10 More Horror Movie Openings NOBODY Saw Coming
7. Sinister
Sinister follows washed-up crime author Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), a man who pines for the glory days when he was writing best-sellers. Desperate to reclaim his fame, Ellison moves into a house where a horrific murder took place, hoping to write a successful book about the tragic event. However, things take a dark turn when Ellison discovers a batch of video reels in the attic, depicting the killing of several families.
Although the creep factor in Sinister is ever-present, the spine-tingling prologue hits like a truck.
Not just the first scene - literally the first frame is sure to unnerve anyone. Sinister opens with a Super8 clip of four hooded people, each with their neck wrapped in a noose, which is attached to a thick tree branch.
The foursome are hoisted into the air, causing them to flail violently. Within seconds, each of the four victims asphyxiate to death, their lifeless bodies left dangling from the tree.
Though it's apparent what's about to happen, this scene is still harrowing to watch. The fact it's shot in slow-motion to drag out the group's agonising death makes it even more difficult to sit through.