10 Best Elevator Scenes In Horror Movie History

This creepy Japanese horror about a blind violinist, Wong Kar Mun, who receives a cornea transplant is amazing at building tension. Her new eyes previously belonged to a psychic woman who could foresee death and disaster and Mun has apparently now taken on this gift. There are several horrifying scenes of her ghostly encounters throughout the film, but the most infamous one is her painfully slow journey in an elevator to the 15th floor.

As the elevator doors open, she sees an old man facing into the corner and is spooked enough not to enter even when a couple push past her. The next elevator appears empty, so she gets in and turns to face the door. We are suddenly aware that the same man is now in the elevator with her.

She stays facing forward, with rising panic as she realises he is there. The tense music builds as he floats backwards towards her and turns to reveal half his head is missing. Slowly inching towards her, the dread rises to an excruciating level until the doors suddenly open and she rushes out just as he reaches out to her.

The silent scene is so effective because she never looks directly at him and you imagine his intentions should he reach her. The floor numbers rising slowly add to the effect and by the time she flees you are literally willing her out of the door.