London, Oct 29 The screeching violin in Alfred Hitchcock's bloody Psycho shower scene is the scariest movie theme tune, according to a new survey.

The tune, composed by Bernard Hermann, reaches a crescendo when Norman Bates kills Marion (Janet Leigh) to death, which leaves her blood to pour down the plughole.

It pipped Jerry Goldsmith's Ave Satani song, which featured in The Omen, to land the honour.

Hans Zimmer's 'Samara's Song' in The Ring came third followed by Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom Of The Opera theme at the fourth place.

Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells from The Exorcist was fifth, reports The Telegraph.

Ellis Rich, chairman of PRS for Music which carried out the survey, said: "During this period many of us turn to horror films on a quest for the thrill of goosebumps.

"What makes the difference between an average horror and a classic is clearly the film score, without which the movie would just not have the same effect." (ANI)