Mind-Bending Horror Movies Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Sixth Sense

"The Sixth Sense", written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, became an instant classic upon its release. Bruce Willis plays Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who tries to help young Cole Sear, a boy haunted by terrifying visions of the dead. The film make no attempt to completely conceal the mystery central to the plot, nevertheless building to one of the most iconic and widely discussed twists in movie history.

I was travelling on business in the summer of 1999, and having spent the night at a Day's Inn in lovely Wytheville, VA, I ventured across the parking lot to the Shoney's to enjoy a quiet breakfast buffet, a cup of coffee, and the morning paper. It was there that I witnessed man's capacity for savagery at its very worst, when a gentleman two booths down from me shouted out the ending before I had gotten a chance to see it.

Answer: Psycho

"Psycho" is generally regarded as one of Alfred Hitchcock's best movies and a basis of many modern horror and psychological thrillers. Based on Robert Bloch's 1959 novel (which in turn was loosely inspired by the real-life murderer Ed Gein), the movie stars Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, who steals $40,000 and goes on the run.

She checks into the Bates Motel, run by the shy and awkward Norman Bates played by Anthony Perkins. What follows is one of horror's most famous plot twists.

Answer: The Blair Witch Project

The movie, directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, became a sensation upon release and is credited with popularizing the found-footage subgenre in horror. It follows Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard, played by actors using their real first names, as they attempt to document the legend of the Blair Witch near Burkittsville, Maryland.

As they become lost in the woods, strange occurrences and a rising sense of dread and paranoia drive the film to its dark end. Its marketing was subtle enough to fool many into believing it really was found footage, and I'm pretty sure my mother still thinks it's a true story.

Answer: The Ring

"The Ring" was directed by Gore Verbinski and was a remake of the 1998 Japanese film "Ringu" directed by Hideo Nakata. Naomi Watts is Rachel Keller, a reporter investigating a mysterious videotape rumored to kill viewers seven days after watching. After her niece dies under suspicious circumstances, Rachel - because she's in a horror movie - watches the tape herself, triggering a desperate race to reveal its source and hopefully break the curse.

Answer: Get Out

"Get Out" was Jordan Peele's directorial debut and became an instant sensation. Blending psychological horror with sharp social commentary on racism, the film follows Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) as he visits the home of his girlfriend Rose's (Allison Williams) family. What starts as uncomfortable awkwardness quickly spirals into something much darker involving hypnosis, body-snatching, and a secret operation called "The Coagula".

Answer: Mother!

Okay, now this one is weird. Darren Aronofsky directed this somewhat indulgent and most definitely controversial film. Jennifer Lawrence plays an unnamed woman whose seemingly idyllic life with her poet husband spirals into chaos when strangers start arriving at their home. What begins as a tense domestic drama quickly escalates into an allegorical fever-dream filled with religious, environmental, and existential symbolism.

The film's increasingly surreal narrative contains themes of creation, destruction, and humanity's relationship with nature.

Answer: Jacob's Ladder

"Jacob's Ladder", a cult classic directed by Adrian Lyne, is widely regarded as one of the most mind-bending psychological horror films of the time. Tim Robbins plays Jacob Singer, a Vietnam veteran haunted by increasingly disturbing visions, bizarre figures, and a fractured sense of reality. As Jacob tries to piece together what's real and what's not, the film explores themes of trauma, grief, guilt, and the afterlife, leading to an unforgettable and emotional twist ending.

It received generally positive reviews upon release, applauded for its unsettling atmosphere, editing, and Robbins's performance. Its disturbing imagery, especially the twitchy, vibrating heads and faceless figures, became highly influential in the horror genre, most notably inspiring the look and feel of the "Silent Hill" video game series.

Answer: Rosemary's Baby

You think you have weird neighbors. "Rosemary's Baby" was a Roman Polanski film based on a Ira Levin's novel. It is considered by many to be one of the greatest horror films ever made. Mia Farrow delivers a strong performance as Rosemary Woodhouse, a woman who becomes pregnant under strange circumstances and slowly begins to suspect that her seemingly friendly neighbors (played by Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer) are actually members of a Satanic cult with creepy plans for her child. Ruth Gordon won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and the film remains a major influence for its slow-burn approach to horror.

Answer: 1408

"1408" is based on a short story by Stephen King and directed by Mikael Håfström. John Cusack plays Mike Enslin, an author who specializes in debunking paranormal phenomena. He checks into the Dolphin Hotel's notorious Room 1408, despite strong warnings from the hotel manager played brilliantly by Samuel L. Jackson.

The room, however, proves to be genuinely haunted, subjecting Enslin to horrifying visions, psychological torment, and a brain-melting descent into madness.

Answer: Oculus

"Oculus" is a supernatural horror movie filled with psychological tension. It centers on siblings Kaylie (Karen Gillan) and Tim (Brenton Thwaites), who reunite to destroy an antique mirror they believe is responsible for the gruesome deaths of their parents.

The mirror, however, manipulates their perceptions (and by extension our own), blurring our sense of reality as it blurs the lines between past and present.