Cinema — a sight for sore eyes. Some of the most beautiful and most haunting scenes happen to occur during horror movies. Cinematographers have the power to make a scene look like a painting, one that would be in the finest museum on Earth. This is a list of our favorite shots on horror history. Warning, some spoilers ahead!
Food Plate on the Conveyor Belt (Final Exam, 1988)
*Note: the entire movie is linked below, starting at the Conveyor Belt scene.
I’m a sucker for fun, interesting perspectives, no matter if they’re scary or not. Two co-eds have just finished lunch and they are returning their trays to the kitchen. The camera takes the place of discarded food items on a conveyor belt that goes from the eating area to the back kitchen. That’s it! It’s an unnecessary scene that I still appreciate for how it looks.
Jack looks down on Wendy and Danny (The Shining, 1980)
If anything in this movie is a fever dream, it’s this scene. Jack — pretty much psychotic at this point — looks down at a miniature version of the Overlook’s hedge maze and sees Wendy and Danny frolicking through it. The music is disorienting and it’s just a wooze-inducing scene that takes you into the mind of Jack. Spiraling!
The Shape Follows Tommy (Halloween, 1978)
I think this scene gets looked over a lot because there are so many other scenes in Halloween that are so memorable. Here, Tommy Doyle has just gotten his pumpkin smashed by some school bullies and wanders through the schoolyard home. The Shape (Michael Myers) follows him, looking through the chain-link fence. Tommy is none the wiser. It’s simple but really creepy if you think about it. Tommy doesn’t even notice he’s being followed. It’s a smooth walkthrough that mirrors the smooth, snake-like predator that is The Shape.
Out of the Darkness (Halloween, 1978)
But that doesn’t have anything on this scene. As Laurie has a cry to herself after discovering her friends’ dead corpses, Michael Myers floats to the foreground and surprises her once again. Any time a monster or killer rises from the darkness, it’s *chef’s kiss* And there’s literally nothing more that I need to say. What a cool shot!
In the Ceiling Corner (Hereditary, 2018)
Hereditary is such a crazy movie. Scary and crazy. Near the end, Annie is full-on possessed. She crawls herself into the corner of her son’s bedroom ceiling and waits for him to wake up. Man, if I could tell you the sound the theater audience made when her silhouette came into focus and she skedaddled into the other corner of the room. A “what the fuck” moment for sure and just the start of an even crazier ending.
Maud Finds Enlightenment (Saint Maud, 2019)
I went this whole movie wondering if Maud’s visions were real or not. At the end, I thought she really did find God. The very last scene says otherwise, as she’s briefly shown screaming as she self-immolates. An abrupt ending that serves as the last jumpscare à la Friday the 13th or Carrie.
Meeting Dr. Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs, 1991)
If you’ve never seen Dr. Hannibal Lecter and only knew of his cannibalistic crimes, you’d think he was this dodgy, Hyde-like character. But Agent Clarice Starling is introduced to this stately gentleman patiently waiting to greet his female guest. With a glass wall instead of the typical metal prison bars, Dr. Lecter is a sight to see. It’s not a letdown that he’s not portrayed as a madman; on the contrary, it’s scarier that he’s so put together.
Elevator Rampage (Cabin in the Woods, 2011)
Everyone who’s seen this movie knows this is one of the best parts. Every monster hidden in this laboratory labyrinth comes out at once, leaving a chaotic, bloody mess. If you ever wondered how a giant snake would match up against a sawblade Hell demon, or a group of mercenaries against a haunted tree, this is it.
Under the Swing Butt Shot (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, 1974)
This is the scene that every list of “coolest shots” should have. Doesn’t have to be number one (although it definitely could be) but it needs to be on the list. Our character Pam is waiting for her boyfriend to come back from asking for directions at a derelict Texas house. She decides to walk on up and look for him, and we get the famous shot of Pam’s butt… Well, this shot is famous for showing the enormity of this creepy house and the danger she’s about to get herself into, but also Pam’s butt in bright red shorts.
Taking Flight (The Witch, 2015)
No one can stop me singing my praises for The Witch, never. At the end of the movie, Thomasin, now fully in “fuck it” mode, follows Black Phillip into the woods where they meet up with the local coven of witches. After dancing around the campfire and readying their broomsticks, they chant themselves into the sky. Thomasin joins, hovering and cackling maniacally in the moonlight. A beautiful and eye-opening scene of what it would be like to see witches fly in real life.
What’s your favorite horror shot? Let us know in the comments!
