Fans celebrate that time a classic kids film randomly turned into a slasher movie

With Netflix on the verge of releasing a new musical version of Roald Dahl’s timeless children’s story, now is the perfect time to revisit one of the most beloved family films of the 1990s, Matilda. Everyone who grew up with the Danny DeVito-directed movie, starring Mara Wilson as the titular superpowered infant, holds it fondly in their memory, thanks to its many charming and quirky scenes. e.g. Matilda dancing in her living room or Bruce Bogtrotter eating an entire chocolate cake.

But let’s not forget that DeVito slipped in a bonafide horror chase sequence in the middle of the film that could’ve been lifted right out of a slasher flick. Erick Lorinc reminded everyone of one of Matilda‘s best but most unsung scenes by sharing it on Twitter. The moment in question sees Matilda and her teacher, Miss Honey (Embeth Davidtz), attempting to escape the house of evil Miss Trunchball (Pam Ferris) without being caught.

It’s actually genuinely tense, right? Clearly, DeVito could’ve been a great horror director if he had gone down a different path in his career. Also, composer David Newman deserves a shout-out for his incredible score.

Dahl’s works are famous for mixing darker themes with kid-friendly whimsy and humor, and DeVito did an excellent job of translating that to the screen. Let’s not forget the later scene in which Matilda uses her powers to convince Trunchball that her house is haunted, which plays out like a kid-friendly Amityville Horror. It doesn’t hurt that the same mansion later doubled up as the sorority house where Sarah Michelle Gellar dies in Scream 2.

Something tells us Netflix’s Matilda, which co-stars an unrecognizable Emma Thompson as Trunchball, won’t go as hard as the 1996 version. Nevertheless, you can check it out when it starts streaming this Nov. 25.