10 Disturbing Things Found In The Background Of Horror Movies

Keep your eyes peeled for some spooky secrets.

By Jacob Simmons /

You know what's scary?

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Big horrendous monsters jumping out at you and going "Blaaaaaaah!"

But you know what's also scary?

Tiny creepy details hidden the back of shots, just out of sight.

Now that's where the real horror lies.

For as long as the genre has existed, horror films have been full of little surprises sprinkled throughout to keep audiences on their toes.

Horror has often attracted some of the world's most unique and creative filmmakers, so it's not surprising that they will often take the chance to litter their output with subtle clues and hints.

All of the ten films on this list have several spooky things going on in the background. Some are much harder to spot than others, but we can assure you that they're all there.

Whether its the foreshadowing of future events, exquisitely detailed pieces of continuity, or just stuff put there to make you wet yourself, all of these minute features were lovingly crafted to subtly add to the overall experience of terror created by these movies.

Okay, that's not true. One of these was actually an accident.

But look, that wouldn't have sounded nearly as poetic, so shush.

10. The Librarian - It

Andrés Muschietti's 2017 version of It drew widespread acclaim for its creation of tension, compelling young cast, and its ability to reduce grown adults to a quivering, snotty mess.

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One of Muschietti's greatest accomplishments with the film is how he manages to make the villainous Pennywise feel so omnipresent. You feel his aura everywhere in Derry, like he's deeply embedded in the town's very DNA.

This stacks the odds even more firmly against our heroes. Weren't they struggling enough? They're literally called The Losers' Club!

One of the subtly creepiest bits of this very creepy film comes when Ben visits the local library to learn more about his hometown's sordid history. Whilst there, he meets a friendly librarian. Friendly-looking, maybe, but friendly-acting? Definitely not.

As Ben is reading, you can clearly see the librarian staring at him in the back of the shot. What's worse is that a grim smile is plastered across her face the entire time.

This is never directly referenced again, leaving audiences to wonder why she was acting so strangely.

Is she Pennywise in disguise? Is she one of his followers? Is she just a weird old lady with no social skills?

We'll never know.

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