Another Top 10 Most Paused Horror Movie Moments

“The Conjuring 2” (2017)



It’s only fitting that we start off this countdown with a television that starts flipping through channels seemingly of its own will. The remote similarly appears to have a mind of its own, inexplicably moving from the couch to a chair in the room’s corner. As young Janet starts tinkering with the busted TV, she catches a glimpse of a demon channel surfing in the screen’s reflection. Cutting back and forth between the chair and the TV, the demon suddenly pops up behind Janet. With just two words, he makes it clear that she’s the one trespassing. This jump scare flies by so rapidly that a pause button is required to fully take in the demon’s pale skin, yellow eyes, and all-around fiendish presence.

“Blair Witch” (2016)



Where the original “Blair Witch Project” kept all of the horror clouded in darkness and mystery, its 2016 follow-up peeled back the curtain - if only ever so slightly. During the film’s climax, our protagonists are chased through a familiar abandoned house. Due to the shaky camera and dim lighting, we have to pause at just the right time to spot the grotesque, long-limbed woman pursuing them. So, this is supposed to be the Blair Witch, right? Not according to screenwriter Simon Barrett, who wrote on social media that this creature is actually someone else. Although the Blair Witch remains an unseen entity, we still broke out the pause button in order to get a good look at this slender foe.

“Land of the Dead” (2005)



“Shaun of the Dead” was a love letter to the zombie genre with its title paying homage to George A. Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead.” Romero returned the favor in “Land of the Dead,” which came out the following year. Since the film is wall to wall with zombies, it’s difficult to distinguish one from another. At a photo booth, however, a couple of chained up zombies stick out like undead thumbs. Pause your screen and tell us if these two monsters look at all recognizable. That’s right! The men underneath that makeup are actor Simon Pegg and director Edgar Wright, who co-wrote “Shaun of the Dead.” The only one missing is Nick Frost; we guess he’s still in Shaun’s shed playing video games.

“I Am Legend” (2007)



Vampiric mutants thankfully haven’t wiped out humanity, but this movie did predict the future in another respect. Traversing the streets of post-apocalyptic NYC, Robert Neville passes a billboard that most audiences missed. Pausing the movie, however, you’ll notice the Superman symbol encapsulated by the Batman symbol. A similar logo later surfaced at 2013 San Diego Comic-Con where Zack Snyder officially announced “Batman v Superman.” Five years before “I Am Legend” hit theaters, an alternate “Batman v Superman” movie almost went into production, the script for which got a rewrite by Akiva Goldsman, a producer and co-writer on “I Am Legend”. When that project got scrapped, it seemed like this Easter egg was the closest we’d ever get to seeing the crossover on the big screen.

“Midsommar” (2019)



Josh was likely a dead man walking the moment he set foot in this commune, but he really seals his fate when he tries taking photographs of the pagan cult’s sacred text. He’s caught off guard when somebody creeps up behind him barely clothed, but assumes that it’s his friend Mark, who disappeared earlier. He’s only half right. Pausing on a close-up of the mysterious figure, we can see that this is actually a cult member. It’s hard to say which one, however, as they’re wearing someone else’s skinned face as a mask. Pausing the scene solves the mystery - it’s the face that once belonged to Mark. Before Josh can process any of this however, he’s knee deep in his own blood.

“Bride of Chucky” (1998)



Freddy Krueger’s glove has crept its way into a couple other horror movies, including “Evil Dead II” and “Jason Goes to Hell.” In “Bride of Chucky,” however, you can not only spot the glove, but a goldmine of other iconic horror movie items as well. In a police evidence depository, you’ll have to pause several times to observe Jason Voorhees’ hockey mask, Leatherface’s chainsaw, and Michael Myers’ mask. Keep in mind that this was five years before Freddy and Jason would finally clash on the silver screen. After rummaging through this basket of Easter eggs, though, fans wanted to see Michael, Leatherface, and Chucky join the fight too. Until that crossover becomes a reality, this awesome scene will remain paused in our nightmares.

“Insidious” (2010)



Call him the Lipstick-Faced Demon, the Red-Faced Demon, or The Man with the Fire in His Face, the villain of “Insidious” had us on pins and needles going into the climax. While we had already gotten a couple of glimpses of the monster, he’s on full display in the final showdown when Josh invades his home turf. Even then, the editing is so quick that you’ll want to pause when Josh turns around to find the demon sticking out his snakelike tongue. Audiences had mixed reactions to the demon’s big reveal. Some felt he delivered on our hair-raising expectations while others argued he looked like Darth Maul with a tail. Either way, we all pressed paused when he reared his red face.

“The Shining” (1980)



Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of “The Shining” is overflowing with surreal symbolism that audiences are still analyzing to this day. There’s one moment in particular that gives us pause every time we see it. Running through the Overlook Hotel, Wendy stumbles upon… this. Yes, that’s a guy in a bear costume and he’s doing exactly what you think to that other guy in the suit. Some believe that this is a reference to Stephen King’s novel where a man in a dog suit had a homosexual relationship with the owner. Others believe it ties into an earlier scene where Danny was lying on a bear pillow, hinting that Jack has abused him. Whatever it means, we’ll never get this image out of our heads.

“Psycho” (1960)



Alfred Hitchcock had a tendency to make walk-on cameos in his movies, most of which were easy to pinpoint given the director’s unique physique. One of his more elusive cameos was in “Psycho,” which occurs early on as Marion Crane rushes into work. The man standing outside the office window is none other than the Master of Suspense himself, although this is easy to miss for several reasons. For starters, he’s wearing a hat, covering his distinctive balding head. Hitchcock’s back is also turned with only one side of his face visible. It doesn’t help that the movie is in black and white, making it harder to identify people in the background. By pausing and squinting your eyes, though, you can see that it’s definitely Hitch.

“The Ring” (2002)



Many Mojoholics gave our first list pause when this bloodcurdling scene didn’t make the cut. Just as Katie Embry couldn’t avoid Samara Morgan, neither can we. After watching a cursed videotape, Katie meets her ghastly end at the hands of Samara seven days later. While her death takes place off-screen, Katie’s mother was subjected to Samara’s handiwork. Talking to her sister and protagonist Rachel at the funeral, Ruth recalls opening the closet door to see the petrifying sight of her daughter. Pausing on Katie’s deteriorating skin, rolled eyes, and stretched-out mouth, we’re left to wonder what kind of foul creature could do such a thing. For that matter, how did Katie’s face become so distorted? We’re better off not knowing the nitty-gritty, as this image alone is enough to make our hearts stop.