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 ...

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 ...

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.