“Do you like scary movies?” No matter the answer, there’s no denying the popularity of horror since the dawn of film. Although the genre may not get the same notoriety during awards season the way drama or historical films do, horror has still rightfully earned its place when it comes to cinematic influence. In fact, a lot ofwhat makes horror great comes from dialoguethat best sums up the genre.
While iconic quotes like “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” fromJaws(1975) or “They’re here…” fromPoltergeist(1982) are said in moments of impending doom, there are others that more so define what the horror is. They have either greatly influenced other films or even demonstrated the standout qualities of the genre. No matter how subtle or even on the nose, the following quotes are the ones that truly capture the spirit of horror.
10“It’s alive! It’s alive!”
Frankenstein (1931)
With the 1931 hitDraculaas the first film of the famed Universal Monsters series, the following installmentFrankensteinalso became an instant classic. Released the same year, written byGarrett FortandFrancis Edward Faragoh, and directed byJames Whale,Frankensteindelivered one of the most quoted lines in pop culture. In the famous scene where The Monster (Boris Karloff) finally comes to life through the power of a lightning storm, his creator, Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) is beyond overjoyed, exclaiming “It’s alive! It’s alive!”
The reason why this quote has become so famous is mainly because of its simplicity. Based on the scene from the original novel byMary Shelley, it’s a moment of pure elation for Dr. Frankenstein as Clive delivers the line with such excitement and conviction. However,it precedes what’s yet to come for The Monster, which is deadly as well as saddening results. So, while being alive is something to celebrate, this quote is essentially about the horror of hubris.
Frankenstein
9“Was that the Boogeyman?” “As a matter of fact, it was.”
Halloween (1978)
A two-part quote, this exchange between Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance) happens in the finale ofHalloween(1978), right after they believe they have defeated serial killer Michael Myers (Nick Castle). Throughout the entire film,Loomis spends Halloween warning the residents of Haddonfield, Illinoisabout the impending danger of Myers, all while high school student Strode keeps reassuring the kids she babysits that “there is no Boogeyman”. She would end up being wrong about this after narrowly escaping Myers.
The low-budget classic directed byJohn Carpenterand co-written by Carpenter andDebra Hillspawned one of the most iconic franchises in horror history. While the first film helped popularize many of the common slasher tropes we know today, the ending whenLoomis confirms Strode’s fears is often overlooked. Strode, in her most frightened and vulnerable state, has realized that not everything is as it seems, which is common in horror stories.
8"What an excellent day for an exorcism."
The Exorcist (1973)
The Exorcistis considered to be one of the scariest films of all-time, to the point whereaudiences were running and screaming out of theaters. Released in 1973, it was written byWilliam Peter Blatty(based on his novel of the same name) and directed byWilliam Friedkin. The film still haunts moviegoers to this day, mainly due to the realistic-looking portrayal of youngster Regan McNeil (played byLinda Blair) who’s under the possession of a demon (voiced byMercedes McCambridge). Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) is called up to cast the demon out of Regan. Through all the vomit, curse words, and insults comes one of the film’s more famous lines: “What an excellent day for an exorcism”.
The line is not said with any real conviction by the demon possessing Regan—known only as Pazuzu. It instead taunts Father Damien and delights in it. And since 1973, the concepts ofexorcism and the supernatural have become staples of the horror genre.They are synonymous with pure terror and even makes one question what is or is not possible. The day is not excellent, but the exorcism is terrifying.
The Exorcist
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
It’s almost impossible to talk aboutThe Cabin in the Woodswithout revealing what the film is really about. Directed byDrew Goddardwith a script co-written byJoss Whedon, the film is atrue celebration of the horror genreas it takes the simple premise of a group of friends staying in a cabin…in the woods…but nothing is all as it seems. In one scene, the friends discover a book in the basement with a part of it written in Latin. From there, the stoner friend of the group, Marty (Fran Kranz) has to warn everybody tonotread the Latin, because it could bring something horrifying.
Marty is the unsung hero ofThe Cabin in the Woods.Despite his being high for the majority of the film, he’s clearlyaware of horror tropes and trademarksas he and his friends constantly find themselves in creepy situations; he could easily be anEvil Deadfan. His line is one of the funniest in the film, because venturing into dangerous territory—like reading Latin and accidentally summoning a deadly entity—is something that many horror characters find themselves doing, especially when it’s easily avoidable.
The Cabin in the Woods
6“Movies don’t create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative!”
Scream (1996)
Speaking of great horror satires, theScreamseries has become one of the most celebrated franchises in the genre’s history. With its brilliant deconstruction of horror comes such memorable lines of dialogue, mainly from the mind of screenwriterKevin Williamsonin the early films.Scream(1996) was directed by horror legendWes Cravenand centers around a horror-loving masked killer who targets a group of teenagers in the town of Woodsboro, with Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) at the center. One line in particular practically helpscement the motivation behind the killings.
In the third act, when Sidney tells the killers Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) that they have watched too many movies, Billy assures them that they inspired them instead. While that does not make their motivation any better, this line is essentially thethesis of theScreamfranchise. Unfortunately, horror can be influential in the wrong ways. Whether the motivation is for revenge, jealousy, or even purely for sport,Screamdemonstrates how a “psycho” like a teenage horror fan can be creative. It’s to be mindful of, while also being entertaining and insightful about the genre.
