Truely Scarriest Horror Movies Ever?

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

I'm not saying it's the scariest movie ever, but Blair Witch really got to me. I've got a thing I can't quite explain about camping and the outdoors, and it really fed that phobia. The last time I went camping I had a panic attack. I'm not saying it was because of that movie, but watching it hasn't helped matters.

The Shining gets me every time too. I still can't believe the kid who played Danny didn't know he was making a horror film.

 

[Tonguez]

I still think the scne in Nosferatu when whats his name 'Orlo' (sp?) rises up before the mast of the ship is one of the scariest (and I first saw that when I was 23).

don't usually watch horror cause most horror is more gore than scare

 

[DonTadow]

I guess I'm a sissy. The Ring freaked me out. Not to the point of not being able to function, but suffice to say that when my wife called from theater rehearsal 2/3 of the way through the movie, the ringing phone made my heart beat a little faster.

(Note: Haven't seen the Japanese version. From what I've heard, I wouldn't like it. Not an objective statement meant to form some kind of absolute judgment -- but as a non-Japanese person who does not have the "white guy who loves Japanese culture even more than his own" thing going on, I pretty much suspect that the criticism I've heard "The American version takes out the Japanese-ness" next to "The Japanese version has lots of weird stuff that only makes sense if you're really versed in Japanese culture", it wouldn't be my thing.

Seriously, it's okay if it's your thing. Really. I am simply judging The Ring as an American horror movie, and by that standard, it had good writing and good ambience and spent enough time building up the end-monster that it successfully freaked me out when it appeared at the end.

I also liked "The Magnificent Seven" more than I liked "The Seven Samurai", although in that case, I really did like both a bunch.)

You're not alone. The ring, the first time through, gave me a lot of scares and up to that point was the scariest thing i'd seen in a bit, before everyone else started stealing stop motion. When I saw the japanese version i went to sleep. I wasn't scared at all. It wasn't until the JU'ons that I had respect for japanese horror

 

[JimAde]

But the third one had that scene with the hedge clippers, right? THAT was scary. I only saw it once, DECADES ago, and I still get chills thinking about it now.

I actually haven't seen the third one. The second was so bad I never went back.

Maybe I'll have to rent it.

 

[Justin]

Poltergeist. This movie freaked me out so much I wouldn't go to bed, and it was a long while before I could sleep with a closet door open. Sure I was like 7 years old at the time, but that damn tree scene still spooks me.

About 5 years later, one of my friends freaked out his younger sister, after we had all just watched the movie, with a clown puppet of hers that looked remarkably similar to the one in the movie. My friend jumped out of his sister's closet with the clown just as she was going in her room to go to bed. She was so scared she started crying like someone had died. :\ My friend was apologizing profusely, but it did no good. He felt awful and so did I even though I was completely uninvolved in the event. (I was sleeping over that night.)

EDIT: WOW, I just read this at IMDB:

While filming the scene in Poltergeist where the clown doll comes alive and tries to pull him under his bed, Oliver [Robbins, who played the son] went through a near-death experience. When the puppet arms wrap themselves around his neck, he was unable to breath and began choking. Steven Spielberg thought he was acting (he even yelled "Keep going! You're doing great!"). It was not until Spielberg saw his face turn blue that he realized the young actor was in trouble. Spielberg ran over and pulled the puppet off, saving Oliver's life.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

There's Korean horror, too, you know: A Tale of Two Sisters was super-creepy, and is due to be remade for the American audience.

Nosferatu is an undeniable classic.

House of 1000 Corpses got panned, but I was extreamly creeped out by it and after you get used to it, it's still a great slaughter-fest.

The original V was scary when it came out - and still is.

Gate was scary and fun.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is scary no matter who makes it.

In the Mouth of Madness was scary enough for me, as was Jacob's Ladder, until my wife introduced me to Event Horizon - that one is just straight WORRISOME.

They, even if you don't have night terrors, is enough to give them to you.

The Grudge was troubling

When I first saw Fire in the Sky in the theater, I didn't sleep.

Carnival of Lost Souls - Wes Craven bends perception.

The Forgotten is creepy enough if you don't have kids. I can't say that I know what it would be like if I did have kids.

John Carpenter's The Thing is scary and it would make a terrific inspiration for a D&D adventure.

Evil Alien Conquerors was not at all scary, and really, not even good, but I enjoyed it immensely.

Recently, there was a tv special: 100 Scariest Horror Films of All Times. Several films mentioned here also appeared on the list. It was a fun show. I don't remember what station it was on, though.

 

[Krug]

The Shining
Jaws

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

Snow White, with Sigourney Weaver, and when it comes down to it, the original Alien.

Children of the Damned

Carrie's mother and John Travolta's character are both scary in Carrie.

 

[GlassJaw]

The scariest movie that I have seen at the time that I saw it was Aliens. I originally saw it probably when I was 9 or 10ish (maybe a little younger) and seeing Bishop get severed in two was really disturbing at the time.

Poltergeist. This movie freaked me out so much I wouldn't go to bed, and it was a long while before I could sleep with a closet door open. Sure I was like 7 years old at the time, but that damn tree scene still spooks me.

This movie has always bothered me. It just freaks me out something awful.

Contrary to a lot of people here, I've always thought The Exorcist was cheesy. I never saw it until I was probably 18ish so I guess I never appreciated it.

Rosemary's Baby, while not really a horror movie per se, was definitely creepy. It was cool in that as the movie went on, you got more and more of a sense that something wasn't right.

"The Stuff" - A odd, but kind of campy, creepy story about ... marshmellow
cream?

Are you eating it or is it eating you? LOL. Great movie but definitely not scary.

 

[GlassJaw]

I won't watch Event Horizon in its entirety.

I know I've seen this but for some reason it doesn't ring a bell. Can someone fill me in on what it's about? Give me spoilers - I don't mind.