Horror Tropes, Ranked By Scare Factor
by Alexandra Molotkow
32. Classic “boo”
31. Alarmingly veiny skin
30. Identical children
29. Abandoned mental institution
28. Mysterious blood-soaked package
27. Loud, sudden orchestra hit
26. Hand reaches up from a grave (1)*
25. Rapidly shaking heads (1)
24. Insect orgy (1)
23. Claustrophobia (1)
22. Big teeth (1)
20. Bodies moving in ways they’re not supposed to (1)
19. Extremely long-limbed bodies (1)
18. Small creature or device enters one of the unenterable orifices
17. Evidence of alien life… inside your body
16. Someone you thought you knew is no longer themselves (1)
15. Person turns around very slowly and… (1)
14. Classic landmark, suddenly obliterated (1)
13. Waking up covered in blood with no memory of how you got there (1)
12. Strange mob with mysterious intentions (1)
11. Supernatural entity issues creative threat (1, 2)
10. Figure appears before you in window (1)
9. Figure appears behind you in mirror (1)
8. Face changes in mirror (1)
7. Mysterious footage of yourself dying or killing (1)
6. Person who looked normal a second ago looks pretty dead now (1)
5. Pulling back shower curtain/blinds to find… (1)
4. Angry mob with clear intentions (1)
3. Innocuous gesture summons a demon (1)
2. Bodies becoming things they’re not supposed to (1)
1. Just like, a really great makeup job (1)
*Please click with caution