Okay, so this is a work in progress. So far, I've compiled a list of 18 of what I believe to be the most frightening scenes in horror and science fiction movie history. These are in no particular order. Watch out, this list contains many SPOILERS! Got any to add? Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page and you may just see your frightening scene make the cut!
1. THE RING
Samara, mangled and unnatural, crawls out of the television set toward Noah. Oh, poor Noah. He gets quite the makeover.
2. THE GRUDGE
The vengeful, screaming ghost pulls Susan under her bed covers. I mean, aren't we meant to be safe under the bed covers?
3. HALLOWEEN (Original, 1978)
Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, hides from Michael in the closet. Don't worry, Jamie. You'll live to see a few more sequels.
4. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (Original, 1974)
I believe there are a couple of scenes of behemoth Leatherface chasing down his victims but it never fails to give me the chills.
5. ALIENS
The aliens are coming. From above. Hicks lifts the ceiling grate and his light stops on the horde throttling toward them. For me, this is one of the best scenes in cinematic horror history.
6. PSYCHO
Jamie Lee Curtis' mother gets it bad in the shower. And all she did was look pretty and steal a bunch of money from her boss. Oh, and flirt with a creepy guy who dresses up as his dead mother. Life. Is. Unfair.
7. THE SHINING
Wendy Torrance weeps and takes weak swings with a baseball bat at her crazed husband, Jack. "I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just going to bash your brains in." In the end, she had more fight in her than we all thought.
8. SCREAM
Drew Barrymore makes her film comeback and gets gutted in the opening scene of Scream. "Do you like scary movies?" Yes. Most definitely.
9. DRAG ME TO HELL
An unexpected ending. Christine Brown can't escape her fiery fate and gets pulled into hell wearing her nice new coat.
10. JAWS
Night swimming=bad idea. In the opening scene of this classic flick, a naked coed does the tango with a very large man-eater.
11. DAWN OF THE DEAD (Remake, 2004)
Oh, it's the sweet little girl from next door come to pay us a visit. Wait a sec, she's missing half her face. This opening scene had me locking my doors and steering clear of my neighbors.
12. REC (Spanish version, 2007)
In the ending scene, a television reporter comes face to face with this (see above).
13. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
The sound of hooves slowly ascending the stairs. Frightening.
14. WHEN A STRANGER CALLS
"Why haven't you checked the children?" A babysitter phones the police after being harassed by a strange caller, only to find out that the calls are coming from inside the house.
15. INSIDE
In the opening scene (first 20 minutes or so) a darkened stranger smokes a cigarette outside a pregnant woman's sliding glass door. All you can see is the tip of the cigarette as it illuminates with each inhale. What does the stranger want? You don't want to know.
16. AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
A man gets pursued by a very large werewolf through the London Underground.
17. NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
A young Johnny Depp becomes one of Freddy Krueger's victims and ends up all over the ceiling.
18. POLTERGEIST
This clown scene is the stuff that scars for life.
INTO YOU by Riley J. Ford
What if you could know exactly what your friends are thinking? High school student Winter Reynolds can, but there's a catch . . . She can only read people's thoughts when she's kissing them. When a member of the track team is murdered, Winter has an opportunity to use her special ability to find the killer. Trouble is, kissing everyone on the track team isn't such a good idea when you have a new boyfriend. Talk about complications! Should Winter persevere using her secret power to catch the murderer still in their midst, even if it means risking her relationship with her one true love?
INTO YOU is:
A teen paranormal romance with a twist
A young adult romantic comedy that will tickle your funny bone with its offbeat humor
A murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end
A YA fantasy book that explores ESP and mind-reading
An exploration of social issues that teens face
A must-read that has already hit the teen best sellers lists
Disclaimer: Mild profanity and a graphic murder scene. While humorous, this book also explores the underbelly of teen life. May not be suitable for younger teens.
http://www.amazon.com/Paranormal-Murder-Mystery-Romance-ebook/dp/B008GONF4A/ref=sr_1_3_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354489717&sr=1-3&keywords=Riley+J.+FOrd
CARPE DIEMILY by Riley J. Ford
Emily Keane has her life all planned out. She's played by the rules and never stepped outside her box, and now she will finally be rewarded with everything she always dreamed of: a job promotion, a fiance, and a future she can count on. But when her perfectly planned world falls apart, Emily is plunged into the wildest year of her life.
From the beaches of California to Jamaica, New York, and Europe, Emily finds herself on a madcap race against time, running from an unscrupulous organ broker who wants her dead, all the while checking items off her unusual bucket list. On top of it all, she's falling in love with the most unlikely person, a man who can never return her feelings . . . but will his friendship be enough?
Confronting one hilarious misadventure after another, Emily finally learns who she really is and how to seize the day . . .
