Catalogue of Telephone Scares in Horror Flicks
In the realm of horror films, the telephone has long been a source of suspense and terror, serving as a conduit for the supernatural and a vessel for eerie callers. From the era of landlines to the smartphone era, characters in these films often find themselves in urgent phone call situations that heighten the sense of fear.
One of the most common tropes is the supernatural phone call, a widely used plot device that has captivated audiences since the 1960s. Examples abound, such as the chilling "Long Distance Call" from the 1961 "Twilight Zone" episode, or the time-traveling voice mail element in the film "One Missed Call". More recently, "The Black Phone" sees a teen using the titular object to converse with the serial killer's deceased victims.
The trope of unexpected phone sounds for jump scares is also prevalent. In films like "The Ring", watching the forbidden video tape leads to an entity reaching out to confirm seven days of remaining life, accompanied by a chilling ringtone. Scary texts are also a common element, as seen in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone".
The killer caller trope is another staple, with characters like Ghostface from "Scream" taunting victims before striking. The eerie portrayal of an obscene phone caller can be traced back to early slasher films like "When a Stranger Calls" (1979) and "Black Christmas" (1974), where the caller shrieks, moans, threatens, babbles, and sometimes speaks in multiple voices.
In some cases, the inability to connect to the internet with a cell phone is exploited, leading characters to take unnecessary risks, such as exploring dangerous areas. This modern vulnerability is explored in films like "Pulse" (released in 2001), considered the absolute creepiest ghost movie about the internet, and "976-EVIL", a film set to be released on Shudder on March 15.
However, using a cell phone as a defensive shield is ineffective in horror movies. In fact, it often leads to false scares, such as when a character named Laurie experiences a false alarm when her friend Annie makes a loud noise while eating on the phone in the same film.
The horror genre has a prolific trope of phone-related incidents, including the use of supernatural phones and eerie callers. Even in classics like "The Sixth Sense" and "Frequency", characters encounter situations where they can talk to deceased persons over the phone. The "no service" dilemma became a common trope with the rise of cell phones, as seen in the 1978 film Halloween, where Michael Myers uses a phone cord to strangle a character named Lynda.
In conclusion, the telephone, whether supernatural or not, continues to play a significant role in horror films, serving as a tool for terror and a symbol of vulnerability in the face of the unknown. Whether it's a ringing phone, a creepy call, or a text message, the phone remains a potent symbol in the horror genre, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.
