1990s Horror movies captivate audiences by tapping into our deepest fears and darkest imaginings. “The Witches” (1990), “God Told Me To” (1976), and “When a Stranger Calls” (1979) are three films that continue to terrify audiences today. They explore the theme of unsettling encounters and feature characters who cannot escape terrifying situations
In this essay, we’ll analyze three films that use unsettling encounters to create fear and suspense. They include “God Told Me To,” “The Witches,” and “When a Stranger Calls.” Each film demonstrates how the mundane can become a source of terror when we least expect it. We’ll examine their themes, characters, and imagery, exploring how they tap into our primal fears and leave us with a lasting sense of unease.
The Witches (1990 film)
Director: Nicolas Roeg
This adaptation of Roald Dahl’s story is a children’s film, but many children who saw it in the 90s were scarred by it. It makes us wonder why their parents thought it was a good idea for them to see. The witches transform into normal-looking women, but they lure children with candy and then kill them. All very soft…
Scariest moment: Anjelica Huston, the head of the witches, has some kind of orgasm at the idea of turning the children into mice and stomping on them.
God Told Me To (1976)
Director: Larry Cohen
A series of murders are being investigated by an NYPD officer, in which the killers claim to have been inspired by God. The murders are all entangled in a mythological theme that is definitely one of the weirdest things on this list.
Scariest moment: The scene where the cop approaches a cult leader in an underground hideout, which could very well be Hell.
When a Stranger Calls (1979)
Director: Fred Walton
A murderer (Tony Beckley) harasses a babysitter (Carol Kane) over the phone. Years later, an obsessive investigator (Charles Durning) hunts down the killer, who has escaped from a mental institution and is adrift, while the nanny has to deal with her guilt and her anguish over what happened.
Scariest moment: The 20-minute phone call right at the start of the movie is one of the scariest scenes in movie history.