Plenty of horror movies will happily tick that box if people want to be scared. Whether slashers, supernatural films, or something gory, that genre has every angle covered to scare viewers in new and unique ways. But the scare factor isn’t just resigned to the horror genre. Throughout cinematic history, some movies that were never intended to be scary have ended up having creepy elements throughout, giving audiences a genuine spook at times.
The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz is one of the most iconic movies ever made, and this adventure brings together a colorful cast of characters. Dorothy is a sweet lead role, and the friends she makes along the way all provide plenty of warmth. But the Wicked Witch of the West is a legitimately scary villain, and her performance is very creepy. Add in the flying monkeys, and it’s no surprise some people get scared in this one.
Arachnophobia
A movie based around spiders does provide an apparent fright for some people if they’re terrified of them. But this movie was positioned to be more comedic than anything else, with this having a lot of funny moments. But then, out of nowhere, it can pick up to become scarier, catching people off guard.
The NeverEnding Story
The NeverEnding Story might be aimed at children, but this fantasy world is sometimes quite dark and frightening. That’s largely due to Gmork, a large wolf puppet who, due to his visually intense appearance, will certainly have audiences jumping out of their seats when he pops up.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a unique movie ahead of its time in many ways, as live-action cinema is blended with animation. There’s plenty of comedy and many brilliant moments within this, but it can also be creepy. Seeing the animated characters essentially tortured when placed into the dip is quite intense for a younger viewer. Judge Doom as a villain is also scary, particularly with the melting scene, which will imprint on people’s minds.
The Witches
The Witches feature some of the most intense makeup in cinema history, and the resulting visuals are guaranteed to put a fright into anybody. The movie isn’t supposed to be scary, but people have been scared when watching it.
Gremlins
Gremlins were considered initially fun for the entire family, but the creatures sometimes caused people to fear them. The movie was one of the ones responsible for creating the PG-13 rating due to the shock factor it provided at times, with blood and murder sprinkled throughout.
Haunted Mansion
Haunted Mansion is based on the classic Disney ride, and since Disney created it, the idea is that it will be available for everyone to watch. Many funny scenes within this movie try to provide a light-hearted approach. However, considering the movie is about ghosts, Disney added a few spooky moments and little jump scares that provide some scares.
Labyrinth
Labyrinth might have many funny scenes and a charismatic performance from David Bowie, but it also has many creepy moments. Many of the creatures in the movie look visually scary, which will scare certain people.
Black Swan An
Anyone who thought this movie would be about a ballerina pushing herself to her limits would be wrong. Natalie Portman’s performance in Black Swan might be brilliant, but it becomes creepy as she begins to spiral when dealing with her mind. There’s some dark seduction throughout, leading to powerful, scary scenes.
The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code takes Dan Brown’s book and brings it to life in a fascinating way. Tom Hanks brings an excellent performance, but while most viewers anticipate it to be thrilling and intense as he works out the various clues, not everyone is prepared for some of the more brutal, creepier scenes. The opening murder is rather violent, while Silar proves to be a creepy character throughout the film that is sure to scare people.
127 Hours
This movie is based on the real life of Aron Ralston, who legitimately went through the situation that James Franco portrays. As a mountain climber who ends up stuck, there’s only one way for him to escape: to lose his arm. The movie is certainly not a horror, but the scene of that moment is horrifying to witness.
No Country for Old Men
This Oscar-winning movie provides some incredible performances throughout. That’s particularly true for Javier Bardem, who takes the character of Anton Chigurh to new heights in terms of eeriness that is bound to creep out some.
Prisoners
Prisoners are all about the lengths a father will sink to in a bid to try and find his kidnapped child. The answer in this particular movie involves some scenes of torture that many people might find too much. It can lead to some scary moments, while the performance of Paul Dano is creepy enough to scare some viewers.
Coraline
Coraline is one of the darker children’s movies ever made, but even still, people don’t expect the stop-motion film to be as scary as it is. The visuals of the characters having buttons for eyes will creep viewers out, regardless of their age, as Coraline attempts to escape the situation she finds herself in before it’s too late.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Close Encounters of the Third Kind features some scenes that are sure to scare people, mainly since there’s a moment when abduction takes place. That scene is similar to a horror movie, which will always frighten specific viewers.
Return to Oz
Return to Oz is supposed to be a fun fantasy movie appropriate for all ages. But while the original movie has a few creepy moments, this one takes things to another level. It takes place after Oz is destroyed, which leads to many darker moments, with many of the characters being visually scary as well.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
This classic Roald Dahl tale has been brought to life several times at this stage, but the 1971 version remains the most popular. Even though it’s very much aimed at children, the movie has many creepy moments, from the fact that children disappear in somewhat crazy ways to the odd behavior that Willy Wonka himself shows. The boat scene, in particular, is scary as the visuals and Wonka’s attitude shift entirely in tone. But he’s also rather eccentric, and seeing him snap at Charlie Bucket later is another scary moment for people.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is supposed to be a movie musical for the entire family, featuring a flying car and the always loveable Dick Van Dyke; it’s a movie that is entertaining. But the moment that the Child Catcher arrives turns that upside down. Not only is he visually creepy, but the mannerisms and physical acting that Robert Helpmann puts into this role only heighten the scare factor. The fact that his entire focus is on kidnapping children doesn’t help matters, as this is one character that will undoubtedly scare younger viewers.
