Ashley Cook at 2013-07-15 10:48:06:

I don't watch many horror films (not because I don't think they're good, but because I am a giant baby and get nightmares for days when I watch scary movies), so Scott may have better scenes than this one... From "Shadow of the Vampire": [Asked what he thought of the book, Dracula] Max Schreck: It made me sad. Albin: Why sad? Max Schreck: Because Dracula had no servants. Albin: I think you missed the point of the book, Count Orlock. Max Schreck: Dracula hasn't had servants in 400 years and then a man comes to his ancestral home, and he must convince him that he... that he is like the man. He has to feed him, when he himself hasn't eaten food in centuries. Can he even remember how to buy bread? How to select cheese and wine? And then he remembers the rest of it. How to prepare a meal, how to make a bed. He remembers his first glory, his armies, his retainers, and what he is reduced to. The loneliest part of the book comes... when the man accidentally sees Dracula setting his table. I think this scene is memorable because good antagonists should be just as fully formed as protagonists, with agendas that make sense for that character. The audience should be able to understand why they do what they do, even if we don't agree with it. Here, we see that Schreck is capable of empathy. He feels sad, he feels lonely. He is an antagonist with feelings. We can understand and identify with that. On the horror side of things, he's empathizing with Dracula. Kind of scary.

hobbs001 at 2013-07-15 12:50:58:

I've been trying to come up with a horror scene with interesting dialogue, and I think I've discovered that horror is enormously reliant on visuals, perhaps more so than any other genre. One of my favourite horror scenes is this one - http://movieclips.com/XDY7R-the-grudge-movie-new-tenants/ However, it doesn't seem so scary when taken out of context. Perhaps this raises another key attribute of the horror genre - the importance of pace. Slotting those major scares into exactly the right place and then allowing audiences respite with interesting non-scare scenes. Sorry this isn't specifically helpful but I think it has, at least for me, illuminated the enormous importance of the visuals in classic horror.

troyklith at 2013-07-15 13:23:23:

MISERY ANNIE: Paul. I know you've been out. PAUL: What? ANNIE: You've been out of your room. PAUL: No, I haven't. ANNIE: Paul, my little ceramic penguin in the study always faces due south. PAUL: I don't... I don't know what you're talking about. Ceramic penguin? (As he speaks, Paul searches for the knife hidden under his mattress) ANNIE: Is this what you're looking for? (Annie brandishes the knife.) ANNIE: I know you've been out twice, Paul. At first I couldn't figure out how you did it, but last night... I found your key. I know I left my scrapbook out. I can imagine what you might be thinking of me. But you see, Paul, it's all OK. Last night it came so clear. I realise you just need more time. Eventually you'll come to accept the idea of being here. Paul, do you know about the early days at the Kimberley diamond mines? Do you know what they did to the native workers who stole diamonds? (Paul’s face collapses with terror.) ANNIE: Don't worry. They didn't kill them. That would be like junking a Mercedes just because it had a broken spring. No, they had to make sure they could go on working,.. but they also had to make sure they could never run away. The operation was called "hobbling". (Annie positions a thick board between Paul’s feet.) PAUL: Annie... Whatever you're thinking about doing, please don't do it. (Annie lifts a sledgehammer.) PAUL: Annie, for God's... ANNIE: Shhh… darling. Trust me. (Annie raises the sledgehammer.) PAUL: God's sake! (Annie swings the sledgehammer back.) ANNIE: It's for the best. PAUL: Annie, please! (Annie bashes Paul’s left ankle with the sledgehammer. Then walks around for the right.) ANNIE: (sweetly) Almost done. Just one more. (Annie bashes Paul’s right ankle.) ANNIE: (as Paul moans in agony) God, I love you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E55ni_xc4ww The dialog is notable because it displays Annie's inner conflict: a violent lunatic who imagines herself to be loving and nurturing. Annie's language is tender and calm, while her behavior is monstrous. This is a great example of “going the other way” with a character. The obvious choice would have been to make Annie an outwardly raging maniac, but most of the time she’s the extreme opposite, which makes her all the more horrifying as the audience is left to imagine the true sickness going on inside. Like so many great horror scenes, it’s often what’s not shown that is the scariest.

hobbs001 at 2013-07-15 14:11:20:

Found one! Always loved "The Thing" remake from 1982. If you're going to make a horror movie why not really go for it? Jaw-dropping gore (particularly for its time), suspense, claustrophobia, paranoia...what's not to like? Most of the elements are present in the 1951 original, so "Alien" was a lot less original than it may have seemed. Just when you think things might have finally been resolved, we have this final scene. Taken in context it's just about the perfect ending for what's come before. For anyone who has somehow managed to miss this horror classic, the subtext in this scene involves the fact that the alien monster is able to replicate any living creature (and kill the original), and will look exactly like that creature until it chooses to reveal itself. A major plot element is the potential for this alien life to take over the entire planet should it escape the confines of the remote base in which the action takes place. The excerpt from the script below is slightly longer than the actual scene - less is more once again. The paranoia and the possible horror of what may happen in this scene is representative of much of the movie. CHILDS Did you kill it? He looks as weak as MacReady. A beat. MACREADY I think so. CHILDS What do you mean "you think so?" Both men speak guardedly and stare at each other suspiciously. MACREADY Yeah. I got it. (refers to Childs' condition) Pretty mean frostbite. Childs steps back, keeping his distance. He indicates his puffy white hand. CHILDS It'll turn black again soon enough. Then I guess I'll be losing the whole thing... (refers to feet) ... Think my toes are already gone. MacReady, carrying the bottle and glass, limps over and sits down behind a gaming table. There is a chess set and several decks of cards. The two men continue to eye each other. CHILDS So you're the only one who made it. MacReady begins setting up a non-electronic chessboard. MACREADY Not the only one. CHILDS The fire's got the temperature way up all over camp... won't last long though. MACREADY Neither will we. CHILDS Maybe we should try and fix the radio... try and get some help. MACREADY Maybe we shouldn't. CHILDS Then we'll never make it. MacReady puffs on his cigar. He reveals a small blowtorch from under the table and places it beside him on top. MACREADY Maybe we shouldn't make it. CHILDS (beat) If you're worried about anything, let's take that blood test of yours. MACREADY If we've got any surprises for each other -- we shouldn't be in any condition to do anything about it. (beat) You play chess? They regard each other for a moment. Childs painfully sits down across from MacReady. CHILDS I guess I'll be learning. MacReady grins and hands the bottle to Childs. Childs smiles back and takes a healthy swig. EXT. COMPOUND - NIGHT The fires smolder on. Bright embers dance in the blackness -- pushed by the soughing wind. FADE OUT. movieclips.com/YytHa-the-thing-movie-why-dont-we-wait-here-see-what-happens/