When Horror is Heard But Not Seen

It’s a common point of discussion amongst horror film fans: Is it better to see the monster or leave it up to the viewer’s imagination?

In some cases, it’s a no-brainer –what would Nightmare on Elm Street be without the sight of Freddy and his disfigured face and clawed glove? And Halloween definitely wouldn’t pack half the punch it does without us clearly seeing Michael Myers, AKA The Shape, striding through the streets of Haddonfield, Illinois.

But there are some movies where the lack of any visible horror definitely adds to the eeriness and gets those goosebumps rising. Often, these films are also the ones that stay with us for longer, as we interpret for ourselves what was lurking in the shadows.

Here are my five top picks of movies where less was definitely more.

The Haunting (1963) The ultimate haunted house movie. Even the terrible 1999 remake can’t spoil the memory of this classic chiller – in fact it only emphasises the fact that sometimes what we don’t see is more terrifying than what we do – especially when the visible horror is totally OTT CGI.

Rosemary’s Baby (1968) There’s plenty of creepy goings on, but the baby itself remains unseen. Director of photography, William Fraker, apparently questioned director Roman Polanski on the point. “You mean we’ve got a picture that’s two hours long, it’s called Rosemary’s Baby and you never see the baby?” he demanded. “Exactly,” replied Polanski. (Reel Terror, p 121)

Se7en (1995) Slightly different from the rest of my chosen five in that you do see plenty that is horrifying. But what is unusual, and sometimes forgotte because the impact of the scenes is so great, is that we only see the aftermath of horrific acts, not the acts themselves.

Cat People (1942) King of implied horror, Jacques Tourneur, uses shadows and sound to stunning effect, particularly in the swimming pool scene. The terror builds and builds, to the extent that you almost forget you didn’t actually see anything tangible.

The Blair Witch Project (1999) Possibly more down to budget constraints than artistry, this movie is all about anticipation rather than delivery. It remains one of the most profitable films of all time, making $248 million worldwide.