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 ...

At this point, you feel confidently prepared for the inevitable, maybe even lazy, “jump scare” about to take place on screen. The killer leaps from a closet, hatchet in hand, as the actor ...

Through meticulous narrative pacing, photography, music, and sound design, a well-crafted jump scare can elevate a film from being merely competent to a truly memorable moviegoing experience.