The jump scare is one of the most widely used cinematic devices when it comes to trying to terrify an audience. More often than not, it’s a cheap tactic that elicits a quick jolt followed by laughter rather than bringing a sudden rush of fear that doesn’t dissipate for a while. But when used effectively, the jump scare doesn’t offer a momentary horror. Rather, it’s the beginning of an adrenaline rush that pushes us into a “fight to survive” mentality where ever following moment is just as perilous as the one that started it all.
YouTube channel Burger Fiction has put together a list of what they believe to be the 40 greatest jump movie scares, splicing them together in a seamless presentation. Now, taking them out of context does remove a lot of the built up tension that is experienced when seen in full. However, many of these are widely recognized movies, so it’s easy to recall what happened beforehand so as to enter that mindset once again.
Films like Poltergeist, House on Haunted Hill, Scream, The Sixth Sense, and more make this cut. But I want to know if you agree with the list. Do you think there are entries that shouldn’t have been placed on here? Or are there moments that egregiously failed to make the video? Let us know in the comments below!