed Madison had a former twin who ingrained himself in her skull, and then he suddenly emerges from her skull at the very end. It's disgusting and will haunt you for the rest of your life.
Riley's Possession (Talk To Me)
Talk to Me was one of the scariest films in years and deserved all the praise it got, and of course, I have to point out Riley's possession. It's so violent and quick and sad that you can hardly remember to feel scared once you're traumatized out of your mind. Let's not even get into how he injures himself so badly.
These are all some incredibly haunting scenes, but maybe I'll go watch some of the best romantic comedies now to feel happier about something. Goodness gracious, I need a palette cleanser.
