20 Best Horror Movie Quotes, Ranked Scary to Scariest
While horror motion pictures are greatest identified for his or her masked slashers and paranormal exercise, generally there’s nothing scarier than a single, spine-chilling line popping out of the mouth of one of many characters. Victim or villain, these characters have uttered a number of the eeriest strains that followers of the style have ever heard.
From questions that left audiences feeling queasy to startling statements and paralyzing proclamations, some horror film quotes are in order that terrifying that they change into as unforgettable and iconic as they’re horrifying. Ranging from haunting strains spoken in a number of the earliest horror movies ever made to chilling quotes from newer movies, these well-known sayings have come to be definitive of the horror style.
20 “The power of Christ compels you!”
‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
Few movies of any style have impacted audiences fairly like The Exorcist did upon launch, with the William Friedkin horror film stirring controversy aplenty as even non secular leaders cried out in opposition to it. Still extensively regarded to be the scariest film ever made, it follows a determined mom who, upon studying her daughter is possessed, enlists the assistance of two monks to carry out an exorcism and save the lady’s life.
With a dreadful sense of evil seeping by means of each body of the image, it ought to come as no shock that it has a number of strains which have come to outline its terrifying magnificence. None have change into as well-known nor as suspenseful as Max von Sydow’s “the power of Christ compels you!” as Father Merrin fights the demonic drive inside younger Regan (Linda Blair).
The Exorcist
- Release Date
- December 26, 1973
- Runtime
- 122 minutes
19 “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
‘Jaws’ (1975)
The movie that noticed Stephen Spielberg change into a bona fide Hollywood A-lister, Jaws is a uncommon achievement in that it managed to be a heart-pounding horror and have become an enormous field workplace success, even breaking the document for highest-ever consumption at that time limit. With an enormous nice white shark terrorizing beachgoers, it follows the chief of police, a marine biologist, and an expert shark hunter as they voyage out to sea to kill the beast.
It presents Spielberg at his trademark greatest, constructing gripping suspense whereas nonetheless presenting an thrilling and immersive story that’s accessible but personable. When, after getting a glimpse of the shark, a terrified Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) backtracks to the helm and blankly mutters “you’re gonna need a bigger boat,” audiences get a terrific chuckle that doesn’t for one second break the mounting dread.
Jaws
- Release Date
- June 20, 1975
- Runtime
- 124 minutes
18 “Be afraid. Be very afraid.”
‘The Fly’ (1986)
An early success from physique horror maestro David Cronenberg, The Fly follows a scientist who, after experimenting together with his teleportation machine, begins to change as his DNA morphs with a fly’s. While out in town, Seth (Jeff Goldblum) hits it off with a lady and tries to present her his invention, solely to be interrupted by Ronnie (Geena Davis) who advises Seth’s date to “be afraid. Be very afraid.”
In addition to being a memorable line, it was additionally used because the tagline for the film. It has since come to outline not solely David Cronenberg’s The Fly and 80s horror cinema however change into an emblematic quote for all the style as properly, thus turning into one of many best possible scary film quotes.
The Fly
- Release Date
- August 15, 1986
- Runtime
- 96 minutes
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17 “I’m your friend to the end.”
‘Child’s Play’ (1988)
When serial killer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) transports his soul right into a youngsters’s doll, he speaks loads of phrases a Good Guy doll does not sometimes say, with many occurring to obtain iconic standing. But of all of the eerie issues Chucky says in Child’s Play, the creepiest of all is one mentioned by the Good Guy doll.
When the doll is not introducing himself and asking Andy (Alex Vincent) if he desires to play, one other phrase he says is, “I’m your friend to the end.” What’s usually a candy sentiment turns sinister when you already know an finish could also be in sight, making the seemingly good-intentioned sentence one of many scariest within the traditional horror movie.
Child’s Play
- Release Date
- November 8, 1988
- Cast
- Catherine Hicks , Chris Sarandon , Alex Vincent , Brad Dourif , Dinah Manoff , Tommy Swerdlow
- Runtime
- 87
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16 “Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make.”
‘Dracula’ (1931)
One of the earliest and most well-known horror motion pictures ever made, the 1931 adaptation of Bram Stoker’s legendary horror novel Dracula stays one of many biggest monster motion pictures ever made. Featuring an impeccable starring efficiency from Bela Lugosi, it follows Count Dracula as he bends an English actual property agent to his command earlier than touring to London the place his plague of bloodlust and terror sees vampire hunter Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) enlisted to put an finish to his terror.
