The opening scene of The Shining (1980) is the most iconic scene in horror movie history. Stanley Kubrick’s classic horror film has become a staple of the genre, but it wasn’t always so. The Shining was initially rejected by every major studio, and it took Kubrick nearly three years to convince Warner Bros. to release it in theaters.
The Shining’s opening scene finds Jack Nicholson’s character Jack Torrance (based on real-life horror author Stephen King) descending into madness while holding his family hostage at an isolated hotel located in an isolated area of the country. The action begins with a long-lens shot of Jack standing at the window of Room 237, which overlooks a field where horses are grazing. He looks out at the view and slowly takes off his glasses, revealing his eyes as red as blood. We then cut to an overhead shot of Jack murdering his wife and son before going back outside for another look at his family’s corpses hanging from hooks in the bathroom.
The rest of The Shining follows this pattern: long shots from Jack’s perspective followed by close-ups that reveal more about him or emphasize how insane he is becoming as he continues down this path toward insanity and murder without remorse or regret.
There are many iconic horror movie scenes so click here, but here are the top five:
- The Exorcist (1973)
This is the most iconic horror movie scene of all time. It’s the moment when Regan (Linda Blair) begins to levitate and vomit demons from her body. Exorcist is not only one of the greatest horror movies, but one of the greatest movies of all time.
- Jaws (1975)
Jaws is one of those movies that will always be remembered for its unforgettable theme song and its shark on a rampage through Amity Island, but it’s also a film that features some very iconic movie scenes like this one where Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) squares off with Orca after she attacks him while he tries to swim away from her under water at night with only his flashlight as protection against her deadly jaws!
- Alien (1979)
Alien is a science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott, based on a story by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett. It stars Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley, who crash-lands on an unknown planet with the crew of her ship. The crew soon discovers that the natives are hostile and must fight to survive. The film ranks number one on the American Film Institute’s list of the top science fiction films of all time.
Alien was commercially successful at the time of its release and has remained popular in many other contexts. It has developed a cult following over the years, especially among science fiction fans, who commonly regard it as one of their favorite films. A comic book series based on Alien was published from 1979 to 1984. A prequel series taking place before the original film was developed in 2004 with plans for three films; so far two have been released. The franchise has spawned merchandise such as toys and video games, as well as several licensed novels and comics.
- The Thing (1982)
The Thing is a 1982 horror film directed by John Carpenter, based on the novella Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell Jr., and starring Kurt Russell, David Morley, and T.K. Carter. The film’s plot involves a group of scientists who take part in an Antarctic research expedition to look for evidence that life exists on other planets, who instead find something far more sinister and deadly: an alien creature that can take over human hosts, transforming them into bloodthirsty monsters with superhuman strength and speed.
The Thing was shot in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico during February 1982 and released in September 1982, earning $5 million at the box office on its $15 million budget. It was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 1983 Saturn Awards and won Best Horror Film from Village Voice readers’ poll (although it did not take home any of those awards).
The film’s success led to three sequels: The Thing (1982), The Thing 2 (1983), and The Thing: Terror Takes Shape (2005).
- Psycho (1960)
One of the most influential horror films ever made, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) is a highly stylized work that combines elements of crime drama and suspense with those of horror. Read more than any other Hollywood film, it has influenced subsequent generations of filmmakers.
The movie tells the story of Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a young woman who has just been fired from her job as a motel housekeeper for stealing $40,000 from her employer. She proceeds to steal $10,000 from her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (John Gavin), but drives off before she can return the money. Sam visits Marion at home and discovers that she has fled without taking his engagement ring or any other personal items. He then phones her employer, Marnie Navidson (Vera Miles), who informs him that Marion took $10,000 and left no forwarding address. Marnie offers to hide Sam in her home for safekeeping until Marion returns; however, when Sam arrives at Marnie’s home next morning he finds that his girlfriend has disappeared and is presumed dead. A week later, after contacting police and newspapers about Marion’s disappearance, Sam pretends to be interested in Marnie’s offer if only to learn more information about his missing girlfriend.