Carpe DiEmily is a raunchy, fearless comedy in the same vein as the movie Bridesmaids, to which it has been favorably compared. Both female and male readers will enjoy this zany comedic adventure.
http://www.amazon.com/Carpe-DiEmily-Parts-Adventure-ebook/dp/B00ABMSZPY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354489717&sr=1-1&keywords=Riley+J.+FOrd
FRACTURED LIGHT by Rachel McClellan
Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they would eventually come for her too. But she never felt ready to face them---until now. Defying the Auran Council and everything she's been taught, Llona must learn to use her power over light as a weapon if she wants to survive.
http://www.amazon.com/Fractured-Light-ebook/dp/B007A5NPOG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354489317&sr=1-1&keywords=Rachel+McClellan
FRACTURED SOUL by Rachel McClellan
Llona will do whatever it takes to protect her newfound friends and home, but the dark plot that is threatening Lucent Academy, a school that's supposed to be a safe place for Auras, may be too powerful for even Llona to defeat. This fast-paced tale of love, loyalty, and overcoming the darkness will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!
http://www.amazon.com/Fractured-Soul-Rachel-McClellan/dp/1462111807/ref=la_B005RFFM9M_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354489404&sr=1-1
CONFESSIONS OF A CEREAL MOTHER by Rachel McClellan (Available for Pre-order)
In this narrative you'll discover several mind-saving rules, which include:
Don't throw your pregnancy test away before the full three minutes is up.
Unless there is a rush on the grocery store pending a zombie-virus outbreak, never take your kids shopping.
If your toddler is going to chew on a Band-Aid, hope it's one found inside the community swimming pools chlorinated pool and not one found in their locker room.
Never throw up in a cookie sheet.
Things can always get worse. You could discover your child playing with a used tampon applicator. It's not a whistle, sweetie.
And most importantly, the moment one of your children is seriously ill, forget about everything else. You have the greatest honor in the world - being a Mom.
http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Cereal-Mother-Stories-Craziness/dp/1462111157/ref=la_B005RFFM9M_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354489448&sr=1-3
WHAT KILLS ME by Wynne Channing
An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race.
So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive.
How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals?
http://www.amazon.com/What-Kills-Me-ebook/dp/B0089H01VO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354489238&sr=1-1&keywords=Wynne+Channing
Vaempires: Revolution by Thomas Winship
It is the morning of Princess Cassandra's sixteenth birthday. Everyone's attention is focused on the heir to the vampire throne. World leaders, the rich and famous, and VIPs from every corner of the globe have gathered in the nation's capital to celebrate the momentous event.
Cassandra's boyfriend, Daniel, is late for the party. He's still outside the city when all hell breaks loose. What he believes is an act of terrorism proves to be a full-fledged revolution. Væmpires--former vampires who mutated into warm-blooded creatures with an insatiable hunger for cold blood--have launched coordinated attacks across the globe, with three goals: the eradication of humanity, the enslavement of vampires, and the ascension of væmpires as the dominant species on the planet.
The vampire and human leaders are killed. Cassandra is missing. Daniel is the acting king. Desperate to find the princess, Daniel and his friends fight their way across the besieged city. With the hopes of the free world resting on the shoulders of four vampire teenagers, væmpires unleash their secret weapons: a new breed of væmpire that is far deadlier than any ever seen before.
What can four teens do against an enemy that can shape-shift, fly, and walk through walls?
http://www.amazon.com/Vaempires-Revolution-The-Evolutionary-ebook/dp/B0060ZO5JG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354489054&sr=1-3&keywords=Thomas+Winship
Vaempires: White Christmas by Thomas Winship
It's almost Christmas. With the global holiday days away, the people of the world should be turning their attention toward celebrating peace and goodwill, but tension between humans, vampires, and væmpires is at an all-time high. Desperate for solutions, King Brant schedules a secret summit deep in North America's Northern Forest. Along with Queen Anne, Princess Cassandra, Daniel's family, and the human president and First Lady, the vampire leader seeks to reaffirm the ties between humans and vampires, while brainstorming ways to respond to the growing hostility among væmpires.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Cassie's relationship is at an all-time low. The princess is still reeling from her breakup with Vielyn, and Daniel doesn't know what he should or shouldn't do to help. Little does he know that the summit will be flooded with surprises--guests, allegations, accusations, proposals, and even Christmas Eve revelations--but not all of the surprises will be pleasant.
http://www.amazon.com/Vaempires-White-Christmas-Evolutionary-ebook/dp/B006L6WN2A/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354489054&sr=1-4&keywords=Thomas+Winship
Vamepires: Zombie Rising by Thomas Winship
The tale of the Evolutionary War resumes in Væmpires: Zombie Rising.
Væmpires have taken control of twelve major cities. Their leader, Vielyn, seeks the atomic weapons that will bring the rest of the world to its knees.
