The Scene Anthony Hopkins Calls Horrifying but Thrilling at the Same Time
Indelible horror scenes often live on in our collective memories, whether they evoke a sudden gasp of shock or a visceral physical reaction. From the chilling revelation of the killer’s identity in Don’t Look Now to the first time Michael Myers appears behind his mask, these moments define the genre.
Horror has a unique ability to produce acute bodily sensations, causing our stomachs to turn and our eyes to wince in anticipation of the next scare. While modern audiences are well-accustomed to these thrills, heading to the cinema in 1960 to watch Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho was a revolutionary experience.
Anthony Hopkins, who famously won an Oscar for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, looks back at that era as a major turning point in film history. He believes the movie understood how intrinsic the experience of being frightened is to being human.
The actor explained that humans are fascinated by the shadow and the boogieman that exists within everyone. He compared the experience of watching a horror film to a child getting on a rollercoaster specifically to seek out a good fright. For Hopkins, Hitchcock’s masterpiece was a perfect example of why we are drawn to the darker side of our own nature.
Hopkins particularly noted the legendary shower scene, which shattered all previous expectations of what could be shown on screen. At the time, horror had never been quite so explicit, showing the blood swirling down the drain and the knife targeting Janet Leigh.
This moment destroyed the idea of the bathroom as a place of safety and cleanliness, leaving audiences simultaneously horrified and excited for more. The scene remains effective because it taps into a fundamental paradox of human nature.
Hopkins noted that the violence of the scene excites us because it reflects the duality in our psyche between darkness and light. Watching such terror from a safe distance allows us to explore that fine line between fear and exhilaration within the comfort of a cinema or our own living rooms.
Even at 88, Anthony Hopkins shows no signs of slowing down his storied career, recently celebrating 50 years of sobriety. He has been remarkably active, starring in the 2025 psychological thriller Locked and the historical series Those About to Die.
He also recently released his first memoir, We Did OK, Kid, which recounts the pivotal moments of his life and his ongoing passion for the acting craft. Looking ahead, Hopkins has a packed schedule for the remainder of the year. He is set to star as the legendary Victorian biologist Charles Darwin in the drama The Species, appearing alongside Charlotte Rampling.
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