top 3 scariest films

[ericdaoust]

Pootie Tang gave me nightmares.

[PrairieDog]

That's three to add to the list!

Loved Event Horizon and In The Mouth Of Madness as well, great films.

[ridinryan44]

Event Horizon was one of the scariest movies ever, back in the day. I found it a bit cheesy now (like most) but man did it ever keep me up at night.

Another movie that had me with nightmares when I was younger was a movie called Copycat. It starred Sigourney Weaver as a shut-in and a serial killer (Harry Connick Jr) and while it isn't a horror flick, it's a supsense/thriller, and it scared the living shit outta me.

The original Paranormal Activity movie got me pretty good, but it's getting kinda old now.

I loved The Descent like somebody else has mentioned already, though the follow up was pretty bad.

An obscure one I really liked was called Martyrs and, while not very scary, I absolutely loved Let Me In.

[Ross The Boss Palmer]

I saw Cape Fear when I was really young, and although it is classified as a thriller/drama, it certainly terrified me. Plus I loved how the Simpsons incorporated parts of it in a Sideshow Bob episode. A favourite of mine, not scary at all, is The Crow.

[sanstanya]

I'm sure it's partly because I saw all these by the time I was 9, but the truly scary ones all seem older to me now. Most newer horror movies seem more graphic and shock oriented but don't really strike fear so much for me.

Shining - possibly perfect.
Elm street (the 1st) - 9th birthday sleepover party, what was my mom thinking letting me do that?! half the kids went home instead of staying.
Rosemary's Baby - seriously as like a 6 or 7 year old that could not have been a worse idea.

honourable mention to the original Amityville

And I'm with Thunder on Evil Dead 2. Possibly on my top 5 of any genre list. Every time I see it I think how did I not make that movie. Bloody genius.

[sanstanya]

I'm sure it's partly because I saw all these by the time I was 9, but the truly scary ones all seem older to me now. Most newer horror movies seem more graphic and shock oriented but don't really strike fear so much for me.

Shining - possibly perfect.
Elm street (the 1st) - 9th birthday sleepover party, what was my mom thinking letting me do that?! half the kids went home instead of staying.
Rosemary's Baby - seriously as like a 6 or 7 year old that could not have been a worse idea.

honourable mention to the original Amityville

And I'm with Thunder on Evil Dead 2. Possibly on my top 5 of any genre list. Every time I see it I think how did I not make that movie. Bloody genius.

[Loki]

Jaws for me...I still won't swim in the ocean today.
Everytime I hear another surfer killed by shark headline it all comes back.

[Bomm Bastic]

Unsettling doesn't even begin to describe it. When I was done I was so emotional that I was about to explode.

Like a misplaced comma or errant apostrophe?

BAH-ZING!

[Dakkster]

Like a misplaced comma or errant apostrophe?

BAH-ZING!

I'm not pathological about grammar, you know

[Drizzle]

Great picks, glad to see my favorites in here.

1) Nightmare on Elm Street

Usually a horror movie has you lying awake in bed, and you're too scared to close your eyes, but you're thinking, "If only I could get to sleep..." Nightmare, however, takes away the safe zone!

2) Sinister

My wife and I went to see this a couple of weeks ago, and we walked out of the theater before it ended. I just couldn't watch it any more. Part of me really believed that those videos were real.

3) The Descent

Who are the real monsters in this movie? Or were there any at all?

Honorable Mentions:

I loved The Ring, Event Horizon, Paranormal Activity... all great suggestions.

[Bomm Bastic]

The original Salem's Lot is another good one. That levitating kid, scratching his nails on the window has to be one of the creepier scenes I have viewed.

I Spit on Your Grave is another oldie but goodie....

Jeepers Creepers is another I love to watch over-and-over. Not the scariest, but an entertaining weekend-type movie.

[islefan31]

The very end of Friday the 13th....calm...serene....lake...oh look a canoe...

They had to pry me from the ceiling, in order to clean my knickers.

That's why I ranked it my top 3. That was the only movie scene I can ever remember screaming at. Although the part in Jaws when the head popped out of the sunkin ship got me too, I think.

[Bomm Bastic]

Oh shit totally missed Hellraiser. How could i miss Hellraiser??

[angus]

That's why I ranked it my top 3. That was the only movie scene I can ever remember screaming at. Although the part in Jaws when the head popped out of the sunkin ship got me too, I think.

Yep - that scene alone put that movie in my top three too.

[Scorgasm]

Pet Cemetery - mostly the part when the kid cut the old man's achilles

Joy Ride - Not horror but I thought it was entertaining (more terror). Paul Walker and Steve Vaughn so it was funny too. Basically being chased by a crazy big rig driver.

The exorcism of Emily Rose - same line as the original, I seem to remember really liking it.

Disturbing --> Hostel

Terror --> The Strangers

Great Story --> Saw

Favorite as a kid --> Nightmare on Elm Street

There was another one too but I can't remember the name of it. Something about having cameras in a hotel room (no not porn) then terrorizing them. I think it had a well known actor in it too so it may have been a remake.