# I'm Looking for Scary/Terrifying Movies That Aren't Drenched in Blood **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 17, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925 "2006-04-17T00:14:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/41 "2006-04-17T13:39:29Z")
> [@Cabbage](#): > > One of the best creepy, atmospheric horror movies I’ve seen in a long time is [The Woman in Black](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004UEEU/qid=1145256729/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-9893113-2759050?s=dvd&v=glance&n=130). That’s one of the rare films that I find truly horrifying. Two others are [Ghost Story](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082449/) and [Haunted](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113269/). I’m rather afraid of ghosts. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/42 "2006-04-17T13:55:04Z")
I’ve posted this before, but because no one has mentioned it here yet, I’ll go ahead and recommend [**A Tale of Two Sisters**](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365376/). One of the best gothic/mystery/psychological horror films I’ve ever seen. Had me glued to the screen (I even found myself doing the old bite the knuckle curled up on the end of the couch thing.) Immediately after I finished watching it, I watched it again. Then I went to the internet to read discussions on this movie. There is a lot to talk about. Masterful storytelling and creation of a mood. Highest recommendation. Despite the DVD cover art and promo poster, there is very little blood in the movie. Also, I thought the original \*\*Omen \*\* was a very effective film. ---
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/43 "2006-04-17T14:00:10Z")
[The Good Son](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/good_son/) with Macaulay Culkin was fairly freaky although not particularly critically acclaimed. (on reading them though, the critics just werent comfortable with Macaulay playing such an evil kid) [the Cable guy](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cable_guy/) was funny at first, then creepy… ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/44 "2006-04-17T14:00:59Z")
I was scared by **The Others** and **Signs**. **Signs** gave me and my fiance nightmares for days. It was wonderful. Scary in a Hitchcock sort of way. **The Ring** didn’t scare me one bit. My friends thought **Signs** was lame, but were terrified by **The Ring**. None of the ones I mention has any gore and very little violence. Atmospheric horror. A very good exercise in suspense is Hitchcock’s [**Sabotage**](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028212/). **Dark Water** was actually quite good. I was surprised because the trailers made it look like another **The Ring** ripoff. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/45 "2006-04-17T14:29:34Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > You have some very difficult criteria. You don’t like “seeing people being tortured, dismembered or struck with blunt (or sharp) weapons”, yet you like the violent _Alien_, which includes the title creature exploding out from a man’s chest, killing him. Hard to believe 😉 but I didn’t write or direct Aliens. That said, I could do without that gross scene. **chique** What’d you think of Sixth Sense? I liked it a lot, but was kinda freaked by the scenes of the terrified little boy hiding under the blankets. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/46 "2006-04-17T14:34:28Z")
Oh goody, one of my favorite subjects. Most of my recommendations have already been mentioned; The Ring Session Nine The Shining A Tale of Two Sisters Ghost Story These are all at the top of my list and I’ve watched them more times than I can count. I’d like to ad \*\*Angel Heart \*\* and **The Devil’s Advocate** Another one that may be a bit harder to get your hands on is **Burnt Offerings** I don’t think it was a huge success when it was released and I rarely hear people mention it when discussing good horror, which is a shame because I think it’s a must-see for any fan of the genre. True, there is an element of cheesiness, but the climax at the end makes any of the more contrived parts well worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/47 "2006-04-17T15:12:12Z")
> [@Cabbage](#): > > One of the best creepy, atmospheric horror movies I’ve seen in a long time is [The Woman in Black](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004UEEU/qid=1145256729/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-9893113-2759050?s=dvd&v=glance&n=130). I’ll see your _Woman in Black_ and raise you a [Lady in White](http://imdb.com/title/tt0095484/). It’s a coming-of-age/period piece/ghost story/murder mystery that’s equal parts glowing warm nostalgia and ice-cold terror. Well worth tracking down. Also, seconding the recommendations for [The Innocents](http://imdb.com/title/tt0055018/), a really chilling adaptation of Henry James’ _Turn of the Screw_, and [The Haunting (1963)](http://imdb.com/title/tt0057129/), an excellent version of Shirley Jackon’s _The Haunting of Hill House_ (make sure you avoid the laughable 1999 remake). I’ve always found ghosts more terrifying than serial killers. They really seem to get underneath the skin, figuratively speaking. Serial killers take the more boring, literal approach. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/48 "2006-04-17T15:17:32Z")
> [@slortar](#): > > I third this, and for exactly the same reasons. > > I tend to refer to this film as “asylum porn” instead of horror. Lots of neat scenery in it. The movie itself isn’t half bad either. 🙂 Just as an aside, if you like “asylum porn” and haven’t already, you owe it to yourself to check out [Opacity](http://www.opacity.us/). There are some utterly gorgeous pics of Danvers and many other abandoned asylums here. To keep this on topic for scary movies, I also recommend Stephen King’s “It”–the ending is…well…horribly cheesy, but the rest of the movie is quite cool and creepy (especially if you have a thing about clowns, as I do). ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/49 "2006-04-17T15:55:09Z")
Howsabout Sunset Boulevard? Seriously, that was one of scariest movies I’ve ever seen. No gore or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/50 "2006-04-17T16:01:52Z")
