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 ...

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 ...

The effectiveness of jump scares in a horror movie relies on many factors, especially atmosphere. Just shoving a shocking image in the face of the viewers might terrify them for a moment, but it won't ...

The second installment of the Final Destination franchise continues the theme of escaping death’s design. A group of survivors cheats death in a massive highway pileup as one of them foresees it.