When my 'lovely' brother and I were young we watched a film one afternoon with out mother. It was "The Ghost Train"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033660/
Mum was making things really scary and the atmosphere was tense. Then an ornament (an owl) fell off a ledge and the top of the stairs and thudded down the stairs. She was too scared to go and see what it was and sent me/us to check.
That film (a comedy) terrified me for a long time. Little brother went on to watch all the Hammer House of horror etc films but I couldn't watch them.
I don't have a TV and very rarely miss it.
ferlew - I did watch the Birds and it was terrifying. I can't think why I watched it.