Hollywood has always been the go-to treasure trove for any cinephile, even the ones dwelling within the stars themselves. Over the years, some movies have flung open the door for fresh talent. On the flip side, many were a little too soon for viewers, leaving them with serious scars. Not everyone gave up on the industry because of that, though some, like Mike Flanagan and his horror crew, have kept the stories as a badge of honor. 

Flanagan and his team recently found a platform to namedrop the movies they believe they were premature to stumble upon.

Director Mike Flanagan, and his spooky stars, Kate Siegal, Carla Gugino, and Rahul Kohli, conversed with Josh Horowitz for the Happy Sad Confused podcast at the New York Comic-Con in October. Having hand-selected these flagbearers of horror ministry, Flanagan confessed The Exorcist shaped him from his youth, calling it also the movie that “f--ked” him up. Horowitz then redirected the question to the rest of the crew and came in film after film, which they believed was a little too soon for them.

Kohil chipped in with his nomination, calling out Showgirls for having watched it under the age of ten, which still haunts him every time he stops by a swimming pool. Gugino also joined the club, admitting she watched Jaws when she was only 5 and lived in Florida. Calling it a bad move on her mom’s part, Gugino added she kept away from water for over a year. Lastly, Siegal dropped her “go-to” response, throwing While You Were Sleeping in the ring, dubbing it a real “psychological torture.”

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When the namedrops were over, Horowitz also spoke on behalf of the non-horror fans, asking their suggestion for starters.

In their conversation with Josh Horowitz, Mike Flanagan, Kate Siegal, Carla Gugino, and Rahul Kohli at the New York Comic-Con event responded to the host’s question on the starter pack for fans who do not love horror as much. Siegal may have taken it to heart, playfully retorting how she does not love non-horror fans anyway. However, upon Kohli’s chime-in, the director went with his usual suggestion, Poltergeist.

Flanagan, however, admitted in his signature wit, that Martyrs is his true pick for horror rookies. He laughed that his suggestion was supposed to “ease” the newbies, but whenever someone saw it through, angry calls packed with F-bombs were nearly inevitable for getting tricked. Though Flanagan is a top-tier horror director known for spine-chilling hits, moments like these really showcase his wickedly funny but spooky side.

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What do you think of Mike Flanagan and his horror gang's picks for movies they stumbled too early? Let us know in the comments below!