A Nonswimmer's 25 Scariest Movies

For fervent nonswimmers like me, Steven Spielberg's JAWS is a cinematic manifesto. We identify with Roy Scheider's hydrophobic police chief--mocked for his fear of water until that hungry shark shows up. This summer marks Jaws' 25th anniversary, and as a tribute to the No. 1 nonswimmer's film of all time, a list follows of the other Top 24 films living up to the motto "Don't go in the water." Seeing movie stars drown is especially comforting between June and August, the season of peer pressure, when the swimming class harangues the rest of us with nonsense like "a little water never...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!