Alphabetical Horror Films - J Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ju-On

"Ju-On: The Grudge" released in Japan in 2002 and sparked a series based on ghosts that could wreak havoc from beyond the grave by enacting their rage on people they came into contact with. The series was massively popular in Japan, and upon the remake and release of "The Ring" in 2000, it became one of the earliest American hits in the J-horror trend that swept Hollywood.

The American remake, known only as "The Grudge", starred Sarah Michelle Gellar and was set in Japan. The American version quickly crossed the ocean to Chicago in "The Grudge 2".

Answer: Jack Frost

This honestly is a classic. The story of "Jack Frost" was a holiday horror film about a serial killer sent to the electric chair who, escaping his police van in transit, ended up breaking down to the molecular level to be able to transform into a snowman outside the aptly-named town of Snowmonton. Shannon Elizabeth made her first appearance in this movie before finding mainstream success in "American Pie". Interestingly, "Jack Frost" was released a year before the Michael Keaton holiday film of the same name.

A sequel, "Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman", was released a few years later and was set on Hawaii. You know - where snowmen live?

Answer: Joy Ride

"Joy Ride" was one in a short bout of horror films in the early 2000s that put real people in upsetting situations on the open road, and this particular one featured a prank played on a truck driver over a CB radio that got both Walker and Zahn into a great deal of trouble (involving dead bodies and near-fatal situations). "Joy Ride" was a unique thriller in retrospect as it was written and produced by J.J. Abrams before he made it bigger than he would become.

It made over $36,000,000 in the box office and spun off two sequels, "Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead" and "Joy Ride 3: Roadkill", both of which were direct-to-video.

Answer: Jeepers Creepers

Directed by controversial filmmaker Victor Salva, "Jeepers Creepers" was a major success in the box office, breaking records for Labor Day box office intake upon release in 2001. The success resulted in a quick and larger-scale sequel in 2003 though a third film went through development for more than a decade after.

The original, however, saw Justin Long and Gina Philips go face-to-face against a supernatural creature known in the films as 'The Creeper'. The movie was the first to feature Justin Long in a leading role.

He wouldn't return to the horror genre until "Drag Me to Hell" in 2009.

Answer: Jennifer's Body

Although this Jason Reitman-produced cult classic wasn't too highly-regarded upon its 2009 release, it became a popular feminist film in the decade to follow because although it featured Megan Fox as the succubus Jennifer, it chronicled the story of a teenage girl rebelling against the very mechanisms that made her the way she was. Director Karyn Kusama would go on to create the thriller "The Invitation" in 2015 and participate in the all-women horror anthology "XX" in 2017.

Interestingly, Diablo Cody would reappear in the horror genre, rewriting the script for the 2013 "Evil Dead" remake.

Answer: Jason X

Many fans of this long-running horror franchise will remember this as that time Jason Voorhees went into space, and while the movie was far from the most popular in the series (it barely made back its budget), it was a memorable bout with the famous killer, if only because he got an upgrade in the year 2455.

This sequel wasn't so much retconned in the future so much as it was ignored; the franchise returned to the present day with "Freddy Vs. Jason" in 2003 before getting a reboot by Platinum Dunes.

Answer: Jacob's Ladder

Although it debuted at number one in the box office back in 1990, "Jacob's Ladder" barely recouped its budget over the proceeding weeks despite being a critical hit for its unique psychological approach and its dark themes. Despite not being a go-to film for horror fans of later generations, its aesthetic and story caused shockwaves throughout different media, being a notable inspiration for the "Silent Hill" game series, the film "The Jacket" (starring Adrien Brody), the TV show "American Horror Story", and others. Disappointingly, this film ended up getting remade in 2019 with next to no budget and next to no attention.

Answer: Jigsaw

Although Kevin Greutert, Lionsgate, and Twisted Pictures alleged that they wrapped up the "Saw" series with "Saw 3D" in 2010, having produced annual entries in the series, often released at Halloween, it only took seven years before they brought it back with "Jigsaw", a reboot that acted as both a sequel and a prequel and featuring the unexpected return of series star Tobin Bell and, of course, a number of nefarious traps.

The directors of this one, The Spierig Brothers, were also known in the horror community for the Ethan Hawke movie "Daybreakers".

They followed this one up with the Helen Mirren film "Winchester", which was nominated for two Razzies in 2019.

Answer: Julia's Eyes

The invisible man of the film is a mystery for the main character, Julia, whose degenerative eye disorder slowly renders her blind as the film progresses. This film came out at a time after Guillermo Del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" made a big smash, allowing him more sway in new Spanish-language horror productions.

In addition to "Los ojos de Julia", this phase of Del Toro's career saw the release of "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" (which he also wrote) and "El orfanato". "Julia's Eyes" premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness event. Belén Rueda starred in both "Julia's Eyes" and "The Orphanage".

Answer: Jaws

Considered by film scholars to be the first summer blockbuster in cinema, this Steven Spielberg classic made viewers afraid to go into the water. Released in 1975, the movie chronicled the shark attacks in a small, seaside New England town. Starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss, the movie made over $470,000,000 in the box office, an almost unprecedented amount.

It ended up being nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, but it lost to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". Ultimately, several sequels followed, each one worse than the last, all of which featured sharks. Roy Scheider returned for "Jaws 2".