The Scene Anthony Hopkins Calls Horrifying but Thrilling at the Same Time

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Certain horror scenes stay with us forever, creating instant shock or strong physical reactions. Iconic moments like the killer reveal in Don’t Look Now and Michael Myers’ first masked appearance have become defining parts of the genre.

Horror uniquely triggers physical sensations – a churning stomach, a flinch – as we anticipate the next scare. While we’re used to these thrills now, seeing Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho in 1960 was groundbreaking.

Anthony Hopkins, an Oscar winner for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, remembers this period as a pivotal moment in film. He feels the movie recognized that being frightened is a fundamental part of the human experience.

The actor believes people are naturally drawn to the darker aspects of themselves, what he called our inner ‘shadow’ and ‘boogieman’. He likened watching a horror movie to riding a rollercoaster – we intentionally seek out a thrilling scare. For Hopkins, Hitchcock’s film perfectly illustrates this fascination with our own darker impulses.

As a film buff, I’ve always been fascinated by Hitchcock’s Psycho, and that shower scene is just iconic. It really broke all the rules back then – horror had never been so upfront, showing the blood and the attack on Janet Leigh in such a direct way. It completely changed how we saw bathrooms – suddenly, a place we associated with safety and cleanliness felt terrifying. Even now, it’s incredibly effective, I think because it plays on something really basic in all of us. Hopkins pointed out something I’d never quite thought of before: the violence actually excites us. He believes it’s because we all have a bit of darkness inside, a duality between light and shadow. Watching something terrifying from a safe distance – like in a movie theater or at home – lets us explore that tension between fear and exhilaration without actually being in danger. It’s a strange, but compelling, experience.

At 88 years old, Anthony Hopkins continues to thrive in his impressive career, recently marking 50 years of sobriety. He’s been consistently working, with recent roles in the upcoming thriller Locked and the historical series Those About to Die. Hopkins also just released his first memoir, We Did OK, Kid, sharing key moments from his life and his dedication to acting. He has several projects lined up for the rest of the year, including a role as Charles Darwin in the drama The Species, where he’ll be acting alongside Charlotte Rampling.

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2026-02-20 19:14