8 Times Scream Queens Referenced a Classic Horror Movie

We're well into the first season of Scream Queens, and the show's already paid homage to an onslaught of classic horror movies. Some of the references are pretty obvious — Abigail Breslin had us on alert for a reference to The Shining, and Jamie Lee Curtis called out her re-creation of that infamous Psycho scene. Other allusions, though, have been way more nuanced, like Curtis's itty-bitty reference to the Halloween franchise, which we almost missed! So take a break from all the theories about the killer and Chanel's harshest burns, and get a hefty dose of horror movie greatness.

01
Psycho's Shower Scene
Everett Collection

Psycho's Shower Scene

This scene, in which Marion Crane gets brutally stabbed to death while she's taking a shower, might be one of the most iconic moments in horror movie history.

Scream Queens: A Riff on the Same Scene
Twitter | jamieleecurtis

Scream Queens: A Riff on the Same Scene

Jamie Lee Curtis tweeted the above photo back in September, saying she re-created the scene for the show. Fun fact: Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of Janet Leigh, aka the actress in that scene!

02
The Michael Myers Head Tilt
Compass International Pictures

The Michael Myers Head Tilt

In the very first Halloween movie, Michael Myers does something really creepy and unsettling. After brutally murdering one of his victims, he stands there, staring at the body, tilting his head back and forth. The move has since been copied by other huge serial killers, including Jason Voorhees.

Scream Queens: Dean Munsch's Mini Reference
Fox

Scream Queens: Dean Munsch's Mini Reference

Jamie Lee Curtis has her own little nod — literally — to the move in the second episode of Scream Queens. If you think it's a stretch, the homage has been confirmed by Jamie herself!

03
Hellraiser's Iconic Imagery
Everett Collection

Hellraiser's Iconic Imagery

The subject matter of Hellraiser may be frightening, but the looks of the eerie Cenobites alone is enough to give you chills.

Scream Queens: The Death of Roger
Fox

Scream Queens: The Death of Roger

After Roger gets nail-gunned to death by the Red Devil, it's hard not to notice how similar his face looks to that terrifying Hellraiser imagery.

04
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Everett Collection

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Many might argue that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the best American horror movies in history. The grisly gore and the moments of sheer horror are surely a testament to that.

Scream Queens: Chainsaws, Chainsaws, and More Chainsaws
Fox

Scream Queens: Chainsaws, Chainsaws, and More Chainsaws

Not only is the third episode of the season called "Chainsaw," but it features a direct mention — and some footage — of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Not to mention the Red Devil seems to wield one as his weapon of choice.

05
The Climax Sequence in Silence of the Lambs
Everett Collection

The Climax Sequence in Silence of the Lambs

You might categorize this film as more thriller than horror, but you can't deny that there were certain scenes that influenced your nightmares. One such scene features Clarice Starling, trying to find her way around Buffalo Bill's lair in the dark. What she doesn't know, though, is that he has night vision goggles, and he's following close behind. He even reaches out and nearly touches her.

Scream Queens: More Night Vision, Plus a Sassy Cop
Fox

Scream Queens: More Night Vision, Plus a Sassy Cop

The show re-creates this exact same sequence with audience favorite Denise Hemphill. When the whole crew happens upon the Red Devil's digs, they split off, and Denise and Gigi try to navigate the sudden darkness. There's even the night vision goggles and the reaching!

06
The Gargantuan Hedge Maze in The Shining
Everett Collection

The Gargantuan Hedge Maze in The Shining

The hedge maze becomes one of the most important parts of The Shining. Not only do the climax and final chase take place inside its twists and turns, but it also ends up being Jack Torrance's final resting place.

Scream Queens: An Exact Replica
Fox

Scream Queens: An Exact Replica

On Scream Queens, Chanel demands an exact copy of the hedge maze for her huge Halloween party. What's more, there's that epic chase with Chanel #5, Roger, Dodger, and the Red Devil. Chanel #5 and Roger even use the same tactic to throw the Devil off their trail: they step backward into their footprints so he can't see where they've gone.

07
The Death of Jack Torrance in The Shining
Everett Collection

The Death of Jack Torrance in The Shining

A noted departure from Stephen King's spine-tingling novel, Jack Torrance freezes to death in The Shining when he can't find his way out of the hedge maze.

Scream Queens: The Death of Poor Dodger
Fox

Scream Queens: The Death of Poor Dodger

Of course, Dodger isn't given the opportunity to find his way out of the maze, because the Red Devil disembowels him. That said, there's an undeniable similarity between the two corpses.

08
Silence of the Lambs Victim Catherine Martin
Everett Collection

Silence of the Lambs Victim Catherine Martin

The unfortunate Catherine finds herself in the clutches of Buffalo Bill for a large chunk of Silence of the Lambs. You might recall such lines as, "It rubs the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again," and, "It places the lotion in the basket." Horrifying, on all counts.

Scream Queens: The Imprisonment of Zayday Williams
Fox

Scream Queens: The Imprisonment of Zayday Williams

Keke Palmer lands in a similar situation when she winds up trapped at the bottom of a shaft in the Red Devil's lair. Furthermore, both the Red Devil and Buffalo Bill have tiny dog companions! Zayday also alludes to Silence of the Lambs when she says her doting kidnapper offered her Kiehl's skin care products.