Top 100 Scariest Horror Movie Scenes Of All Time

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at films that fall under the horror umbrella, unearthing the scariest moments ever to grace the silver screen. Beware the following spoilers. Which horror movie scene continues to haunt your nightmares? Let us know in the comments, if you dare!

#100: The Gas Station
“The Hitcher” (1986)
Whenever it looks like Jim Halsey has seen the last of John Ryder, the mysterious hitchhiker hits the gas pedal when he least expects it. Stumbling upon a gas station, Jim seemingly finds salvation, only to realize nobody is there. Well, almost nobody. The scene lures us in with an emphasis on sound effects over dialogue, creating a sense of isolation. Jim isn’t alone, however. Charging out of the garage, Ryder resists running over Jim, opting to light a match with a stream of gasoline engulfing the station. Jim narrowly escapes with his car on fire, but Ryder has made his point even more apparent. He won’t stop until one of them permanently runs out of gas, kicking the stakes into high gear.

#99: Behind You!
“Hush” (2016)
Mike Flanagan has carved out his place as a modern horror master, often collaborating with his wife, Kate Siegel. In “Hush,” Siegel plays a woman who lost her ability to hear or speak in her youth, who realizes she’s being stalked. Proving more resourceful than the intruder assumes, Siegel’s Maddie locks herself in the bathroom. On the verge of passing out, she arms herself with a knife and waits for her stalker to break through the door. The sound is removed from this tense moment, putting us in Maddie’s shoes. The audience can still see what she can’t, though. As the man drops in, we want to scream out, despite knowing it’ll have no impact. Maddie might not be able to hear him, but she can feel his breath creeping up on her neck.

#98: Train Station Apocalypse
“Train to Busan” (2016)
Zombies and trains. It’s a winning combination, although we didn’t anticipate how well these elements would pair until Yeon Sang-ho’s wickedly entertaining “Train to Busan.” After getting off one infected train, the survivors find that the station - and the rest of South Korea - aren’t much safer. The scene escalates from zero to eleven, as we initially only see one person limping down a hallway. In a matter of seconds, our protagonist finds himself between a hallway of the undead darting toward him and another hoard chasing fellow survivors. This visual underlines the notion that there’s virtually nowhere to run. That won’t stop those who remain from trying. And remember, when zombies attack, it’s always good to have a book and coat on hand.

#97: Autobody Horror
“Titane” (2021)
“Titane” is truly unlike anything you’ve seen, centering on a female serial killer who’s impregnated by a car. It sounds comedic, but there are far more gasps than laughs. Throughout the film, we watch Alexia’s body undergo unnatural changes as the baby growing inside turns her into a mechanical monstrosity. Along the way, she develops a complicated relationship with a man named Vincent, posing as his long-lost son. Vincent is there to assist in the excruciating birth, which rips the life out of Alexia. Feeling as if he’s lost a child all over again, Vincent commits to raising the baby, who takes after both of its parents. The haunting final image is sure to send shivers up your spine, no matter what you’re made of.

#96: Hanging Around
“The Lodge” (2019)
Spending the holidays with her fiance’s children in a remote lodge, Grace feels as if she’s spiraling into madness. Her paranoia is taken into overdrive when eldest child Aiden tries to prove that they’re in purgatory. Walking in on Aiden swinging over the stairs, Grace and the audience jump to the most logical conclusion. Topping one shocker with another, the noose has no effect on Aiden, enforcing his theory that they’re frozen in time and will remain in this snowy prison until they repent. Of course, there’s more happening behind the scenes than Grace realizes. While the final twist is a jaw-dropper, nothing quite competes with the initial terror of seeing Aiden’s not-to-lifeless body hanging from above.

