Most Scream and Cringe-Worthy Moments in Beloved Horror Movies and Classic Thrillers

Whether you're a fan of more modern blood-and-guts loaded with special effects or the old-fashioned suspenseful-filled moments sending chills and thrills up and down our spines, there are plenty of horror fans who are continuously drawn into this genre of entertainment. Getting the living daylights scared out of us is a time-honored tradition that dates back to the early days of scares unfolding in the days of early cinema.

Sometimes the shock factor comes from a chase scene where the heroine just won't stop falling down or more likely, the music builds up slowly to a crescendo leading to an unexpected (or expected) frightening event. Either way and in other instances, here are a few creepy cases (spoiler alert) where fans reported they were on the edge of their seats when a cringe-worthy moment occurred or screams rang out from audience members. 

Psycho (1960)

Starring Janet Leigh, it's a little weird and a bit coincidental to consider her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis would later go on to frighten the pants off people in the Halloween franchise of films nearly two decades later. While there is plenty of suspense-filled moments during the Hitchcock classic movie Psycho, some say a brief moment when "Mother" runs through the hallway of the haunted Bates Motel still sticks with them to this day. 

Friday the 13th (1980)

In the first installment of this series of movies about this fateful day, visitors to Lake Crystal are terrorized at this secluded, and seemingly cozy campground. When a teenage girl is grabbed from behind by the killer while innocently and casually paddling in a canoe, audiences were still shocked when she was suddenly snatched and dragged underwater to her untimely death.

Jaws (1975)

While we're on the subject of water, the film adaptation of Peter Benchley's chilling novel has gripped many people into a fear of the beach for decades. In the beginning and throughout the movie Jaws, the haunting musical score written by John Williams often warned viewers the gigantic great white killer shark was on the prowl and was about to attack. However, in a surprising moment when a severed head suddenly pops up on screen inside a sunken vessel underwater, tons of viewers were caught off guard by this scary and shocking moment.

Poltergeist (1982)

Nothing like a good, old-fashioned ghost story with creepy characters and the appearance of apparitions to frighten both listeners and audiences alike. Even non-believers in the presence of spirits are often spooked at the presence of these spooks. During the Poltergeist plotline, there's a part where it seems that "the monster is hiding under the bed," so when it suddenly and unexpectedly appears behind a child instead, it was pretty freaky. 

The Ring (2002)

Not to be confused with wearing this type of jewelry, instead, it's a ringing phone that brings terror to the characters and audiences while watching this frightening film. One particular off-the-hook moment occurs when many viewers thought the movie was over and were waiting for the credits to roll. Instead, people often screamed in horror when the main character of the movie, the supernatural Samara, creepily crawls out of the TV screen.

The Conjuring (2013)

Even the term brings up notions of incantations that could have the ability to summon scary spirits and stir up ancient superstitions. While the word conjure refers to tricks usually involving sleight of hand, there's a part of this movie involving this body part that's truly terrifying. It's during a spooky "clap-clap" sequence that suddenly unfolds inside a scary basement. Some have said they are still startled when they hear a clapping noise long after the movie has ended. 

BONUS: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Wait, what? You're trying to tell me there's a part of this kid-friendly movie franchise that literally scared some people silly, seriously, really? While there are plenty of thrilling moments or suspenseful parts during these films, some claim there was a truly scary moment that happened in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that caught them off guard giving them a startle in the process. When the protagonist of goes to fetch some water for an ailing Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwart's, out of nowhere, a creepy hand of a skeleton grabs Harry's arm.