Vampire forces are reeling. As Linq and Ray race to the royal estate to rendezvous with Cassandra and Daniel, the princess is captured and Daniel falls.
With the fate of world shifting to their teenage shoulders, Linq and Ray must deal with tremendous losses while battling a most unexpected—and undeadly—new foe.
http://www.amazon.com/Vaempires-Zombie-Rising-Evolutionary-ebook/dp/B009U2YJNS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354489054&sr=1-1&keywords=Thomas+Winship
A PRESCRIPTION FOR DELIRIUM by Noree Cosper
Ninety years ago, Gabriella di Luca promised to protect the family of her dying lover. She failed to keep that promise. She was too far away to stop the devil that murdered the eldest Van Helsing son. Years later, Gabby learns the devil has resurfaced. She arrives in Hampton, TX, determined to stop the devil before it can lay a bloody hand on the remaining three brothers.
However, madness is spreading through Hampton. She suspects the devil is using this madness to test a drug which has a side effect of demonic possession. Gabby rushes to end the source of the madness only to fall victim to it. For a woman cursed with eternal life, dying is no threat. However, Gabby must stop the devil's plot or risk losing her most precious possession: her mind.
http://www.amazon.com/Prescription-Delirium-Helsing-Organization-ebook/dp/B00AFL4JF6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354488980&sr=8-1&keywords=Noree+Cosper
THE FOREVER GIRL by Rebecca Hamilton
"Whatever you do, fight."
Sophia's family has skeletons, but they aren't in their graves.
At twenty-two, practicing Wiccan Sophia Parsons is scratching out a living waiting tables in her Rocky Mountain hometown, a pariah after a string of unsolved murders with only one thing in common: her.
Sophia can imagine lots of ways to improve her life, but she'd settle for just getting rid of the buzzing noise in her head. When the spell she casts goes wrong, the static turns into voices. Her personal demons get company, and the newcomers are dangerous.
One of them is a man named Charles, who Sophia falls for despite her better judgment. He has connections that might help her unveil the mystery surrounding her ancestor's hanging, but she gets more than she bargains for when she finally decides to trust him.
Survival in his world, she learns, means not asking questions and staying out of the immortal council's way. It's a line she crossed long ago. If Sophia wants to survive the council and save the people she loves, she must accept who she is, perform dark magic, and fight to the death for her freedom.
The Forever Girl is a full-length Paranormal Fantasy novel that will appeal to lovers of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, witches, vampire fiction, ghost stories, paranormal mystery, and paranormal horror.
http://www.amazon.com/FOREVER-Fantasy-Paranormal-Romance-ebook/dp/B00729GQ0A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1355160444&sr=8-3&keywords=rebecca+hamilton
HER SWEETEST DOWNFALL by Rebecca Hamilton
*Her Sweetest Downfall is a short story/novella of 30,000 words. This is not a novel/full-length read, but works as a companion novel to THE FOREVER GIRL, Rebecca Hamilton's bestselling paranormal fantasy debut.*
Ophelia's been successful at hiding her true identity, until the mark of the serpent appears on her neck—a death sentence, should it be seen by anyone in her town. Hiding the mark might save her from falling victim to the witch hunts of her era, but the scorching sensation it carries can’t be ignored.
When the mysterious Ethan is sent to collect her for a life of something more, she learns concealing the mark is the least of her worries. She’s destined to don a new mask—to join a dark, supernatural world and protect the future of people she may never meet.
What she doesn’t know—what she learns too late—is that her initiation won’t be complete until she kills the man she loves.
Set in an alternate Regency England, "Her Sweetest Downfall" is a standalone novella in the "Forever Girl" series, written as a gift to fans of the Forever Girl series.
HER SWEETEST DOWNFALL will appeal to lovers of paranormal romance, fantasy, and vampire fiction.
http://www.amazon.com/SWEETEST-DOWNFALL-Paranormal-Romance-ebook/dp/B008NAFU9A/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1355160444&sr=8-5&keywords=rebecca+hamilton
THE BURNING OF ISOBEL KEY by Jen McConnel
When Lou travels to Scotland, she’s a mess. She’s twenty-six, unemployed, and unsure of herself. It doesn’t help that she’s traveling with Tammy, her best friend, who is everything Lou is not.
At first, the trip pushes Lou towards the brink of depression, but then she meets Brian, a handsome local tour guide. When Brian tells the tourists about the countless witches burned in Scotland, Lou starts to listen. And when she discovers information about Isobel Key, one of the victims of the seventeenth century, Lou finds renewed purpose.
She sets out to learn the truth of the condemned witch, but she isn’t prepared for the knowledge that waits for her. Lou must face her demons if she has any hope of righting the wrongs of the past.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Burning-Isobel-Key-ebook/dp/B009DP4WXE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354490460&sr=1-1&keywords=Jen+McConnel
LAND OF NO ANGELS by N.R. Wick
The Ascension marked a demon apocalypse that decimated the human race and forced survivors into hiding. Sixteen year old Rebecca Ashford and her younger sister, Errol, have spent the last year hidden in their family's tornado bunker. When the sound of a screaming baby wakes them in the middle of the night, they attempt to save the infant and Errol is poisoned by a demon.
