Horror movies are obviously defined by their visuals. What we can (or in some cases, can’t) see is almost always the first point of contact for whether or not a scare will stick with us beyond our initial viewing. But, if you want people’s curiosity and dread to stand the test of time, giving them some small, key bits of dialogue, or a selling point to latch on to is a surefire bet. Let’s take a look back at some of the horror quotes and taglines that have truly stood the test of time.
“Whatever You Do, Don’t Fall Asleep.”
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) already has one of the most iconic horror concepts of all time. A monstrous killer that can only come for you in your dreams. Seems pretty unavoidable, right? In the lead-up to the climax of the film, ourprotagonist, Nancy, laments to her boyfriend, Glen, on the phone that she’s going on seven full days of no sleep while she formulates a plan. Once she’s got him on board, she makes sure he understands the key part of the plan: “whatever you do…don’t fall asleep”. Obviously, if you’ve seen the film, you know Glen doesn’t exactly heed this advice, and well…it doesn’t end the greatest for him.
Being able to pervert something as important to the health of human beings as sleep in a horror environment to the point where dozing for even a moment puts your life at serious risk is enough to make anyone lose a few hours after watching the film. Plus, seeing what happens to every character who makes the mistake of nodding off in the film is the icing on the really bloody cake.
“They’re Here.”
‘Poltergeist’ (1982)Credit: MGM/United International
“They’re here” is a bit of a double whammy for the Tobe Hooper-directed horror classic, Poltergeist, serving as both the film’s tagline and perhaps its most memorable line of dialogue. At first glance, that tagline alone is enough to get people in seats, or 44 years later, on their couches. But it’s also Heather O’Rourke’s now iconic delivery of the line itself in the film that has absolutely stood the test of time.
The Poltergeist franchise has become infamous since the release of the original for its supposed curse that continues to haunt the cast of the original film. Several cast members, including the young O’Rourke, met tragic, premature deaths in the early years post-release, and many believers in the curse cite the film’s infamous use of real human skeletons in the mud flood sequence.
All of these elements combined make Poltergeist one of the most eerie films of our modern era, and at the end of the day, it all circles back to that original tagline.
“7 Days.”
‘The Ring’ (2002)Credit: Dreamworks Pictures
The infamous phone call from the ghost of Samara in The Ring remains one of the most iconic pop culture moments from the 2000s. Prank calls, creepy voices, and general scary impressionists still have a field day with the concept every year around Halloween.
After watching a mysterious and truly unsettling videotape in the Gore Verbinski American remake, your phone always rings with a mysterious voice behind it, simply saying, “7 days.” This remark is supposed to mark your death for exactly 7 days from when you finished the tape, and the only way to get rid of the curse is to make a copy of the video and show it to someone else.
The common denominator amongst these three bits of horror history is that they represent something that is truly inescapable. Your body needs sleep; whoever is here is invisible and is here to stay, and whether you like it or not, 7 days will inevitably pass without regard for the roadblocks you may have.
There’s always been a debate about what the most inherently scary concept is for people. But the inherent dread that comes from being told something is coming for you, or will happen to you within a certain period of time, without an ability to stop it, absolutely ranks amongst the worst. Hand in hand with this concept lies another classic…
Exploitation of the Unknown
This is one that has seen a major resurgence in horror in recent years. Zach Cregger’s smash hit Weapons from last year displayed this technique with flying colors. “Last night at 2:17 AM, every child from Mrs. Gandy’s class woke up, got out of bed, went downstairs, opened the front door, walked into the dark…and they never came back.” That’s all we were told initially. And clearly it was enough. The film was a critical and audience hit, grossing over 270 million dollars worldwide on a modest 38 million dollar budget.
Even the new horror film Passenger, which releases wide this weekend, utilized this technique, providing statistics on how many people go missing on road trips each year as the official synopsis of the film in the vast majority of its promotional material. Nobody likes being in the dark about a scary statistic or unsolved disappearance, even in fiction. Using this element of human psychology to their advantage has so far been successful for filmmakers. Let’s hope horror continues to exploit our most deep-seated fears in ways that feel this fun.
