10 Best Jump Scares In Sci-Fi Horror Movie History

10. The First Alien - They Live

John Carpenter's They Live follows a drifter called Nada (played by WWE legend, Rowdy Roddy Piper). While scouting for a job, Nada encounters a preacher, who declares an elite cabal have been controlling the world for years through subliminal conditioning.

Nada confirms this claim himself shortly after, when he finds a pair of sunglasses that allow the wearer to see hidden messages. Every time our hero looks at a magazine, poster, or billboard while wearing the spectacles, Nada sees secret words, such as "OBEY," "STAY ASLEEP," and "NO INDEPENDENT THOUGHT".

While Nada tries to process this monumental bombshell, he discovers the sunglasses allow him to see something else, that indicates a far greater threat. When the person beside Nada sees how flustered he looks, he asks, "What's your problem?"

Although this stranger looks normal, Nada's sunglasses reveals he is actually a skeletal-looking alien. Gazing around, Nada notices dozens of extra-terrestrials are walking around undetected, implying they've infiltrated society on a mass scale.

The way this scene is set up slowly with minimal dialogue or music makes the big reveal all the more shocking.