Halloween may have been and gone this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still sit back on the weekend and enjoy a scary movie or three. Some people just can’t bring themselves to do it, but the adrenaline rush many of us feel when we turn out the lights and pop on a creepy classic, or an eerie new addition to the genre, is something we crave.
Let’s face it, there are plenty of terrible films that bog down the world of horror, but there are also a whole slew of diamonds that we will keep revisiting to get our kicks. Here are what we’ve selected as the scariest opening scenes of all time! Note that in the videos, there may be some gruesome content!
7. The Ring (2002)
Poltergeist (1982) was amongst the first to prove just how terrifying a television screen could be. The Ring picked up on that idea and ran with it, and in the 2002 American reboot of the story, we were dealt a shocking opening scene unlike any we’d seen in the past.
6. IT (2017)
Last year’s (2017) IT reboot was a major box office hit, with the clown Pennywise - from the novel and mind of Stephen King - making a return to the Halloween costume favourites ever since. Perhaps the scariest moment throughout the entire film however comes in its opening minutes.
We meet young Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) and his brother Bill (Jaeden Lieberher); a pair who love each other unconditionally. Bill makes Georgie a boat to sail in the relentless rain outside, which he himself is too sick to venture out into. When Georgie goes chasing down the street after the boat however, he hits his head and... well, the rest has to be seen to be believed. Never talk to strangers - especially those dressed as clowns!
5. The Conjuring (2013)
The Conjuring universe is now one of the most prolific in the horror genre, but we're going right back to where it started with director James Wan's vision for one of the biggest scares of the modern day.
There's nothing groundbreaking about the scares used in the opening scene. A creepy doll moves by itself; we've seen it before. Fortunately, Wan is such a master of the genre that he uses a variety of different techniques to build tension and immediately showcase just how much danger those involved in this story could be in.
4. Jaws (1975)
It's everybody's worst nightmare when they head into the ocean. Somehow, they're going to become victim to a shark attack. Whilst the actual occurrence is incredibly rare, the opening scene of Jaws with a skinny-dipping Chrissie Watkins (Susan Backlinie) saw that fear realised, when a Great White Shark pulls her under the depths.
Director Steven Spielberg does an incredible job here, not even giving the audience a glimpse (yet) of the beast that's patrolling an underwater kingdom. Instead, suspense is allowed to build naturally throughout the film, and it’s all down to this magical opening sequence.
3. Halloween (1978)
Recently making a triumphant comeback for a 2018 sequel, the original Halloween still to this day scares the socks off of those brave enough to watch it. Canoodling teenagers, creepily-carved pumpkins, and a man who will stop at nothing to slay anybody he feels like all combine for one of the most fear-inducing watches of the past few decades.
We’re so glad the brilliance was able to be captured once more in 2018’s direct-sequel to the original, and we can’t wait to see where the franchise goes next if it does indeed make another return.
2. When A Stranger Calls (1979)
Originally starting off as a short film, the 20-minute opening scene of 1979’s When A Stranger Calls is without a doubt one of the most unsettling we’ve ever experienced. Dodgy calls from voices you don't recognise have become a staple of the horror genre, and this film is part of the reason why!
Having to be watched in full to truly sink into the atmosphere conjured up by director Fred Walton, this is a classic that should be on the shelves of every horror junkie across the globe.
1. Scream (1996)
The ultimate master of horror, the late Wes Craven, showed the world exactly what he was made of when the first Scream movie hit the big screen back in 1996. All of the promotion for the film had seen Drew Barrymore front-and-centre, so when she met her end after just 13 minutes and an incredibly intense showdown with Ghostface, audiences were dealt a major swerve!
Unfortunately, the full scene doesn’t seem to be available on YouTube at the moment, but the first five minutes (shown above) give you more than enough to work with! If you’ve never seen this movie, what are you waiting for? Get it watched ASAP!