The Haunting of Hill House Episode 8 'Witness Marks' REACTION!! 

This is basically the only time I like these sorts of "jump scares" which make up 90% of crappy horror films. It works here.

Jump scares get a bad rap, I think. Like any filmmaking element, it's just a tool, and can be a very effective one at that, because it forces you to viscerally engage in what's happening on-screen. It grabs your attention and highlights the event. I mean, just look at how much it affected Nikki and Steve here. They literally had to pause the show to think about it and process/calm down. If a storytelling tool can have that effect on the audience, then it's a great tool. The problem is when it's overused or used to highlight something that's not important or not interesting. When it's the only "scary" thing about a supposedly scary movie, then it's not scary, it's just startling. You jump, but then you quickly recover, shake you head and move on, because there's not much to think about other than "Oh, that startled me." This one was genuinely scary because we're engaged with these characters in deeply horrifying situations and ideas, so when we see the dead corpse of Nell appearing in ghostly form, looking utterly angry/sad/every-bad-emotion, combined with what we know about her and what's happened to her... it all comes together into one sudden moment of scary ideas that just overwhelms you, and it wouldn't be as highlighted without the jump scare. If they had just quietly seen Nell in the back seat or on the road, shaking her head or something, then you might get the point, but it wouldn't be nearly as effective. You REMEMBER this moment because of the jump scare, and FEEL the meaning of it much more viscerally as a result. I also love how the approach to the scene kept you interested enough that you're just wanting to hear how this argument unfolds, so the last thing you're expecting is a jump scare. Oftentimes, you feel a jump scare coming a few seconds before it happens, because they make things intentionally quiet and still right before it, because they think that'll make it more impactful... but it actually just gives it away. Audiences know that's the classic formula for a jump scare, so it doesn't work very well anymore. The right way to approach a jump scare now is to have it just suddenly HAPPEN like this one did. Preferrably in a scene that already felt like it had a purpose even before the jump scare. As opposed to scenes that seem to be obviously building to a jump scare by stretching out long quiet moments of people looking around a corner or something like that, and you're just waiting for a jump scare to happen the entire time... again, because audiences know the formula. We're also doubly thrown off by the similar scenes between Steven and Hugh that unfolded before without a jump scare, so we're just expecting the same type of scene from Theo and Shirley. So it's all about the context. If the scene is bad and just relying on the jump scare to make something... ANYTHING interesting happen... then it's the scene that sucks, not the jump scare. When the scene is good, and then you throw a jump scare into that's well-placed and executed... it's magic. Terrifying, horrifying magic.

The fact that there was actual reason for it (you two stfu) other than shock value, gives it a pass. I paused that shit and went to go to the dishes. Needed a break lol. I'm glad no one else was home, because me shouting, "Fuck!! Fuck no!" might have raised some questions. Actually, I think I shouted "Fuck you!" at my screen.

I just finished the series, and i screamed so loud, i had never been scared by a jump scare like that before.

@@AWSVids Agreed. The timing helps as well. So many times in other movies or tv shows it comes off as gimmicky, it's not that scary, or the timing is off. This show is a great example of how to use them effectively.

Shes the best!

She's a keeper a waifey

Fun fact: Victoria (the actress) said she totally blew out her voice box in the first take because she screamed so loudly lol. I just watched an interview (about Bly Manor) where they brought up this moment and she said any screaming after that was bad because she hurt her throat in the first take.

Sorry, I suspect that's the publicity department at work. Notice the cut from one side to the other? If that was done in one take, the two cameras would be visible to each other. So at least one side was acted.

@@commandosolo1266 You can easily see that the camera angles aren't 90 degree angles from each side. They're placed outside the car on each side, ahead of the characters and angled as you can see in that scene. If there were just a single camera to the left and then the right side in that position the characters wouldn't be horizontally parallel to each other. Redo your analysis of the scene. ;)

It's a spot-on describtion of depression. But I guess you only know if you've dealt with it before.

I am in the middle of rewatching the show, and it still got me. I completely forgot.

SiTHFuRioN love seeing my fav reactors supporting my fav reactors

So funny, you loved watching your own reaction to that jump scare, and then that nervous laughter. Immediately thought of you when they jumped and screamed. I'm sure you lyao thinking about your own reaction.

Awesome! I could’t wait for you guys to react to this episode! It was one of the best Jump scares ever.

SiTHFuRioN Sith I watched your reaction like 5 times because it was priceless too!!! I couldn’t wait until this episode I knew it would be magic🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

SKOL! 😂

I've watched this series 4 times now and it still makes me cry

Honestly it’s the perfect description of depression

@@YourDadYoda Or of hell. For those that believe in it, it is not a place fire and brimstone and torture, but exactly what Theo is describing: dark, empty, loneliness. For all eternity.

@@Quotenwagnerianer I always saw it as an existential crisis, that Theo absorbed the death from Nell

Yep

i've seen it so many times and it still makes me tear up T_T she is amazing

What a fucking amazing scene. It broked my heart. One of the best pieces of acting I've seen on TV in a long while.

most perfect describtion of depression I've ever seen in my entire life

O

Keava Bonner I had to stop watching for the rest of the night after that. It was just like, “welp. That’s enough for now. Let’s wait for daylight to find out how this ends.”

So awesome to see him freak out, hahaha.

I was about to type the same thing

BRIA I did the same. In my bed, with a very large window behind my head. Surround sound with this episode was brilliant. I nearly shit the bed.

I don’t think anything has made me jump like that, ever. -S

Omg that was hilarious

Scriptonite had to rewatch Theo's speech because she was still in the middle of recovering from the car scare.

Yep. I remember how my heart sank and threw the damn phone away lol

They all rep the 7 stages of grief. Steven is denial.

Steven experienced the most non supernatural trauma, he spent most of his time helping his parents as his moms mental health declined and their relationship feel apart. For Steve he experienced to much real trauma to process the supernatural.

@@acendiatmedia8747 yeah, imagine being a kid seeing your mom lose her mind. You try to make her feel better by fixing her up this old vanity and she just freaks out and punches out the mirror. He’s never experienced paranormal things in the house either. That’s such a hard situation for a child to be put in, I feel bad for them all.

I would like to keep my marriage. Ha!!!

It's more like the spot-on describtion of depression.

It’s the GOAT of jump scares

totally agree with you. If you compare young Steve to old Steve you can see so clearly how his mother's death changed him. When Theo was told that Nell is dead she told Shirley to be honest with her children about it. Steve's father wasn't. He didn't tell them anything. It's only natural that Steve doesn't believe anything anymore and is in denial 24/7.