Not all terrifying moments have to take place in a horror movie. Sometimes the scariest moments in non-horror media are the ones that stick with us the most because they’re more unexpected. There are times when a director wants to insert a disturbing or distressing scene out of the blue in order to keep the audience on their toes. Sometimes it feels like it can come out of nowhere. These are three of the scariest moments in non-horror media:
The Sopranos – Paulie sees the Virgin Mary
In a scene from episode 9 of season 6 of The Sopranos, aging and paranoid mobster Paulie Walnuts enters Bada-Bing’s strip club in the early hours of the morning. The place is seemingly empty until he walks past a mirror briefly showing the reflection of someone else in the club. He stops and turns to see a vision of the Virgin Mary levitating above the stage, accompanied by a loud musical dart.
Read also : The Batman Spin-off series from Soprano Writer
This moment is a clear reference to the scene in which Jesus Christ appears to Harvey Keitel’s character in bad lieutenant. Still, it comes as a real shock to the viewer as it shockingly appears in an otherwise quiet moment.
Also, knowing that Mary’s reflection can be seen in the mirror is creepy because it means Paulie didn’t just see the vision due to lack of sleep, she was actually in that room with him. It all combines to make this one of the most chilling moments in non-horror.
Mulholland Drive – The wanderer behind the restaurant
Mulholland Drive is a David Lynch movie, so right off the bat strange happenings are planned. What’s Not Planned, however, is one of the most terrifying and best-executed scares in movie history.
Read more: 10 Best Psychological Thrillers Of The 2000s, Ranked
The scene takes place in an ordinary restaurant. It is a public space, not isolated or decrepit. Somewhere you probably pass daily on your commute to work. It also takes place in broad daylight, not in the middle of the night.
Lynch even goes so far as to tell the audience what to expect, the fear is described beat for beat before it happens. However, instead of removing from the scene, it introduces an unavoidable sense of dread. This sense of inevitability is enhanced by the use of fantastic tracking and clever sound design.
Se7en – The sloth’s victim is discovered
by David Fincher Se7fr is a disturbing film throughout. The semi-religious nature of the murders is distressing enough, but the worst is by far the victim of the “sloth”. We are told that the man who suffered this fate deserved it because of his dastardly past, but what happened to him was a fate worse than death.
Read more: 7 movies where the bad guys win in the end
The man was confined to a bed for exactly one year, receiving only the minimal amount of food and water from John Doe. Due to the putrid smell and decomposed state of his body, detectives presume he is dead, only for him to jump alive with a breathtaking cough.
These are three of the scariest moments in non-horror. Do you agree? Were you also surprised by these scenes? Let us know in the comments section below and let us know if there are any other moments we missed.
Follow us for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, TwitterInstagram and YouTube.
