A jump scare (also written jump-scare and jumpscare) is a scaring technique used in media, particularly in films such as horror films and video games such as horror games, intended to scare the viewer by surprising them with a scary face, usually co-occurring with a loud scream.[1][2] The jump scare has been described as "one of the most basic building blocks of horror movies".[2] Jump scares can startle the viewer by appearing at a point in the film where the soundtrack is quiet and the viewer is not expecting anything alarming to happen,[3] or can be the sudden payoff to a long period of suspense.[4]
Some critics have described jump scares as a lazy way to frighten viewers,[5] and believe that the horror genre has undergone a decline in recent years following an over-reliance on the trope, establishing it as a cliché of modern horror films.[6]
- ^ John Muir (2013). Horror Films FAQ. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 978-1480366817. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ a b Bryan Bishop (October 31, 2012). "'Why won't you die?!' The art of the jump scare". The Verge. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ^ Danny Draven (2013). Genre Filmmaking: A Visual Guide to Shots and Style for Genre Films. Taylor & Francis. p. 52. ISBN 978-1136070785.
- ^ John Rosenberg (2013). The Healthy Edit: Creative Techniques for Perfecting Your Movie. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1136040733. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ^ Lucas Sullivan. "10 horror games that don't rely on jump scares". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ^ Diaz, Pedro (February 8, 2015). "Why Modern Horror Movies Don't Get it Right More Often". Movie Pilot. Archived from the original on February 24, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2015.