We pick the Top 5 scariest scenes in "The Conjuring" and "Annabelle".

When "The Conjuring" was released in 2013, it became one of the highest-grossing horror movies of all time as it made USD318 million against its USD20 million budget.

Helmed by Malaysian-born Australian director James Wan, who is well-known for his many other spooky movies ("The Saw", "Insidious"), the story is told from paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren's point-of-view in helping the Perron family exorcise an evil spirit from their residence.

The positive reception towards the American supernatural horror movie spawned a 2014 spin-off called "Annabelle", based on the possessed doll in the 2013 movie, and an upcoming sequel releasing soon this June.

Though "Annabelle", directed by "The Conjuring" director of photography John R. Leonetti, didn't receive as good a review as its predecessor, it did collect a hefty sum at the box office, making USD256.9 million from its USD6.5 million budget, enough to warrant a sequel set to be released in 2017.

In case you've forgotten why these movies have got people quaking in their boots, let us refresh your memory with our Top 5 pick of the scariest scenes in "The Conjuring" and its first spin-off, "Annabelle".

[SPOILER ALERT to those who haven't watched either movie]

5. Stranger in the house ("Annabelle") 

No one likes seeing a stranger in their house, even more so when the stranger is draped in white sheet and has long unkempt hair that obscures her face – because that can only mean it's a ghost, it's always a ghost. However, just seeing such apparition is one thing, for said apparition to actually start attacking you is another. Nothing scarier than a little girl (who's obviously a supernatural entity) turning into a scary, raging woman as she advances rapidly towards you. Just ask "Annabelle" protagonist Mia Form.

4. Demon faces ("Annabelle") 

One of audiences' dissatisfactions with this movie is its over-usage of jump scares. While it does go overboard with the scare tactic, at least some of them are memorable enough in their split-second existence. Demon faces are best shown with such method, it gives a more lasting impact than if audiences were to stare longer at them (lest they notice all the makeup or cheap mask, which will ruin the desired effect). The demon in "Annabelle" does more than just pop-up cameos, however, as shown in one scene where it appears behind the levitating doll, holding it, showing how it's manipulating the doll to move.

Also, just for fun:

3. Elevator scare ("Annabelle")

"The Conjuring" was praised for its ability to scare without using much gore, relying instead on psychological terrors. While this was lacking in the spin-off, there was one sequence in "Annabelle" that instills fear by messing with the protagonist's psyche (and in extension, the audiences'). The moment when Mia finds herself trapped in the elevator, unable to escape the darkened basement, audiences sitting in similarly darkened cinema halls too start fidgeting, trying to will the onscreen character to turn tail and run (while trying hard not to do so themselves).

2. Hide and Clap ("The Conjuring")

Of course the top spots will be conquered by "The Conjuring", quality over quantity. This movie doesn't show off its demon as much, but when she appears, she knows to make certain that she leaves the audiences with fear gripping their hearts. In this sequence, where the family plays a game of Hide and Clap (hide and seek with the additional blindfolding and hand-clapping), you won't see much of the entity haunting the house save for a pair of disembodied hands but the ingenious usage of a simple sound which you could encounter daily, or even make with your own pair of hands, leaves a haunting impression.


1. The witch and the wardrobe ("The Conjuring")

Unfortunately, unlike the novel by C. S. Lewis., this wardrobe does not lead to a magical winter kingdom, but it does have a witch! Again, unfortunately, this witch's only magic powers are jumping off of antique wardrobes and terrorising little girls in pajamas. Okay, actually, it does far worse than that, or else Bathsheba wouldn't be haunting that house and eventually possess the mother Carolyn.

Though, in perspective, finding a witch in your wardrobe is still preferable than finding one in your bed.

Sweet dreams.