Top 9 Jumpiest Movie Moments
Then buzz it up
March 10th, 2008 at 13:00 by David Schwartz
Why do we love being scared by movies so much?
Where is the satisfaction in being forced to jump out of our skins as someone or something leaps out at the least obvious moment? Why do we do it to ourselves? Is it a battle of wills between us and the director to see whether he can make you actually make you physically shit yourselves?
Or it that same impulse that when someone tells you to smell something bad, you can't help but do it? It's OK, we've all done it. Whatever the reason, some directors have certainly succeeded where others have failed by making you actually lift off out of your seat.
They can almost be measured by the sound of everyone landing. And here are the best, with video…
9. The Bourne Identity
We're not sure what's more shocking, the moment the guy comes through the window or the fact he commits suicide by deliberately jumping back through it.
8. Jaws
We are going to need a bigger boat. It's possibly the defining moment of the film, as Brody suddenly gets his first good look at the shark while chumming.
7. Deep Blue Sea
If anyone ever tells you they knew that a flying shark was about to come and bite Samuel L Jackson in half they are simply lying.
No, we don't want to hear it. Liars, the lot of you.
6. The Thing
OK, it may not make you jump out of your skin, but it certainly shocked us. Just didn't see it coming.
5. Alien
All right, it's hardly shocking now because we all know what happens, but remember the first time you saw it.
If you're not convinced, just look at the actors' reactions. They had no idea what was going to happen. Brilliant!!
4. Friday 13th – Part 1
Just when you thought it was safe to put the cushion that you'd welded to your face throughout the movie down, there is another bloody shock as Jason suddenly re-appears from under the water to knock off the remaining survivor. A million sequels are spawned.
3. Jaws – The head
It doesn't matter how many times we see this, we still jump at that stupid head coming out.
2. Carrie
Surely one of the biggest jumps ever, as Carrie's blood-soaked hand comes out of her grave and grabs the hand of a terrified Amy Irving.
1. Seven
If you did not jump at the moment when we realise the Sloth guy is not actually dead you must be dead yourself. We think our bowels loosened for a brief moment. There should be a law against it.
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March 10th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Scarier by far:
• any scene with Angela Landsbury
• any scene with Michael J. Fox
• any image of Mariah (S)Carey
Forget about the sharks, it’s
the robots that put the fear in me.
March 10th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
My parents took my to my first movie when I was 4 yrs. old. It was “Jaws.” The following Saturday, the took me to the beach for the first time. Yes, brilliant timing. Stellar idea. Scarred for life much?
Although, for some sick reason, “Jaws” is my all-time favorite movie, but I’ll not set foot in the ocean when on vacation. I know too much of the underwater world for my taste. If I want to go swimming, there’s a pool at the hotel, fish-free.
March 10th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
The clown scene from Poltergeist *shudder*
March 10th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
The clown scene from any movie ever, including (but not limited to) Stephen King’s It, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, and Goodfellas.
March 10th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
It’s an oldie, but Hellhouse with Roddie McDowell had a few “jumper” scenes.
The Fly with Jeff Goldblum when he comes apart is pretty good too. Me and a bud were smoked up and watching it. When that scene happened we grabbed each other like a couple kids. Our wives laughed their bums off.
March 11th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Hah! Great list. I was a tender and meek 12 year old when I saw ‘Carrie’ at the local theater. When that damned hand came shootin’ outta the ground, I squawked and jerked my hands up and back, dumping half my popcorn on the perturbed folks behind me.
My cousin saw ‘Jaws’ at the theater when he was 4. For months afterwards, he could not be left alone in the bathroom, fearing the shark would come through the toilet to get ‘im. He also wanted his parents to burn the book. No surprise-he is now a Republican.
March 11th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Jurassic Park really scared me to death when I was a kid. But by far the scariest movie moment that I ever experienced was at the end of The Ring when you finally see the little girl crawl out of the television and teleport across the room in all her horror. The theatre was packed and screaming could be heard out in the lobby. That scene still freaks me out. If not number 1, if definitely should’ve made the list.
-K
March 11th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Alien isn’t #1? Puh-leeze
March 11th, 2008 at 7:40 am
How about the scene in Se7ven where the guy with the weird contraption strapped to him, for some reason that scene always bothered me.
