# Scared to death?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/942603>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** movies\
**Created:** [May 21, 2021, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/942603 "2021-05-21T05:23:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/942603/1 "2021-05-21T05:23:12Z")

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Are there any horror movies out there where the would be killer tries to scare her/his victims to death, without doing any actual physical harm. If possible, I would like to avoid situations where the victim(s) has a known heart condition (like “Deathtrap”).

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**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/942603/2 "2021-05-21T06:25:36Z")

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Could this include [accidental scarings to death?](https://youtu.be/qkf4Cmv0-c0?t=226).

Or Alan Bates shouting people to death in _The Shout_?

Never figured out exactly how _The Ring_ victims died.

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/942603/3 "2021-05-21T06:44:08Z")

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No accidents, no magic.

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**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/942603/4 "2021-05-21T10:38:03Z")

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Maybe The Tingler? The premise is that there’s like a parasite along your spine that feeds on your fear. If you scream, that weakens the parasite. I remember there’s a scene where the scientist is trying to frighten a mute to death (since the mute can’t scream to weaken the parasite).

(ETA: Sorry, I didn’t see your “no magic” post until after I wrote this).

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**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/942603/5 "2021-05-21T14:43:42Z")

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^ I would think _The Tingler_ is more science fiction than “magic” horror film so it _would_ count.

I haven’t seen it, but **Let’s Scare Jessica to Death** is a great title.

There was **Games** with Jimmy Caan and Katherine Ross where they were trying to scare each other (although probably “insane” as opposed to “to death”).

I think **Diabolique** has the heart problem dealie, so is disqualified. Still scary, kids.

**Dominique** (Originally **Dominique Is Dead** ) has some nonsense about Cliff Robertson’s dead wife trying to scare him to death.