Best horror film scenes

Not all horrific movies are as blood-splattered as the Saw series. Some actually have merits.

Among them: Quarantine (2008), a tale of bloodthirsty zombies overtaking a building, showed a cameraman using his camera to slay one of those nighttime predators. An unusual weapon, but a startling visual moment.

Cloverfield (2008) actually made you care for its characters, a rare distinction in horror films. In many of these flicks, particularly those involving Godzillian monsters, the characters just stand around waiting to get devoured or blown up. But not in Cloverfield. Some critics dismissed the movie as a Blair Witch Project clone because of its hand-held camera. They were dead wrong. The hand-held camera made the chills all the more intimate. And attaining intimacy in the face of a mega-monster is no small feat.

Dawn of the Dead (2004) and Dawn of the Dead (1978) prove that a remake can be almost as good as the original. The remake features a terrific exploding-head sequence, for those who find exploding heads terrific entertainment. But the original benefits from director George A. Romero’s confident mastery of suspense. Ever think that shoppers at a mall resemble well-dressed zombies with credit cards? These movies validate that theory.

28 Days Later… (2002) contains stunning shots of a deserted London as a Rage Virus infects the United Kingdom. Horror films often feature deserted streets, but few have been this unsettling. Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) is winning praise with the upcoming Slumdog Millionaire.

The Blair Witch Project (1999) proved the strength of the Internet. Little was known about the film until Web sites started salivating over its powerful use of sound to depict weird noises in the middle of the night. Hey, there was even a little pop psychology and socio-economic class distinctions thrown in.

Se7en (1995) has the clever premise of a serial killer choosing his victims according to which of the Seven Deadly Sins they committed. The corpses are gruesome, yes, but the most horrifying moment is bloodless, when Brad Pitt realizes what’s inside the hatbox.

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