#95: Ghost in the Tub
“What Lies Beneath” (2000)
The bathroom is commonly cited as the most dangerous room… even if your house isn’t haunted. Harrison Ford’s Norman places his wife Claire in the bathtub, attempting to make her drowning appear self-inflicted. Claire is wearing a necklace that belonged to Madison, Norman’s murdered lover. In one of cinema’s stealthiest jump scares, Norman removes the necklace from Claire’s neck, only to find Madison’s ghoulish face staring back. If the audience weren’t already sitting down, they’d jolt backward like Norman, who slips and accidentally slams his head on the sink. This ingeniously edited sequence merges supernatural horror with the real-world horror of bathroom accidents. Norman’s fall looks and sounds like it genuinely hurt, although we can all agree he deserves the pain.

#94: Asking For a Sign
“Saint Maud” (2019)
Maud, or Katie as she once went by, is convinced that God has a greater purpose for her. Searching for that purpose, Maud becomes lost with her world turned sideways. Calling for guidance, Maud is pointed to the sky as she descends into insanity. Losing control of her body, Maude’s agony is drowned out by the sounds of fireworks and water from the sink running over. Everything suddenly goes silent when Maud levitates off the floor. Some might say that this is a miracle. Seeing Maud draped in darkness, though, it’s clear that something more demonic is pulling the strings. The question is whether it’s a literal demon or an inner demon. Either way, Maude is more committed than ever to serving her master.

#93: Tearing Me Apart
“Hellraiser” (1987)
Pinhead might be the face of the “Hellraiser” franchise, but Frank Cotton is the true villain in the original classic. Wearing his brother’s skin, Frank plans to slice up his niece Kirsty as a grand finale. It’s Frank who’s torn to pieces, however. Admitting to his sins, Frank answers to the Cenobites, who have a twisted punishment in store. It isn’t enough to drag Frank back to Hell. The Cenobites ensure that he won’t be going anywhere, wrapping him in chains and sinking their hooks in. As far as gore goes, Frank’s demise contains some of the genre’s most creatively grotesque imagery. The audience’s skin crawls while Frank’s is pulled away. As ghastly as this sight is, it’s also deeply satisfying watching Frank’s comeuppance.

#92: Don Flees
“28 Weeks Later” (2007)
We wouldn’t call Robert Carlyle’s Don the antagonist of this sequel. He’s definitely not the hero, though. He establishes this early on when a young boy inadvertently leads the infected to Don, his wife Alice, and the other survivors. When Alice refuses to leave the boy behind, Don slams the door to save his own skin. Don gets out of the house, although the chase is just getting started. The infected sprint after him like zombified running backs. All the while, Alice screams for her husband, banging on the window. The chaotic editing, cinematography, and music reflect Don’s snap decisions. Everything happens so quickly that Don has no time to think twice. He may’ve loved his wife, but self-preservation comes more naturally.

#91: Alligator Attack
“X” (2022)
From the moment a gator surfaces in the lake, we know how at least one character will inevitably exit the picture. We just weren’t sure if it would be Bobby-Lynne. The gator is far from the most horrifying sight on this remote farm. That destination goes to the elderly Pearl, who has a vendetta against blondes. She’s especially hostile towards Bobby-Lynne, despite her attempt to help Pearl. Bobby-Lynne just delivered the performance of a lifetime back at the guesthouse while Pearl’s dreams of stardom have faded. She doesn’t realize it, but it was her last performance. Pushed into the water, Bobby-Lynne meets a watery grave as the gator goes straight for her head. Even if she had survived, her adult film days would be over.

#90: A Jump Scare For the Ages
“House on Haunted Hill” (1959)
This Vincent Price classic contains one of cinema’s earlier jump scares. Decades later, it’s still one of the most unexpected. Spending the night in a supposedly haunted house, Nora is given the first sign that the $10,000 award may not be worth it. Searching the house, Nora turns around to find a corpse-like figure lurking in the darkness. With dead eyes, crooked teeth, and petrifying hair, this face will either leave you screaming like Nora or fainting in your seat. Admittedly, seeing the figure slide out of the room like she’s on a moving walkway is a little silly. After the initial shock practically gave us a heart attack, though, a touch of levity isn’t unwelcome.