Creepy and atmospheric, but cryptically enchanting and even lovely, the movie is a blinding spectacle, one which’s aura could be surmised within the scene the place Dracula leads Renfield (Dwight Frye) up the steps of his fortress. As howling wolves make Dracula take pause, he turns and slowly speaks one of the vital well-known horror quotes of all time. Lugosi’s supply is faultless, giving the phrases a rhythmic Transylvanian would possibly that has change into really iconic.
Dracula (1931)
- Release Date
- February 14, 1931
- Director
- Tod Browning
- Cast
- Béla Lugosi , David Manners , Helen Chandler , Dwight Frye
- Runtime
- 75 minutes
15 “One of us. One of us.”
‘Freaks’ (1932)
It’s arguably one of the vital repeated quotes from cinematic historical past and has been referenced and re-used seemingly lots of of occasions, however few individuals know the place the road originated from. Released in 1932, Freaks was a pre-Code horror film that adopted a touring circus act, specializing in a trapeze artist’s conniving ploy to achieve a dwarf’s inheritance and the unexpected penalties her scheme brings with it.
Upon Cleopatra’s (Olga Baclanova) marriage to the dwarf Hans (Harry Earles), the troupe breaks into their well-known chant to welcome her to their household. Enraged and disgusted by her colleagues, the prejudiced Cleopatra vehemently rejects their kinship, revealing her true colours to the group and setting in movement a violent plot of revenge.
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14 “Ba-ba-ba… dook! Dook! Dook!”
‘The Babadook’ (2014)
A contemporary masterpiece of horror cinema, The Babadook thrives as an unnerving monster film that has a superb knack for crawling below the viewers’s pores and skin with out that includes a lot violence in any respect. It follows a single mom and her younger son as they’re affected by a monster invading their house from the pages of a creepy youngsters’s e book.
One of the movie’s extra paralyzing scenes sees Amelia (Essie Davis) reply the telephone solely to hear the piercing, guttural screech of the monster on the opposite finish of the road because it cries out “ba-ba-ba… dook! Dook! Dook!.” There isn’t any leap scare or use of haunting pictures within the scene, however the easy titular phrase delivered in such a grating and unsightly method makes for a bloodcurdling second that viewers is not going to quickly overlook.
The Babadook
- Release Date
- January 17, 2014
- Director
- Jennifer Kent
- Cast
- Essie Davis , Noah Wiseman , Hayley McElhinney , Daniel Henshall , Barbara West
- Runtime
- 94
13 “We traced the call, it’s coming from inside the house.”
‘When a Stranger Calls’ (1979)
To emphasize how efficient and harrowing this quote from 1979’s When a Stranger Calls is, it’s value noting that the movie itself is taken into account solely to be a middling horror film. It follows a non-public detective on the hunt for a kid assassin after he escapes from a psychiatric facility. However, the very best a part of the movie is the opening sequence which options one of many scariest moments within the horror style, which takes place seven years prior as a babysitter is affected by a person on the telephone.
When she calls the police they inform her to keep on the road with the harasser lengthy sufficient to allow them to hint the place he’s calling from. After speaking to the perpetrator once more, the police instantly name Jill (Carol Kane) to inform her the caller is in the home. The heart-stopping second of pure terror immortalized the film. Interestingly, 5 years earlier, Black Christmas ran with the same twist and, whereas it was a greater film, the second was executed with fairly the identical impression because it was in When a Stranger Calls.
When a Stranger Calls
- Release Date
- October 26, 1979
- Director
- Fred Walton
- Cast
- Carol Kane , Rutanya Alda , Carmen Argenziano , Kirsten Larkin , William Boyett , Charles Durning
- Runtime
- 97 minutes
12 “They’re coming to get you, Barbara.”
‘Night of the Living Dead’ (1968)
Released in 1968, George A. Romero’s zombie masterpiece Night of the Living Dead ushered in a brand new wave of horror filmmaking that may surge by means of the 70s and 80s. The first zombie movie, it follows a bunch of individuals trapped in a farmhouse following an outbreak of flesh-eating, undead ghouls.
It begins with Barbara (Judith O’Dea) and her brother Johnny (Russell Streiner) visiting the cemetery the place their father is buried, with Johnny teasing Barbara about her childhood fears of the graveyard. Mocking her, he places on a creepy voice as he jests “they’re coming to get you, Barbara” whilst a zombie staggers in direction of them within the background. It would change into a prophetic line that units the tone for the grim occasions that observe.
Night of the Living Dead
- Release Date
- October 4, 1968
- Director
- George A. Romero
- Cast
- Duane Jones , Judith O’Dea , Karl Hardman , Marilyn Eastman , Keith Wayne , Judith Ridley
- Runtime
- 96
11 “What’s your favorite scary movie?”
