Lol! I was trying to think about this without over-analysing the question....I was trying to just go with it. But it seems I'm not the only one who gets bogged down by definitions, and now I've had to give it some thought!
I agree with wabbit that there weren't many scary moments in BH.....but that's not the first thing that the word 'horror' brings to my mind. For me, although there is an element of fear it's primarily about dread and shock - perhaps with an element of disgust - a cold fear. I think 'chilling' is a good word, wabbit. But yes, whimsy - most of these scenes are Hal at his most glorious and I find it difficult to associate the word horror with them at all.....
I do think that Hal killing Cutler's wife should be on the list though, domino - it'll definately be in my top 10....I think....maybe....
I have been giving this some thought and agree that I can't think of this question in terms of the traditional "horror" sense. fifi's, and wabbit's words ring true - I too have to settle on primarily scenes that were CHILLING. There were only two scenes in S4 & 5 that I can clearly say had an element of disgust for me, one being the maggots, obviously, (I still have to close my eyes on that scene) but the other not so obvious. It's the scene where Hal spurns Crumb when he came looking for help. That is the one and only scene that I actually hated Hal, looked at him with disgust for what he'd done. That feeling only lasts a few minutes, but has not diminished one bit with subsequent rewatches. Not sure however if that will make my list, as I have a couple of chilling additions that haven't been said.
(oh and I agree fifi, the werewolf imploding would have to be my #1 horror moment of entire series)
I will compile my list, might be hard to settle on order though...
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papillon... pamplemousse... bibliothèque... un baiser A lilt in his voice. Every sentence like music... #kisskisskiss A terrible beauty is born. Love me some #Jacksass
Alright guys, it is now past midnight and HAL-lowe'en is here!
But, as there are a couple more people yet to add their top ten, I'll leave it until first thing tomorrow (uk) before adding up the final scores, and creating the poll from the joint top ten.
I shouldn't be allowed to do these things. I get way too carried away...
I've been pretty clear that I consider “Making History” THE BEST Being Human episode ever, and quite possibly THE BEST hour of television I have ever watched. So, no surprise, many of mine are from that episode!
On my list:
10. When Hal drinks Alex's maggoty blood off the floor in BH 4.08
For the obvious gory reasons. When he exhaled like he had it under control, as he had when he'd resisted Pete the journalist's corpse, then lunged at the floor - it was a complete shock. But also for the horror of knowing that he can get to this desperate point. Alex nails it when she points out how immaculate Hal’s standards are, and how spectacularly it sucks that he would go to such an extreme. This scene is tinted with sadness for him, but still there is the horror of that void of 500 years of this addiction opening up and threatening to swallow him.
9. When Hal is faced with Alex's dead body in BH 4.07
This one is just the horrific goriness of her body. But after seeing Cutler’s wife’s body, it didn’t come as a surprise, so it didn't have as much impact as the first gory drained body.
8. When Hal reached into the crying baby Eve's cot after Leo and Pearl died and before he went to kill the pawn shop keeper in BH 4.02
This was the first heart-stopping, chilling moment I had that involved Hal. Did I think he would hurt Eve? I am no longer sure what my thoughts were the first time I saw it. Our first glimpses of Hal were benign, tame. But that look on his face when Leo and Pearl stepped through their door... He looked like he was about to do murder.
7. When Hal appears to stake Tom and almost stake baby Eve in BH 4.05
I didn't see the dream within the dream happening at first. I cried out in horror when he staked Tom. I love Tom and he must be protected at all costs. But they’d already killed Mitchell and George and Nina, so I was thinking all bets are off, here they go killing another one of my beloved characters. Phew... But holding the stake over baby Eve didn't scare me. Something felt off when Yvonne whispered in his ear for him to kill the baby and drain her dry. THAT echoed the dream of her urging him to feed from her in bed, so that's when I thought it was a red herring.
6. When Natasha unties Hal from the chair and kills herself in front of him in BH 5.05
Oh God, the utter shock when she slit her own throat! I was horrified, all I could think about was poor Tom and what a fucking bastard Hatch/the Devil is. I was completely expecting her to maybe slit her wrist and force Hal to drink. NOT SLIT HER OWN THROAT! I think my face mirrors the look of horror on Hal's face.
5. When Hal reaches into baby Eve's cot in BH 4.07
By this point I was convinced Hal would kill Eve, and this is when he’d do it. There is so much buildup by this point, him drinking blood after 55 years feels like the tipping point. The cinematography and sequencing is fabulous throughout the reveal of Hal’s future self, waking up blood-drunk, a blurry Hal in the background slamming the door open, then his hands reaching down ever so slowly. Brilliantly executed to build up the tension and horror.