March 11th, 2008 at 7:49 am
The Blood test scene from “The Thing” was the best jump scare of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eZT-f8hzXo
March 11th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Good list - a couple of others to consider :
Julianne Moore’s car crash in The Forgotten
Death by Greyhound Bus in Final Destination
March 11th, 2008 at 10:04 am
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March 11th, 2008 at 10:26 am
the scene at the start of nightmare on elm street where freddy is suddenly behind tina in the boiler room or the scene in nancy’s bedroom where she’s sitting on the bed thinking she was dreaming then freddy leaps over the bed at her…uber jumpage
March 11th, 2008 at 11:39 am
forgot Jurassic Park dude…
March 11th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
What’s with these 4 yo kids getting taken to Jaws?
Are their parents fucking stupid?
March 11th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Nothing can be scarier than this!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7ocbBJtJDY
March 11th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
ID4, when they opened up the Alien Battle Costume.. that caused a few jumpers.
March 11th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
At the end of Prince of Darkness when the guy rolls over and discovers he’s in bed with Skeletor. I saw it in the theater and the air was thick with flying popcorn.
March 11th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
The part in 1408 where the guy is watching the other guy across the street mirroring his actions…
March 11th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
How about in Indianna Jones and the Last Crusade when the villan drinks from the wrong cup and turns into a skeleton. Holy Moly I saw this when I was 11 and I freaked out.
March 11th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Final Destination.
I win.
March 11th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
How about arachnophobia when the spider jumps out of the pipe in the basement.
March 11th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Top 9 Jumpiest Movie Moments…
This story has been submitted to Stirrdup. Your support can help it become hot….
March 11th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
An oldie, but the first movie where the supposed dead villain came back to life after the audience thought it was all over: Wait Until Dark. I can still hear the screams in the theatre.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
“Final Destination.
I win.”
Actually just by seeing Final Destination, you automatically lose.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Way to spoil it Rich.
Fucking douche.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
twin peaks: fire walk with me - when laura palmer finds bob hiding in her room.
March 11th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
How about “Elmo on Ice”?
Soul-raping an entire generation
before they’re old enough to choose for themselves.
Pretty much anything “… on Ice”, while technically
not a movie, is still at least one level of remove from reality,
and presents an insane and disturbing alternate…
a contender, I think, because what the fuck kind of experience is it?
Sports? no. Theatre? not really. Dance? c’mon, they’re on ice!
Culturiffic depravity? Most definitely.
March 11th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Here’s an offbeat one.. There was this Canadian movie called the Changeling with George C. Scott. There is a part in the movie where a rubber ball that his little girl had (who was killed in a car accident) comes bouncing down the stairs by itself. George takes the ball, gets into his car, drives to the river and throws it in. He comes back home and as he is taking off his coat the damn rubber ball comes bouncing back down the stairs - comes to a stop - and it’s wet. Freaked me out!!
March 11th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Seconded. Stupid bloody ice.
March 11th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Apocalypse Now - When the guy is in the jungle searching for mangoes and the tiger jumps out. Gets me every time!
March 11th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
pretty good list …
i’ll add predator and resident evil …
March 11th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Scary — I’d say the most frightening moment was when the dead, you thought, Alan Arkin reaches out and grabs Audrey Hepburns ankle in “Wait Until Dark.”
March 12th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
meathead put down twin peaks, fire walk with me - nice one meathead!
Yay - Bob scares the shit outa me - even when you see him in the scene you are still waiting to jump through the roof coz he is scary as fuck the whole time!
March 12th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
ooh, bit with the scary little dead girl under bed in sixth sense!
March 12th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
People, the title is Jumpiest not Scariest. There is a very real difference.
March 13th, 2008 at 1:45 am
If you want to retire Alien because everyone knows now, you could augment it by adding the scene from Aliens where they first get into the colony medlab and Burke puts his face up to the containment vessel AND THEN IT MOVES!!! ARGHHH (”I think it likes you.” LOL)
March 13th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
bob in twin peaks and the girl under bed in sixth sense are jumpy bits. He appears at bottom of her bed and little dead girl suddenly appears under it. ooh beds - random
March 13th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
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March 13th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
No on here has said anything about Event Horizon. This is easily the Jumpiest movie ever made. Especially the part where the chick appears in the flashing strobe light with black eyes. That about made me shit myself.
Also I think the part in the Ring, when it shows the daughter that was scared to death in the closet.
March 14th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Fantastic list and great work getting the vids to help illustrate it!