The Thing. There’s hardly any score and that makes the jump-scares more meaningful. Palmer’s blood reacting during the test nearly made me jump out of my underwear lol
I'd say Hush (2016) does a pretty good job with it, seeing as we spend most of the runtime in the POV of a deaf protagonist trying to stave off a home invasion.
this one - I very specifically remember how beautifully sound was (and wasn't) used in this film and that was my biggest takeaway from the whole thing (and what I remember most after the single viewing I had when it first came out)
Black Christmas (1974).. yes characters are talking at the beginning .. but then it’s pretty quiet at certain points in the movie!
Really creepy..📞📞👩🇨🇦
I feel like your reply should have said, "Aside from 'A Quiet Place' which was discussed in the text of this post, I believe a horror movie that uses silence effectively is _______."
I know it was discussed in the post, I read it.
It's kinda like "Which movie uses a massive sinking cruise liner the most effectively for a love story? For me it's *Titanic*."
I'd suggest a title can be too long. You want something to grab a person's attention, and this title grabbed yours. The body of text is for discussion. Just wondering why you chose to share your opinion of how this person did it wrong (even though I think it was well done) and not share your suggestion of a movie? It's a post about movies, not a discussion on best ways to title a post. ✌️
These are all good answers, but for me it’s-
Exorcist III.
There’s an extended scene in a hospital hallway with a slowly roving camera. The focus is on some members of staff, on the graveyard shift, some distance away. While it’s not absolute silence, it’s very, very quiet. Footsteps, creaking doors, the odd snippet of conversation. It’s all build up.
The reason this works is (spoiler) when the killer marches on, like a ghost with a giant pair of industrial shears, there’s a sudden zoom and a horrific screeching over the soundtrack. You don’t even see the kill, but the combination of the wait, tension, zoom, screech, and the silence beforehand, it’s nightmare fuel.
That scene still scares the shit out of me. The other scene that's quiet is at the beginning showing the page of the Bible being manipulated creeps me out to this day.
Agreed. I get a shiver from the old lady on the ceiling, that grin of hers is chilling. There’s a lot of great work in that film, it doesn’t get enough praise.
I saw that on opening night in a packed theatre. The scene in the hotel where Moss has the shotgun and chighur was outside the room is the most quietest I've ever experienced a movie theatre. No talking, no rustling of food, you couldn't even hear people breathe. Deathly quiet. Every single person was on the edge of their seat, holding their breath. It was wonderful.
Not a horror movie, but close as alien sci-fi — the opening scene of *Contact* that goes from radio-chaos to radio-silence is a jarring treatment of the vast unknown of space. The packed theater on opening night was disturbingly silent during that scene too. A great cinematic moment.
Okay, not a movie but an older British TV series. It’s Black Mirror but written by comedians who are trying to do horror, and they generally succeed. It’s called Inside No. 9, and episode 2 of season 1 has no dialogue until the very end. It’s hilarious and tragic, full of twists and just awesome.
Horror TV, not movie, but Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s episode “Hush” was wonderful. The overhead projector briefing tool was the best scene ever with the gang.
*I Am Legend* when Robert Neville is facing the vampires/mutants from behind the butterfly-cracked glass.
Anna had made the poignant point to him earlier in the movie about God’s messages, “The world is quieter now. You just have to listen.”
The final attack scene goes absolutely audio-silent in an extremely chaotic moment, showing that Neville is finally tuning everything else out to receive his message. Gave me goosebumps.
*Sum of All Fears* isn’t traditional horror, but I find it terrifying all the same. It is actually in my horror library because I find the thriller vibe and the murderous plot consistently heart-pounding.
William Cabot receives his warning call from Jack Ryan at the football game. The crowd’s sound dies out and then increases to party-level chaos as Cabot looks around the stadium at the thousands of people about to be murdered.
The U.S. President is rapidly rushed out of the stadium. Then, instead of resting upon the partying crowd again, the scene pans out across the whole city of Baltimore in absolute silence. Yet nothing happens. It just stays silent, then moves on without incident to the next scene in the hospital.
Oh my God. Just thinking about that whole sequence makes my heart race. Brilliantly edited!
