Top 10 Over the Top Screams in Horror Movies

“Day of the Dead” (1985)
Captain Rhodes takes the viewer on a full journey with his over-the-top scream. He begins with loud shouts down the hallway before opening a door to a room full of zombies. His cartoonish screams contrast with the bravado he showed earlier, sounding more like someone who’s spotted a mouse than a zombie. He’s abruptly cut off by a gunshot, bringing his cries to an untimely end. Before succumbing to the zombie horde, Captain Rhodes gives us a few more breathless gasps to top off his scream. We salute you, sir.

“Poltergeist” (1982)
We know that teenagers can be a bit dramatic, but Dana’s reaction is warranted when she comes home to find supernatural lights flashing through the windows of her house. After missing the climax of the big reveal, Dana is understandably confused upon arriving home. Her bewildered whimpers turn to a full shriek of incomprehension. Screaming at a house might not be the most logical approach, but hey, panic doesn’t follow logic! Loud, terrified, and full of teenage angst, Dana’s scream is perfectly over the top.

“Scream” (1996)
This haunting scream comes from actress Carla Hatley. Her role is short, but she makes it count, expertly vocalizing the grief and terror felt when she finds that her daughter has been brutally murdered. Carla goes to her knees for this scream. Just as she starts to run out of steam, she takes a breath to let loose another one. Long and sharp, this gut-wrenching cry is the perfect representation for the movie’s title card, and segues into one of Hollywood’s greatest slasher franchises.

“Basket Case” (1982)
“Basket Case” is already a wild ride, and the dramatic screams are a key part of it. The most over-the-top shriek comes from this scene in which Dr. Kutter is attacked by the basket monster. While this scream is more laughable than scary, it is unarguably dramatic, and just keeps going. Just when you think it’s done, Dr. Kutter is back on screen, covered in scalpels and letting loose another screech. Even a mouthful of blood doesn’t stop this doctor from letting the whole neighborhood know who this movie’s scream queen is.

“Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan” (1989)
The “Friday the 13th” franchise has plenty of screams to choose from. Trent’s in the 2009 reboot is one of the most over-the-top. But it’s Suzi in “Jason Takes Manhattan” who really takes the cake. As Jason looms over here, she has plenty of time to scream as Jason slowly goes in for the kill. With each inhale she gets louder and louder, reaching ever higher frequencies. Meanwhile, a completely indifferent Jason stabs her in the chest. This scream has us reaching for the volume control as actress Tiffany Paulson attains a pitch that would be the envy of any opera singer.

“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1978)
In this scene, what appears to be a happy reunion turns into a moment of terror. Matthew makes an inhuman, siren-like scream, revealing himself as a duplicate. He sounds the alarm that a real human has been spotted. Adding to the drama, Nancy begins to cry and scream as well, creating a cacophonous duet that earns this classic film its spot on our list. To make this iconic scream for the pod people, sound designer Ben Burtt mixed together several different sounds, the main one being pig squeals, to give it that spine-tingling edge.

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974)
Actress Marilyn Burns really makes the viewer feel her terror in this terrifying scene. After waking up tied to a chair, with the forearms of its previous occupant still bound to the arms, Sally releases a blood-curdling scream. Plenty of final girls have earned their scream queen status, but this intense situation is made worse when her captures begin howling and screaming along with her. This goes on for an agonizing 20 seconds, making it one of the most memorable and iconic scenes in horror cinema.

“Possession” (1981)
While a lesser known film, “Possession” earns its spot on this list with a scene that isn’t just a scream, but a full mental breakdown. Going from maniacal laughter to terrified shrieks, actress Isabelle Adjani goes through a full spectrum of gut-wrenching cries. It’s enough to leave any viewer petrified. She said that Andrzej Zulawski “is a director that makes you sink into his world of darkness and his demons.” This clearly comes through in her performance, and it reportedly took her several years to get over playing Anna.

“The Wicker Man” (2006)
When it comes to over-the-top screams, you know Nicolas Cage is going to have a spot on the list. His best horror-movie freak out comes from “The Wicker Man”. At the climax of the film, Cage’s character Edward finds himself at the wrong end of a stinger when his head is put into a mesh helmet filled with bees. Of course, the best way to deal with bees is to be calm and collected, but that just wouldn’t be Cage’s style. He puts his full heart and lungs into the scene, screaming in dramatic Nick Cage fashion until he stutters off into anaphylactic shock.

“The Evil Dead” (1981)
This is no doubt the longest scream on our list. After getting stabbed in the back, this unfortunate deadite wails in agony for 40 full seconds. Not only is it long, but guttural and full of pain. It finishes off with demonic growls and howling as it spews blood. With such a small budget, director Sam Raimi had to be resourceful, relying on practical effects and the skills of the actors. The passion clearly shines through in this scene, leaving no doubt as to why “The Evil Dead” has become a cult classic.