#89: C-Section
“Inside” (2007)

#88: If It Has to Be Done…
“Frailty” (2001)

#87: Subway Tunnel
“Possession” (1981)

#86: The Bear
“Annihilation” (2018)

#85: Allie’s Death
“Terrifier 2” (2022)
In a market oversaturated with evil clowns, standing out isn’t easy. This makes it all the more impressive that Art the Clown has become a contemporary horror icon. While part of that’s thanks to his sick design and David Howard Thornton’s performance, we’re here for the mayhem and Art never falls short on that front. Breaking into Allie’s house, Art mutilates her with tiny everyday objects. That sounds a tad goofy, which is appropriate for a clown. Don’t underestimate how much damage items around the house can do. Where most villains would’ve been satisfied with taking Allie’s scalp, Art keeps finding new ways to reshape her into a bloody pulp. Just when you think he’s done, Art returns to rub salt in the wounds.

#84: Phony Therapist
“Smile” (2022)

#83: Mother On Fire
“Pearl” (2022)

#82: Nailed It
“A Quiet Place” (2018)

#81: The Doorway
“Nosferatu” (1922)

#80: Gabriel
“Malignant” (2021)
Madison is haunted by the enigmatic Gabriel, who she initially believes to be a childhood imaginary friend. To an extent, Gabriel is in Madison’s head. Just as significant, Gabriel also grew out of her head! On a VHS tape, we see a young Madison in the hospital. The camera casually moves around Madison, making it even more jolting when Gabriel is exposed on the other side. Revealed to be a parasitic twin, Gabriel has since been removed from Madison’s back, but he continues to influence her. This is one of the rare horror movie twists that we can safely say few saw coming. Even if you did, Gabriel’s introduction will leave everybody checking the back of their head to ensure nothing is there.

#79: Greetings From the Grabber
“The Black Phone” (2021)

#78: The Mermaid
“The Lighthouse” (2019)

#77: Lawnmower
“Sinister” (2012)

#76: Raining Blood
“Nope” (2022)

#75: The Stairs
“Ju-On: The Grudge” (2002)
Most scary scenes are executed in a snap, giving the characters and the audience little time to react. In this scene, we see the advantage of slow-building tension, which continues even after the big reveal. The spine-chilling sound effects are eerie enough as an upstairs door creaks open and something crawls down the stairs. The ghostly Kayako surfaces, growing more petrifying as her disfigured body is fully exposed. Rather than have Kayako leap out at Rika, the scene lets the terror stew, stressing that there’s no point in running. Rika’s fate has already been tied to Kayako, and trying to escape would only delay the inevitable. As powerless as Rika may feel, we also see how powerless Kayako felt as she took her last breath.

#74: Abandoned City
“28 Days Later” (2002)

#73: Alien Hand
“Signs” (2002)

#72: Man With No Eyes
“Jacob’s Ladder” (1990)

#71: Invite Me In
“Let the Right One In” (2008)

#70: Slicin’ an Eye
“Un Chien Andalou” (1929)
This silent French short establishes its surreal tone as a man sharpens a razor and approaches a woman’s eye. Don’t worry, he doesn’t slice it open. Instead, we cut to a calf’s eye being slit! The film plays like a dream, which is essentially how it came to fruition. Over a meal, director Luis Buñuel told co-writer Salvador Dalí about a dream he had where the moon was sliced like an eyeball. Dalí recounted an equally bizarre dream about ants crawling on somebody’s hand. Where most people would end the conversation there, these two decided to make a movie! While the film isn’t easily categorized, it could be seen as one of cinema’s earliest examples of body horror, the eye being the most cringe-inducing shocker.

