20 Scariest Horror Movie Moments Of The 21st Century
8. The Projector - It (2017)
Anyone spooked by clowns, or even jack-in-the-boxes, would be strongly advised not to view this year’s smash-hit shocker It.
Make no mistake, fun is the last thing on Pennywise the Clown’s mind, with It full of malignant jump scares and nasty surprises. The best of which, and certain to end up as the most famous, occurs when the film’s main cast of kids are huddled before a projector screen in full-planning mode, investigating the disappearances that have plagued their town for centuries.
None of them are prepared, however, for the projector suddenly taking on a mind of its own. With leering images of Pennywise’s evil entertainer now flashing before them, the projector is knocked to the ground, with horror fans everywhere bracing themselves for a big shock.
Yet even though we’re ready for a scare, the sudden appearance of Pennywise as a toothy horror is utterly extreme, and that’s only the beginning as a now-giant Pennywise crawls out of the screen to snatch and grab at the (genuinely) terrified kids.
It’s reminiscent of The Ring’s famously iconic figure of fear emerging from the TV set, except neither Sadako nor Samara were ten-feet tall. As a modern spin on a classic, this is a monstrously effective scare to round off the current year.