[Sculpt]

Originally Posted by Giganticface

I love it. I'll define "effectual" as having affected me -- not how it might have affected others (like War or the Worlds radio broadcast, or The Exorcist), or how it influenced horror film history, or film history in general.

(Attempt at chronological order in which I watched them.)

1. King Kong (1976). I saw it in the theater when I was 4 and spent much of the movie under my seat with my hands over my ears.
2. Jaws (1975). Seeing this on TV scared me almost as much as the ride at Universal Studios.
3. Water Babies (1978). The live action portion has a scary woman that scared the crap out of me as a kid.
4. Burnt Offerings (1976). Besides Jaws, possibly the first true horror movie I saw. Both the haunting and the pool scene left a huge impact.
5. The Birds (1963). Didn't scare me a ton, but I watched it many times on VHS growing up.
6. Alien (1979). I begged my dad to take me to see this, my first rated R movie. Absolutely loved it, but I didn't actually consider it a horror movie when I saw it, and I'd say it had more effect on me as a sci-fi fan than a horror fan.
7. The Watcher in the Woods (1980). Possibly the first pure horror movie I saw in the theater. I had to cover my eyes during the mirror house scene, and the movie overall left an impact. I watched it many times on VHS growing up.
8. Carrie (1976). I don't think I saw the whole movie as a kid, but the initial school shower / menstruation scene left a huge impact, and may have led to the "birds and the bees" talk from my dad.
9. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978). I saw it on TV and was up all night with nightmares afterwards, utterly terrified. I had to sleep in the living room, where, oddly, I kept seeing Frankenstein on the wall.
10. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). Face melting. Snakes crawling out of skeletons' mouths. 'Nuff said.
11. The Shining (1980). Another one that I saw on TV as a kid and had bad nightmares. The vivid imagery is etched in my mind to this day.
12. Poltergeist (1982). Probably the first mainstream horror movie I saw in the theater. At 10 years old, I'm almost embarrassed to admit I covered my eyes for part of the face peeling scene.
13. The Exorcist (1973). I didn't see this until later in life, although I remember wanting to watch it during my college years. I lived in a pretty big house all by myself, and had it on in the background once while doing dishes. The sounds I was hearing were so scary I decided not watch it. When I did, a few years later, it became arguably my #1 favorite horror movie. It helps that I actually believe in the devil.
14. Evil Dead II (1987). This has been a favorite since my college years, and left me with a soft spot for both splatter and demons.
15. The Last House on the Left (1972). Saw this on TV as an adult and was shocked and appalled by the realism of the atrocity.
16. Hostel (2005). By this point, I'm no longer prone to nightmares or being truly scared by a movie. The concept of this one, however, stuck with me for days as I was left to wonder if this could actually happen.
17. Cannibal Holocaust (1980). I thought there was no horror stone left unturned for me, but having seen this for the first time just this past year, I was shaken by the mixture of fiction and reality. I admit, I wondered if the impaled woman and the burning huts were real, and if so, the true horror was with those making the film.

I had a similar experience, in that I tried to talk my parents into seeing King Kong 76. My Uncle's family ended up taking us, and I was 7 years old. The music is so foreboding, deep and effective. And the roar really wakes you up!

I think the first modern scary movie I saw on TV that freaked me out was Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. The scene where the 'little creatures' run away from the light of the flashlight, as they're stalking her in the dark. Saw it again a few years ago as an adult, and don't see the fuss. = )

I saw the Exorcist on primetime TV when I was kid, not sure what year that was, but that was one scary movie that stuck with me. Same with Invasion of the Body Snatchers, which left an impression.The end of Carrie is scary too. I agree with you about Raiders.

I've never seen Burnt Offerings, Water Babies, Watcher in the Woods, I may have to check those out. I think I'll skip Hostel and Cannibal Apocalypse though; as I don't like the subject matter. Same reason I could have done without last house on the left 72. I just got done submitting a youtube flag/report that the full uncut movie was on youtube; as it's not for children to stumble upon.