10 EVEN MORE Horror Movies You Knew Would Be Good After The First 10 Minutes
2. When A Stranger Calls
The first scene of Fred Walton's When a Stranger Calls is so effective, it should be studied by horror purists.
Walton's 1979 picture begins with babysitter Jill Johnson relaxing in a client's living room after putting their children to bed. Jill suddenly receives a call from an unknown person asking, "Have you checked the children?" before abruptly hanging up. Even if it was a practical joke, this simple question is enough to freak out anyone.
However, it's soon revealed this is anything but a prank. The anonymous caller rings again and again, becoming more threatening each time. Believing she's in real danger, Jill calls the police, who tell her to stay on the line so they can trace the call.
Soon after, the police inform Jill the calls are coming from inside the house. Panicked, she scrambles through the hallway and opens the front door, where she's confronted by a mysterious man. Though this stranger is revealed to be a cop seconds later, it's a heart-stopping moment, since the tension is at its peak.
Scream may have had a similar opening, but When A Stranger Call's set-up is more impressive as it didn't rely on violence or gore to be nerve-racking.