10 Horror Movie Tropes That Prove "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It"

This is when something seemingly unexpected happens in the film, with the intention of causing the audience to leap out of their seats. The jump scare is probably one of the most used tropes in the horror genre, but it can also be one of the most effective when done correctly.

As with the scare chord, the jump scare will often occur after moments of onscreen inactivity, or after the audience has had a chance to recover from a particularly good scare in the previous scene.

However, unlike the scare chord, which often comes seemingly out of nowhere, the jump scare will be used as a way to release the build-up of suspense that has had the audience on the edge of their seats for the last 10 minutes or so.

Trope Examples: The Sloth scene - Se7en (1995), The Nurse's Station - The Exorcist III (1990), Hand at the Window - The Woman in Black (2012), The Demon Face - Insidious (2010)