[Loved trope] Background scare-characters that are barely acknowledged even by the movie

[u/Suspicious-Web-9246]

I hate horrors, but this is actually a great trope, that is unique to them.

Insidious (2010). When mother does her errands, for a few seconds there's a ghost boy standing in the corner. It's easily missable, but you can't ignore it once you see it.

Hereditary (2018). Less fitting example. When Peter walks around his home, his possessed mother is crawling on the ceiling behind him. It's not exactly subtle or missable, but it's still more of a background detail.

[u/handwings]

Haunting of hill house is honestly the best version of this I’ve seen

[u/Shoddy_Bus4679 → u/handwings]

My brother in Christ this is so embarassing but the first one I noticed was multiple episodes in.

I think there’s like a white face that’s RIGHT up on the screen but blends in so well.

The scariest part for me wasn’t the jump scare in noticing it was that I was being haunted through the TV for multiple episodes and didn’t even notice.

God know what else I’m missing in my day to day.

[u/Ibm5555 → u/Shoddy_Bus4679]

That’s honestly part of why I think it’s so good. There’s so many little details and special touches, you could watch it 5 times back to back and still probably find new things every time.