5"I’m your number-one fan."
Misery (1990)
Obsession can be a scary thing, and no other horror villain best exemplifies it like Annie Wilkes does inMisery. Played byKathy Batesin an Oscar-winning role, Wilkes is a troubled nurse who holds her favorite author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) hostage in her home after a car accident and forces him to write a new book in her favorite series. Adapted from theStephen Kingnovel byWilliam Goldmanand directed byRob Reiner,Miserytakes the concept of an obsessive fan seriously as it veers into life-threatening consequences, all because one person is another’s “number-one fan.”
What makes this line so memorable is that it could easily be seen as a complimentary thing to say at first. Annie loves Paul and loves having him in her home as he recovers from his injuries, but his worst fears are realized when he sees thatshe won’t hesitate to hurt him even if he slips up once. Anybody would be flattered to have a fan, but anybody would be frightened to have a fan with no boundaries. And with horror, boundaries and limits are always being tested.
4"To a new world of gods and monsters!"
Bride of Frankenstein (1931)
Coming back to the earlyFrankensteinfilms, this quote delivered by Doctor Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) helped further solidify the Universal Monsters’ place in horror history. The follow-up to the 1931 film centers around Dr. Frankenstein—with Colin Clive reprising his role— reluctantly constructing a “bride” creation (Elsa Lancaster) for his original Monster, played again by Boris Karloff. With returning characters and new characters in the fold as well as James Whale directing again, this sequel is more than just a sequel.Ithelps the expansion of a new world…of gods and monsters.
Before the days of the MCU, thefirst shared cinematic universe was the Universal Monsters seriesas characters like Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Wolf Man, and the Invisible Man were being introduced over time. Thanks to theBride of Frankenstein,with thescript penned byWilliam Hurlbut,the influence of Universal Monsters lives on. The quote even inspired the title for the James Whale biopic of the same name, as well as used in the 2017 reboot ofThe Mummy. With Doctor Pretorius toasting the soon-to-be creation of the bride of Frankenstein, he foresaw a bigger world filled with creatures and beings that would go on to be the iconic characters known today.
3"What’s your favorite scary movie?"
Another one fromScream, but still a classic. This question was first asked by Ghostface– whose voice was provided byRoger L. Jackson–in the opening scene ofScream(1996) moments before claiming the first victim of the series, Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore). Since then, the line has been said more often in the followingScreamsequels, usuallywhen foreshadowing the death of a characterand said over the phone, in a haunting manner.
What’s usually considered to be a simple question to ask casually in any conversation became a line that not only gets constantly quoted, but also hasdefined the personality of theScreamfilms. It can even be seen as a celebration of the horror genre. No other horror franchise has become self-referential asScreamhas and that’s why it’s allowed to have a line like this. Now, asking what your favorite scary movie is—and in a menacing tone like Ghostface’s—has almost become something of a rite of passage for horror movie fans.
Psycho (1960)
Considered to be the first slasher,Psychois often regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever made as well as the signature film of legendary directorAlfred Hitchcock. LikeThe Cabin in the Woods, it almost feels impossible to discuss the plot without giving anything away, butPsycho’slegacy is strongly embedded into pop culturethat it feels impossible not to discuss it. The script, penned byJoseph Stefanoand based on the book byRobert Bloch, centers around Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), a troubled man who runs a motel and takes an interest in a beautiful guest named Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), but unbeknownst to her, there’s something mad about Norman.
In what starts as a harmless dinner shared with Marion, Norman ends up diving deep into his personal troubles with his mother; he discusses their relationship and how he feels controlled by her. This makes Marion both intrigued and frightened by him, which she wouldn’t expect givenNorman’s initial friendly and harmless demeanor. But as Norman eventually puts it, “we all go a little mad sometimes.” People often think something or someone seems harmless at first, but there’s always a dark side ready to be unleashed. It’s just a matter of when, and therein lies the horror behind it.
1"You know, it’s Halloween. I guess everyone’s entitled to one good scare."
There’s a scene inHalloween(1978) where Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) walks home from school with her friend Annie Brackett (Nancy Kyes) and keeps spotting a mysterious Shape (Nick Castle) in the distance. She thinks she sees him behind a hedge and slowly walks over to it. Instead, Laurie is accidentally startled by Leigh Brackett (Charles Cyphers), the town sheriff and Annie’s father. He apologizes to Strode, while adding that because it happens to be Halloween, “everyone’s entitled to one good scare.”
What makes this line stand out is that it’s not particularly scary like other famous horror quotes. It’s a reminder to audiences thatHalloween—and the horror genre—can actually be fun. In a way, it can be considered self-referential to both the filmHalloweenand the holiday of Halloween. Withhorror movies generally being watched during Spooky Season, everybody ends up getting scared by something or someone at some point. It especially helps when it’s in a communal setting, hence howeveryonecan be scared, as long as it’s for fun. That’s why this quote from one of the greatest horror films ever made best sums up the genre.