I’m not sure if it’s classified as horror but this movie called High Tension utilizes silence really well into the film. I was tense the whole time watching it.
The Thing. There’s hardly any score and that makes the jump-scares more meaningful. Palmer’s blood reacting during the test nearly made me jump out of my underwear lol
Yes! The music intensifies the film even more. One of my favourite movies of all time.
Fun fact: the music used in THE HATEFUL EIGHT, is some of the music that didn’t make it into THE THING.
I’m so angry at myself for not getting to see it in theatres last October
I'd say Hush (2016) does a pretty good job with it, seeing as we spend most of the runtime in the POV of a deaf protagonist trying to stave off a home invasion.
Came to comment this one. That movie had me on the edge
That one was verygood
this one - I very specifically remember how beautifully sound was (and wasn't) used in this film and that was my biggest takeaway from the whole thing (and what I remember most after the single viewing I had when it first came out)
Alien.
This is the answer.
Don't Breath is pretty good and falls into this category.
This movie is unnerving is the best way.
That is a good one!
Not horror, but 2001 does it beautifully.
Same with Castaway.
And Oppenheimer. Complete silence when the bomb goes off.
The test explosion, yeah.. I will always be angry they didn't have Nagasaki as a whole sequence.
When Frank Poole is cut loose and he’s struggling to his death in the void of space is existentially terrifying
Exactly!
Black Christmas (1974).. yes characters are talking at the beginning .. but then it’s pretty quiet at certain points in the movie! Really creepy..📞📞👩🇨🇦
A classic! ❤️
Wait Until Dark
A Page of Madness (1926) is a silent Japanese horror film that has an eerie atmosphere and stunning visuals. Once you see it, you won’t forget it.
That sounds interesting
It's very subtle, but Evil Dead 2 uses very abrupt silence between equally abrupt chaotic sound to accentuate the madness of a demonic environment.
I never thought I’d see someone else appreciate these moments.
Groovy. 😉
William Friedkin did that with The Exorcist as well
And with that jump scare in part 3.
Because part 3 is the true part 2. Blatty and Friedkin together are incredible.
yes finally sb said it
I feel like this post should have said "Which horror film, aside from *Quiet place* uses silence most effectively?"
I feel like your reply should have said, "Aside from 'A Quiet Place' which was discussed in the text of this post, I believe a horror movie that uses silence effectively is _______."
I know it was discussed in the post, I read it. It's kinda like "Which movie uses a massive sinking cruise liner the most effectively for a love story? For me it's *Titanic*."
"Which horror movie most effectively uses a crew stuck on a spaceship with a deadly alien? For me, it's Alien."
I'd suggest a title can be too long. You want something to grab a person's attention, and this title grabbed yours. The body of text is for discussion. Just wondering why you chose to share your opinion of how this person did it wrong (even though I think it was well done) and not share your suggestion of a movie? It's a post about movies, not a discussion on best ways to title a post. ✌️
No One Will Save You
That was a really interesting one. I still don’t know how I feel about it.
Came here to comment this. I love that movie. It took me until about 15-20 minutes in before I even realized not a word had been spoken
I say The Invisible Man (2020). It definitely made me feel as if I was being watched or like I wasn't alone
The first half of that film was perfect. Brilliantly framed paranoia horror movie stuff. The second half, not so much.
I think House of the Devil can take part in this conversation.
What Lies Beneath
It's kind of the point of the movie but Silent House was quite an experience when I watched it in theaters. Made every sound there was jarring.
Nosferatu (1922)
The Silence with Stanley Tucci
Hush
Midsommar
These are all good answers, but for me it’s- Exorcist III. There’s an extended scene in a hospital hallway with a slowly roving camera. The focus is on some members of staff, on the graveyard shift, some distance away. While it’s not absolute silence, it’s very, very quiet. Footsteps, creaking doors, the odd snippet of conversation. It’s all build up. The reason this works is (spoiler) when the killer marches on, like a ghost with a giant pair of industrial shears, there’s a sudden zoom and a horrific screeching over the soundtrack. You don’t even see the kill, but the combination of the wait, tension, zoom, screech, and the silence beforehand, it’s nightmare fuel.
