Horror is not the only genre that can give you thrills and shivers. According to Redditors, these non-horror films are the most spooky. Despite the broad horror genre, thrills and chills do not belong to any particular genre. Filmmakers like David Lynch, who recently revealed a cryptic new series, employ novel techniques to confuse and frighten audiences. More importantly, since many Reddit users have freely expressed their anxieties in several related threads, it is impossible to determine what exactly constitutes “horror” or “scary.” Since many of these movies aren’t even considered “Horror,” they have a more significant impact on viewers who aren’t expecting the moods and aesthetics associated with the genre. These are the scariest non-horror movies, according to a list that includes contentious children’s films and visually realistic plays.
RETURN TO OZ (1985)
The Wizard of Oz by Victor Flemming contains plenty of eerie imagery, but the 1985 sequel from Walt Disney Pictures is complete nightmare fodder. User u/Idler- echoes the sentiments of other Redditors by asking, “WTF, Disney?” Return to Oz opens with Dorothy having electrotherapy for her “delusions” of the fantasy country, removing all of the wonders from the original in the process. With scenes involving wailing severed heads, the mighty Nome King, and the dreaded Wheelers, her second voyage to Oz only sinks farther into the shadows. Children born in the 1980s will have trouble sleeping for years to come. When the Wheelers appear on screen, viewers will desire Flying Monkeys.
JUMANJI (1995)
Contrary to the well-liked prequels that gave Jumanji a fresh start for a new generation, the original adaptation concentrated on the gloomier aspects of the game’s title. This sad fantasy is one of the most depressing family movies of the 1990s, and very likely ever, because viewers never see the game’s world; instead, they only witness the horrors that live there. According to Redditor u/Tiny-Chemistry-156, “the movie always creeped me out for some reason.” Over 25 years after being drawn into the jungle world by the board game, Alan Parrish returns to his hometown, hopeful but devastated as he mourns the passing of his cherished family.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (2011)
We Need To Talk About Kevin is “their favourite psychological movie, but they would never recommend it to anyone,” says user u/belzeboobie, echoing a different Redditor. Undoubtedly a difficult film to see, filmmaker Lynne Ramsay’s devastating adaption is an urgent warning for everyone who is or knows someone who has a mental illness that is getting worse over time, not just parents. Tilda Swinton delivers a stunning performance as a mother who detects a problem with her titular son. As the movie reveals the warning symptoms that inevitably result in a startling act of violence, Ramsay creates a palpable sense of malaise through sadness and despair. As upsetting as it can be, we Need to Talk About Kevin has established Ramsay as a budding cinema director worth watching.
ONE-HOUR PHOTO (2002)
In addition to being one of the greatest comedians of his generation, Robin Williams was an extraordinarily talented actor. Sy Parrish from One Hour Photo is the best example of his spectrum of rich emotional complexity. As many viewers were put off by Williams’ out-of-character portrayal, Redditor u/CommanderSmokeStack comments, “It’s Robin Williams at his creepiest.” Sy, a lonely photo technician who covertly becomes obsessed with a family hiding their private affairs, is the main character of Mark Romanek’s unsettling thriller. What’s most challenging about Sy’s behaviour is how simple it is to empathise with him as a victim of child abuse, especially when Williams imbues him with such passion and sincerity in moments where he’s longing for human contact.