Halloween may be over, but as the latest release in the Scream franchise gets set to hit cinemas across the globe, horror fanatics are in a frenzy as scary movies once again become the talk of the big screen.
But what makes the perfect horror flick? Is it perfecting the iconic villain like Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers? Is it the suspenseful soundtrack? The amount of gore and the kills that come with it? Or is it as simple as having characters that you identify with, relate to, believe in and care about?
Whatever you believe, it is hard to deny that a killer opening scene can often be the precursor for a perfect horror film. It can set the tone for the whole plot and is an essential part of any self respecting horror.
But which scary films have the best opening scenes?
Here are 10 of the best opening scenes from horror movies, as ranked by respected film review site Rotten Tomatoes.
1. It Follows (2014)
A modern horror classic, It Follows opening scene sees a random girl running for her life in the middle of the night on a beach, before we suddenly see a silent killer crack body almost in half. An intro that leaves nothing but intrigue, questions and suspense. Brilliant. Photo: Northern Lights/Animal Kingdom/Two Flints/Kobal/Shutterstock
2. Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
One of the best remake, Zack Synders Dawn Of The Dead is superb. All held up by a brutal opening scene that sees the character of Ana wake up to see her daughter has turned into a flesh tearing, brain eating zombie and it is messy. Photo: Moviestore/Shutterstock
3. Halloween (1974)
Pure cinema history. The beginning of John Carpenter's horror classic Halloween is brutal, bloody and - ultimately - was the beginning of a legacy for Michael Myers. The single cam shot sees a young, maskless Michael Myers as he makes his first ever cold blooded kill. Photo: Moviestore/Shutterstock
4. It (2017)
The original did not open with the shocking Georgie vs Pennywise scene, but the remake did - and boy did it take it up a notch. Photo: Vertigo/Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock