Horror cinema has changed radically since its inception, as audiences now look for different qualities when it comes to the genre. While manyof the all-time great horror filmslikeJawsandPsychowere able to disturb viewers, despite showing very little gore on screen,the horror genre has become less subtle in the 21st century.Making prolonged sequences of tension is hard, but it’s far easier to insert cheap jump scares that may only temporarily spook the viewers.
Although they’re often seen as being the purest example of lazy filmmaking,jump scares can be used appropriatelyif they are intertwined with a creepy atmosphere.Films that rely solely on jump scares may fail, but savvy horror directors can use them to help heighten the suspense of the story. Here are ten great horror movies that combine jump scares with atmosphere.
10‘The Exorcist III’ (1990)
Directed by William Peter Blatty
The Exorcist IIIis one of the few horror sequelsthat lives up to the legacy of its predecessor.WhileThe Exorcist II: The Hereticwas an infamous disaster that is often cited as being one of the worst horror films ever made, the underrated third installment in the series told a unique story about Lieutenant William F. Kinderman (George C. Scott) investigating the “Gemini Killer” (Brad Dourif). While a majority of the scares come from Dourif’s creepy performance, there are prominent jump scares when Kinderman wanders through an abandoned facility. This helped the film become deeply unsettling, even if the on screen violence was relatively tame.
The Exorcist IIIweaponizes nostalgia to create some clever jump scares.Several characters fromWilliam Friedkin’s original film from 1973 appear in cameo roles as malevolent spirit versions that haunt Kinderman as he continues his investigation.
The Exorcist III
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9‘Scream’ (1996)
Directed by Wes Craven
Screamwas a film that changed the horror genre forever because it dared to take a meta approach to slasher cinema. Wes Cravenmade the brilliant choice to include characters like Sydney (Neve Campbell), Dewey (David Arquette), and Gail (Courteney Cox) that were already well aware of the cliches in horror films likeA Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween,andFriday the 13th. Craven managed to incorporate jump scares reminiscent of those franchises, whilst still constructing a clever neo-noir mystery story.
The jump scares inScreammake sense because the killers themselves are modeling themselves on the characters that they see in movies.A merging of jump scares with a creepy atmosphere is why the franchise continues to be so successful, and has maintained a consistent level of quality and commercial success with themost recent entries in the last five years.
A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.
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8‘The Blair Witch Project’ (1999)
Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez
The Blair Witch Projectkicked off the “found footage” craze that would soon become a landmark in horror.While franchises likeRECandParanormal Activityquickly transcend any notion of believability,The Blair Witch Projectsucceeded by immersing the audience in acamping trip that goes disastrously awrywhen supernatural forces show up. The slow pacing proved to be very beneficial in establishing a sense of existential dread, relating to the universal fear of being lost and not being able to communicate.
However,a few shocking jump scares in the final act help destabilize the viewerwhen they have their guard down. This is unfortunately not a lesson that the sequels toThe Blair Witch Projecthave kept in mind, as they’ve aimed for spectacle over any sense of legitimacy when it comes to the way that the jump scares are sprinkled throughout the story.
The Blair Witch Project
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7‘The Descent’ (2005)
Directed by Neil Marshall
Although it had a darker endingthat somehow concluded the film on an even bleaker note,The Descentis a haunting examination of the lasting effects of grief and willful isolation.Even though the film includes supernatural creatures that prey upon a group of cave divers, the most disturbing moments are those that deal with the legitimate feelings of depression and guilt that can come up in the aftermath of the death of a loved one.
However, directorNeil Marshall creates a uniquely claustrophobic environment where any sudden noise or strange incident can shock the viewer in their seats. It’s an immersive, often cruelly dark story about the power of survival, proving that jump scares can help the viewers form a tighter connection with the films’ heroes. In the case ofThe Descent, this dichotomy resulted in one of the greatest “final girls” in the history of the horror genre.
The Descent
A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.
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6‘Insidious’ (2011)
Directed by James Wan
James Wanis one of the most exciting horror filmmakers working today because he understands the importance of merging interesting stories with creepy imagery.Insidiousis both a film and franchise that has succeeded by only hinting at what horrors might exist in the background; impressively, Wan has managed to terrify audienceswithin the confines of a PG-13 rating. It’s proof that audiences are often more scared when they are left to draw their own conclusions as to what is really going on.
However,the few jump scares moments inInsidiousdon’t feel cheap because Wan has already established the mythology of the undeadand how they interact with the mortal world. The effectiveness is also due in large part to the powerful performances, asPatrick WilsonandRose Byrnedo a great job at playing a realistic couple that the viewer can relate to.
A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.
