What is the scariest movie of all?

Lucinda Spurling (Filmmaker)

Watcher in the Woods

“Not only does it star my all time idol Bette Davis as creepy Mrs Alywood, and Bette Davis would make any good movie great, but it is also a perfect example of a supernatural horror.

“An American family moves into a English country home and is haunted by strange happenings originating from an occult ritual which resulted in the disappearance of a young girl years before. Will history repeat itself during the solar eclipse?

“You will have to watch it and see.

“It was a Walt Disney movie from the early 80s and it scared me as a child, its slightly dated now but I still enjoy it.”

Craig Cannonier (OBA leader)

Casper the Friendly Ghost

“The scariest I get is Casper the Friendly Ghost.

“I refuse to scare myself because it just doesn’t make sense!”

Dale Butler (PLP MP)

The Exorcist (1973)

PLP MP Dale Butler said he had only ever seen one horror flick – 1973’s The Exorcist — and it scared him so much, he’d never watched another one.

“I’m definitely a bit of a chicken — I don’t watch scary movies at all. I wouldn’t sleep for days if I did.

“After The Exorcist, which is quite tame by today’s standards, I promised myself I’d never see another one in my life.”

Cheryl Packwood (CEO of Business Bermuda)

It

“I watched the movie and was so fascinated that I went and read the book by Stephen King which gave me nightmares.

“Also, The Green Mile was a movie that has haunted my subconscious while not immediately scary.”

Duncan Hall (Bermuda Documentary Film Festival director)

The Shining

“Stylish and intense, a masterpiece of the horror genre. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, it stars Jack Nicholson as a writer who takes an off-season caretaker job at an isolated hotel. His wife and son join him. Nicholson descends into madness. “Heeeeeere’s Johnny” remains a classic line, three decades on.

“If you want a laugh, Google ‘The Shining in 30 seconds (re-enacted by bunnies).’”

Charles Gosling (Mayor of Hamilton)

The original Frankenstein

“I do not like most modern horror movies because they seemingly glorify evil. If there is one that I felt comfortable with it would probably be the Karloff’s Frankenstein. This is a fascinating story about what happens when man in his ignorance plays God.”

Jon Legere (Promoter)

The Omen

“I was introduced to horror films at a young age — thanks Mom and Dad — so I’m quite desensitized to shock horror and cheap camera tricks.

“In fact I can’t think of anything more lame than sped up frames or blacked out eyes to depict “horror”.

“I do however recall a memory of when I was six and my uncle allowed me to watch The Omen (1976). Talk about how to psychologically mess a kid up.

“The whole concept of the Devil, as an adopted child walking amongst us in his little bad ass suit making people kill themselves is pretty heavy.

“That and the fact it has one of the greatest decapitation scenes of all time puts it at the top of my list.”

Bryan Darby (VSB broadcast journalist)

The Ghost Train

“No doubt about it – although it will make me look very old. The film’s set in the days of the Irish Republican Army about a gun-running train disguised as a ghost train. The train is eventually directed over a viaduct by a British secret agent and it falls into space.

“I went over a viaduct that looked just like it on my way to school in Sussex. Every time I crossed it, the fear of that film came back. I’d still be terrified crossing it today.”

Phil Barnett (Island Restaurant Group CEO)

Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

“It was a seminal point in my life – I was a high school student at the time.

“I’m not really a slasher or horror movie guy, but it was a good film and the acting was great, which usually isn’t the case with horror movies.”

Khano Smith (Captain of Bermuda National Football team)

Candy Man

“Because it scared the crap out of me and I used to try and say candy man in the mirror to see if he would show up.”

Lionel Cann (National team cricketer)

Hallowe’en

“I’m scared of horror movies and don’t watch films like that. I like comedy and action. When I was younger Hallowe’en scared me.

“Since then I don’t watch anything like that with lots of blood.”

Shaun Goater (Former pro footballer, North Village coach)

“I don’t watch scary movies so I can’t really give you an answer, but if I had to, North Village versus Dandy Town. That was scary.”

(Village lost 1-0 to Dandy Town on Wednesday night in the Dudley Eve final).

Sir Richard Gozney (Governor of Bermuda)

Psycho

“It plays so much on the viewer’s anticipation and fear of what’s coming up.