#69: Riley’s Possession
“Talk to Me” (2022)

#68: The Torture
“Audition” (1999)

#67: Get Out of There!
“Zodiac” (2007)

#66: The Stabbing
“The Last House on the Left” (1972)

#65: The Lewton Bus
“Cat People” (1942)
The most influential scene in this classic horror movie arguably doesn’t involve cats, but a bus. Walking home, Irene senses that someone - or something - is stalking her. The suspense rises with every footstep Irene takes down a dark sidewalk. The otherwise dead silent street is suddenly overcome with a hissing sound almost like a savage jungle cat. It’s merely the bus, but by the time the audience realizes this, they’re still catching their breath. Editor Mark Robson was largely responsible for this scene, emphasizing the air brakes sound effect. Robson inadvertently created a technique that came to be known as the Lewton Bus, named after producer Val Lewton. Today, we call it a jump scare, which this film helped popularize.

#64: Putting the Jump In Jump Scare
“Wait Until Dark” (1967)

#63: Breakfast Time
“The Hills Have Eyes” (2006)

#62: Surgery
“Eyes Without a Face” (1960)

#61: Mother Kills Keith
“Barbarian” (2022)

#60: Say It Three Times
“Candyman” (1992)
There are two names you never want to say three times: Candyman and Betelgeuse. At least with the latter, you might have a few laughs. With Candyman, you’ll be lucky if those three words aren’t your last. There have been a few variations on this idea, but the most impactful and iconic instance is Candyman’s introduction when Clara nonchalantly says his name into a mirror. There’s a slight delay as Clara turns off the lights, confident that this urban legend is just that, a legend. In the blink of an eye, Candyman appears behind her. Clara’s demise takes place off-screen, but her blood dripping through the ceiling is all the evidence we need that Candyman is the real deal.

#59: Identical Family
“Us” (2019)

#58: What Does Anna See?
“Martyrs” (2008)

#57: From Inside the House
“When a Stranger Calls” (1979)

#56: The Cliff
“Midsommar” (2019)

#55: The Restaurant
“The Invisible Man” (2020)
Scary movies have rules. If you go down a dark hallway or into the woods, you’re gonna have a bad time. If you’re in a public setting like a restaurant, though, there’s nothing to fear… unless the enemy is invisible. We didn’t even consider that last part until seeing “The Invisible Man” remake. For a brief instance, Cecilia feels secure as she sits across from her sister Emily, pleading for help. Cecilia’s theory that her late husband is alive and stalking her in an invisible suit might be a tough pill to swallow. Yet, the truth is as apparent as the floating knife that slits Emily’s throat. Framing Cecilia for the crime, we see more than ever that Adrian’s reach knows no end.

#54: Your Daughter
“The Others” (2001)

#53: Becoming One of Them
“Freaks” (1932)

#52: Girl in the Tent
“The Sixth Sense” (1999)

#51: The Sunken Place
“Get Out” (2017)

#50: Zelda
“Pet Sematary” (1989)
This Stephen King adaptation admittedly isn’t without its melodramatic moments, but the film takes a sharp turn into the nightmare zone when Rachel reminisces about her sister, Zelda. Described as a dirty secret, Zelda is a bedridden, disfigured soul who’s treated like a helpless animal. Rachel wishes Zelda would put everyone out of their misery and kick the bucket already, which is what inevitably happens. Even in death, Zelda continues to haunt Rachel as she’s lured upstairs by her sister’s horrific voice. Andrew Hubatsek’s transformative, spine-tinging performances as Zelda makes the audience twist in their seats whenever he’s onscreen.

#49: The Ending
“Paranormal Activity” (2007)

#48: A Nighttime Visit
“The Babadook” (2014)

#47: Hobbling
“Misery” (1990)

#46: Emerging From the Tent
“A Field in England” (2013)

#45: He’s Still There
“Friday the 13th” (1980)
Jason Voorhees has become a mascot for the “Friday the 13th” franchise, not to mention a staple of the horror genre. People often forget, however, that Jason was barely in the original slasher classic. This makes it all the more alarming when Jason surfaces from Crystal Lake, pulling Alice down with him into the unforgiving waters. Alice wakes up in the hospital safe and sound, but soon comes to the realization that Jason is still out there, preparing to strike back in an onslaught of sequels. For a film that was written off as trashy and gratuitously violent upon release, the final shot is surprisingly understated and unsettling, leaving us with a feeling of dread.

