Shock/scare vs atomosphere/creepiness - horror movies

With Halloween around the corner, I've ramped up my horror viewing. Something I've really noticed there is not much gray area between the slow burn/dread/creepiness/atomosphere-driven vs the shock factor/jump scares in movies. Either, you're one or the other.

Annabelle Creation and the new IT lean on the latter while stuff like The Witch and Get Out are on the former side.

Just wondering what fellow users think about this? Which style you prefer? Your favorite movies from each one?

Perhaps you disagree with me about generalizing the genre into two categories.

I'm old school, so I much prefer the slow burn psychological dread to jump/scare tactics.

I disliked Get Out, but The Witch is an excellent example atmospheric, slow burn terror.

i like both but i prefer a good ol' slow burn.

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letterboxd

Session 9 is a great example of slow burn creepiness.

I love the slow burn creepiness one of my favs for this is Lake Mugo its awsome. I get very tired of "jump scares", I hate it because I can always anticipate them but they still "get me" because I'm just a jumpy guy. I like it when things just put me on edge and make me feel uncomfortable. I think a good jump here and there is always fun but I like it to be clever.

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Trust The Process

No to jump scares. A one off can be fun to set the mood but these days they are so overdone and it's cheep.

I generally prefer shock and gore. I think one movie that's effective in every way is the original Evil Dead. I agree that most are one or the other though.

Amityville should be mentioned.

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“The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

My all-time favorite movie is the original Halloween, so that should tell you where I'm at on the question. These days, I'm excited to see a slow-burn horror movie just for the novelty. One of my favorites in recent years is The Strangers (remake; haven't seen the French original). And when my wife and I first watched House of the Devil, I was giggling with delight every time I saw a potential jump-scare that didn't happen, even as my wife was complaining about the slow pace.

I think you're right; there's not much middle ground between the two styles. A slow-burner may lend itself to a few judicious jumpers (I can even think of a couple of arguable jumpers in Halloween), but for the most part I'm not sure the two styles are really compatible, since they rely on, and evoke, different (contradictory?) moods.

Just for the record, though, I actually liked the new It, and a famous classic jump-scare, involving a messed-up-looking little kid and a canoe, is one of my favorite slasher moments.

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"You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you."
"You seem a decent fellow. I hate to die."

I prefer unease atsmosphere one but combi with one-two seamless jumpscare(s) is not bad too. Im not a biggie in horror tho'

I'm generally one more for atmosphere myself

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Still kicking and it hurts.

Both are great in their own special way. Kind of ironic that my two favourite horror movies are of these exact descriptions:

Blair Witch Project: "slow burn/dread/creepiness/atomosphere-driven"
[REC]: "shock factor/jump scares"

Sometimes a horror movie can be a shock horror film but with no major jumpscares: Caché, The Exorcist, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 28 Days Later, for example.

I agree with that, gore is another one which routinely goes under shock/scares imo.

Reliance on jump scares is not something to be applauded. However, I don’t have an aversion to there use, everything in moderation. I favour tone, story, characters...etc. That’s what’s scary and lingers in your mind.

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''Haters are my favourite. I've built an empire with the bricks they've thrown at me... Keep On Hating''
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'Slow-Burn' is an inadequate way of putting this...



Probably the most terrifying, and thought provoking film of the Past 2 Decades.