Elegant scares are some of my favorite things in books and films.
"The Shining" is at the top of my list in that regard. It's a deeply scary movie, but so hushed and elegant and strange, too, that I sometimes forget I'm watching a horror movie. The moment Wendy finds what Jack has been typing all winter? That's the quintessential elegant scare. No gore, no running, no fighting, just the sinking realization that she's trapped in a snowbound hotel with a man who is spiraling into madness. (Okay, there's running and fighting soon after, but, just, that scene is so quiet.)
Here's another favorite elegant scare: the kitchen chair scene in "Poltergeist." I was actually thinking about posting an image but if you've never seen it you have to; it is so well done. It delivers a jolt, every time.
With October approaching, I'm curious: Do you like scary movies? If so, what's your flavor?
(Photo: Not the elevator doors from "The Shining" but from the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite, which was an inspiration for the film's set design.)