#44: Walking Though the Subway
“Cloverfield” (2008)

#43: The Birth
“The Fly” (1986)

#42: The Ritual
“The House of the Devil” (2009)

#41: The Bathroom
“The Orphanage” (2007)

#40: The TV
“The Ring” (2002)
As scary as these scenes can get, we can take comfort in knowing that it’s only a movie and whatever happens on the screen can’t hurt us in real life… right? This movie plays with our fears, suggesting that watching a video can indeed bring your days to an end. It accumulates to the now infamous climax in which Noah finds himself unable to turn off the TV with a familiar well appearing onscreen. The scene slowly builds tension as the grisly Samara rises from of her watery grave and limps forward. We dare you to keep your jaw shut when Samara crawls out of the television, claiming Noah’s life with a haunting death glare.

#39: Abandoned Hospital
“One Missed Call” (2003)

#38: Dragged to Hell
“Drag Me to Hell” (2009)

#37: Claustrophobia
“The Vanishing” (1988)

#36: Climax
“Carnival of Souls” (1962)

#35: The Tall Man
“It Follows” (2014)
In this instant cult classic, our protagonist is stalked by a mysterious figure that acts as a metaphor for sexual transmission. This entity takes on an assortment of creepy forms throughout the film, making each of its appearances sudden and shocking. One of the entity’s most disturbing personas is a tall man played by the late Mike Lanier. Emerging from the shadows, this giant strikes fear into the audience with his mounting physique, but it’s his gouged-out eyes that stand out the most. The fact that Jay is seemingly the only one who can see this foe further contributes to the paranoia. No matter where Jay runs, the entity will never be far behind.

#34: The Witch in the Cave
“The Witch” (2015)

#33: Sloth
“Seven” (1995)

#32: Look Behind You
“The Strangers” (2008)

#31: Sacrifice
“The Wicker Man” (1973)

#30: Georgie Meets Pennywise
“It” (2017)
Anyone who read Stephen King’s original novel or saw the 1990 “It” miniseries already knew Georgie’s fate going into this 2017 adaptation. Nevertheless, that didn’t subtract from the film’s opening scene, which only took the terror to another level. Searching a storm drain for his boat, Georgie encounters a pair of yellow eyes that belong to Pennywise. Wearing a sinister grin, the dancing clown manages to be eerie while also being playful, sending serious stranger danger vibes. The hair on our arms raises as Georgie reaches for his boat and Pennywise sinks his teeth in. We can’t think of a more traumatizing or fitting way to start a film about the end of childhood innocence.

#29: Mirror Jump Scare
“Repulsion” (1965)

#28: Night Vision
“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)

#27: Wardrobe Scare
“The Conjuring” (2013)

#26: Game Over
“Saws” (2004)

#25: The Nurse Station
“The Exorcist III” (1990)
After the disappointment of “Exorcist II”, William Peter Blatty delivered a superior sequel that still didn’t top the original, but had some worthy scares nonetheless. This scene starts off by submerging the audience into a false sense of security. Nothing especially ominous seems to be afoot as we watch a nurse lock up for the night. Then without warning, we leap to the end of the hallway where a sheeted killer approaches the nurse from behind, armed with shears. We may not see any gore, but the beheaded Jesus sculpture tells us everything. This brilliantly shot sequence puts an atmospheric spin on jump scares, practically grabbing ahold of the audience and pulling them into danger.

