Scariest TV shows or films you’ve ever seen

[DrLoomis]

Another vote for Ghostwatch from me. Although it was advertised as a drama and there was a cast list within the Radio Times and a "Written By" credit at the start for the fantastic Steven Volk, many were taken in by it simply because many viewers tuned in late - I believe there was a film on ITV which finished about half an hour after Ghostwatch started. These days you'll often find a Most Haunted/Ghost Adventures/Paranormal Lockdown show somewhere on TV but back in 1992 these shows were unheard of.

For those that haven't seen it, please try and track it down. I think you really have to transport yourself back to 1992. Forget about the internet where you can instantly join in with the discussions to "call it out" for being a drama and so on. I revisit it every now and then. The acting isn't the best but it is very enjoyable. A funny story I heard about the production was that Judi Dench was friends with Gillian Beavan who played the parapsychologist role - Dench left her a voicemail telling her she had ruined the film for her because she obviously knew she was an actress and not a ghost hunter.

Another favourite of mine is Dead End from 2003 - It tells the story of a dysfunctional family who find themselves on a neverending road in the middle of a forest during a routine drive on Christmas Eve. It is scary, funny and you are left with that feeling of looking over your shoulder after you have seen it.

 

[S4buk]

Oh my god. That film stayed with me for a long, long time!

Jesus Christ, I’ve just been reading up on this - sounds absolutely horrific!

Eden Lake and Wolf Creek were the two that really really got me.

 

[Sally1993]

The Woman in Black with Daniel Radcliffe!

 

[Notorious PIG]

Trigger warning: this is very scary 1:00

 

[Kim Mild]

The euthanasia thread reminded me if this -

The Metallica video for their song One ( which is based on the film Jonny got his gun, which I never seen cos I found the music video frightening enough) . Basically, it's about a ww1 soldier who was in an explosion and doctors manage to keep him alive ,but he can't move or communicate and his mind is a prisoner in his body . They think he is twitching, then they realise he is tapping out 'kill me in morse code.
I think it is terrifying.

 

[Lulu Goss]

I keep seeing adverts for The Black Phone - think that might be my first horror at the cinema since I watched Midsommar!

 

[Woolmercardington]

Both of the IT films made me jump and I was watching through my hands at the cinema!

Don’t Look Now with the dwarf at the end

Don't Look Now is a classic creepy movie. Loads of unsettling moments.

 

[Lalla]

There are a couple of episodes of Dr Who which must have traumatised quite a few kids. 'Blink' was the first one featuring the stone angels, and 'The Empty Child', which scared the bejesus out of this grownup!

My son was scared of the Empty Child episode for years. On reflection he was probably a bit young for it at the time, but he LOVED Doctor Who.
He's in his 20s now and if you say the words 'are you my mummy' to him, he is still a bit funny about it.

 

[bubbadabut]

This scared the absolute b'jesus out of me when it aired. I had just turned 11 and stayed up to watch it like a badass, massively regretted it. I've seen it many times since and even though the acting is horrendous, I still find the concept and story very frightening.

I think many of around that age feel the same. It was one of those unforgettable childhood moments that almost everyone experienced due to there only being four TV channels at the time. Chilling stuff.

 

[FenellaTheWitch]

Classic here, full length

You can't go wrong with kids for a good scare. Kids and Nuns.

I quite enjoyed The Haunting of Bly Manor '. (They're both based on the The Turn of the Screw).

Another classic that hasn't been bettered IMO is 'The Haunting' 1963.

 

[Jellybb]

Megan is missing is UTTERLY HORRIFYING

 

[If i told you …]

Salem’s lot. Gave me the heeby jeebies. My then boyfriend had to stay awake until I fell asleep. I was 19 at the time and had watched many a horror film up to that point, but for some reason this one got to me

 

[Lorny]

Does anyone else remember when Derren Brown had the show where he held a seance with a group of students in a place where people had died in a suicide pact in the 70s? The viewers were to join in the seance at home. I watched it with my dad and we were using a makeshift ouija board. Ended with us all trying to contact this woman called Jane who in the end wasn’t even dead and there was an actress in a van outside dressed like Jane in 70s clothes. Had all been a big hoax but I had worked myself into an utter frenzy and my dad had just been moving the glass round the ouija board, I was convinced we had summoned Jane even when it was revealed as fake I struggled to sleep in case we had actually brought forth a ghost haha.

 

[sallycinnamon84]

Not sure if its been mentioned yet but I'm a massive fan of League of Gentlemen and Inside Number 9. Absolutely love them. It can get quite dark but there's always a bit of humour to take the edge off. Just brilliant, clever writers. Eta just remembered they did Psycoville as well.

 

[mrsjojo]

This is really random but the opening titles to World in Action used to terrify me as a child. I think only people off a certain age will remember World in Action though.
---
Oh and I will agree with all others re: Ghostwatch
Oh and also the opening credits too Tales of the Unexpected- really showing my age now…

 

[HockyRorror]

I’ve never seen or heard of Ghostwatch. Do you think watching it as an adult in 2021 it would still be scary or is it one of those ones where watching it as a child, you carry the fear with you into adulthood and so it’s still scary but only because of the memories?

 

[a.squonk]

Return to Oz I remember watching it with my sister at my grandparents, even now thinking of The Wheelers makes me shudder and it’s been 20+ years.

Princess Mombi and the Heads!!! Wtf were they thinking!

 

[RubyRu]

I just remembered one of my all time favourite Horrors - Lost Boys.

 

[Dirtyhorseshoes]

1986 film called The Hitcher - anything stalker- ish sends my fear factor sky high

 

[April773]

im exactly the same. Torture porn movies don’t interest me in the slightest. I love a good supernatural horror.
Anyone else looking forward to the new Conjuring film?? I can’t wait

Double snap! I don't get scared by gore or special affects at all. Subtle horror works best for me. A guy in a mask with a saw is unsettling yes but not scary, whereas a shadowy blink and you miss it figure in a house is a thousand times scarier in my opinion.