Modern horror movies have given audiences some of the most terrifying characters in film, leaving them checking behind shower curtains and underneath beds.
Here are five modern horror movie characters that excel at forcing viewers to face their fears.
1. Ghostface
First debuting in the 1996 film “Scream,” the character of Ghostface has turned into one of the most iconic horror movie villains. Two teenagers, Billie Loomis and Stu Macher, used the Ghostface costume, designed to evoke Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream,” to disguise their true identities when murdering people.
The Smithsonian Channel said “The Scream” was modeled after the real-life case of the Gainesville Ripper.
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2. Candyman
The protagonist in the 1992 film “Candyman,” Candyman is a former slave who was killed after impregnating a white woman. Helen, a graduate student, reads about him over 100 later while researching her thesis. She summons him as a joke, using the directions in the old text. However, Candyman actually appears and proceeds to wreck havoc once more.
3. Pennywise
Pennywise, or It, is the villain of the 1992 horror film staple “It” that is often credited for a whole generation’s claudophobia, or fear of clowns. The villain is an extraterrestrial of unknown origin and age, who disguises itself as a clown in order to lure in and kill its victims. Pennywise usually targets children because they scare more easily, which makes them taste better to It,
IMDb noted.
4. Jigsaw
Appearing in the 2004 film “Saw,” Jigsaw decides to try to help others develop new appreciation for their lives after learning that he has terminal colon cancer. However, his methodology to accomplish this is to place victims in mortal danger to see if they have strong survival instincts. Jigsaw’s name comes from his habit of cutting a puzzle-piece shaped strip of skin from his victims.
5. Jeeper
The 2001 film “Jeepers Creepers” involves an ancient creature that comes to life every 23rd spring to eat human flesh for 23 days. College students Trish and Derry Jenner catch him in the act, entangling them in what will be a fatal chase for one of the two siblings.
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