Ringu. (Japanese version) ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/51 "2006-04-17T16:19:26Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > Psycho was quite good for the old school stuff, but I can handle more–provided that mommy holds my hand and I keep all the lights on. > > What I DON’T like: I want to avoid movies along the lines of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I do NOT enjoy seeing people being tortured, dismembered or struck with blunt (or sharp) weapons. I do not enjoy gore, so that rules out the sophomoric Jason/Halloween/Chucky series. > > Any recommendations? If you want old school stuff without the gore, I would recommend [Let’s Scare Jessica To Death](http://imdb.com/title/tt0067341/). From one of the user comments: > [@IMDB](#): > > Make no mistake, horror fans brought up on Freddy and Jason are going to think this is supremely lame. There are no wisecracking psychos, unless you count Mariclare Costello’s mildly swaggery hippie-vampire Emily, and there is very little in the way of gore, no nudity to speak of, hardly any profanity, and no ass-kicking. It’s SLOW. So what gives? > > I’ll tell you what gives. This movie is SCARY. Not gross, but scary. I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but there is a thread that runs under everything that put you slightly off balance and makes you feel icky inside, something that makes even broad daylight seem deathly black and menacing. Credit Bob Baldwin with some nicely atmospheric photography. I’ll say this much: a lot of it is in the sound. From the constant wind to the creaks in the farmhouse, from the plaintive minor-key acoustic guitar plucking to the WONDERFUL, unsettling electronic noises by synthesizer pioneer Walter Sear-one of my absolute favorite aspects of this movie-what you hear is almost as important as what you see (or don’t see, in this case). I also liked [The Vanishing](http://imdb.com/title/tt0108473/) with Jeff Bridges, Keifer Sutherland and Sandra Bullock, but it’s my understanding that the original Dutch version is far superior, so you might want to check that one out instead (I need to do that myself one day). ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/52 "2006-04-17T16:28:03Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > Ringu. (Japanese version) I have to say that I much prefer the American version in every way. As I said before, it’s at the top of my list. However, the end scene with Sadako creeped me out so much that I will NEVER EVER watch this movie again. I won’t even go to the message board for this movie on IMDB (not a huge loss)because I can’t even bare to see the picture of her face. If anyone wants to see a truly horrifying face, goodlge “ringu”, but don’t say you haven’t been warned. Shudder. ---
**Author:** ![mazinger\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/53 "2006-04-17T16:31:55Z")
In the tightest sense of the OP’s definition (excluding anything Alien), the list starts and ends with The Ring (either version). I would include the Exorcist as it is also pretty gross. I guess The Omen and The Amityville Horror tcan be an honorable mentions. Then again, I’m not a huge fan of scar movies. I didn’t sleep for like 7 days after watching the Ring. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/54 "2006-04-17T16:54:03Z")
Looking back over this thread, I’m kind of surprised [Carnival of Souls](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055830/) hasn’t been mentioned yet. Very creepy movie, beautifully shot. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/55 "2006-04-17T17:03:34Z")
Here’s an old “scary” one, and it’s totally bloodless: [Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0049366/). And, more eerie than scary, try: [Village of the Damned (1960)](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0054443/). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/56 "2006-04-17T17:14:39Z")
> [@HeelB4Zod](#): > > Try [Rosemary’s Baby](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063522/) And after that, watch its semisortofsequel, [The Tenant](http://www.sff.net/people/rothman/GBF/tenant.htm) . ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/57 "2006-04-17T17:30:30Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > And after that, watch its semisortofsequel, [The Tenant](http://www.sff.net/people/rothman/GBF/tenant.htm) . In that case, better not forget the semisortofprequel, [Repulsion](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059646/). ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/58 "2006-04-17T17:38:33Z")
I’m kind of hard to scare, but for creep-up-on-you-creepy, I was completely undone by [The Others](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230600/) with Nicole Kidman. I don’t know if it was because I was pregnant or what, but when they got to the part where her little girl was playing dress-up, I think, in what may have been a First Communion gown, and when she turned to her mother was revealed to be an old woman I had to turn it off. So, I don’t know if it ends well. But the creepy dark old house with all the heavy drapes pulled … \ ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/59 "2006-04-17T17:39:58Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > [The Night of the Hunter](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048424/) I was coming here to say this movie. This movie is so scary. Suspenseful and tense, but no blood or gore. I cannot watch it by myself and I’m 37 yo. The original _Cape Fear_ is the same way. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925/60 "2006-04-17T17:51:31Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > What I DON’T like: I want to avoid movies along the lines of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I do NOT enjoy seeing people being tortured, dismembered or struck with blunt (or sharp) weapons. I do not enjoy gore, so that rules out the sophomoric Jason/Halloween/Chucky series. > > Any recommendations? Hold it!! I think you should give the original Halloween a chance. It is a genuinely creepy film, that has been lost in the flood of the rip offs and smeared with their stink. There is suprisingly very little blood or gore. There is no massive body count and it is done, by todays standards, a fairly tatseful way. The atmosphere is great and the first half has a beautiful suspensful set up. I highly highly recomend the first Halloween, ignore all the crappy sequels that tried to out swill the competition in sheer crappiness. If I’m wrong and you come back saying it was exactly what you did not want… I’ll watch a terrible movie of your choice as punishment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-scary-terrifying-movies-that-arent-drenched-in-blood/352925.md?page=4)