History Main / ScaryJackInTheBox

* Mad Jack of ''DonkeyKong64'' is an enormous jack-in-the-box that tries to squash Tiny Kong flat.
* In ''AmericanMcGeesAlice'', one of the weapons is a jack in the box that breathes fire.

* The Joker is the most prominent villain in ''BatmanVengeance'', so obviously he has these in his arsenal. Unique in that they [[NightmareFuel follow you]] if you get too close, and they seem to breathe fire. [[spoiler: Their main weakness is Electric Batarangs.]]

* In ''{{Elf}}'', Buddy is the jack-in-the-box tester and every time one "pops", it freaks him out. Later in the film, he has a nightmare about the cackling jack-in-a-box.
* Averted with Zebedee from ''TheMagicRoundabout'', who's a jack-in-the-box figure without a box. Played straight with his EvilCounterpart, Zeebad.
* A jack-in-the-box also shows up in ''TheGreatMouseDetective'' (pictured above), though it's not really doing anything, but it does look a little bit scary.

* The BigBad in the "Literature/TheSteadfastTinSoldier" segment of Disney's ''Disney/{{Fantasia 2000}}'' is a Jack-In-The-Box (in the original story, it was a goblin living in a snuffbox).

* The "Heffalumps and Woozles" number from ''WinnieThePooh'' featured "Woozles-in-a-Boxes."

* The short game ''Jack in the Dark'' (a promotional game for ''AloneInTheDark 2'') is set in a toy shop and has an evil jack-in-the-box (who has the appearance of the main game's BigBad) for a villain. The jack-in-the-box turns the toys evil, using them to kidnap Santa.

** Averted with [[CreatorCameo the jack-in-the-box]] who shows up in ''Toy Story 3'' (the one who constantly yells "New toys!").

* If I recall correctly, the group of evil toys in DeanKoontz's ''Oddkins'' includes a jack-in-the-box.

* In YuGiOh, Maximilian Pegasus summons his Bikuri Box, a [[TheHyena cackling]], [[MonsterClown vaguely clownlike]]/GrimReaper-ish monster jack in the box, to deliver the deathblow to Seto Kaiba's Saagi the Dark Clown. Oh, did I mention that Bikuri Box stores a big scythe in his [[HammerSpace mouth]]?

* Used frequently by TheJoker in all of his incarnations, particularly during the Silver Age of Comic Books.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', TheJoker freaks out [[GreenLantern Guy Gardner]] during a forced death-race using a jack-in-the-box (with his own face, naturally), causing Gardner to lose his concentration and de-materialize his [[GreenLanternRing energy-car]].

[[quoteright:320:[[TheGreatMouseDetective http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jackinbox_1360.jpg]]]]

* ''ToyStory'' had [[MeaningfulName Hand-In-The-Box]], a Frankenstein-looking hand attached to the spring of a jack-in-the-box, yet actually turned out to be [[DarkIsNotEvil good and helpful, along with the other mutant toys]].
** Averted with [[CreatorCameo the jack-in-the-box]] who shows up in [[ToyStory Toy Story 3]] (the one who constantly yells "New toys!").

* ''DarkwingDuck'' features the ghost clown Paddywhack who lives inside a jack-in-the-box.
* ''TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'', naturally.

* In ''KingsQuestVII'', this is one of the ways Rosella can die. In the tree house in Ooga Booga land, there's a jack in the box that will kill you if you open it.

[[quoteright:320:[[{{The Great Mouse Detective}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jackinbox_1360.jpg]]]]

A jack-in-the-box is often a staple of childhood playtime and entertainment. Most times, it can be a fun toy for children to play with, but occasionally, it can also be a form of {{Nightmare Fuel}} for some. Either way, you can expect to see jack-in-the-boxes [[{{Incredibly Lame Pun}} pop up]] in media.

May overlap with: {{Jump Scare}}, {{Surprise Jump}}, {{Monster Clown}}
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[[AC: {{Anime and Manga}}]]

[[AC: {{Comic Books}}]]
* Used frequently by {{The Joker}} in all of his incarnations, particularly during the Silver Age of Comic Books.

[[AC: {{Film}}]]
* ''{{Toy Story}}'' had [[{{Meaningful Name}} Hand-In-The-Box]], a Frankenstein-looking hand attached to the spring of a jack-in-the-box, yet actually turned out to be [[{{Dark Is Not Evil}} good and helpful, along with the other mutant toys]].
** Averted with [[CreatorCameo the jack-in-the-box]] who shows up in [[{{Toy Story}} Toy Story 3]] (the one who constantly yells "New toys!").

* Averted with Zebedee from ''{{The Magic Roundabout}}'', who's a jack-in-the-box figure without a box. Played straight with his {{Evil Counterpart}}, Zeebad.
* A jack-in-the-box also shows up in ''{{The Great Mouse Detective}}'' (pictured above), though it's not really doing anything, but it does look a little bit scary.

* Muffy was handed a deliberately scary one in ''Film/AprilFoolsDay'' when she was a child.
* The {{Big Bad}} in the "Literature/TheSteadfastTinSoldier" segment of Disney's ''Disney/{{Fantasia 2000}}'' is a Jack-In-The-Box (in the original story, it was a goblin living in a snuffbox).

