The Scariest Horror Film Ever, According to Science, Cost Only $3 Million to Make

Summary

• It is quite difficult to identify a horror movie that would objectively be the scariest representative of the genre.
• Nevertheless, British researchers tried, based on the testimonies of 50 respondents.
• As a result, the scariest was named the low-budget supernatural horror film of 2012.

What makes the horror genre so interesting is the variety of means used to convey certain ideas established by the author, as well as the aspects on which its 'scary' component is based.

Thus, when we talk about horror in cinema and television, many of us prefer those that scare us with their menacing atmosphere, such as the folk horrors The Wicker Man and Midsommar, as well as the series Midnight Mass. Some of us prefer movies that play directly on common phobias, like the sharks in Jaws, the spiders in Arachnophobia, or the clowns in It. Some of us like scares that come from a sense of the unknown, as was perfectly conveyed in The Exorcist, Poltergeist, and The Thing. And some of us just like quality scares, as was the case in Drag Me To Hell and Insidious.

So the concept of 'scary' can vary from viewer to viewer greatly, and it is quite obvious that there is no horror movie that can objectively be called the scariest in the history of the genre. Or is there?

In 2020, a study was conducted based on a sample of 50 people of different age groups, and as a result it was possible to identify the 35 scariest movies in the perception of viewers. And at the top of the list was the supernatural horror movie of 2012.

Let's see what this movie is and why it was considered the scariest.

A Scientific Study Has Determined the Most Frightening Movie

The study was conducted by Broadband Choices, a UK-based company that provides a broadband comparison tool. Based on a sample of 50 people who watched 100 horror movies, the 35 scariest were identified by measuring heart rate while watching the movies.

The study's author, Daniel Clifford, said at the time that 'with more people than ever facing a Halloween at home, our Science of Scare study was designed to help people find the most scientifically scary films ever made, to save them the time of searching through thousands of titles across streaming services like Amazon, Netflix and Shudder.'

The examples in the study were taken from review aggregators such as IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. And yet, the scariest movie in the entire study can actually be considered one of the most objectively scary.

What Is This Movie?

In first place was the 2012 supernatural horror film Sinister, directed by The Exorcism of Emily Rose auteur Scott Derrickson and co-written by him and C. Robert Cargill.

The plot follows true crime writer Ellison Oswalt, played by Ethan Hawke, who moves with his family to a new home in Chatford, Pennsylvania. However, Hawke's character has not told his wife and children that the house holds a terrible secret, as another family was murdered there in the past. That's when the creepy supernatural events begin.

Where and How to Watch It?

In most regions, Sinister is available for streaming on Netflix, so if you're outside the US, we suggest you go to that service first. But if you're in the US, there are a couple of ways to watch the movie.

First, it is available for streaming on Max, a service owned by HBO. It's also available for streaming on Prime Video if you have a combined subscription to both Amazon's service and Max.

Second, Sinister is available for purchase or rental on most major platforms, including Prime, Apple TV, Microsoft, Google Play, YouTube and Vudu. Rentals start at $3.79 and purchases start at $9.99.

Source: Forbes.