Tag Archives: Scenes That I Love

Horror Scenes That I Love: The Devil Is Everywhere In Haxan

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s scene that I love comes from the 1922 silent film, Haxan!

Haxan is a documentary, one that recreates the history of witchcraft throughout the ages.  In this scene, the film examines the belief that the devil is everywhere.  Apparently, the Devil has a lot of free time on his hands.

Directed by Benjamin Christensen, Haxan was a Swedish film that was released in its native country in 1922 but which took 7 years to make it over the United States.  Though contemporary audiences were a bit confused by it, it was popular with the surrealists and it quickly became one of the first true cult movies.  It was even re-released in 1967 with a narration provided by Beat writer William S. Burroughs.

Haxan, like many silent films, exists in many different forms.  Needless to say, the censors were not kind when this film originally made its way over to the United States.  It wasn’t until 2001 that Haxan was fully restored and released as a part of the Criterion Collection.

Horror Scenes That I Love: From Pieces, The Greatest Line Reading Ever

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I may have shared this scene before.  In fact, I’m pretty sure that I did because I can remember discussing this scene with Val Troutman.

Oh well, no matter!  There are some things that deserve to be shared more than once!

This scene comes from the 1982 film, Pieces.  Now, for the record, it’s not easy find an appropriate scene to share from Pieces.  Just about every scene in the movie seems to either feature gratuitous nudity or really bloody violence.  I mean, it’s probably nothing that would shock our jaded readers but it is the type of stuff that would probably get this site blocked from being accessed from a public library.

But then there’s this scene right here.  Now, in order to understand what’s happening here, you should keep in mind that Lynda Day George is playing an undercover cop who also happens to be a tennis pro.  She’s been assigned to the local college.  Her job is to figure out who is using a chainsaw to kill all of the students.  Unfortunately, she sucks at her job so she has to get this kinda nerdy college student to help her out.

Anyway, after spending the morning playing tennis, they’ve just discovered a dead body in the showers.  Yes, the killer has struck again and …. well, it was really messy.  Speaking as someone who appreciates a clean house and a carefully organized day, I can relate to the reaction below:

By the way, it’s impossible for me to watch this scene without thinking about the episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia where they’re playing Chardee McDennis and the question is, “Dennis is asshole.  Why Charlie hate?”

“Because Dennis is a bastard, man!”

Anyway, stay safe.

Horror Scenes That I Love: Trish Van Devere Explores The House In The Changeling

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Since it’s Thanksgiving in Canada, it seems appropriate that today’s horror scene that I love should come from one of the best Canadian horror films of all time and….

What?

No, it’s not the disco scene from Prom Night!  Anyway, I’ve already shared that scene like a thousand times….

No, this scene is from the 1980 film, The Changeling.  Directed by Peter Medak, the film is about a house that’s haunted by the spirit of a boy who was murdered there decades ago.  When George C. Scott moves into the house, he discovers the truth about not just the murder but the political conspiracy that led to it.  It’s a really good movie.  You should watch it.

Anyway, in this atmospheric scene, Trish Van Devere explores the house.  It’s always a bit strange to watch a horror scene devoid of context but let me just say that The Changeling is such an atmopsheric and intense ghost film that you’ll never want to wander around a potentially haunted house again once you’ve seen it!

Scenes That I Love: The Witch Melts In The Wizard Of Oz

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I’ve reviewed two movies about witches today and I should be posting a review of a movie about Rasputin in a few more hours.  Needless to say, all of this witch talk might be disturbing to some.  Well, fear not!  Today’s scene that I love is for you!

Horror Scenes That I Love: The Jack The Ripper Scene From Pandora’s Box

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Since I reviewed Robert Bloch’s Night of the Ripper earlier today, it only seems appropriate that Jack the Ripper should play a role in today’s horror scene that I love.

In the 1929 silent German film, Pandora’s Box, Louise Brooks plays Lulu who, through a series of misfortunes, goes from being the mistress of an upper middle class newspaper publisher to living in squalor in London.  Reduced to working as a prostitute, Lulu picks up her first client on Christmas Eve.  Little does she know that her client is actually the infamous murderer known as Jack the Ripper.  At first, Jack attempts to resist his urges by throwing away his knife but once they reach Lulu’s apartment, he discovers another.

This scene, which served as the film’s finale, was considered to be so controversial in 1929 that it was edited out of some prints, which had the effect of turning a tragic story about a woman forced into prostitution into a story about a woman who, following some bad luck, moves to London and is redeemed by volunteering for the Salvation Army.

Here is the original conclusion of Pandora’s Box:

 

 

 

Horror Scenes That I Love: The Old Man In The Woods In A Quiet Place

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Since I reviewed A Quiet Place earlier today, it seems appropriate that today’s scene that I love is taken from that film.

In this scene, Lee Abott (John Krasinski) and his son come across an old man in the woods.  The old man is looking down at the remains of a woman who we presume to be his wife.  What he does next is a reminder of just how brutal and unforgiving life can be.  When the man screams, it’s the first human voice that we’ve heard in a while.  It’s also a cry of surrender and sacrifice, one that sets up the conclusion of the film.

Watch, listen, and don’t make a sound.

 

 

Scenes That I Love: Danny Meets The Grady Girls in The Shining

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is unique in that it’s a horror film that freaks me out every time that I see it.  Even though I’ve sat through the film so many times that I now practically have it memorized, The Shining still scares me.

And, to be honest, a lot of that has to do with the daughters of Charles (or was that Delbert) Grady.  Early on, we’re told that the previous caretaker, Grady, went crazy from the isolation and ended up killing his daughters with an axe.  And yet, if his daughters are dead, what are they doing in the hallway of the Overlook Hotel, inviting poor little Danny Torrance to come play with them!?

AGCK!

Seriously, this scene freaks me out every time that I see it.

Scenes that I Love: Bela Lugosi Says “Pull the string!” In Glen Or Glenda

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

“PULL THE STRING!  PULL THE STRING!”

Hi, everyone!  Well, in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s October and we’ve pulled the string here at the Shattered Lens!  Welcome to the annual TSL Horrorthon!  For the next 31 days, TSL is going to be home to everything that makes October our favorite month of the year!

So, here’s Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood’s Glen or Glenda, performing the opening ceremony of the season:

Scenes That I Love: “They Call Us Death” from Dario Argento’s Inferno

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Earlier today, I watched Dario Argento’s underrated 1980 masterpiece, Inferno, on Retroplex.

I fear that, with all the hype surrounding the remake of Suspiria, people are going to forget about Argento’s original Three Mothers trilogy.  Inferno was the second part of the trilogy and a loosely connected sequel to the original Suspiria.

In this scene, Mark (played by Leigh McCloskey) finally confronts the Mother of Darkness (Veronica Lazar).  While this scene undoubtedly loses some of its effectiveness when viewed separate from the rest of the film, it still shows off Argento’s dream-like style.

Here’s the scene.  Be sure to track down and watch whole film if you haven’t already: