31 Scariest Movie Moments Of All Time

8. The Corner - The Blair Witch Project

At the time of its release, The Blair Witch Project was as stunningly innovative as found footage horror is worn and tiresome today. It completely transformed cinema, making micro-budget, strongly gimmicked horror movies a mainstream concern and channelling fundamental fears to maximum effect.

After toying with the audience for an hour, the film escalates, despite the fact that at no point is the audience actually allowed to see anything. All we actually get to see, for 99% of the time at least, is the effect fear has on the central characters. And the sympathetic aspect of their ordeal is wonderfully effective.

But then, right at the end, we get the slightest peel back, revealing Mike standing in the corner of the Blair Witch's house in the woods just before something attacks Heather and the footage stops. In total, it's a matter of seconds, but it's enough to confirm every fear the film sets up as well as suggesting something bigger and scarier - for a moment making us all forget that the "found footage" gimmick was actually real. It was both the perfect startling full stop and a dirty low blow sucker punch all in one.