5‘Sinister’ (2012)
Directed by Scott Derrikson
Sinisteris known for having some of thegnarliest kills in the history of the horror genre; even compared to the other films released by Blumhouse,Sinisterfeels particularly mean-spirited and ruthless.
Maintaining that consistent level of intensity may have been hard if the film was only relying on jump scares, butSinisterdoes a great job at introducing a neo-noir element to the story that gives it a creepy atmosphere.Much of the story focuses on an author (Ethan Hawke) as he attempts to conduct research for his upcoming book about a mysterious group of killings. The semblance of reality somehow makes the film feel even creepier; directorScott Deriksonalso does a good job at using archive video footage to serve as jump scares in a creative way. It’s a level of mastery of the craft that film’s sequels were sadly not able to recapture.
A controversial true crime writer finds a box of super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.
4‘The Conjuring’ (2013)
The Conjuringis unique among horror franchises because itat least claims to be somewhat inspired by a true story.While obviously Wan took a great deal of liberty when it came to incorporating supernatural elements, the notion that the film is an investigative mystery story does add a creepy semblance of realism that many other possession films lack.
However,The Conjuringis a great example of how jump scares can be used to undermine the audience’s skepticism.The characters in the films themselves are cautious about accepting anything they feel may be a hoax, so jump scares are needed in order to ensure that there’s a legitimate reason for them to continue their investigation.The Conjuringis often unnerving due to its dark visuals and possession concepts, so the jump scares offer a necessary break in the tension that allows the film’s pacing to remain consistent.
The Conjuring
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse.
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3‘It Follows’ (2014)
Directed by David Robert Mitchell
Image via The Weinstein Company
Horror films are often at their most effective when they manage to turn an accepted aspect of reality into a nightmare, and that is certainly the case when it comes toDavid Robert Mitchell’s astounding directorial debut.It Followsexamines changing viewpoints about adolescent sexuality with the concept that a sexually transmitted disease is a supernatural killer.The film rests on the tension that is placed on the teen characters, who avoid expressing their desires in order to protect themselves.
The few jump scare moments inIt Followsare befitting for a film that plays upon youthful urges.The unpredictability of the scares are necessary in order to convince the skeptical set of protagonists that the threat their facing is in fact legitimate.It FollowsstarMaika Monroehas teased that the upcoming sequel will be even more scary, suggesting that Mitchell may put a greater emphasis on jump scares to continue the series.
It Follows
After carefree teenager Jay (Maika Monroe) sleeps with her new boyfriend, Hugh (Jake Weary), for the first time, she learns that she is the latest recipient of a fatal curse that is passed from victim to victim via sexual intercourse. Death, Jay learns, will creep inexorably toward her as either a friend or a stranger. Jay’s friends don’t believe her seemingly paranoid ravings, until they too begin to see the phantom assassins and band together to help her flee or defend herself.
2‘The Babadook’ (2014)
Directed by Jennifer Kent
The Babadookis one of the best horror films ever made about griefbecause of how realistic it is in showing maternal guilt.Essie Davisgives a performance for the ages because there’s nothing about her characterization of coping with loss that feels inarticulate.Jennifer Kentcreated a shocking, yet occasionally moving story about how built up anxieties can lead people to have conflicted interpretations of reality.
However,the jump scares inThe Babadookare effectively utilized because they are designed to specifically terrify the charactersby drawing uponthe imagery that is common within their nightmares.Dreams themselves are often illogical, so it makes sense that some of the scariest moments inThe Babadookwould be brief flashes of horrific imagery that are intended purely to shock the characters into making a major change or decision in their lives.
The Babadook
1‘It: Chapter One’ (2017)
Directed by Andy Muschietti
Audiences had waited generations for a satisfying adaptation ofStephen King’sIt, as the made-for-television miniseries starringTim Currydidn’t exactly do the source material justice.It: Chapter Onesucceeded because itwas a coming-of-age storyabout children trying to confront the realities of growing older, especially in a town like Derry where the adults seem to be ignorant of the trauma that they are experiencing.
Bill Skarsgard’s interpretation of Pennywise the Clown was an effective horror villain because he transforms himself to relate to each member of the “Loser’s Club’s” greatest fear.What scares each child is different, leading to some memorable different transformations on Pennywise’s part. However,It: Chapter Oneultimately has an uplifting message about the lasting power of friendship, as it is by working together to confront their fears that the young heroes are able to defeat Pennywise and continue living their childhoods.
Seven young outcasts in Derry, Maine, are about to face their worst nightmare – an ancient, shape-shifting evil that emerges from the sewer every 27 years to prey on the town’s children. Banding together over the course of one horrifying summer, the friends must overcome their own personal fears to battle the murderous, bloodthirsty clown known as Pennywise.
