Entering a horror movie is quite an experience. Even the least timid of the public should brace themselves for the fear to come. What’s harder to prepare for is a terrifying scene unexpectedly present in a non-horror movie.
Some of these scenes have gone down in film history as traumatic moments in childhood classics, such as the boat scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factorywhile others combine fear and tension perfectly, like a certain “funny” scene in Goodfellas. What they all have in common is that no one saw them coming.
The first ritual scene from ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ (1984)
A prequel to the classic adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark, Steven Spielberg‘s Temple of Doom follows the adventures of Indiana Jones as he tries to help the inhabitants of a small village in India whose children have been kidnapped.
The film was darker in every way than its predecessor, and this was especially evident in the gruesome scene where viewers are first introduced to the cult behind the village kidnappings. The scene, in which the villain plucks a man’s heart, was so gruesome that the PG-13 rating was introduced thanks to this film.
Judge Doom’s Reveal from ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (1988)
One of the most visually distinctive and narratively creative films Disney has ever produced, Who framed Roger Rabbit? is a noir-esque adventure comedy about a character-hating detective who must defend a popular animated rabbit after being charged with a crime he didn’t commit.
The villain of the film, brilliantly played by the hilarious Christopher Lloyd, is incredibly intimidating. Yet there is no moment in the film as terrifying as the final battle against him, when he is bulldozed by a steamroller and then melts into acid. This may sound like it’s too creepy for a family movie – and it probably is, but audiences still love this phenomenal movie.
“Funny How” Scene from ‘Goodfellas’ (1990)
One of the most perfect gangster movies ever made, Martin Scorsese‘s Goodfellas describes the rise and fall of a real figure Henry Hill (played by Ray Liotta), from his early days in the mafia to the epic end of his criminal career.
The film is dynamic, compelling and fun; but one thing you wouldn’t expect is scary. And yet, when Hill jokes with his friend Tommy DeVito and it seems Tommy is offended, the tension quickly turns to terror. The story has portrayed DeVito as such a sadistic and unpredictable figure that new viewers may think the film is about to turn into a slasher.
Pee-wee hitchhiking by big margin from ‘Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
A parody of the classic Italian film bicycle thievesthe first Pee-wee Herman film follows the title character on a nationwide search for his bicycle, which was stolen under mysterious circumstances.
During his journey, Pee-wee goes hitchhiking again. One of the people who picks him up is Large Marge, the creepy and ominous ghost of a truck driver. Pee-wee’s great adventure was the directorial debut of Tim Burtonand while it’s not a horror movie, there’s certainly clues to its signature creepy style, especially in this deeply disturbing scene that has given countless children nightmares over the years.
The Chocolate River Boat Trip from ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ (1971)
This highly rewatchable adaptation of a classic children’s book is a delightful musical adventure, which follows a poor child who wins a visit to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory along with four other children.
One of the things that Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory what is so famous for is having one of the most out-of-the-blue terrifying scenes in a children’s movie. This moment comes when Wonka takes visitors through a Tunnel of Terror in his chocolate river, a place of flashy colors and disturbing visuals that can be incredibly creepy even for adults.
Revealing the Secrets of the Ark from ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)
Raiders of the Lost ArkThe first Indiana Jones adventure, follows the famous archeology professor as he is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant, pitting him against the entire Nazi regime.
Temple of Doom is arguably the scariest Indy movie overall; but when it comes to individual scenes, there’s nothing quite as horrifying as the climax of Raiders, where the villains open the ark and are destroyed by its mystical power. This scene almost got the movie an R rating, what more needs to be said?
Chigurh and Moss’s Face-Off from ‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)
One of the Coen brothers’ most gripping and admirably made films, No country for old men is a neo-western thriller about the chaos that erupts after a hunter stumbles on two million dollars from a drug deal gone wrong.
Throughout the film, antagonist Anton Chigurh (one of the greatest movie villains of the 21st century) hunts down the main character until they eventually crash into a motel. Masterfully crafted by the Coens, the entire shootout sequence is both thrilling and terrifying, with Chigurh’s terrifying but nearly invisible presence looming over viewers from start to finish.
The opening interrogation of ‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2008)
Quentin Tarantinothe critically acclaimed war drama unglorious bastards parallels the story of a group of soldiers who want to kill Nazi leaders, with the vengeful plans of a Jewish theater owner.
Hans Landa, the villain, is such a disturbing and terrifying character that Tarantino almost gave up on the film simply because he couldn’t find the right actor until he saw the sensational Christoph Waltz. The film’s opening scene is when the audience is first introduced to Landa, and it’s a truly nail-biting and terrifying sequence in every way.
War Crime from ‘Come and See’ (1985)
An equally disconcerting and poignant anti-war film, the masterpiece of the Soviet Union come and see follows a young boy who joins the Soviet resistance against the Nazis during World War II.
The whole of come and see is a dozen times more gruesome than most horror films in history, but perhaps no scene is more difficult to watch than the series that recreates one of the many war crimes committed by Nazis during the war. The amount of inhumanity portrayed in the scene, as well as the soul-crushing way it is portrayed, make for a truly unforgettable nightmare of a scene.
The Pale Man Scene from ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)
No one would blame you for thinking that The Labyrinth of Pan, Guillermo Del ToroThe dark masterpiece of a girl who is fascinated by fairy tales and retreats to a mysterious fantasy world is actually a horror film.
Arguably the scariest scene in the entire movie comes in the pale man section. The monster’s design is terrifying, Doug JonesThe performance is incredibly terrifying, and the sense of urgency and tension that Del Toro infuses the scene with makes it arguably the most terrifying scene in a non-horror film ever made.