It’s one of the most well-worn tricks in the horror handbook: An innocent victim is minding their own business, nothing happening, and then…something happens to make the watcher’s heart skip a beat.

If you've ever seen a horror film, you've likely experienced a jump scare. A mix of cinematic build-up, sonic tension, play on expectations and intent to scare, the jump scare is a classic building ...

As long as horror movies have existed, they've all figured out different ways to scare the viewer. Be it by building a slow sense of dread over time that culminates in an anxiety-fueled climax, or by ...

Jump scares are a contentious topic in horror. Some people love them, others feel that they're cheap. It's an easy way to elicit a fear response, and sometimes, it can feel like a storyteller is ...

The floor creaks, the music turns ominous and an uneasy quiet sets in. Then BAM! It’s the classic jump scare. This staple of horror movies, when done well, is instantly memorable. With Times film ...

In haunted houses across the country this month, threatening figures will jump out of the shadows, prompting visitors — wide-eyed and heart racing —to instinctively freeze and flee. Evolutionarily ...

In horror fandom circles, movies with a lot of jump scares are often sneered at. Some consider jump scares a cheap way to make viewers feel fear, and many modern horrors have spurred the practice in ...

Daniel is a 27-year-old List Writer for Collider living in the south suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. As an avid film buff, he watches and analyzes many films and TV shows, especially in the horror genre ...

Robbie has been an avid gamer for well over 20 years. During that time, he's watched countless franchises rise and fall. He's a big RPG fan but dabbles in a little bit of everything. Writing about ...

Alyssa Mertes Serio is a writer from the United States. She graduated from college with her Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications in 2014, and since then, has contributed to many digital ...