A smile means joy. If it means anything else–sorrow, helpless desperation, pity, fear, or malice–something crumbles inside us. A slightly twisted smile undoes everything that a genuine smile is supposed to make us feel. Cinema, especially horror cinema, has long exploited this. By twisting this innocent expression into a vehicle of dread and apprehension, these films force us to face uncertainty about what’s hidden or what’s coming next.We have listed 11 such haunting smiles that are even scarier than jump scares. These are the creepy smiles that make you think twice about every other cheerful expression you see around you.The Countdown: Cinema’s Most Sinister Smiles1. Annabelle the Doll (The Conjuring Universe, 2013) You take one look at Annabelle, and before you can make sense of her blank stare, her macabre smile creeps on you…if you can call it a smile. It’s a painted curve that resembles a frozen grin, perhaps amused by our fear. You know it’s a smile made in porcelain, and yet it makes you think it might spread across Annabelle’s face and become even scarier. 2. Norman Bates (Psycho, 1960) In the final chilling moments, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), just detained by the police, sits alone, lost in his delusional, disturbing thoughts. And suddenly, there comes a moment when he looks straight at you and breaks into a wide, discomfortingly misplaced smile. This shot is when Hitchcock lets us witness, at point-blank range, Norman’s fractured psyche that he was hiding all this time. This moment signifies that...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Thursday, 13 November