This Halloween, there are quite a few options for those looking to get into the spirit of the season on the movie front. Movies like Black Phone 2, Shelby Oaks, The Strangers: Chapter 2, Him, and The Conjuring: Last Rites are playing in theaters while streaming services house some serious horror heavy hitters at the same time. Luckily, television series aren’t immune to getting creepy when the need arises. As a mega-horror fan myself, I often feel as though I’ve become desensitized to many of the shocking moments from television and movies alike, but there remains one jump scare that is so effective, it still sends shivers up my spine to this day.
The Haunting of Hill House was first released in 2018 on Netflix, becoming one of the most successful projects for now legendary director Mike Flanagan. For those who haven’t seen the ten-episode limited series, it revolves around five siblings who find themselves being moved into the titular abode, struggling with the big change in their lives. Taking place in both the past and the present, where the kids are now all grown up, they come to discover in their younger years that Hill House is harboring quite a few spirits who aren’t exactly friendly. In the present, the main characters attempt to come to grips with what happened to them while slowly realizing that the ghosts of their former house aren’t resting yet.
Throughout the ten installments, there are lingering horrors and shocking surprises that mix tragedy with scares to often fantastic effect. The jump scare that helped spawn this article topic takes place in the eighth episode, as Theodora and Shirley argue with one another regarding what is currently happening in their lives. What makes this scare work so well is the fact that it comes completely out of nowhere, in that the characters are simply in a car, and there is absolutely no build-up to the apparition, who is actually their deceased sister, screaming her way to the front seats. This moment is a masterclass for the jump scare category in general, as even when I was researching the scene for this article, it still got me.
The Haunting of Hill House is easily one of the scariest and best-written television horror series on the market today, and Mike Flanagan’s other television shows are, ironically enough, some of its biggest competition. Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The House of Usher, and The Midnight Club were all created by Flanagan, and while you’ll get various takes on which of his shows is the best of the bunch, each has a unique set of scares and scenarios to get under your skin. For yours truly, choosing a favorite is a difficult ask, as I find myself waffling between The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, though as for which is the scariest? That’s Hill House without a question.
The Netflix series has its fair share of jump scares, though even the lingering dread works in such a way that it stays with you for quite some time after the credits roll. Without diving into spoiler territory, the horror and tragedy behind the “Bent Neck Lady” remains one of the most shocking elements in any horror property to this day. The Haunting of Hill House can often feel like a “feel bad” series, but that works amazingly well in enhancing the inherent horror of the situation. The characters are fully fleshed out, and thanks to this fact, the scares hit that much harder.
As for where you can see Mike Flanagan’s next projects, don’t expect them to arrive on Netflix anytime soon. Flanagan is currently working on a new film in The Exorcist franchise, while also tackling a Stephen King classic story with the upcoming Carrie television series. Flanagan has long been a fan of King, hoping to dive further into the master of horror’s works, and fingers crossed, Mike will continue getting opportunities to do so. If you haven’t seen The Haunting of Hill House and are looking for one of the scariest television series ever made, this one’s the show for you. Try not to scream too much when you experience this jump scare.
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