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]
* The jack-in-the-box in Creator/NeilGaiman's horror story "Dont Ask Jack" (which was apparently inspired by an actual jack-in-the-box someone gave him).
* If I recall correctly, the group of evil toys in {{Dean Koontz}}'s ''Oddkins'' includes a jack-in-the-box.

[[AC: {{Newspaper Comics}}]]
* ''{{Cul De Sac}}'' had a school jack-in-the-box which, when opened, shot a clown into the ceiling. The class then spent the rest of the day hiding from it under a table.

[[AC: {{Live Action TV}}]]
* ''{{The Twilight Zone}}'' TOS episode "ItsAGoodLife". Anthony the {{Reality Warper}} changes a man into a grotesque Jack-in-the-Box.

[[AC: {{Tabletop Games}}]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}} 8'' "Jack in the Box" is a buildable gadget that acts like a weak fear spell. Or you can put in the same box a demon doll instead and make insanity-inducing variant.

[[AC: {{Video Games}}]]
* The short game ''Jack in the Dark'' (a promotional game for ''{{Alone In The Dark}} 2'') is set in a toy shop and has an evil jack-in-the-box (who has the appearance of the main game's {{Big Bad}}) for a villain. The jack-in-the-box turns the toys evil, using them to kidnap Santa.
* Mad Jack of ''{{Donkey Kong 64}}'' is an enormous jack-in-the-box that tries to squash Tiny Kong flat.

* In ''{{Kings Quest VII}}'', this is one of the ways Rosella can die. In the tree house in Ooga Booga land, there's a jack in the box that will kill you if you open it.

[[AC: {{Web Comics}}]]
* ''GirlGenius'' has a [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20110209 really big one]], in the castle of the maddest {{mad scientist}}s around. In the nursery.

[[AC: {{Western Animation}}]]
* Averted with Charlie-In-The-Box from ''{{Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer}}''.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Batman The Brave And The Bold}}'', {{The Joker}} freaks out [[{{Green Lantern}} Guy Gardner]] during a forced death-race using a jack-in-the-box (with his own face, naturally), causing Gardner to lose his concentration and de-materialize his [[{{Green Lantern Ring}} energy-car]].
* ''{{Darkwing Duck}}'' features the ghost clown Paddywhack who lives inside a jack-in-the-box.

[[AC: {{Real Life}}]]

[[caption-width-right:320:He's not doing anything, but that doesn't stop him from being scary.]]

* The {{Big Bad}} in the "Literature/TheSteadfastTinSoldier" segment of Disney's ''[[{{Disney/Fantasia}} Fantasia 2000]]'' is a Jack-In-The-Box (in the original story, it was a goblin living in a snuffbox).

* The jack-in-the-box in {{Neil Gaiman}}'s horror story "Dont Ask Jack" (which was apparently inspired by an actual jack-in-the-box someone gave him).

* In Jack Yeovil's ''{{Drachenfels}}'', one character is murdered and set like this -- his bones are removed and the rest of the body is folded in a box with a spring, then sent to a famous spoiled actress.

* The "Heffalumps and Woozles" number from ''WinnieThePooh'' featured "Heffalumps-in-a-Boxes."

* The "Heffalumps and Woozles" number from ''WinniethePooh'' featured "Heffalumps-in-a-Boxes."

* In ''{{Wizardry}} 8'' "Jack in the Box" is a buildable gadget that acts like a weak fear spell. Or you can put in the same box a demon doll instead and make insanity-inducing variant.

* The {{Big Bad}} in the "Literature/TheSteadfastTinSoldier" segment of Disney's [[{{Disney/Fantasia}} ''Fantasia 2000'']] is a Jack-In-The-Box (in the original story, it was a goblin living in a snuffbox).

[[AC: {{Fairy Tales}}]]
* The {{Big Bad}} in "Literature/TheSteadfastTinSoldier" is a Jack-In-The-Box. Most likely the {{Trope Codifier}}.

* The {{Big Bad}} in ''{{The Steadfast Tin Soldier}}'' is a Jack-In-The-Box. Most likely the {{Trope Codifier}}.

* [[DoubleSubversion Double subverted]] with the Farmers' Insurance commercial featuring a giant Jack-In-The-Box that fills the entire front of the room. The professor demonstrates how accidents could be "a little scary" by turning the crank, with the onlooking agents presumably thinking a giant clown will pop out and destroy the room. However, on the "POP" note nothing happens... until about five seconds later when a space capsule falls through the ceiling and crushes the Jack-In-The-Box.

* Double subverted with the Farmers' Insurance commercial featuring a giant Jack-In-The-Box that fills the entire front of the room. The professor demonstrates how accidents could be "a little scary" by turning the crank, with the onlooking agents presumably thinking a giant clown will pop out and destroy the room. However, on the "POP" note nothing happens... until about five seconds later when a space capsule falls through the ceiling and crushes the Jack-In-The-Box.

* In one episode of ''{{Batman The Brave And The Bold}}'', {{The Joker}} freaks out [[{{Green Lantern}} Guy Gardner]] during a forced death-race using a jack-in-the-box (with his own face, naturally), causing Gardner to lose his concentration and de-materialize his [[{{Green Lantern Ring}} energy-car]].