What do YOU consider scary?...

[Cunning Visions]

Ok I'm going to do an unscientific survey here and ask this question..what do YOU consider scary?

There are a bunch of different techniques and cliches that movies use to scare us...

Jump Scares: The most common tactic. It's when a person or animal (usually a cat) suddenly jumps out of nowhere to startle a character...and the audience.

Atmospheric & Suspense Scares: This is when a film uses atmosphere and suspense to have you on the edge of your seat. These types of films are usually slower paced to draw out the tension.

Gory & Disturbing Scares: This is when a movie uses blood and gore to try and disturb the audience and make them on edge.

I know there are more but I just listed the most common ones. The reason I ask this is because after talking to a lot of the younger generation (13-18), I've noticed that the majority of them think that Jump scares make a movie scary. Also noticed that they find the more Atmospheric films to be "boring" and "not scary at all." I know not ALL teens think this way, but the majority I asked did. So now I come to you schmoes and ask...what do YOU consider scary? :D

[XpatrickX]

the jumps get me every once in a while, but usually ANY insect scenes get me the worst.

[Freddy Krueger6]

Well the jump scenes usually get me....but what really scares me is atmospheric and suspense films....they keep me wondering what will happen next so that i get so into the movie and when one of those jumping scare parts come on it scares the heck outta me....

[diezman]

I'll take suspense over gore any day!

Even though John Carpenter's "The Thing" is a very gory movie it relies more on atmosphere.

The feelings of isolation and mistrust are prevalent throughout the movie. These feelings are unnerving enough to make this movie terrifying without the gore.

[Could Be Worse]

Suspense really gets to me...especially scenes like the opening to When a Stranger Calls...I thought I saw something in the shadows during every second...

[Eapo_q42]

Usually its the concepts behind movies, as opposed to the movies themselves, that scare me.
For instance, the idea of Freddy is terrifying, the movies don't scare me.
Not because I think they're badly made (I'm talking about the ones that are considered scary...1 and 7 mostly)...but because when I watch horror films I have a "It's just a movie and it can't hurt me" sense about it. hehe.

[Lynn Minmei]

When I see a scary movie, I usually follow it like House of Pain told me to:

"JUMP! JUMP! JUMP!"

[Tagia_Romero]

Most commonly, my hackles rise when films deal with things that are mostly unseen and unpredictable. I guess you could say that I fall under the "Disturbing Scary" category, but as I type this, I have the memory of the first "Jaws" film in my mind, because it wasn't until towards the end that you saw the shark, up until then you didn't know if it was attacking or not. Think about it, unpredictability and the unseen is what scares every human being in some degree.
Shit I just scared myself because I just said that.

[syxxpac]

Atmospheric & Suspense Scares

I think Ridley Scott put it best in that the pace "will eventually get to you." And indeed it does if under the right director.

[pyscho dude]

Jump scares kinda gets me but it's suspense and atmosphere that really get me like in Silent Hill.

[Draven2277]

Originally posted by syxxpac
Atmospheric & Suspense Scares

I think Ridley Scott put it best in that the pace "will eventually get to you." And indeed it does if under the right director.

Amen to that.

[quoth_the_raven]

"Cooper: Go on then Bruce, what scares you?
Bruce: The self-destructive nature of the human condition. "



in truth, that is what really scares me.

but in movie terms? i am sucker for jumps. and i do like suspense...i wouldnt say it scares me, but i like to be able to feel the tension growing, you know?

[Sad man]

The first too. Gore is not scary, only disturbing.

[Sutter_Cane]

For me the Atmosferic & Suspense scares work best whereas Jump Scares only frighten me for a second, but dont make me scared in longterm.
The biggest factor here is the score - I think the Jump Scares mostly rely on instrumental music/sounds, I mean they would barely be effective without the loud reverbing orchestral hit, that freightens you more than what you actually see on screen.

The gore only scared me when I was a kid but now I dont find it scary at all.

[Cronos]

the odd thing is, when most jump scenes happen, i dont jump.....

the only thing i find scary is stuff that sticks in my mind (only from psychological type horror flicks) such as Blair Witch Project and Ringu

gore doesnt bother me at all, i love it, except when it involves eyes, i hate that type of stuff

[spacemonkey]

I love all types of horror movies...

But the ones that really get to me are the ones that deal with a supernatural element in a realistic manner. In other words movies about demons, ghosts, demon possesion, haunted houses and Quija boards.

Though I still have to see a quija board film that is truly scary. Those witchboard films were childsplay.

[ERIN_LoJ]

Jumps can get anyone if they're not expecting it (unless, of course, the movie is as predictable as what family's having for Thanksgiving that year.

Top for me is atmospheric/build up. The stuff horror is made of.

[darchangel]

i scare at jumpy stuff, suspense, and gore....yeah, i'm a puss...dont' judge... thought i would say that "gore" sticks with me the most....i have a photographic memory <enter Event Horizon here> gross...

[ERIN_LoJ]

Do you guys realize that everything we've written on this thread (slow, atmospheric build-up, creatures not in your face, the direction of Scott, ect) is almost completely oposite of 90% Hollywood films today?


Sad thought, that.

[blurofserenity]

Michael Jackson.....terrifying.

[Nekroman]

I think ones that look like amateur home shot videos where really freaky stuff happens are pretty scary. Ones like Blair Witch Project, August Underground, and I guess that Alien Abduction McPherson tape I've been hearing about.
Since they look like a genuine camcorder video made by everyday joe's it's all the more realistic when scary stuff is captured on them.