Why Horror Jump Scares Must Keep Evolving | Vanity Fair

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 block in horror movies with one goal: catching the audience off guard and making them jolt. But what makes a good jump scare? Why do they feel so different today, than what it was in the past? From 1942's jump scare pioneer 'Cat People' to more recent films like 'It' and 'Smile,' here's everything you need to know about the craft behind the horror technique and its need for constant evolution.

Director: Joe Pickard
Editor: Matthew Colby
Creative Producer: Tyrice Hester
Line Producer: Romeeka Powell
Associate Producer: Amy Haskour
Production Manager: Andressa Pelachi
Production Coordinator: Elizabeth Hymes
Researcher: Paul Gulyas
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen

00:00 Jump Scares
00:48 Cat People
01:27 The Thing from Another World
01:54 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
01:59 The Hideous Sun Demon
02:15 Psycho
02:37 Repulsion
02:53 Wait Until Dark
03:28 Jaws
04:09 Carrie
04:33 Friday the 13th
04:53 Schock
05:10 Halloween
05:31 Phatasm
05:43 Alien
06:23 An American Werewolf in London
06:44 A Nightmare on Elm Street
07:10 Friday the 13th Part 2
07:37 The Thing
07:57 Day of the Dead
08:05 Peewee's Big Adventure
08:21 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre II
08:37 Prince of Darkness
08:56 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
09:33 The Exorcist III
10:18 Candyman
10:34 Jurassic Park
10:54 Se7en
11:15 Scream
12:16 What Lies Beneath
12:37 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
12:51 Signs
13:26 Ju-on: The Grudge
13:42 The Ring
14:10 Jeepers Creepers 2
14:25 The Blair Witch Project
14:34 The Descent
14:58 REC
15:15 The Dark Knight
15:28 Spider-Man 2
15:40 Paranormal Activity 2
15:59 Insidious
16:20 Sinister
16:47 V/H/S
17:05 The Babadook
17:34 The Conjuring
17:43 It Follows
18:09 Hell House LLC
18:36 It
19:17 The Invisible Man
19:33 Smile



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[ppop_unvrs]

The reason why horror jumpscares exists and evolved overtime is because that's what make it interesting, it's a reminder not to underestimate it even though a story is fictional. E.g. The haunting of the hill house wherein jumpscares are few, but you still get the sense of eerieness and uncanniness.

[Optora.]

Smile and smile 2 Had some of the best and least expected jumpscares I've seen recently

[jackb]

The Pee Wee jumpscare scarred me as a kid, and probably started my love of horror

[abc_cba]

Conjuring's clap,
The Nun's Potrait scare,
are two the jump scares that get me everytime even if i watch them 20 times.

[mrgreen_real]

We need more videos like this. Thank you, VF

[abbyfish]

This was such a great video! So informative and the structure was beautifully put together. More like this please!

[teamLewis]

I was super scared in HP last part when a huge snake appears

[Thatonehorrormoviefan]

The firefighter fall jumpscare scene in REC was awesome and so sudden

[User-]

The loud noise usually freaks me out more than the visual. Freddy’s dialogue wouldn’t get pass editing now a days.

[avj]

Asian horror hits different. The Grudge and Shutter

[falgalhutkinsmarzcal]

The Babadook jumpscare failed miserably. It came off as silly, especially with the down-gullet zoom.

[michaelalmasian]

99% of jump scares are lazy and unoriginal filmmaking.