‘Scream’ (1996)
Other than a knife, Ghostface’s greatest weapon in Scream is an AT&T 3850, or no less than a Nineties cellphone resembling it. The killer would use this telephone to first name his victims, making dialog that included a number of spine-chilling strains. Of these quotes, one dire query stands out and stays widespread in the present day: “hat’s your favorite scary movie?”
The question has change into one of many style’s most well-known quotes from horror motion pictures, partially on account of the instant terror it struck audiences within the context of the scene, but additionally due to the way it epitomized the Scream sequence’ meta-awareness of the style. It mirrored what the legendary movie wished to be, and the way it successfully does so by means of dialogue.
Scream
- Release Date
- December 20, 1996
- Runtime
- 111 minutes
10 “Here’s Johnny!”
‘The Shining’ (1980)
During their time at The Overlook Hotel, The Torrance household is met with loads of haunting quotes, like The Grady Twins uttering, “Come play with us” and Danny’s (Danny Lloyd) imaginary buddy Tony constantly muttering, “Redrum, redrum, redrum.” These have change into as unforgettable because the plot and visuals themselves, although one line has outdone the remainder.
The scariest line of The Shining got here from Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) himself when he barges his head by means of the chopped door, a crazed look in his eyes when he proclaims, “Here’s Johnny!” While it is all of two phrases, the road – which was improvised by Nicholson – stays essentially the most memorable from the Stephen King movie.
The Shining
- Release Date
- May 23, 1980
- Director
- Stanley Kubrick
- Cast
- Jack Nicholson , Shelley Duvall , Danny Lloyd , Scatman Crothers , Barry Nelson , Philip Stone
- Runtime
- 146 minutes
9 “It’s alive! It’s alive!”
‘Frankenstein’ (1931)
The black-and-white monster traditional Frankenstein was one of many movies that launched the horror style, telling the story of Dr. Frankenstein of the creation of his monster. He struggles and places each effort into his creation, and in spite of everything of Dr. Frankenstein’s arduous work pays off, he exclaims a easy phrase in each disbelief and celebration.
When the monster awakens on the desk, Dr. Frankenstein jumps for pleasure over his success, repeating, “It’s alive! It’s alive!” This line became a horror traditional which, whereas not essentially scary, kicks off Frankenstein’s monster’s rampage. It has additionally been endlessly referenced and parodied in popular culture since then.
Frankenstein (1931)
- Release Date
- November 21, 1931
- Director
- James Whale
- Cast
- Colin Clive , Mae Clarke , Boris Karloff , John Boles , Edward Van Sloan , Frederick Kerr , Dwight Frye , Lionel Belmore
- Runtime
- 70 Minutes
8 “Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep.”
‘A Nightmare On Elm Street’ (1984)
From his twisted but comedic jabs to his extra cynical and disturbing jeers, Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) has many nice wise-cracking one-liners all through A Nightmare on Elm Street and the bigger horror film franchise. However, essentially the most harrowing line of the franchise is spoken not by Krueger however by the fan-favorite last lady Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp).
With the dream stalker on the prowl, the teenage hero devises a plan to convey Krueger into the true world the place he could be handled as soon as and for all, however she wants assist to convey her scheme to fruition. Turning to her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) for assist, she warns him “whatever you do, don’t fall asleep,” providing recommendation he ought to have taken heed of.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- Release Date
- November 16, 1984
- Runtime
- 91 minutes
7 “You’ll float, too.”
‘It’ (2017)
While the phrase, “You’ll float, too,” appears to be Pennywise’s mantra in It, it is Georgie’s voice that hollers the well-known phrase. When Bill is lured to the flooding basement by Georgie’s presence, he finds his deceased brother standing within the water the place he repeats these cryptic phrases again and again as his younger voice turns monstrous.
In the Stephen King adaptation crammed with pink balloons and youngsters’s corpses hovering round a sewer, the road “You’ll float, too” most closely fits Pennywise’s menace of luring youngsters in after which devouring them so as to gasoline his murderous entity. Anyone who has seen the well-known motion pictures could be forgiven for shuddering when recalling this quote.
It (2017)
- Release Date
- September 6, 2017
- Director
- Andres Muschietti
- Runtime
- 135 minutes
6 “I’m scared to close my eyes; I’m scared to open them… I’m going to die out here.”
‘The Blair Witch Project’ (1999)
A pioneer of the found-footage horror emergence, The Blair Witch Project turned a style sensation when launched in 1999. The iconic movie used shaky, grainy digicam footage, documenting three pupil filmmakers who trek into the woods to examine the Blair Witch and discover themselves being haunted by the forest when change into misplaced.
