The biggest “jumpscares” are these films. We didn’t decide: it was the science behind the films (and the viewers).
You might think you know the scariest movie in the world. But in truth, this experience – although subjective, of course, as there are those who fear monsters and those who are more terrified of psychological thrillers – is more of a science than you might think.
In fact, a study (or rather, a project that carries out studies annually) is always updating which is the scariest horror film ever made.
O monitors the heart rate of 250 participants to establish a Scare Score system (startle score), which combines both heart rate (measured in beats per minute – BPM) and heart rate variance (HRV – measured in milliseconds), which indicates the interval between each beat, described the .
According to the study updated this year, the scariest horror film ever remains Sinister (2012), Scott Derrickson’s supernatural horror.
On average, audiences recorded a 34% increase in heart rate when watching the film – from 64 BPM at rest to 86 BPM during the film, with the scariest moment sending hearts racing up to 131 BPM. HRV dropped 21% among viewers. Combining both factors, Sinister achieved a maximum score of 96 out of 100 on the Scare Score.
If you like to keep up to date with your horror films, see below the ones that cause the most scares: don’t miss the ones in the top 10 – they’ll make you jump off the sofa.
