We’ve delved into the dangerous world of horror movie photographers before, but this time we’re looking specifically at the creepy camera moments that can pop up in the horror genre. While everyone has a camera phone these days, we’ve still been treated to plenty of scenes over the years involving traditional cameras and the scary photos they produce.
Petrifying prints, fearsome flash moments, and creepy cameras – this list has it all!
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Has there ever been a more iconic opening scene than The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)? After the opening crawl describes the fate of Sally and her friends we hear a shrill noise that immediately puts the audience on edge. As the screen is lit up periodically, we soon realise the noise is a camera and the bright light is the accompanying flash.
We see glimpses of dead bodies, rotten flesh, human teeth, and empty eye sockets, which is only the start of the horror we have to endure over the course of the film. The first full scene of the film reveals a dead body staged on a gravestone in some grim work of art, which the creator has been taking photos of to ensure his work lives on.
Saw (2004)
When we first meet Adam in Saw (2004) he is trapped in a bathroom with Dr Gordon desperately trying to find a way to escape. However, in flashback, we find out that Adam is a photographer who was kidnapped from his apartment by one of Jigsaw’s accomplices in a pig mask.
After the power goes out, Adam thinks someone is lurking in his apartment. He decides to use the flash on his camera to light his way and catch the lurker by surprise. However, all that happens is Adam adds to his own jump-scare as the pig-faced attacker jumps out of the closet and attacks him.
IT (1990)
While the Losers’ Club have all had individual encounters with Pennywise, the moment the killer clown chooses to jump out of a photograph and show himself to them all at once means the kids can no longer deny that Derry has something very wrong with it.
As the group look at Mike’s album full of photos covering the history of Derry, one of the photos comes to life. While it all seems innocent at first, they soon spot Pennywise flipping down the middle of the street. He then climbs up a lamppost so he can shout at the Losers before sticking his gloved hand through the photo, forcing Stan to slam the album closed.
Shutter (2008)
There are lots of photo moments in Shutter (2008), which follows photographer Ben and his new wife Jane in Tokyo, Japan. Throughout the film, the couple have noticed a woman who seems to be lurking in every photo the pair take, with Jane determined to figure out what is going on. However, it turns out Ben knows more than he’s letting on and may be hiding a dark secret.
After Jane leaves Ben because of his actions, he starts snapping photos in order to hunt down Megumi, the mysterious woman. After throwing the camera and accidentally snapping an image of himself, Ben finally discovers the reason for his increasing back pain. Perched on his shoulders is the ghost of Megumi, intent on making sure he never forgets what he did to her.
Ginger Snaps (2000)
I know I said the opening to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was the best opening ever, but the opening credits of Ginger Snaps (2000) have to be up there as well. Before the creepy music starts to roll we’re introduced to sisters Ginger and Brigitte who are incredibly close and obsessed with death. As part of a school project, the pair have staged a series of death photos around their house and garden.
The creepy music, the creaky camera noise, and the fantastic range of death scenes on offer give us the perfect introduction to the Fitzgerald sisters and how boring they find their home town of Bailey Downs.
Beetlejuice (1988)
When Barbara and Adam Maitland crash their car and die as they try to enjoy their vacation, they find themselves trapped as ghosts in their old house as the new residents move in and start to take over. The couple decide to try and use their newfound undead powers to scare the Deetz family away so that they can live in peace.
They decide to go with the quite old-fashioned scaring approach of popping sheets over themselves and running through the hallways. However, teen daughter Lydia is able to see the couple, and thinking they are a couple of pranksters decides to snap some proof with her Polaroid camera. It’s only when she sees the ghosts have no feet that she has to admit something spooky is going on.
Basket Cast 2 (1990)
In Basket Case 2 (1990), brothers Duane and Belial are in hiding, and Arty is a newspaper photographer who is determined to get the scoop and discover where the brothers have gone. After following a lead to Granny Ruth’s house, Arty breaks inside and heads up to the attic in hopes of finding the Bradley brothers.
With no lights in the attic for him to see where he is going, Arty decides to use the flash on his camera to light his way and soon discovers that Duane and Belial aren’t the only people in hiding at Granny Ruth’s. In fact, the whole attic is full of freaks, who are willing to kill Arty to protect themselves and their secret.
Rear Window (1954)
There’s a lot of camera action in Rear Window (1954) as Jeff, a professional photographer with a broken leg, uses the lens on his camera to spy on his neighbours in order to ease his boredom. After a lot of snooping, Jeff becomes convinced that his neighbour Thorwald has murdered his wife and disposed of her body.
When Thorwald eventually discovers that Jeff has been spying on him and even sending people into his apartment to snoop, he heads across the courtyard to confront Jeff. Confined to his wheelchair and unable to escape, Jeff uses the blinding flash on his camera to try to incapacitate him as the intruder creeps closer.
Final Destination 3 (2006)
In Final Destination 3 (2006), the scene of the incredible opening accident is a rollercoaster derailing at an amusement park. While Wendy has a vision of the carnage and manages to survive the initial accident, she soon finds out that Death still wants to tick her and her friends off his list.
She discovers that there are omens as to who will be the next to die hidden in photos which were taken on the night of the accident. With these clues in hand, Wendy tries her best to disrupt Death’s plan once again and save her classmates.
The Omen (1983)
Photographer Keith Jennings just so happens to be one of the photographers on-site during Damien’s birthday party where his nanny mysteriously dies, and the photographs he takes see him wrapped up in a mystery which will eventually claim his life.
Photos that Keith took of both the nanny and Father Brennan seem to have captured premonitions of their deaths. And when Keith accidentally takes his own photo, it seems to hint that he will soon die by decapitation. Even though he teams up with Damien’s father to try and figure out the mystery behind the spooky child, Keith is unable to avoid the sheet of glass which slams into him and knocks his head off.
Little Red Horror 