#24: The Attic
“Hereditary” (2018)

#23: The Baby
“Eraserhead” (1977)

#22: Night Vision
“The Descent” (2005)

#21: The Ending
“REC” (2007)

#20: The Devil Impregnates Rosemary
“Rosemary’s Baby” (1968)
Being sexually assaulted after passing out is already one of the most appalling concepts imaginable. The circumstances are made even more distressing, however, when the rapist is Satan himself. The lines between reality and insanity are blurred when Rosemary appears to drift off into a bizarre dream. Our anxiety escalates as Rosemary finds herself strapped down in a bed surrounded by her husband and neighbors, all of whom are entirely nude. The most we ever see of the Devil is a close-up of his hellish, reptilian eyes, which his offspring will eventually inherit. With unreal visuals and an intense musical score, everyone in the theater can’t help but feel unclean while watching the vulnerable Rosemary.

#19: Transformation
“An American Werewolf in London” (1981)

#18: The Nanny’s Death
“The Omen” (1976)

#17: Back From the Grace
“Carrie” (1976)

#16: The Figure Behind the Diner
“Mulholland Drive” (2001)

#15: Do You Like Scary Movies?
“Scream” (1996)
This opening has echoes of “When a Stranger Calls” and “Psycho” while also poking fun at other scary movies. Even at its most self-referential, the scene remains utterly original. A phone call goes from light-hearted to heart-pounding when it becomes clear that Drew Barrymore’s Casey isn’t alone. The fate of Casey and her detained boyfriend boils down on a trivia game that ends in failure. If you think this movie wouldn’t dare kill off its biggest star within the first several minutes, Ghostface asserts upfront that he doesn’t play by the rules. For anyone who assumed that horror was dead in 1996, this scene proved that there was plenty of life left in the genre.

#14: Blood Hanging
“Suspiria” (1977)

#13: Nancy’s School Dream
“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)

#12: Going Swimming
“Jaws” (1975)

#11: Hiding in the Closet
“Halloween” (1978)

#10: Linda Possessed
“The Evil Dead” (1981)
When it hit theaters in 1981, there hadn’t been a low-budget horror flick quite like “The Evil Dead.” The movie was unapologetically gruesome, but also had a dark sense of humor that reveled in its goofiness. As a result, people rarely knew whether to scream or laugh. This scene is a key example of what makes “The Evil Dead” such a unique addition to the horror library. Just when it looks like Ash’s night can’t possibly get any worse, he discovers that his girlfriend Linda is turning into a deadite. The makeup effects give Linda the appearance of a possessed doll and her shrieking laughter matches that sentiment, sending the audience into a hysterical state.

#9: The Clown
“Poltergeist” (1982)
This scene touches upon two phobias for the price of one: pediaphobia , the fear of dolls, and Coulrophobia, the fear of clowns. The filmmakers overwhelm us with jitters as Robbie sends his clown doll a suspicious glance. The second time he looks around, the inanimate object has vanished. Although we know what’s coming, we’re still unprepared as the clown coils its arm around Robbie and drags him under the bed. Even if you don’t have a fear of dolls or clowns, this toy was designed to give everyone the heebee jeebees. Considering how this scene tormented a generation of children, we can see why the PG-13 rating was introduced one month after this film’s release.

#8: The Shower
“Psycho” (1960)
Few cinematic moments have been parodied more times than the shower scene from “Psycho.” There’s even a feature-length documentary that breaks down its genius and impact. No matter how much we talk about the scene, though, it always somehow catches us off-guard. We feel a knot in the pit of our stomachs every time a dark figure moves closer to the bathing Marion. Once the shower curtain is pulled back, Bernard Herrmann’s piercing musical score kicks in. The cinematography makes us feel as if we’re in this confined space alongside Marion as the life is stabbed out of her. This sequence left actress Janet Leigh forever skeptical of showers and she wasn’t the only one.

#7: Seeing Red
“Don’t Look Now” (1973)
“Don’t Look Now” is a film with so many motifs and such clever symbolism that you’ll appreciate it even more after multiple viewers. The color red in particular plays a prominent role throughout the film. Spotting a short figure wearing a red coat, the grieving John is reminded of his deceased daughter. At first, the red coat appears inviting, as if it’ll lead John to some form of closure. The color red turns out to be a warning, though, as John is guided to his own demise. In the end it turns out the red-hooded figure wasn’t a lost child, but a repulsive-looking dwarf concealing a meat cleaver. With that, the bell tolls for John.

