Stephen King, the prolific American author known for his mastery of horror, has left an indelible mark on literature and cinema with his extensive body of work. Since his debut in the 1970s, King has published more than 60 novels and 200 short stories. Given his experience and contribution to this genre of films, his opinion on horror cinema is valued and respected by fans.
Throughout his career he has shared his views on various films and scenes that he considers outstanding in this field. In an article published by The Hollywood Reporter, King singled out a sequence that, to him, is the scariest in movie history.
The creepiest scene for Stephen King
The scene in question comes from ‘Night of the Living Dead’, directed by George A. Romero, also known as ‘The Father of the Zombies’. This film not only marks a before and after in zombie cinema, but is also considered a masterpiece that has influenced generations of filmmakers and horror fans.
Released in 1968, Romero’s feature film revolutionized this genre of film with its unique approach and ability to reflect the social and political concerns of the time, such as racism and the Vietnam War. Despite its small budget, it earned a place in film history for its cultural impact and ability to terrify audiences.
In this sequence, Johnny (played by Russell Streiner) and his sister Barbara (Judith O’Dea) visit their mother’s grave. Barbara, visibly uncomfortable and scared, is taunted by her brother, who challenges her with the phrase “They’re coming for you, Barbara!”.
Just then, a strange man begins walking awkwardly towards them. Johnny continues his pranks, until the man violently attacks them and is revealed to actually be a zombie.
The brutality of this attack is chilling. Johnny is murdered and a panicked Barbara flees to her brother’s car to find the keys in the dead man’s pocket.
The tension rises when this dead man smashes the vehicle’s window with a rock, and Barbara is forced to release the parking brake and let the car roll down a hill before crashing into a tree.
This moment of pure terror continues as Barbara runs to a nearby farm for shelter.
The first time Stephen saw it was during his university days when there was no proper age rating system yet.
The room was full of children who, like the adults, were paralyzed with fear. King described the experience as unique, with total silence proving just how much the sequence affected those in attendance.
“Night of the Living Dead” remains a benchmark in horror cinema, and Stephen King’s choice of this scene as the scariest is a testament to its endurance.
Romero not only introduced the modern concept of zombies, he set a standard for horror that remains valid today.
This film series is a reminder of how horror can emerge from the mundane and the unexpected and leave its mark on fans of the genre.
Source: univision
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
