The 25 Most Chilling Horror Movie Scenes of All Time
We all have those scenes from horror movies that chilled us to the bone.
Scenes so terrifying that they’ve been burned into our memories and we can’t help but remember them, even years after watching them.
What makes a horror movie scene truly chilling? Some might say it’s the suspenseful music, Others might say its the jump scares.
But for true horror fans, the most chilling scenes are the ones that stir up feelings of fear and dread long after the movie is over.
Here are 25 of the most chilling horror movie scenes of all time. Be prepared to watch them with the lights on! These are scenes that will make your skin crawl and send a shiver down your spine. Are you ready for it? Then let’s get started!
25. Pet Sematary-Gage Dies
Probably one of the most difficult scenes to watch where they don’t actually show anything is when two-year-old Gage gets hit by the 18-wheeler, and all we see is his little shoe…
24. Saw II-Needles
When you see her wading through a pit of used needles, and she needs to find that key…all the while being stuck over and over. It isn’t very good.
23. It-Georgie Floats
Enough said. When Pennywise tears off Georgie’s arm with his razor-sharp teeth. Yeah…a little disturbing.
22. Alien-I’m Having a Baby
During dinner, crew member Kane seems to be experiencing some indigestion…or so he thinks. After a tearing sound, we see splotches of red appear on his shirt before his chest bursts open to reveal the new slimy xenomorph baby.
21. Nightmare on Elm St.-Being Dragged Across the Ceiling
Only Freddy Krueger can make life seem like a dream, and he does just that as poor Tina Grey is picked up and tossed around her room. Then Freddy drags her across the ceiling as her boyfriend watches.
20 Jaws-You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat
It’s hard to imagine that this movie had such a small budget because it’s one of the best out there. Captain Brody, with a cigarette stuck to his lip, sees the actual size of the shark. Yeah, you’re going to need a bigger boat.
19. The Omen-It’s all for you, Damian
What else would the spawn of Satan want for his birthday? When the nanny jumps from an upstairs window with a rope around her neck, yelling, “It’s all for you, Damian,”… it’s pretty creepy.
18. Seven-The Wife’s Head
Aside from each scene we see from the serial killer, the final scene in the desert, when Detective David Millis realizes the surprise in the box is his own wife’s head, is very unsettling.
17. Wait Until Dark-The Criminal in the Apartment
Audrey Hepburn is so great in this. Playing a blind woman, we see her trapped in her apartment with criminals. Although she can’t actually see them, she knows they are there. It is terrifying.
16. Texas Chainsaw Massacre-Leatherface Appears
Not much happens in the first 30 minutes, but we are in for a treat when we finally see Leatherface. He pops out from the hallway in the house, hits this dude with a hammer, and then drags him back into the room from which he came.
15. Silence of the Lambs-Clarice Makes Her Way to Dr. Lector
The scene where Agent Starling is invited to visit Dr. Hannibal Lector and has to walk by herself down the creepy dungeon-like hallway past all the insane criminals is terrifying.
14 The Exorcist-Reagan’s Head Spins
The moment when Reagan sits up in bed and starts to spin her head around slowly, and you hear her neck cracking is genuinely horrifying. It’s so vulgar and shocking that it’s hard to look away.
13. The Conjuring 2-The Nun Comes to Life
The Conjuring 1 and 2 were pretty great, but the scariest part in the second one is when the horrifying nun, Valak, comes to life behind Lorraine. That is one scary-looking nun!
12. The Exorcist-Reagan Levitates
There is nothing more horrifying than when demon-possessed Reagan levitates off the bed in front of the two priests.
11. Night of the Living Dead-They’re Coming for you, Barbara
As siblings Barbara and Johnny visit their father’s grave, Barara begins to get creeped out when her brother starts mocking her, “They’re coming for you, Barbara!” Little do they know that the man walking through the cemetery IS a zombie!
10. Psycho-Shower Scene
Marion Crane arrives at the Bates Motel and soon finds herself taking what we think is a peaceful shower. Until we see the shadowy figure approach and rip the curtain off its holder and stab Marion to death. All this and that screeching violin music too.
9. Rosemary’s Baby-What did you do to his eyes?
When housewife Rosemary gives birth to Satan’s child, her friends and neighbors assure her everything is fine. But when she stands over the cradle with her hand covering her mouth as she cries, “What did you do to his eyes!” you have to feel bad for her.
8. Carrie-Prom Queen
After being covered in a bucket of pig’s blood, Carri realizes her ability for telekinesis as she watches her teachers and classmates burn to death in the fire she started with her mind.
7. Halloween-Hiding in the Closet
When Laurie unsuccessfully hides in the closet from her brother Michael is one of the most iconic scenes in horror. There is no escaping the Boogeyman as he waits right outside the closet door.
6. The Shining-Here’s Johhny!
One of the best scenes is when Jack Torrance breaks down a bathroom door to get to his terrified wife. With ax in hand, we see Jack stick his head in and say, “Here’s Johnny!”
5. An American Werewolf in London-David’s Transformation
When college student David Kessler visits London and ultimately transforms into a werewolf, it has to be one of the creepiest scenes ever.
4. Misery-When Annie Breaks Paul’s Ankles
When Annie places the piece of wood between Paul’s ankles and straps him down to the bed, it gets scary. But when she steps in between his legs with a sledgehammer…well, you figure it out.
3. Poltergeist-The Swimming Pool
When the family’s mother, Diane, falls into the hole in the backyard that was supposed to be the family swimming pool, she is attacked by rotting corpses that start popping up out of the water.
2. Pet Sematary-Zelda
Rachel Creed is having a flashback of when she cared for her sick sister as a child. Zelda was wildly disfigured due to spinal meningitis. The scene shows Zelda choking to death in the bed as she reaches out to Rachel. Her deformed spine is sticking out, and all Rachel can do is stand there.
1. Scream-Do You Like Scary Movies
A young girl is alone in her house, making popcorn. The phone rings, and it’s the voice of a scary man who asks if she likes scary movies. And those of us that have seen the film know that a gruesome death scene follows.
