There’s no shortage of horror movies that scare the pants off of people. Seeking out a spooky movie to truly terrify us can be a lot of fun. That being said, there are plenty of films that have moments of pure terror despite not even being horror movies. Here’s just some of the scariest scenes in non-horror movies.
A Terrifying Boat Ride (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory)
This one is quite infamous. A group of kids and their parents get to go on an exciting tour of a whimsical candy factory. Little do they know they’ll also have to go on the most terrifying boat ride ever. A boat ride down a chocolate river sounds like a magical time, but when the movie is interrupted to flash disturbing images of spiders and snakes crawling along people’s faces, it really takes one out of the feel-good moment. The characters on the tour and everyone in the audience were scarred after seeing this one.
Judge Doom’s Crazy Eyes (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?)
Judge Doom was the antagonist of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? so it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that he’s scary. That being said, when it’s revealed that he’s been a toon all along, it’s pure nightmare fuel. His eyes go red and animated, creating an unsettling look on the live action Christopher Lloyd. His high-pitched voice adds to how creepy he is. To see this in such a fun film would shock anyone.
Large Marge Sent Ya (Pee-wee’s Big Adventure)
Pee-wee Herman’s first big screen outing was filled with fun, humor, heart, and a terrifying ghostly truck driver that had no business being so scary. The whole myth around Large Marge dying on the highway sets an eerie tone, but when she turns to Pee-wee and reveals her ghostly form, it’s a jump scare no one would have expected in a movie like this. The image of Large Marge in her stop-motion otherworldly form is burned into the memories of many who grew up watching the film.
Bilbo’s Freakout (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring)
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is an immersive fantasy epic filled with adventure and danger. Of course, there are scenes with hordes of orcs and giant spiders, but there’s still one scene in the first movie, The Fellowship of the Ring, that stands out as being oddly horrifying. When Bilbo Baggins gets one last look at the One Ring, his darkest desires come out, and for some reason, his face transforms into something scarier than anything in the series. In this out-of-place jump scare, Bilbo almost becomes monstrous. Most folks would be less scared going up against Sauron.
Melting Faces (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
Indiana Jones is one of the most well-known adventurers in film. His movies are action-packed and feature fantastic tales. There is one scene in Raiders of the Lost Arc, though, that had audiences lying awake at night. When the villains finally open the Ark of the Covenant, they’re met with a terrible fate. They’re faces completely melt off. They suffer in pain until they die a horrific death. Every second of it is nothing short of disturbing.
Hall of Heads (Return to Oz)
Return to Oz is a twisted pseudo-sequel to The Wizard of Oz. It’s a separate film made by a different company based on the stories the classic movie didn’t touch, but most folks would assume they’d know what they were getting into with a Wizard of Oz movie. They’d be right for the most part. Oz is still a whimsical land filled with colorful characters. There is, however, some horrifying imagery like a headless witch chasing Dorothy down a hallway of severed heads that watch her every movement. Lions, tigers, and bears would be far less scary.
The Wheelers (Return to Oz)
Return to Oz is so bizarre it needs to be on this list twice. One of the most horrifying things in any movie, horror or not, are the Wheelers. They’re men with extended limbs with wheels on the ends instead of hands or feet who wear spooky masks and chase Dorothy. The squeak of their wheels is enough to cause dread in anyone trying to escape them. They’re crazed laughter and animal-like calls further add to how scary they are. What psychopath thought these guys were a great idea?
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