4. Hal's (or more accurately Henry Yorke's) chilling smile and laugh when he gave Cutler his wife's blood to drink. BH 4.07
This one is a write-in for me, so I'm adding a screencap. The flashbacks and parallels throughout the episode, the glimpses into his 1950’s character we'd had up to that point all culminate into this scene where he laughs at the devious duplicity he has pulled on Cutler. This is just as striking as actually seeing what he’d done, because there is still that sense of foreboding, dread at what the inside joke is. I pretty much hold my breath the few minutes leading up to this scene, my insides doing flip flops with the tension until this laugh. It’s an evil genius maniacal laugh. The grin of a serial killer toying with someone he considers inferior.
3. Hal recruiting Cutler in BH 4.07
I’m adding this one as well, with screencap. This intro: Hal's sibilant words heard while the screen is still black; that wickedly beguiling look and thin veneer of civility on his face the entire time he talks to Cutler; ending in this image of Hal looking at Cutler with that chilling predatory gaze and Cutler's terrified look as he finally seems to to understand that things aren't quite what he thought they were... combined with the finality of the door swinging shut and Cutler’s pained screams... absolutely horrifying. This helps me with Cutler sympathy, because otherwise, I'd dislike him for how he treats Tom just as much as I dislike Larry. (btw, I cheered when Hal killed Larry)
2. When Hal had killed Cutler's wife in the flashback in BH 4.07
This relates so much to my #4, but is quite different in feeling. While my #4 has that sense of foreboding, this is the reveal of that foreboding... and it is so savage and cruel and sadistic and horrific. I close my eyes when they show her body. But also, the fact that Hal made a bet on whether Cutler would know it was his wife's blood. Of all of Hal’s incarnations we see, this is the one I would not want to cross paths with. Even bloody 1855 Hal seems like he would at least end it quickly rather than sadistically toy with you. (and yet I love so much to watch this Hal, his mannerisms, the way his voice is low and his words drawn out, the absolute power he exudes... but that is a whole other discussion)
1. When Hal, Tom, Alex and Rook appear to die after the ritual in BH5.06
I'd spent weeks knowing this was the last series, the Series trailer said “End of the bloodline” and the E6 trailer was scored with a song whose lyrics included “I’ve got the feeling that we’re dead”. So, I already had this incredible sadness that Being Human was ending, but also I had this dread that Hal would die. (if this was the impression they wanted us to believe, then well played) This is my #1 horrific moment, for purely selfish reasons.
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papillon... pamplemousse... bibliothèque... un baiser A lilt in his voice. Every sentence like music... #kisskisskiss A terrible beauty is born. Love me some #Jacksass
What a excellent list whimsy, with additions too! certainly chilling moments, wonderful moments to think back on too, Lord Hal is such an imposing, ruthless, figure. Almost up there with Snow. Along these lines I almost added the moment when Snow was waiting for Hal in the cafe on the corner.... *shudder*....for me these are not horror-filled per se, but the whole idea with this topic was the individual interpretation of that and they are all definitely moments that grab you with an icey grip.
Oh, I totally forgot about the mantle shot. That's actually the most chilling scene in the entire series...
completely chilling... and so so clever... the camera moving onto the diagonal at the end... just goes to show that the goriest things are not necessarily the most powerful!
and if you'd added a list with this as the top, the moment would have made the top ten wabbit!
Oh, I totally forgot about the mantle shot. That's actually the most chilling scene in the entire series...
completely chilling... and so so clever... the camera moving onto the diagonal at the end... just goes to show that the goriest things are not necessarily the most powerful!
and if you'd added a list with this as the top, the moment would have made the top ten wabbit!
Bummer! Perhaps next year... ;)
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me three! but.... the fact that Hal was not fanged up when he killed him... that was and where else had we actually seen Hal kill?
Yes domino. That was most definitely our sweet, adorkable, good Hal killing Larry. Whatever his claims that he is no longer THAT man, the man capable of cold-blooded murder IS the real Hal, which is chilling to contemplate.
Still, Larry had it coming.
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papillon... pamplemousse... bibliothèque... un baiser A lilt in his voice. Every sentence like music... #kisskisskiss A terrible beauty is born. Love me some #Jacksass
Oh, I totally forgot about the mantle shot. That's actually the most chilling scene in the entire series...
completely chilling... and so so clever... the camera moving onto the diagonal at the end... just goes to show that the goriest things are not necessarily the most powerful!
and if you'd added a list with this as the top, the moment would have made the top ten wabbit!
Bummer! Perhaps next year... ;)
you could still add yours wabbit, I'd love to hear your top ten!