History NightmareFuel / TheHaunting1963

* [[HauntedHouseHistorian Mrs. Dudley]]. While her husband is merely a bit hostile and unfriendly towards outsiders, she seems not entirely sane. Her idea of a welcome for the guests is to remind them repeatedly that they'll be all alone in the house once night falls, and no one will come to help them. In the night. In the dark. [[TheUnsmile ''Smile.'']]

* [[HauntedHouseHistorian Mrs. Dudley]]. While her husband is merely a bit hostile and unfriendly towards outsiders, she seems not entirely sane. Her idea of a welcome for the guests is to remind them repeatedly that they'll be all alone in the house once night falls, and no one will come to help them. In the night. In the dark.

* The scene with Nell asking Theo to stop holding her hand so tightly, in a death grip. And then the lights come on and....
* At one point almost human faces appear in the wallpaper. In almost any other horror film it'd be [[{{Narm}} ridiculous]], but here...
* And how about that ''[[ItMakesSenseInContext breathing door?]]'' ''(Shudder)'' Even if it DOES lead to one of the very few comical moments in the movie.

** Slightly before that, said door slams shut suddenly only after a lengthy scene of a silent shadowy figure walking into the room where Nell, Theo, and Markway are all sleeping. It's just Luke, but until his features are fully revealed... brrr.

* During the wallpaper scene, the angry male voice (presumably reading scripture aloud), combining with the crying child, combining with the shrieking, combining with the hysterical laughter. ::shudder::
* The close-ups of Craine's wives upon their deaths, especially the second one's horrified eyes.

* Watching the slow transition of Abigail from little girl to old woman, her expression never changing.
* A bit of Fridge Horror: in the prologue the second Mrs. Crain tries to close a door, which repeatedly opens on its own. Later on we learn that all the doors are hung off center and should swing shut by themselves, meaning that ''something'' was holding it open...
* Mrs. Dudley. While her husband is merely a bit hostile and unfriendly towards outsiders, she seems not entirely sane. Her idea of a welcome for the guests is to remind them repeatedly that they'll be all alone in the house once night falls, and no one will come to help them. In the night. In the dark.

* On the first night, after everyone has gone to bed, [[NothingIsScarier the scene lingers in the huge, darkened hallway]]. A heavy booming sound, of unknown origin, shudders through the house. Nell and Theo, petrified with fear of this furious yet inscrutable force, shelter from a [[GhostlyChill sudden intense cold]], whereupon the booming is succeeded by a frantic banging on the bedroom door. The noise and chill mercifully stop, but are followed by a disembodied screech of maniacal laughter.

* At one point [[UncannyValley almost human faces]] appear in the wallpaper. In almost any other horror film it'd be [[{{Narm}} ridiculous]], but here...

* And how about that ''[[ItMakesSenseInContext breathing door?]]'' ''Shudder'' Even if it DOES lead to one of the very few comical moments in the movie.

* During the search for John's wife, Nell runs down the hall with that [[HellIsThatNoise deep, booming background score]], and suddenly something pops out of the left side of the screen and Nell screams... it's just her running into her own reflection in the mirror, but with the way the shot is framed, we don't realize this until about the same time she does. Rarely does cinematography mess with your mind so effectively.

* A bit of Fridge Horror: in the prologue the second Mrs. Crain tries to close a door, which repeatedly opens on its own. Later on we learn that all the doors are hung off center and should swing shut by themselves, meaning that ''something'' was holding it open...

* Watching the slow transition of Abigail from little girl to old woman, her expression never changing.

* Watching the slow transition of Abigail from little girl to old woman, her expression never changing.
* Nell feeling a hand grasping hers and assuming it's Theo's, only to realize that they're at complete opposite ends of the room.

* Watching the slow transition of Abigail from little girl to old woman, her expression never changing.

* During the wallpaper scene, the angry male voice (presumably reading scripture aloud), combining with the crying child, combining with the shrieking, combining with the hysterical laughter. ::shudder::

* The WhamShot of the suddenly open door to the nursery.

* The WhamShot of the suddenly open door to the sick room.

* The WhamShot of the suddnely open door to the bedroom.

** The previous door scene as well; rarely has a rattling doorknob been so terrifying.

* The scene with Nell asking her roomie to stop holding her hand so tightly, in a death grip. And then the lights come on and....

* And how about that ''[[ItMakesSenseInContext breathing door?]] ''Shudder'' Even if it DOES lead to one of the very few comical moments in the movie.

* The overall paranoia of the film (culminating with Nell going completely insane).