“Our own fears of the unknown are usually more frightening than our fears of the known.”

Sherri J (Talk show personality)

Scream Blacula Scream

“Dracula with a sultry seventies soundtrack, Pam Grier, a wardrobe from the goodwill store and classic Shakespearean actor William Marshall to add a touch of class!

“What’s not to love?”

Tom Vesey (Bermuda Sun columnist)

Friday the 13th, in 3D

“One of my favourite horror flicks — in fact, one of my favourite films of all time — is Friday the 13th Part 3 in 3D. It came out sometime in the mid 1980s so the 3D wasn’t the most sophisticated but they played it to the hilt.

“A woman adjusts the rabbit ear antenna on top of her TV and it nearly pokes your eyes out, for example. The killer does one victim in by squeezing between his massive hands.

“The eyeballs start bulging more and more until you know they’re going to burst out all over you, which of course they do. Fortunately I was ducking behind the seat in front of me, so I wasn’t covered with the slimy stuff.”

Michael Dunkley (Deputy leader of the OBA)

The Shining

“If you like horror movies it has all the elements to keep you on the edge of your seat.”

Lisa Howie (Director, Bermuda National Gallery)

The Shining, Shadow of Vampire and The Birds

“The Shining for its harrowing visual imagery (the terrifying twins!), incredible transformative acting (Here’s Johnny!) and penetrating sounds.

“Shadow of the Vampire for its convincing narrative of mythical creature (Willem Dafoe is Count Dracula), brilliant script, riveting imagery and acting (John Malkovich is mad!) and The Birds — OMG the birds! (Hitchcock rocks!).

“I can’t tell you how many times I have watched these three movies.

“They are so captivating, so thrilling in their address of madness, obsession, isolation, things gone awry.

“The acting, the cinematography, the scripts, the overall direction — the films are all so totally different but get so underneath-the-skin-seductive that they compel cultish viewing. I shiver to think of them, but also know that I will ‘need’ to see them again. So freaky.”

Belcario Thomas (Promoter)

The Grinch That Stole Christmas

“What, no ripping open of shiny paper to get at an oversized box of tiny things you’d likely not need nor hardly want, for anyone, anywhere? Shudder.”

Brian Wellman (Carifta head coach)

Final Destination

“I don’t like that movie. That has me paranoid every time it is on.

“It shows you the ordinary things that could happen like you’re on a rollercoaster and it goes off the track or you’re driving down the road and a series of things happen. Somebody decks out and you end up over the cliffs and into the water.”

Wayne Furbert (PLP MP)

Jaws (1975)

“I’m not a scary movie-type guy, but that’s one film that scared me. I was a young boy living on the water – I used to swim a lot.

“Even now, the theme tune still frightens me.”

Rowan Vickers (Drama student)

The Strangers

“Hmm... tough question but I’ll choose The Strangers because of it’s simplistic and personal approach and because of the constant manipulation of tension rather than relying on the element of surprise. I highly recommend it.”

Kim Swan (MP and former UBP leader)

Jaws

 “Jaws didn’t make going swimming as comfortable as it was before.

“I used to go diving as well and it certainly made you think, even though Bermuda’s never had a problem with that kind of thing. But I don’t pay money to see scary movies — they’re not my cup of tea. If they’re on TV, I just switch the channel.”

Uzimon (Reggaelutionary)

The Wizard of Oz

“De scariest movie of all time is no doubt The Wizard of Oz.

“Firstly it start off inna place called “Kansas”. Me can imagine no scarier place dan “Kansas”.

“A bunch of backwards hillbilly people start talking and then a tornado (pretty scary) comes thru and mashes the place up, and makes this girl’s (who looks like Sarah Palin) house land in another dimenshun. Then all of sudden she comes outta house and all dees freaky midgets with weird voices start dancing and singing about a witch (pure flesh-curdle-ry).

“Den a green faced witch who looks like weird Al Yankovic in drag (scary!) comes out says she killed her sister and she gonna revenge pon her. If that werent enough a were-Lion (like a werewolf but a lion) An aluminium can-man (so weird its scary) and then flyin’ monkey demons steal a girl’s dog.

“They keep following this road into the woods (never do dat!) so they can check a Warlock named Oz.

“Just real freaky stuff. Stay away from this movie if you like not being real scared.”