No, thanks! And that’s the big part of it, no one really expected X-Files to be that nightmarish. Government payroll aliens and rubber suit flukemen, sure, & maybe Mutato, too. Even poor Johnny Mathis got dragged down into it, too.
When it comes to “scary” movies, there’s one scene that stands out in my memory above all the rest, even though it’s been probably 50 years since I saw it, sitting home alone on a summer afternoon. The movie was Caltiki – The Immortal Monster. I loved watching those creature feature movies and everything was fine until the scuba guy got pulled out of the pool in the cavern. To say it freaked me out would be an understatement. I had nightmares for a week after that.
The movie that scared me more than any other is The Blair Witch Project.
Saddest movie I’ve ever seen is Penny Serenade, with Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. I’ve never seen it twice.
Ah you reminded me of another disturbing movie…
Did not know it had 9 Oscar nods.
LOL. That brings back memories.
As a teenager, I was babysitting for a family down the street. Guess what book I found and started reading? 
It scared the pants off of me.
Unfortunately a stray cat was apparently in heat outside, and so some gawd-awful screeching began. I was scared it was coming from upstairs, where the two children were sound asleep.
To my credit, I guess, I bravely went upstairs to check on the kids. First I grabbed a big knife from the kitchen, and held it at the ready as I bravely crept up the steps.
Can you imagine how scared the kids would have been if they woke up and found their babysitter headed toward their room with a deranged gleam in her eye and a big knife poised ready to plunge? 
Luckily, they did not wake up.
Just added that to my watchlist!
When I first saw that in the theater I didn’t find it that scary, but then I remember watching it at home alone with my little sister late at night during a storm and we were both so creeped out.
If we’re counting movies seen as a kid, then mine is Invaders From Mars. When the kid realizes that his parents have been assimilated by the Martians, I first experienced movie horror.
It hasn’t necessarily aged well, but at the time it came out, I thought it was pretty frickin’ scary, too.
That’s a good one! Another really scary one is by the same director, Caveat. Has the same tone and is so creepy.
This reminds me of how, after seeing The Shining for the first time - pretty darn scary, btw- I kept waking up in the middle of the night and looking at my digital clock, which always seemed to read 2:37 (that’s the number on the room with the bath tub lady). I did not find it a funny coincidence.
For me it’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. The image of Bob behind the dresser is seared into my brain.
Whew just watched that. That was um, quite something. I see now why Showtime canceled it from airing! Yup, “Home” is rather tame compared to that!
OMG! that scene in the TV show is when it went from creepy to horrifying! I couldn’t go to sleep after watching it without checking the door and windows to see they were locked, and checking the closet to make sure no one was hiding in it.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Paranormal Activity. It’s a unique movie in that it was filmed on a shoestring budget of practically nothing, with rented videocam equipment and amateur actors who were paid little if anything, and set in the filmmaker’s own house. It’s the kind of setup that you’d think would turn out unintentionally comical, yet it’s strangely effective. For that reason it spawned a whole franchise of sequels, none of which are any good, IMHO. But the original exploits the “monster in your basement” (or attic) trope pretty well.
Psycho! Someone has to mention it!
The shower scene is one of the most famous scenes in the history of movies. But the horror of it was amplified by the sight of the bathroom door opening and a vague figure approaching, seen through the translucent shower curtain.
But for sustained creepiness the scenes of Vera Miles searching Norman and Mother’s bedrooms, then heading into the cellar to see Mother seated in a rocker can’t be surpassed. And the scenes of Martin Balsam stealthily climbing the stairs while Mother’s bedroom door slowly opens to greet him are just about as good.
There’s a movie called The Changeling, a ghost story starring George C. Scott that was released in 1980 or 1981. It’s not particularly violent or bloody, but there’s a scene that gave me goosebumps when I was a kid and again when I watched it 10-15 years ago.
During a seance, the ghost starts causing a ruckus, and at the top of the stairs the participants see one of those old fashioned, early 20th century wheelchairs roll up. I know that doesn’t sound the least bit scary, but I guess it was a combination of the music, camera work, and the reaction of the actors that really made for a chilling scene.
My daughter’s been on an “old scary movies” kick lately. This is the one she found most upsetting.
Apparently the thing that was supposed to be scary is that it was supposed to be ‘found footage’ of real events. I saw it when it came out, but I knew it was fictional. There are a couple of places where I would have added scary things.
Yeah, Miike delivered something beyond what they were expecting.