With only a week until the poison consumes her, Rebecca must trust a mysterious survivor named Fox to help her find a cure. Together, they confront demons and other monsters while Rebecca struggles to learn magic that will help them locate the ingredients needed to save her sister.
http://www.amazon.com/Land-Angels-Dark-Ascension-ebook/dp/B0054E2F32
EMBERS AT GALDRILENE by A.D. Trosper
*Newly updated, redesigned and professionally edited. Re-released as of 11/17/2012*
“A ray of light, a stain of shadow, shall endure to breathe life and death into the future”
The war between the Guardians and the Shadow Riders ended in total devastation. The final battle killed all the dragons and left nothing but fields of ash. A small clutch of dragon eggs was all that remained to provide hope for the future.
Five hundred years later, the ability to use magic is a death sentence and dragons are remembered as a curse. But the unhatched dragons sing for their riders...and soon six lives will be changed forever.
The elements of magic are drawn together as the dragons’ call leads them on an epic and dangerous journey of discovery. They soon learn everything they've been taught to believe about magic and dragons is wrong.
With the last of the dragons and the world at stake, they will risk everything to heed the call.
But an evil from the past soon threatens their discovery and new found joy. Shadow Dragons ride the dawn once more...
http://www.amazon.com/Embers-Galdrilene-Dragons-Call-ebook/dp/B0080R4LPK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354490343&sr=1-1&keywords=A.D.+Trosper#_
LICHGATES by S.M. Boyce
The Grimoire turns its own pages and can answer any question asked of it, and Kara Magari is its next target.
Kara has no idea what she's getting herself into when she stumbles across the old book while hiking a hidden trail. Once she opens it, she's thrown into Ourea: a beautiful world full of terrifying things that want the Grimoire's secrets. Everyone in this new world is trying to find her, and most want to control the new-found power the book bestows upon her. Even if Kara does escape, Ourea will only drag her back.
Braeden Drakonin grew up in Ourea, and all he’s ever known of life is lying. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. He has one question to ask the book—one question that can fix everything in his broken world—and he’s not letting Kara out of his sight until he gets an answer.
There’s no going back now.
http://www.amazon.com/Lichgates-Grimoire-Trilogy-paranormal-ebook/dp/B005W5L38G/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354490060&sr=1-1&keywords=S.M.+Boyce
TREASON by S.M.Boyce
Ourea has always been a deadly place. The lichgates tying the hidden world to Earth keep its creatures at bay—for now.
Kara Magari ignited a war when she stumbled into Ourea and found the Grimoire: a powerful artifact filled with secrets. To protect the one person she has left, she strikes a deal that goes against everything she believes in. But things don’t go as planned.
Braeden Drakonin can no longer run from who—and what—he is. He has to face the facts. He’s a prince. He’s a murderer. He’s a wanted man. And after a betrayal that leaves him heartbroken, he’s out for blood.
To survive, both Kara and Braeden must become the evil each has grown to hate.
http://www.amazon.com/Treason-Grimoire-Trilogy-paranormal-ebook/dp/B009O3D7WM/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1354490060&sr=1-3
OBSIDIAN by Kayla Curry
Ava Tanner finds herself in a world without satellite technology in a time of GPS, Smart Phones and Tablets. When she discovers that a corporation headed by vampires with a sinister motive is to blame, her world is turned upside-down. After a narrow escape, she learns a mystical secret about herself that could aide her in her fight against the vampires. Unfortunately, the vampires see her either as a valuable asset or a target for destruction.
When the world is on the brink of complete social and technological devastation, one must ask themselves: Would I give up my blood for the modern ideal way of life, or will I wage war with the overlords of chaos?
http://www.amazon.com/Obsidian-Mystic-Stones-Series-ebook/dp/B008RANXC2/ref=sr_1_3_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354489996&sr=1-3&keywords=Kayla+Curry
Hey, all! For the next 12 days, starting tomorrow, I will be introducing you to 12 talented author friends of mine and their books. The books are of different genres - fantasy, comedy, paranormal romance, young adult, and one of my favorites, horror. Stop by, check 'em out. A lot of these books are top-rated and selling for $2.99 or less on Amazon!
Get some great last-minute gift ideas and beat Santa at his game. No offense, Santa. I'm not offended that you keep putting coal in my stocking because my books are full of gore. Don't worry, next year I'll write the story about the snowman and the bunny rabbit and little Timmy Reynolds whose only wish is to be the best darn snowman-builder in all of Cranberry Creek. Next year.
Meanwhile, enjoy!
