I love horror for a lot of reasons—the atmosphere, the characters, the artistry—but what really sticks with me are the scenes that actually scare me. The ones that make me shiver no matter how many times I’ve seen them. Here are five that live rent-free in my head:

1. The Closet – The Ring (2002)

I call The Ring “diet horror,” because it’s one of those movies that scared the hell out of me but still felt approachable enough to rewatch obsessively. The scene that gets me every time: Naomi Watts at the funeral, talking with her sister who whispers, “I saw her face.” Then the screech of the closet door being pulled open, and there’s Katie—curled up in the corner, face stretched in an impossible scream, her skin grey-blue. It’s such a perfect setup: subdued, funereal energy broken by a brief, shocking image of terror. Even knowing it’s coming, I get the chills.

2. The Old Woman in White – The Others (2001)

This one is pure nightmare fuel. Nicole Kidman thinks she’s talking to her daughter, only to pull back the veil and reveal… not a child, but an old woman dressed in the communion gown, speaking in the little girl’s voice. Then that giggle. Every time, I shudder. It’s the uncanny made flesh, and it makes my skin crawl no matter how many rewatches.

3. First Possession – Talk to Me (2022)

When Mia is first possessed, her eyes go black and huge, and her head jerks sideways at an unnatural angle. I’m ridiculously susceptible to uncanny movements, so when her body snaps and twists like that—it’s instant chills. That one motion alone sums up everything I find terrifying: when human bodies suddenly move like they shouldn’t.

4. The Flies – The Amityville Horror (1979)

The priest in the upstairs room, swarmed by flies, fighting to breathe, and then that guttural, demonic “GET OUT.” It’s still effective today—the pacing is phenomenal, letting the buzzing and the unease build until the house itself explodes with rage. I don’t care how many parodies exist, that scene is iconic and still gets under my skin.

5. The Birthday Party Tape – Signs (2002)

Maybe it’s because I was 12 when I saw it in theaters, but this scene still affects me. Joaquin Phoenix is in that tiny, dark closet watching the TV footage from a birthday party in Mexico. The way he reacts makes you feel like you’re right there with him, cramped and anxious. You’re waiting… waiting… and then the alien walks past on the tape. Ooooooof. Chills. It’s so damn good, and still one of the most effective “oh shit” moments I’ve ever experienced in a theater.

These aren’t necessarily the goriest or the loudest scares, but they’re the ones that have wormed their way into me. The ones I think about when I’m alone at night, the ones that still make me look over my shoulder. Horror doesn’t have to be constant to be effective—it just needs that one moment that burrows in and refuses to leave.