Top 11 Most Memorable Specters in Horror
Scott Hallam
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Ghost in the Closet – The Sixth Sense (1999)
Proving the fact that sound is just as important as imagery in making something frightening in a horror movie (if not more important), we present the ghost in the closet in The Sixth Sense. Sure, Bruce Willis is the main apparition (it’s been almost 20 years; we think it’s okay to let that little secret out of the bag), but it was the other ghosts that provided the real thrills in The Sixth Sense before the final reveal. And the ghost in the closet is, without a doubt, the most frightening part of the movie and probably the most frightening thing M. Night Shyamalan has ever had a hand in. And you don’t even see the damn thing. It’s the power of sound. The Exorcist wouldn’t have been nearly a scary without that horrible demonic voice and The Sixth Sense is another example of how terrifying the right audio can be.
The Headless Horseman – Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Christopher Walken has had some memorable roles in his legendary acting career. In Tim Burton’s second film to make this list, Walken played the iconic Headless Horseman. Culled from the pages of literature and emanating from the spiritually active Upstate New York area, the Headless Horseman is as well known a character as one can find. Although we don’t see Walken as the actual Horseman until the end of the film (and why would we, he’s headless after all), when he finally arrives to exact his true revenge, it’s a classic moment. Here we have a look at Walken as the Hessian Horseman and how he became headless.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9vPtCW9pJ8]
Tomas – The Orphanage (2007)
As far as creepy little shits go, Tomas is among the littlest and the creepiest. An entity much like “Tony,” Danny Torrance’s “imaginary” friend from The Shining, Tomas was the sack-headed friend of young Simon, the unfortunate young boy in The Orphanage. The fact that Tomas showed up randomly wearing his signature sack on his head throughout the film was off-putting enough, but when we got a look underneath it, we saw even more of the horrors of the character. Tomas brought an incredible element to this film of struggle and loss. A tragic character for a tragic film.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA6pPzh6Bd4]
Samara Morgan – The Ring (2006)
The Ring was a monster at the box office in 2006, earning nearly a quarter of a billion dollars and becoming one of the highest grossing horror films ever… and the main reason was Samara Morgan and her emergence from a television at the end of the film. Based on the Japanese film of the same name, which in turn was inspired by the book by Kôji Suzuki (Suzuki helped co-write both film versions), The Ring became an instant classic. Samara Morgan was, of course, inspired by the Japanese character Sadako Yamamura, with an appearance and motions very much like the original ghost. The final scene of The Ring went down as one of the most memorable horror moments of the 2000’s. Take a look below, and remember Samara.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpb2-ZOzc_o]
That’s it for today… oh wait, how about one more for the road. Be sure and tell ’em Large Marge sent ya!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Pdlxd_rro]
Sinister 2 Synopsis:
In the aftermath of the shocking events in Sinister, a protective mother (Shannyn Sossamon of “Wayward Pines”) and her nine-year-old twin sons (real-life twins Robert and Dartanian Sloan) find themselves in a rural house marked for death as the evil spirit of Buhguul continues to spread with frightening intensity. James Ransone co-stars.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fChx_YZUAR0&w=640&h=360]