As their state of affairs grows increasingly terrifying, Heather (Heather Donahue) information herself one night time, apologizing to the households of the scholars with hopeless terror. As she grows extra horrified in the dead of night of the night time, she closes out the recording with the unforgettably harrowing line “I’m scared to close my eyes; I’m scared to open them… I’m going to die out here.” It’s a spine-chilling and highly effective quote that comes on the good time in direction of the movie’s terrifying ending.
The Blair Witch Project
- Release Date
- July 30, 1999
- Director
- Daniel Myrick , Eduardo Sánchez
- Cast
- Heather Donahue , Michael C. Williams , Joshua Leonard
- Runtime
- 81 minutes
5 “I see dead people.”
‘The Sixth Sense’ (1999)
Of all of the quotable strains in horror movies, it is Cole Sear’s four-word phrase in The Sixth Sense that wins for being among the many absolute scariest. After spending a lot of the movie appearing erratically, the massive twist is revealed in dramatic trend by means of an unimaginable quote. While speaking to his psychologist, Cole lastly admits his secret, revealing in a choked whisper, “I see dead people.”
The idea of 1 seeing useless individuals is horrifying sufficient, however if you’ve obtained a bit of boy uttering these phrases to who we later discover out is a useless man, it makes for essentially the most chilling line to be mentioned in a horror movie.
The Sixth Sense
- Release Date
- August 6, 1999
- Director
- M. Night Shyamalan
- Runtime
- 115
4 “We all go a little mad sometimes.”
‘Psycho’ (1960)
Psycho could also be greatest remembered for its horrifying bathe scene, however it served up an ominous quote mentioned by the movie’s villain Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). After overhearing a combat between Norman and his mom, Marion (Janet Leigh) suggests he put her “someplace,” inflicting Norman to go on a rant about psychological establishments.
As Norman goes on and on about “mad houses” and his mom’s spiraling, he calmly says to Marion, “We all go a little mad sometimes”. It will not be the deftest or refined foreshadowing of the character’s twisted flip to come, however it does adequately set the scene for his impending breakdown and the chaotic story forward whereas playfully partaking with one of many movie’s main themes.
Psycho
- Release Date
- June 22, 1960
- Cast
- Anthony Perkins , Vera Miles , John Gavin , Martin Balsam , John McIntire , Simon Oakland
- Runtime
- 109 minutes
3 “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.”
‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)
Often, in any style of film, it’s crucial that the villain makes a hanging and memorable introduction. Horror motion pictures are often in a position to do that with visible terror and loads of blood, however The Silence of the Lambs wanted solely a dialog to set up Sir Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter as one of many horror style’s most chilling antagonists.
With Clarice (Jodie Foster) despatched to interview a detained Lecter to achieve perception into an lively case, his introduction maintains an eerie suspense regardless of – or somewhat due to – his subtle presentation. Any phantasm of pleasantries is shattered although when he declares how he consumed a census employee, adopted by that unforgettable, horrifying hiss.
The Silence of the Lambs
- Release Date
- February 14, 1991
- Runtime
- 118 minutes
2 “They’re here…”
‘Poltergeist’ (1982)
Poltergeist is horrifying sufficient with out ominous, spine-chilling quotes from cute however creepy youngsters within the horror film, so Carol Anne’s (Heather O’Rourke) proclamation was the final straw when it got here to making certain the hit horror traditional would hang-out audiences of their nightmares. The movie follows an peculiar household whose lives are uprooted when their house is overrun by malevolent spirits who abduct their younger daughter.
It’s when the tv goes static and the ghosts fly out in entrance of a mesmerized Carol Anne that she turns to her mother and father and proclaims, “They’re here…” This phrase not solely spooks within the movie, however has been quoted in a number of different works for its skill to unnerve the viewer.
Poltergeist
- Release Date
- June 4, 1982
- Cast
- Craig T. Nelson , JoBeth Williams , Beatrice Straight , Dominique Dunne , Oliver Robins , Heather O’Rourke
- Runtime
- 114
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1 “I want to play a game.”
‘Saw’ (2004)
Games play an enormous half in horror movies, and within the Saw franchise, video games are taken to a complete new lethal stage. Once the victims uncover their environment, Jigsaw will seem on a display and his muffled voice will state, “I want to play a game.” Taken out of context, it is an harmless request, however each Saw fan is aware of the place the terrifying quote leads in each horror film throughout the franchise.
The iconic line has efficiently damaged into popular culture, turning into a famend quip that even individuals who do not like horror movies know properly and has been referenced quite a few occasions, even getting used within the MCU in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Aided by the frightful and hanging picture of the Jigsaw puppet, the road has unequivocally change into one of many all-time greatest horror quotes.
Saw
- Release Date
- October 1, 2004
- Runtime
- 100