#6: The Final Chase
“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974)
While it was advertised as a “true story,” this slasher flick’s plot is more fiction than fact. Even Ed Gein, the murderer who inspired Leatherface, had a different MO. That being said, the idea of a maniac chopping up victims with a chainsaw isn’t at all far-fetched, which gave the film a sense of gritty realism. Nowhere is this more apparent than during the pulse-pounding finale as Sally literally runs for her life. Fortunately, a trucker runs over the hitchhiker while Sally narrowly evades Leatherface by hopping aboard another vehicle. The chaotic staging and low-grade production values actually work to the scene’s advantage, giving it the authenticity of a documentary with a blood-curdling final shot.

#5: Chest Chomp
“The Thing” (1982)
When it comes to body horror, CGI just can’t produce the same results as practical effects, which are simply more revolting, cringe-inducing, and inventive. Take this jaw-dropping scene from “The Thing” for example, as Norris’ ribcage sprouts a set of teeth and bites off Copper's arms. One second, you’re jumping out of your seat in shock, the next, you’re asking yourself how the hell the filmmakers pulled this stunt off. The sequence packs in even more technical wizardly as the chest vomits out a snake-like creature while Norris’ head detaches and grows spider legs. At least it’s nothing a flamethrower can’t fix. Bloody disgusting and bloody brilliant, horror doesn’t get much more creative than this.

#4: The Basement
“The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
“The Blair Witch Project” is another horror film with the essence of a home movie, but to an even greater extent. Coming out when the found-footage genre and the internet were fairly young, the filmmakers tricked numerous moviegoers into believing the three protagonists were really missing. This largely contributed to the sense of dread in the film’s climax, as Heather and Mike stumble upon an abandoned house in search of their missing colleague Josh. The amateur cinematography and convincing performances fully immerse the audience as Heather finds Mike standing in a corner before an unseen force attacks her. When the screen goes black on his ambiguous ending, it’s quiet enough in the audience to hear a pin drop.

#3: The Bathtub
“The Shining” (1980)
Interestingly enough, Jack Torrance isn’t the scariest character in Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of “The Shining.” That distinction goes to the woman in the bathtub. Beginning from Jack’s point of view, this scene escorts us into room 237’s bathroom where a bathing beauty awaits. The dull look on Jack’s face becomes aroused as the naked woman climbs out of the tub and puts her hands on him. Matters take a total 180 when Jack looks in the mirror and realizes he’s kissing an old, saggy corpse. The movie doesn’t spell out who this woman is or even the purpose behind this encounter. All we need to know, though, is that it’s a masterstroke of surreal suspense.

#2: The Chestburster
“Alien” (1979)
“Alien” is not only regarded as one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, but also one of the best horror movies ever made. The Nostromo is essentially a haunted house and this scene delivers the film’s first major scare. A celebratory dinner is spoiled as Kane convulses and an alien creature bursts out of his chest. Although the cast members knew that the chestburster was coming, they weren’t prepared for the amount of blood splattering everywhere. The petrified looks on the actors’ faces are completely genuine, which in turn left audiences wearing similar expressions. In space, no one can hear you scream. At the movies, however, you can hear an entire auditorium erupt in fright.

#1: Head Spin
“The Exorcist” (1973)
There was probably never any doubt that “The Exorcist” would top this list. Between Linda Blair’s immortal performance as the possessed Regan, Mercedes McCambridge’s menacing voice-over work as the demon Pazuzu, the revolutionary special effects, and the sickening makeup, William Friedkin’s horror masterpiece has no shortage of terror-inducing scenes. If we had to single out one moment that encompasses the film in all of its ghastly glory, it would have to be Regan’s iconic head spin. Turning 360 degrees while Father Merrin tries to purge the evil presence from her body, Regan’s flexible neck still has us squirming even 45 years later. The crackling sound design only adds to this chilling scene.