Marvolo
Avenger
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2006
- Messages
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People use the "cheap jump scare" complaint ad nauseam and usually wrongly just like the "plothole" critique.
Not all jump scares are "cheap". That's why there is a distinction, in the first place, between jump scare and cheap jump scare.
A cheap jump scare is a loud noise and a cat jumping on someone. A picture falling off a wall unexpectedly. A fridge making a sudden loud mechanical sound. A door slamming unexpectedly. Etc. It's a mundane typically non threatening thing doing something harmless but presented in an abrupt manner to get a scare. Its lazy and doesnt serve any purpose other than achieving an easy scare.
A legitimate ghost or demon or villain coming out of nowhere and screaming to get people to stop arguing. Or a scary thing behaving in a way that adheres to the rules of the story and the rules and behavior of the character isnt cheap. It's just a jump scare. It's an actual scary or threatening thing behaving in a scary way. Its a legitimate mechanic in the horror genre.
Take the Bent Neck Lady for example.
Not all jump scares are "cheap". That's why there is a distinction, in the first place, between jump scare and cheap jump scare.
A cheap jump scare is a loud noise and a cat jumping on someone. A picture falling off a wall unexpectedly. A fridge making a sudden loud mechanical sound. A door slamming unexpectedly. Etc. It's a mundane typically non threatening thing doing something harmless but presented in an abrupt manner to get a scare. Its lazy and doesnt serve any purpose other than achieving an easy scare.
A legitimate ghost or demon or villain coming out of nowhere and screaming to get people to stop arguing. Or a scary thing behaving in a way that adheres to the rules of the story and the rules and behavior of the character isnt cheap. It's just a jump scare. It's an actual scary or threatening thing behaving in a scary way. Its a legitimate mechanic in the horror genre.
Take the Bent Neck Lady for example.
She often appears unexpectedly and suddenly. Literally dropping onto Nell. Its revealed that the Bent Neck Lady is nell in the moment she hanged herself. Its Nell's spirit outside of time appearing in different times in Nell's life. When she drops suddenly on Nell its because Nell hanged herself and the spirit is carrying that downward motion in death through time. It's a sort of death echo. It's a legitimately scary thing behaving in a scary way that has logic and adheres to the story and its rules. It has a logic, it required story planning and extensive execution, and it carries across multiple episodes. That isnt cheap.
Take the ghost screaming in the car when Theo and Shirley are arguing. It happens because Theo and Shirley are arguing and refusing to listen to each other. The ghost gets them to stop arguing and Shirley to finally listen to what Theo desperately needs to say. It serves a well thought out purpose and advances the character development and the plot. That isnt cheap.
Take the ghost screaming in the car when Theo and Shirley are arguing. It happens because Theo and Shirley are arguing and refusing to listen to each other. The ghost gets them to stop arguing and Shirley to finally listen to what Theo desperately needs to say. It serves a well thought out purpose and advances the character development and the plot. That isnt cheap.
Solid 9/10 for me. Some great acting too and the casting of the children and their adult counterparts was excellent.
