# What's the scariest movie you've ever seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 15, 1999, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763 "1999-11-15T03:59:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Jackamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackamus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 1999, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/1 "1999-11-15T03:59:00Z")
I have a little video store and I get asked this question all the time: What’s the scariest movie? I don’t watch 'em myself, so would you all help me? What is the scariest movie you’ve ever seen? Thanks, Jac ---
**Author:** ![Dalcorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@Dalcorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dalcorn)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 1999, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/2 "1999-11-15T04:05:00Z")
Closetland _shudder_ * * * “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.” –Mark Twain ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 1999, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/3 "1999-11-15T04:27:00Z")
(before this gets shuttled over by Nick to MPSIMS…) Alien. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 1999, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/4 "1999-11-15T05:27:00Z")
The Relic ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 1999, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/5 "1999-11-15T05:36:00Z")
Night of the Living Dead The original B&W one. ## ::Shudder:: ‘They couldn’t hit an Elephant from this dist…!’ Last words of General John Sedgwick ---
**Author:** ![Jorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@Jorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 1999, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/6 "1999-11-15T06:37:00Z")
MPSIMS indeed… but: _Jacob’s Ladder_ ---
**Author:** ![radar\_ralf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@radar\_ralf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/radar_ralf)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/7 "1999-11-16T00:03:00Z")
I had just returned from overseas and thought I had seen it all - then I saw “The Exorcist”… ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/8 "1999-11-16T00:06:00Z")
Spice World * * * La franchise ne consiste pas à dire tout ce que l’on pense, mais à penser tout ce que l’on dit. H. de Livry ---
**Author:** ![Manduck2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Manduck2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck2)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/9 "1999-11-16T01:07:00Z")
The Exorcist It helps if you saw it back in '72, before all the sequels, spoofs, etc ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/10 "1999-11-16T01:19:00Z")
_Showgirls_ ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/11 "1999-11-16T01:36:00Z")
“The Haunting.” The original black and white version made back in the early 60’s, not that wretched remake that was recently released. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/12 "1999-11-16T01:52:00Z")
Damn. Two people already say The Exorcist was the scariest movie. I must have seen it late because it was the silliest crap I have ever seen. Some bratty ass demon posessing some bratty ass kid. Then these priest dudes try to chase the sucker out by saying arcane chants and splashing water on her. THe water actually stings, but why didn’t they pour a whole bucket on her. Personally, it was scarier when that stunt was pulled on THe Wizard of Oz. I suppose the religious aspect is supposed to scare me more, but it does not. Now for my vote. I first saw it when I was 16 years old at a midnite movie at a college media center. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/13 "1999-11-16T01:58:00Z")
A lot depends on context. I saw PSYCHO when it first came out, 1960, as a young teen… and it scared the sh-- um, scared the pants off me. No other movie has ever scared me as much. On the other hand, when viewed today – black and white, little gore, plot that everyone knows – it loses it’s scariness. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/14 "1999-11-16T02:05:00Z")
Psycho was cool. Suspense makes a movie as much as gore. I have had nightmares about that shower scene, and I was born after 1960. THe Rear Window was a scary movie in that the suspense kept me chilled. But my vote still goes to my above post. And THe Exorcist sucked. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/15 "1999-11-16T02:07:00Z")
Psycho was cool. Suspense makes a movie as much as gore. I have had nightmares about that shower scene, and I was born after 1960. THe Rear Window was a scary movie in that the suspense kept me chilled. But my vote still goes to my above post. And THe Exorcist sucked. ---
**Author:** ![timmar68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@timmar68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/timmar68)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/16 "1999-11-16T04:15:00Z")
“Salem’s Lot” scared the hell out of me when I was a little girl. * * * MaryAnn The more you complain, the longer God lets you live. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/17 "1999-11-16T06:10:00Z")
Well, I came here with the express purpose of posting _Showgirls_ as the scariest movie, only to find that I’d been beaten to the punch. I guess I’m not as creative as i thought. Seriously, _Scream_ is a good scary movie. _Alien & Aliens_ both scared me. I agree that _The Exorcist_ was very overrated. I’m racking my brain for others, but nothings coming up now, I’ll get back to you. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/18 "1999-11-16T06:35:00Z")
> [@](#): > > On the other hand, when viewed today – black and white, little gore, plot that everyone knows – it loses it’s scariness. I dunno…NotLD (Which, despite some other good choices posted here, _still_ gets my vote.) has all that, and it still terrified me when I first saw it a few years ago (5, IIRC.). * * * ‘They couldn’t hit an Elephant from this dist…!’ Last words of General John Sedgwick ---
**Author:** ![lvick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d07c76/32.png) [@lvick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lvick)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/19 "1999-11-16T07:48:00Z")
From left field, how 'bout The Nanny. Bette Davis IIRC, nothing supernatural or occult, just pure creeping evil, Larry ---
**Author:** ![mediavore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@mediavore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mediavore)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 1999, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763/20 "1999-11-16T08:08:00Z")
haven’t any of you seen “the wickerman”? find the longest version you can (there are edited versions out there). i had nightmares for days after, it was great. and do yourself a favour… don’t watch it at 2 in the afternoon cause you’re bored, wait till two a.m… enjoy it… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-scariest-movie-youve-ever-seen/4763.md?page=2)