Movies, especially horror ones, have the power to make you see the world with different eyes. And we are not referring here to a positive attribute, especially considering the fact common objects come to be converted into a lifelong phobia. What are the things that movies have thought us to be e afraid of? Here are ten outstanding examples from a long list of fears induced by movies.
1. Clowns – It, Poltergeist
With their painted faces, messy hair, fake laughter and disproportionate legs, it’s no wonder that these characters were so successful in horror movies. The scariest is the clown from Poltergeist (the clown doll possessed by an evil spirit turns into a grotesque monster) and IT, 90s miniseries based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King.
2. Dolls – Child’s Play
The childhood universe did not escape horror cinema and besides the innocent faces of children turned into unimaginable monsters, puppets have fallen prey to the forces of evil. Until now, for many of us, the sight of Chucky from Child’s Play and his mischievous grin appear on the face of any similar doll.
3. Spiders – Arachnophobia
They are not a refreshing sight in real life, but when they exceed in size, they are downright terrifying. In movies, they have incredible proportions, forming legions and invading planets. After you watch, for example, Arachnofobia, a film from 1990, especially the scene where they climb the sewer and fill the bathroom sink, you feel chills across your spine.
4. Sharks – Jaws
Steven Spielberg wanted to show us how terrifying can a single shark be. The giant with saw teeth scared the living daylight out of people. But if we can protect ourselves from sharks, we have no chance against the avalanche of films that decided to further exploit the myth of the ferocious killer (Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus, Open Water, Shark Attack).
5. Shower – Psycho
Psycho’s release in 1960 proved once again Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliant ability to turn something as common as a shower into a terrible fear that can haunt us for a long time. Until that time, the public had never seen a movie so violent. Even if the said scene lasts only 45 seconds, the suspense Hitchcock creates in the moments before the murder gives the viewer a taste of pure fear.
6. Birds – The Birds
If you’re still wondering how fearful can some birds be, it means that you have not seen Hitchcock’s film in 1963 and have not read the story it was based on, written by Daphne du Maurier. A beautiful and rich woman starts a relationship with a man in Bodega Bay, California. Paradoxically, it all starts with a pair of parrots. But her presence in the port town turns into a nightmare when the birds in the area begin to behave strangely, attacking people – even kill them – and causing considerable damage.
7. Elevators – The Shining, Blackout
They are pretty frightening as they are – with their strange creaking doors and fear about getting stuck in one. But the appearance of The Shining in1980 triggered a fear of elevators entirely different. Towards the end of the film, Wendy seeks Danny in the hotel, but sees the waves of blood that drain from the elevator doors. It is one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history .
Blackout from 2008 will induce a different fear. In the film, three strangers are trapped in an elevator and discovers that one of them is a serial killer. They cannot get out, so they need to test their self-restraint and resourcefulness.
8. Kids – The Omen, Insidious
They are usually so nice and say the craziest things, but the kids in horror movies have nothing to do with the cute kids in real life. They are so scary that they will make you think twice about having a baby.
9. Masks – The Purge, Donnie Darko, Saw
Although masks are a big hit on Halloween, they are so scary in horror films. Behind them, there are even scarier characters who hide behind a mask and cause chaos.
10. Phone calls – The Ring
It seemed just a legend – a videotape with nightmarish images, leading to a phone call that confirmed you were going to die after seven days. Admit it! After seeing the movie, you flinched whenever you heard the phone ring.
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