Mistress of the dark Corinne Pollard presents her 5 most scary horror films—the ones she just can’t watch again, rather than the ones she loves—just in time for All Hallow’s Eve
Here is my shocking confession; I’ve always considered myself a scaredy cat when it comes to horror films. I watch them during the daytime and can’t treat myself to a popcorn bucket as I fall victim to every jumpscare. Trying to explain all that mess to a cinema staff member would be the worst, so no popcorn for me. This has always been something I’ve considered to be shameful. I’m a horror writer for goodness sake!
Then I found myself in a conversation with two people who weren’t horror enthusiasts but they wanted my advice on what I considered to be the scariest films. I mentioned a couple from this list, and their blank faces made me realise two things; first that they had never heard of these films, and second, I might be more of an expert in horror films than I realised.
So I considered what I would deem the scariest. If you’re expecting to find Halloween (1978), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), or The Shining (1980), sorry, they didn’t make the list. I love those films! No, this list is about films I am most unwilling to rewatch. They made me feel so disturbed or uncomfortable that I never want to feel it again, if I can help it. Watching them once was enough for me.
If you’re searching for a horror film this Halloween, then check these out.
(Photo: Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger doesn’t make Corinne’s list of never-again films)
(All film stills sourced from IMDb)
The Grudge (2004)
This American remake of a Japanese supernatural horror is about a curse born from when someone dies in extreme anger or sorrow. If anyone encounters it, then they will die and it is then passed on person to person.
I remember thinking this film would be the usual haunted house scenario, you know. As long as the characters don’t enter the house of where a husband killed his wife and child before commiting suicide, then they should be fine, right? How I laugh now at what I considered to be ‘a safety net’.
The spirit’s body is truly terrifying with its wide unblinking eyes, long fingers, and a neck that grows abnormally. This is certainly no ordinary ghost story, I warn you. But the worst is the horrible gurgling or gargling noise that the spirit emits with a wide-open black mouth. It resonates a shudder from me even now.
I watched this film at home and not alone. That was my first mistake. Though my husband agreed with me that this film was the scariest he’d seen (and remains so), he would later then copy the spirit’s noise for months to come in a teasing manner.
The Exorcist (1973)
This classic has evolved over time such as with sequels and spin-offs and remains such an influential horror with an age rating of 18. The film presents a battle for young Regan’s soul as she is possessed by a demon. Two Catholic priests must save her life by performing an exorcism.
In 2000, the film was re-released which included a 10 minute extra scene and an extended ending. Of course, this was the version I was made to watch by my family. What was most unsettling for me was the aggressive forms of body horror presented like ‘the spider walk’ down the stairs. I didn’t think I would be so unsettled by such a theological film, but the simplicity of a dark room and the violent behaviour by the demon was enough for me to grab a cushion for protection. I was a child, so I think I can forgive myself but that doesn’t mean I plan to press play ever again.
Hereditary (2018)
When someone asked me what this film was about, I went blank. I couldn’t actually remember the plot because the horrific scenes had been so overwhelming. In the end, I mumbled something like ‘it’s about a family being terrorized by something’.
Hereditary’s most appalling scenes are the usual horror tropes. A dysfunctional family deals with a demonic cult and supernatural possession as well as mental illness and trauma. Sounds like any other horror film, but they cross the threshold with their use of sounds and camera angles which lead the audience into disturbing scenes of decapitations and burnings.
Like a fool, I watched this film in the cinema. I had a membership at the time and heard gossip that it was the scariest film ever. Thankfully I remembered my no popcorn rule as it would’ve rained. There were so many jumpscares that I couldn’t sit still and I wasn’t the only one. The whole cinema was gasping and chuckling out of embarrassment, and I may have seen someone cover their face at one point too.
The Ring (2002)
This is another American remake of a Japanese supernatural horror and is about a cursed videotape that if you watch, you will die seven days later. The videotape’s origins come from a girl called Samara who has supernatural powers. As more people watch the tape, the heroine, Rachel, a journalist, must discover a way to stop Samara’s spirit.
I think this film was the first technology horror or ghost in the machine film I watched. It was a different subgenre that I’d never experienced before. The actual videotape in the film is deeply unsettling and eerie, and the acting performances by Naomi Watts and Daveigh Chase were so compelling that they made the notion of a serial killer videotape seem so realistic.
The same year it came out, I watched it on (ironically) a rented videotape from my local library. DVDs were rapidly becoming more popular, so my young naive brain consoled myself with ‘a safety net’ that Samara doesn’t kill with DVDs. That was of course before Rings 2 came out.
Jaws (1975)
This Stephen Spielberg thriller is such a classic that I don’t think I even need to explain the plot. Basically a giant white shark goes on a killing spree, but this villain has brought much media attention to sharks, mostly negative. Let’s remember though that sharks aren’t evil in reality. They’re animals and deserve protection.
My husband insists that Jaws isn’t scary, but no matter how many times I explain it, he doesn’t understand. It’s not scary due to the giant white shark that seems to be immortal. No, it’s about that fear of something in the sea that could grab and eat you at any moment. You’re defenceless when swimming, and I love to swim! After watching Jaws, I got the cliche of avoiding the water. The film unnerved me to that point, and I imagine if they had replaced the shark with a giant octopus, I would’ve felt the same.
You may feel I am incorrect for such a list, but remember we’re all afraid of something and my fears are just different to yours. So make your own list, and if you haven’t seen any of these films before, give yourself a scare this Halloween!
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