10 Subtle Ways Horror Movies Made You Feel Uneasy
4. Less Is More - Jaws
This classic shark flick, released in 1975, has been seen by most movie buffs and understandably so.
Of course, this iconic Steven Spielberg picture follows a beach community in Amityville who find themselves stalked by a killer shark over the summer holidays. Frightened at the impact this will have on the local area and beach-goers, the locals end up having to hunt down the shark in order to kill it.
Jaws is known for its solid tension and creepy atmosphere, and yet the surprising thing is how little we see of the frightening sea monster throughout the movie.
The audience gets far into the film without even seeing the shark – the fear is delivered by what is essentially off camera. The use of the iconic music – everyone knows it! - and the occasional glimpse of the shark's fin above the surface of the water delivers true scares, and highlights how little we need to see in order to feel afraid.
It's a wonderful tactic - one, in truth, only done due to the various issues with the 'shark' - that keeps the true horror hidden for as long as possible. There is no doubt the scariest things lurk in our own minds and imaginations, and often what we see in reality can never match up to the horrors of our own making.