The Exorcist

The Exorcist

Film fans have come together to create the Ultimate Horror Film starring Linda Blair as Regan from The Exorcist - with an appearance from crazed caretaker Jack Torrance in The Shining to utter his infamous one-liner 'Here's Johnny!'.

The movie would unfold at The Shining's Overlook Hotel where an alien would burst from demonic Regan's chest as she utters the same screams as Janet Leigh in Psycho, all set to the haunting music of 'Laurie's Theme' produced by John Carpenter for 1978's Halloween.

Over 5,000 LOVEFiLM members voted for the best elements of existing scary movies to create the Ultimate Horror Film in six separate polls.

Despite rave reviews of Halloween's teen slasher sequels, Linda Blair's performance as troubled Regan pipped Jamie Lee Curtis to the best horror victim post, possessing over a fifth of the votes (21 per cent) compared to the scream queen's (16 per cent).


Jack Nicholson's 'Here's Johnny!' catchphrase scored highly with film fans securing 23 per cent of the votes for best one-liner in The Shining's classic bathroom axing scene that takes place at The Overlook Hotel.

The Shining also came top of the poll for best horror location. One in five film fans (19 per cent) voted for the The Overlook Hotel which was the largest set ever built at the time of the movie's release. According to the film, it was built on an Indian burial ground and during long winters becomes completely snowbound, leaving whatever's on the inside, trapped.

The chest-bursting scene in science fiction horror Alien (1979) was named the ultimate horror scene of all time. While the crew are sat comfortably on the space shuttle enjoying their last meal prior to cryogenic freezing for the trip back home, Kane (John Hurt)  falls to the table in agony and a grotesque alien bursts through the walls of his stomach, splattering the rest of the crew in blood - dessert anyone?

The top film sound effect to send shivers down film fans' spines is Janet Leigh's ear-piercing shrieks in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960).

In the classic shower scene Janet Leigh is repeatedly stabbed by the character Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). This film is so classic, it even has its own myths - some say Hitchcock made sure the shower sprayed ice cold water.  

Fliss White, Head of Brand Marketing at LOVEFiLM commented: "Looking at LOVEFiLM's list of titles that make the Ultimate Horror Movie of all time, it's clear that the classics remain the best with The Shining appearing twice in the poll proving the nineties were a great decade for horror.

Stanley Kubrick is a true master of building suspense and this poll is once again proof that The Shining is still one of the most popular horror movies of all time.

The Best Horror Movie Music
'Laurie's Theme' in Halloween (1978) secured 25 per cent of the vote

The Best Horror Movie Sound Effect
Psycho (1960) secured 16 per cent of the vote for Janet Leigh's shower scream scene

The Best Horror Movie Victim 
Linda Blair secured 21 per cent of the vote for her performance in The Exorcist (1973)

The Best Horror Movie Location
The Overlook Hotel in The Shining (1980) secured 19 per cent of the vote

The Best Horror Movie Scene
Chest-bursting scene in Alien (1979) secured 18 per cent of the vote

The Best Horror Movie One-liner
Jack Torrance's 'Here's Johnny' catchphrase in The Shining (1980) secured 22 per cent of the vote