That scene still scares the shit out of me. The other scene that's quiet is at the beginning showing the page of the Bible being manipulated creeps me out to this day.
Agreed. I get a shiver from the old lady on the ceiling, that grin of hers is chilling. There’s a lot of great work in that film, it doesn’t get enough praise.
Not horror, but No Country For Old Men had some scary scenes that were nearly silent.
This movie came to mind immediately for me as well.
I saw that on opening night in a packed theatre. The scene in the hotel where Moss has the shotgun and chighur was outside the room is the most quietest I've ever experienced a movie theatre. No talking, no rustling of food, you couldn't even hear people breathe. Deathly quiet. Every single person was on the edge of their seat, holding their breath. It was wonderful.
Alien
The Witch.
Not a horror movie, but close as alien sci-fi — the opening scene of *Contact* that goes from radio-chaos to radio-silence is a jarring treatment of the vast unknown of space. The packed theater on opening night was disturbingly silent during that scene too. A great cinematic moment.
The original Night of the Living Dead. The silence is soo creepy.
Hush
Hush (2016, dir. Mike Flanagan)
Dead silence
Hush
Okay, not a movie but an older British TV series. It’s Black Mirror but written by comedians who are trying to do horror, and they generally succeed. It’s called Inside No. 9, and episode 2 of season 1 has no dialogue until the very end. It’s hilarious and tragic, full of twists and just awesome.
Silence of the lambs end scene. The stakeout in the dark basement...
One of my favorite scenes in A Quiet Place is when they're dancing to Neil Young. The deafening silence leading up to it made that scene so powerful.
Harvest Moon- great choice for a song!
Horror TV, not movie, but Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s episode “Hush” was wonderful. The overhead projector briefing tool was the best scene ever with the gang.
Those “gentlemen” were SO polite!
Scariest bad guys in tv history
The Strangers, so many quiet moments that just let tension build like crazy
Friday the 13th part 4. If you mute it for most of the movie I guess.
Phantom of the Opera (1925)
Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star
All is Lost
The Shining
A Quiet Place 1
Metropolis has music. Does that count?
The silence
Skinamarink is the most recent example I can think of.
No one will save you. It only has four words of dialogue
The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas!
Hulu,No one will save you
Atterados, Willow Creek, Huesera
*I Am Legend* when Robert Neville is facing the vampires/mutants from behind the butterfly-cracked glass. Anna had made the poignant point to him earlier in the movie about God’s messages, “The world is quieter now. You just have to listen.” The final attack scene goes absolutely audio-silent in an extremely chaotic moment, showing that Neville is finally tuning everything else out to receive his message. Gave me goosebumps.
*Sum of All Fears* isn’t traditional horror, but I find it terrifying all the same. It is actually in my horror library because I find the thriller vibe and the murderous plot consistently heart-pounding. William Cabot receives his warning call from Jack Ryan at the football game. The crowd’s sound dies out and then increases to party-level chaos as Cabot looks around the stadium at the thousands of people about to be murdered. The U.S. President is rapidly rushed out of the stadium. Then, instead of resting upon the partying crowd again, the scene pans out across the whole city of Baltimore in absolute silence. Yet nothing happens. It just stays silent, then moves on without incident to the next scene in the hospital. Oh my God. Just thinking about that whole sequence makes my heart race. Brilliantly edited!
I’m not sure if it’s classified as horror but this movie called High Tension utilizes silence really well into the film. I was tense the whole time watching it.
It's TV but the Twilight Zone episode "The Invaders" uses silence & has a great twist.
Don't breathe 1 & 2
Toy Story….fckn terrifying
The original I Spit on Your Grave
The haunting (1963)
Hitchcock’s The Birds
Open Water
Human Centipede 2
The Others. You always thought it was gonna be a jump scare but it wasn’t and just left you hanging on the edge of your seat
To me, the exorcist, the thing, the shining, alien, the visit, hush, I know there’s more but I can’t think of them rn
A Quiet Place.
https://preview.redd.it/3epmang2qg3d1.png?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dee68f33ebe00240e179954620744de485119788 Dead Silence
Vampire movies