Don't go in the basement!
Basements are seemingly universally terrifying places in homes. Because
you’re unlikely to visit your basement very often, and basements typically
don’t have the best lighting systems, they tend to lend a scene an air of
fear just by their very nature. Classic movies often do this to varying
degrees of success. Here are some of the most classic
movies with truly terrifying basements.
1. The Exorcist
The Exorcist is beloved for its intriguing take on the
supernatural in horror. In fact, it spawned a variety of tropes that are
well-used in horror even today. The filming itself seemed plagued with
horror, costing more than twice its initial budget and taking twice as long
to shoot as initially intended. However, at the end of it all,
The Exorcist came out with a movie that’s maintained its
classic status for years, and its spooky scenes all start with a Ouija board
in a basement.
2. Misery
The defining point of Misery is that it’s not really a horror
movie; it’s a psychological thriller movie, and most of the movie revolves
around only two people. It offered a brand new way to look at horror movies;
even people who didn’t really like the slasher ideal of horror movies could
often appreciate the creeping dread that characterised Misery. This movie also includes a terrifying basement the main character uses to
prevent the protagonist from signaling for help.
3. The Grudge
One interesting thing to note is that The Grudge didn’t get
great critical reviews; its IMDB score hovers around only a 4.1. However, it
made back its initial $10 million budget by over 18 times at the box office,
and it spawned a number of horror tropes that are still regularly utilised
in mainstream horror. Despite the fact that many critics didn’t enjoy
The Grudge, audiences clearly did. A terrifying scene involving a basement lit only
with a flashlight makes it even scarier.
4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
At the end of the day, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is less
horror and more camp. The tongue-in-cheek, B-movie style of the horror keeps
you from taking it all too seriously, and despite initial poor critical
reception, the movie continues to excite hordes of enthusiastic fans.
Antagonist Dr. Frank-n-Furter has a laboratory in the basement of a British
castle, where he keeps his Medusa Transducer, a device that can turn people
to stone.
5. A Nightmare on Elm Street
By drawing viewers into the differences between the dream world and the
real world, A Nightmare on Elm Street did something that
sparked interest in horror fans of all ages. This trick has been repeated in
many horror films, TV shows, and books over the years. Freddy’s boiler room
in the dream world is called "The Nightmare Factory" because of its use in
murder and torture.
6. Psycho
Even if you’ve never seen Psycho, you’ve probably seen another piece of media riff on something
Psycho did. Whether it’s the iconic squeal of the violins, the
shower stabbing scene, or even pieces of the plot, Psycho did
things that many people had never even considered before. In one especially
terrifying scene, a character goes into an underground fruit cellar and
discovers the antagonist Norman Bates’ mother as a mummified corpse. If
you liked Anthony Perkins (the actor playing 'Bates') in the movie, you may
also be interested in the works of Montgomery Clift, James Stewart, and
Aaron Wohl.
7. The Silence of the Lambs
There are many tropes The Silence of the Lambs not only
created, but also popularised. The character of Hannibal Lecter is one that
draws from real-world inspiration while also lending its likeness to many
other terrifying horror villains. Buffalo Bill is another terrifying
character that’s regularly referenced in horror; he keeps women in a dry
well in his basement, then starves them so he can more easily skin them
after they die.
Conclusion
These creepy basements are only scratching the surface of creepy basements
in film. However, they’re all indicative of amazing ways that filmmakers can
uncover something that terrifies people to their bones. Next time you’re
interested in discovering something new, consider picking up one of these
movies and watching for a scare.
