15 films that masterfully managed to scare viewers, despite the fact that there is not a single jump scare in them (16 photos)

Reddit users have shared films that demonstrate that scary atmosphere and fear can be built without seas of blood, pitch-black horror or jump scares. They put an emphasis on psychological and intellectual impact, making them especially interesting for those who seek fear in the art of cinema without overt brutality.





Fear is an amazing and at the same time strange feeling that can arise for a variety of reasons. Sometimes even a completely harmless thing can scare a person or make him very anxious. Has it ever happened to you that your heart began to beat faster because of eerie music, the heavy gaze of a stranger, or a strange doll smiling at you from a store window?

The creators of horror films, horror films and thrillers are aware of this feature of the human psyche, so they experiment in every possible way when creating their scripts. Some are so successful that they leave an incredibly deep mark in the memories of the audience.

The Haunting of Hill House, 1963



No special effects, no CGI, no rubber monster, just good, scary writing and acting. All alone. In the night. In the darkness…

Some scenes gave me goosebumps in a way that horror movies usually don't.

"The Serpent and the Rainbow", 1987





"Changeling", 1979



It's a low budget ghost story, not gory or anything like that. However, for a couple of weeks after watching this film, I could not sleep well.

When I met my wife, she told me about this movie and swore it was the scariest movie she had ever seen.

"Langoliers", 1995



The Langoliers is the scariest film I've ever seen. It even caused me some mental health problems and left me in a state of paranoia for several years. But no one takes my words seriously.

"Threads", 1984



This is a realistic look at what would happen if a nuclear war happened.

"Green Room", 2015



I would like to give an honorable mention to the Green Room. There's something scary about being locked in the middle of nowhere in a space where everyone outside is out to kill you.

"Contagion", 2011



This movie scarred me for life.

I made the mistake of watching this film while on a business trip to Hong Kong, the epicenter of the outbreak. Alarming, to say the least.

"Sphere", 1998



Twin Peaks: Walk Through the Fire, 1992



"The Mothman", 2002



This is the most disturbing film I have ever seen. I can't even explain why.

Every time I watch this movie I notice different things. For example, characters' reflections in mirrors will be out of sync.

"Pontypool", 2008



The film has a unique atmosphere: we spend most of the time in a secluded radio station. After some time, reports of riots and massacres begin to arrive. All information comes through the statements of callers, eyewitness accounts and radio broadcasts. This is very worrying and upsetting. Your imagination can't help but imagine all the horrors that are happening.

"The Fourth Kind", 2009



After watching this movie in the theater, I couldn't sleep for weeks because I was afraid that aliens were going to abduct me.

"Road", 2009



The best movie you'll never want to watch again.

What's really scary about the film is that there are no "monsters" or even psychopaths in the traditional sense of the word. Just... people driven to despair.

"Through the Horizon", 1997



"Descent", 2005



Probably my favorite horror movie because it really scared me. Horror is usually ridiculously corny, but The Descent is a film that really delivers the sense of dread with its theme of isolation and claustrophobia. Even if there were no evil creatures in this film, I would still be stunned at the thought of being cut off from the world in such a deep, dark cave.

Have you ever been scared by a movie that doesn't have obvious horror or jump scares?