Access Atlanta > Movies > Blog > Archives > 2008 > October > 23 > Entry
What scary movie scares you most?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I have to admit, I’m a big chicken when it comes to scary movies. Nowadays, I usually avoid them altogether. But I reluctantly agreed to watch “The Strangers,” which is now out on DVD on Tuesday. I thought it was pretty scary, but my 20-something nephew and niece had one word for it: “lame.” They didn’t see it on the big screen, but both predicted every “scary” turn from start to finish as we watched it on TV.
Now there are some classics I will watch — “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Amityville of Horror,” “Pyscho.” And others with seriously sharp or deadly instruments — “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “The Shining,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” — that I could never be talked into watching. Nor anything with snakes — “Anaconda” or “Snakes on a Plane” (I know the latter is not a horror movie, but the title alone send chills up my spine.)
With Halloween next week, there are a lot of DVD releases this month — old and new titles — that will scare or entertain you. In addition to “The Strangers” and “Psycho,” here are a few others:
“The Happening,” “Touch of Evil: 50th Anniversary Edition,” “The Omen,” “Young Frankenstein,” “The Omen” (Blu Ray), “Hellboy,” “The Ray Harryhausen Collection: “It Came from Beneath the Sea,” “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers” and “20 Million Miles to Earth”)
So, what’s your all-time favorite scary movie?
Comments
By MountainDawg
October 23, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this
The scariest movie of all time is the Exorcist. That demon Panzuzu/”Captain Howdy” is terrifying in the quick flash (priest’s dream sequence). The Shining is also pretty scary. Most of the contemporary stuff is laughable (in comparison).
By Texas Pete
October 23, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this
Maybe it was because of my age 13-14, Pumpkin Head was the scariest movie I can remember.
The new so called horror movies are only gore.
By West Cobb Dad
October 23, 2008 3:24 PM | Link to this
Nightmare on Elmstreet I watched a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t seen it in 20 years. Still had an edge to it. Problem with a lot of ‘scary’ movies these days is that they try to go over the top with blood and guts and total gross out, or are Japanese remakes that miss the original’s edge “by that much” which makes it only okay. No tension like the Shining.
By JM
October 23, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this
The scariest film sequence I remember is the one in Brian de Palma’s “Dressed To Kill” where Angie Dickinson’s character is stalked through a museum, then slashed to death in an elevator. All the monster/ghost/living-dead stuff is stupid, to me. Scary means something that could REALLY happen. To this day I am uncomfortable getting into elevators.
By MD N8tv in GA
October 23, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this
in terms of horror - the Halloween series
in terms of scary in that it could happen in real life - The Net
in terms of “it’s so bad it’s scary” - a three way tie: Popeye, What Dreams May Come, and Magnolia.
By Troj89
October 23, 2008 3:31 PM | Link to this
HALLOWEEN (the original one from the 70’s).
By Jay
October 23, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this
The scariest movie for me has to be Clive Barker Hellrasier. I had nightmares every night about Pin head. Hellrasier had some of the best quotes for a horror movie, like my favorite ” We have such sights to show you!” .
By koala
October 23, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this
Obama indoctrination ads on TV and radio - terrifying!! Arrhhhh! Please mommy, tell me it’s all just a BAD DREAM.
By RealityKing
October 23, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this
Documentaries filled with factually incorrect political fantasies.
By T
October 23, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this
The Brady Bunch Movie. That was just down right creepy.
By Mr Charlie
October 23, 2008 4:18 PM | Link to this
There was this movie that came out very recently in theaters. I only saw probably two previews, but the name of it was “W”. Well I swear, that movie was so scary to me I didn’t even bother to see it!
By David
October 23, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this
There are two classes of scary movies for me; the old classics like Frankenstein, Dracula and the Wolfman and the new movies which to me means everything after Jaws. The main difference in the two classes is that the oldies build up suspense with atmosphere and the newies the “monster” has a sound effect or music to let you know he’s about to appear. Of the oldies, I like the Dracula movies With Bela Lugosi the best; of the new movies, I like the Nightmare on Elm Street series in particular and Wes Craven movies in general. The Nightmare movies just go so seemlessly from “reality” to “nightmare” that it just creeps me out. What can I say about Dracula? You young’uns just need to watch!
By wirelessg
October 24, 2008 8:30 AM | Link to this
I can’t watch “Pacific Heights”, the horror movie for yuppies, again. Michael Keaton at his best and the final scene is terrific.
By Peadawg
October 24, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this
It isn’t the “scariest” but it is the BEST horror/thriller movie…the ORIGINAL Halloween movie!
By Sal
October 24, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
I don’t watch scary movies anymore because I found I don’t enjoy paying in time or money to be feel so uncomfortable. When I did, the ones that frightened me most were those that were most plausible like Psycho, Jaws, The Shining, Wait Until Dark, Play Misty for Me, etc. I can’t/won’t watch anything with stalking. When scenes like these movies portray occur in sleep, one might refer to them as nightmares and wonder what was eaten ate that disagreed with one’s system. When Hollywood produces the same thing, folks pay money and stand in line to see them. Isn’t life fun!
By Josh
October 24, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
HALLOWEEN!! Hands down! I couldn,t sleep with the closet door open for years.
By Mimi
October 24, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this
Hands down, The Exorcist gets my vote… The music/choir singing at the end!!! Yikes…..