31 Scariest Movie Moments Of All Time

11. The Demon - Insidious

Insidious is very much a tale of two halves; it starts strongly like an Exorcist clone, ticking several of the really key requirements for successful horrors - a child in peril, a memorable ghost, helpless parents... But then it loses its way when it all gets a little too silly towards the end. But before it all comes apart, it scores a hell of a scare in broad daylight, which is no easy feat.

The demonic jump-scare that follows Barbara Hershey's story about her nightmare might well be one of the cheapest in horror movie history, but it's so well framed and such a successful sucker punch that it's still absolutely effective. It's a great pay-off to the slow-build of the story (which itself is genuinely scary) and it's one of those silly, disposable jolts that makes you laugh at yourself immediately.

But then it has the story to back it up - real substance to flesh it out - which makes it all the more substantial. That's enough to kill your laughter.