‘The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time’ Recap: ‘#23 – #11’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say, that modern television is awash with a bevy of documentaries and understandably so. After all, this is an era where networks are eager to have a healthy variety of programs on the air and where anyone can pick up a camera and create, and that in turn has indeed inspired folks to finally explore the topic that interests them the most. But of course, with such power comes an interesting mix of results. Since some of these documentaries are a touch bias, and others… are just a download. Which means we are all on the lookout for the very best, the ones that do what great documentaries do and teach us something worthwhile and that is why the Shudder documentary, The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time is of note.
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For it is that rare documentary that teaches instead of just informs, which can only help the next generation of horror filmmakers… all while it entertains and truly, the penultimate episode of this stunning series is the perfect example of how well it teaches people about what goes into a genuinely scary movie moment. For once again, weeks of lessons regarding innovation, shock value and outright depth to scares came together with another storytelling element to help us really understand why these iconic moments are still discussed to this day and dissected by the various scholars of the industry. In that, ‘#23 – #11’ also inject a powerfully strong sense of realism into their scares, and for proof… look no further than the keystone disaster sequence present in Final Destination 2.

After all, that features a situation we are all familiar with. Since time and time again, we’ve kept our eyes on a semi-truck carrying a questionable payload and of course, on those dubious drivers that seem to forget they are operating a two-ton hunk of metal moving at fifty-plus miles per hour and this sequence brought that fear to life in a shockingly realistic manner. By playing out in a whip smart and terrifying fashion that felt as though we were in the midst of an actual pile up like this, one full of shockingly realistic gore and deaths, that while dazzling, seemed akin to something we’d hear about on the six o’clock news and well… that made for an impactful scare. One that raised our awareness on the road, and this is one we revisit often because of its outright realism and its realization of a deep-rooted fear. 

Of course, this wasn’t the only movie that perfectly brought to life a nightmare in a manner that felt a little too in the flesh for our liking. Since The Descent is another story that not only preyed upon primal fears, such as that touch of claustrophobia we all harbor and our fear of the dark… but it really did take an age-old fear of something being in the dark with us to a whole new level. But not every moment in this episode related to nightmares come to life. Some of them just plain felt a little too real at times thanks to the camera work and the structure of the story. Take REC for instance. Since a story about zombies shouldn’t ever feel as real as this one. But being plunged behind the camera and seeing actual demonic/reanimated nightmares come to life and attack in a manner where we feel helpless, did the trick and made this… quite real.

All of which just goes to show that the best horror movie moments in history, blur the line between fantasy and reality, and truly grab hold of us and never let go. And they are of course, relentless with the terror and are so impactful and raw… that all we can do is try our best to shake off the horrors we’ve seen. Which is of course, no easy task and well… all this particular episode does is leave us excited, terrified and a little sad to continue the journey. Simply because… the top ten awaits and this list has been so spot-on and so dynamic and educational that we are dying to know what Shudder selected as the scariest horror movie moment, ever. But at the same time… it also means we are near the end of a powerful and enlightening journey, and no one wants to say goodbye. But like it or not, the end is indeed in sight, and it will be fascinating to see what moments are featured in the top ten and what kinds of lessons await us, as we enter the endgame for this phenomenal series. Until next time.

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