10 Most Terrifying Horror Movie Swimming Pool Scenes

2. Phenomena

The Faculty
Titanus

If you thought Poltergeist's swimming pool of skeletons was bad - a scene that's been omitted from this list because it's one that's been spotlighted so many times - Phenomena makes that look like a friendly paddle in a kiddie pool.

From the legendary Dario Argento, this 1985 film revolves around a young girl (Jennifer Connolly) at a Swiss boarding school who has the ability to communicate with bugs and insects. Using this most unique of attributes, the imaginatively named Jennifer attempts to solve the mystery of a murderous maniac who is offing people in and around the school.

Far from Argento's finest work, Phenomena's first hour very much drags, with that not helped by some truly awful performances from certain supporting players. What Phenomena does have, though, is a proper stomach-churning pool sequence featuring Connolly's character.

The quest of this young bug-communicator at one point sees her fall into a pool of dead bodies, maggots and all kinds of other creepy crawlies. Seriously, this is a moment that is genuinely hard to watch and not feel queasy afterwards.

To think, Jennifer Connolly was only 14 years of age while filming this movie - and one has to imagine this disgusting pool scene traumatised the young actress for years to come.

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Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.