Can You Score 20/20? Uncover the Hidden Truths Behind These Horror Movies Trivia Quiz

Answers at the bottom — no peeking!

Test your horror expertise with these 20 fiendish questions about the obscure production secrets and hidden truths behind cinema’s most chilling classics. From slashers to supernatural nightmares, each fact gets trickier. How many can you get right?

Questions

Question 1: Which horror movie’s villain wore a mask that was originally a $2 William Shatner Captain Kirk Halloween mask painted white?

A. Friday the 13th (1980)
B. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
C. Halloween (1978)
D. Scream (1996)

Question 2: In which horror movie were real human skeletons used in the swimming pool scene because the fake ones looked too unrealistic?

A. Pet Sematary (1989)
B. The Shining (1980)
C. Poltergeist (1982)
D. The Exorcist (1973)

Question 3: Which horror movie features Jack Nicholson’s improvised line “Here’s Johnny!” during the bathroom door axe scene?

A. The Shining (1980)
B. Psycho (1960)
C. Carrie (1976)
D. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Question 4: The infamous shower murder scene in which horror movie used 77 different camera angles filmed over seven days?

A. Dressed to Kill (1980)
B. Psycho (1960)
C. Suspiria (1977)
D. Deep Red (1975)

Question 5: Which horror movie has no traditional musical score, relying entirely on diegetic sounds and ambient noise?

A. Halloween (1978)
B. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
C. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
D. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Question 6: A printing error omitting the copyright notice caused which horror movie to enter the public domain immediately upon release?

A. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
B. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
C. Halloween (1978)
D. Last House on the Left (1972)

Question 7: Test screenings for the chestburster scene in which horror movie caused audience members to faint and vomit?

A. The Thing (1982)
B. Alien (1979)
C. John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982)
D. Life (2017)

Question 8: Freddy Krueger’s razor glove in which horror movie was crafted from steak knives attached to a leather glove and a garden fork?

A. Friday the 13th (1980)
B. Halloween (1978)
C. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
D. My Bloody Valentine (1981)

Question 9: In which horror movie did the actors carry 16mm cameras and film the entire story in real time over eight days in the woods?

A. The Ritual (2017)
B. Exists (2014)
C. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
D. REC (2007)

Question 10: Sissy Spacek slept in her pig’s blood-soaked prom dress for three days without washing in which horror movie?

A. The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)
B. Carrie (1976)
C. Prom Night (1980)
D. Jennifer’s Body (2009)

Question 11: Betsy Palmer took the role of the killer’s mother in which horror movie solely because her car had broken down and she needed money for a new one?

A. Halloween (1978)
B. Friday the 13th (1980)
C. Summer of Sam (1999)
D. Maniac (1980)

Question 12: David Naughton underwent 10-hour daily makeup applications for the werewolf transformations in which horror movie?

A. Wolfen (1981)
B. The Howling (1981)
C. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
D. Werewolves Within (2021)

Question 13: Which horror movie was filmed inside a real abandoned shopping mall over several weeks?

A. 28 Days Later (2002)
B. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
C. Zombieland (2009)
D. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Question 14: The concept of the “sunken place” in which horror movie came directly from director Jordan Peele’s childhood dreams?

A. Us (2019)
B. Nope (2022)
C. Get Out (2017)
D. Candyman (2021)

Question 15: Which horror movie draws from the real-life haunted Raggedy Ann doll Annabelle, investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren?

A. Annabelle (2014)
B. The Conjuring (2013)
C. The Nun (2018)
D. The Curse of La Llorona (2019)

Question 16: Pinhead’s design in which horror movie was inspired by a needle-pierced model in Clive Barker’s copy of a fetish magazine?

A. Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
B. Hellraiser (1987)
C. Candyman (1992)
D. From Beyond (1986)

Question 17: Mia Farrow cut her own hair into a pixie cut using nail scissors for her role in which horror movie?

A. The Haunting (1963)
B. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
C. Don’t Look Now (1973)
D. The Others (2001)

Question 18: A 360-degree rotating hydraulic bedroom set was built for the possession and levitation scenes in which horror movie?

A. Poltergeist (1982)
B. The Exorcist (1973)
C. The Conjuring (2013)
D. Insidious (2010)

Question 19: The mechanical sharks frequently broke down during production of which horror movie, forcing more ocean footage?

A. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
B. The Meg (2018)
C. Open Water (2003)
D. Jaws (1975)

Question 20: Which horror movie’s opening scene star, a huge celebrity, specifically requested to be killed off first to shock audiences?

A. I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
B. Urban Legend (1998)
C. Scream (1996)
D. The Faculty (1998)

Answers

  1. C. Halloween (1978) — Production designer Tommy Lee Wallace bought and painted a Captain Kirk mask for Michael Myers.
  2. C. Poltergeist (1982) — Real skeletons were used in the pool scene for greater authenticity.
  3. A. The Shining (1980) — Nicholson ad-libbed the line, drawing from The Tonight Show.
  4. B. Psycho (1960) — Hitchcock used 77 camera setups over seven days for the shower scene.
  5. C. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) — Only natural and diegetic sounds were used throughout.
  6. B. Night of the Living Dead (1968) — A missing copyright notice put the film into the public domain.
  7. B. Alien (1979) — The chestburster scene caused fainting and vomiting at test screenings.
  8. C. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) — The glove was made from household knives and a garden fork.
  9. C. The Blair Witch Project (1999) — Actors filmed the entire movie themselves over eight days.
  10. B. Carrie (1976) — Spacek slept in the bloodied dress for three days as method acting.
  11. B. Friday the 13th (1980) — Palmer accepted the role because she needed money to repair her car.
  12. C. An American Werewolf in London (1981) — Rick Baker’s makeup required 10 hours of daily application.
  13. B. Dawn of the Dead (1978) — Filming took place inside the real Monroeville Mall.
  14. C. Get Out (2017) — Peele based the “sunken place” on his own childhood dreams.
  15. B. The Conjuring (2013) — The film draws directly from the Warrens’ Annabelle case.
  16. B. Hellraiser (1987) — Barker modeled Pinhead after a pierced figure in a fetish magazine.
  17. B. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) — Farrow cut her hair herself with nail scissors on set.
  18. B. The Exorcist (1973) — A rotating hydraulic rig enabled Regan’s famous bedroom scenes.
  19. D. Jaws (1975) — The mechanical sharks broke down constantly, extending the shoot.
  20. C. Scream (1996) — Drew Barrymore requested the early death to surprise audiences.

How many did you get right? Share your score in the comments and challenge your friends to beat it!