As a horror enthusiast who’s spent countless nights huddled under blankets during screenings of these chilling masterpieces, I must say that the opening scenes of both “Scream” and “Ghost Ship” have left indelible marks on my heart (and nightmares).
It can be hard to acknowledge, but occasionally, there’s nothing quite as entertaining as watching a film featuring an over-the-top murderer wreaking havoc through their victims in equally outlandish manners. However, it’s not just the blood, gore, and violence that make these films appealing – they serve more as creative shortcuts within the cinematic realm.
Beyond being intriguing and captivating in a gruesome manner, these deaths showcase the creativity of our top-tier filmmakers in ways seldom seen otherwise. It requires a delicate balance between a visionary director, a darkly inventive screenwriter, skilled actors, and an entire crew of special effects artists to create even the mildest of gory scenes for most horror movies – and when this level of craftsmanship is evident on-screen, it’s hard not to appreciate it to some extent.
That said, this article dives deep into some of the most gruesome horror movie kills ever filmed. If you read further, you better be prepared to read about shower stabbings, frozen faces, a human puppet, and whether or not a bread cutter can actually do that to a human head (if you know, you know). And, of course, there will be some light spoilers for each film discussed below. Reader beware!
Liquid Nitrogen Facial — Jason X
Our first entry on this list comes to us from the distant future of 2455, where “Friday the 13th” star Jason Voorhees finds himself flung into the far reaches of space aboard a scientific research vessel. Put simply, if you substituted the Xenomorph from “Alien” with a hulking slasher villain (as well as smart, tense thrills for low-hanging horror shlock), you’d arrive at something similar to 2001’s “Jason X.”
The spaceship called “Grendel” discovers Jason’s body, preserved in cryogenic freezing at the Crystal Lake Research Facility, long after humanity has moved to a new planet named “Earth 2.” This mysterious and imposing entity (portrayed by horror legend Kane Hodder) is under the care of ship intern Adrienne Thomas (Kristi Angus), who is responsible for examining his body. Unfortunately, as she lays him on the table, Jason begins to thaw enough to regain consciousness and transfer his horrifying awareness to Adrienne — by forcefully seizing her head and pushing her into a vat filled with liquid nitrogen.
In a remarkable fashion, the production skillfully achieved the chilling effect of making her face appear frozen in the moment (either through impressive CGI or perhaps filming the scene backward, with the icy makeup being removed), and this convincing portrayal more than compensates for the absence of typical showy effects. Furthermore, the final decapitation — though debunked by “MythBusters” — serves as a gruesome yet satisfying climax that initiates Jason’s rampage with a powerful smash. This murder scene is just one example among many reasons why some believe “Jason X” stands out as the ultimate guilty pleasure horror movie of all time.
Bread Head — Fear Street 1994
In a surprising turn, Netflix’s “Fear Street” trilogy proved to be a success on their streaming platform in 2021, offering numerous terrifying sequences that are best viewed with company rather than alone. The three-part slasher saga kicks off with “Fear Street 1994,” where a clique of high school students find themselves entangled in an effort to break a resurrection spell, having accidentally disturbed the burial site of a 17th-century witch from their town.
In one part of the story, it’s revealed that one of the pursuers hunting the children all night long is Ryan Torres, also known as “Skull Mask” (David W. Thompson). Contrary to belief, he was believed to have been killed by the town sheriff (Ashley Zuckerman), but miraculously returns to life and leads the group into a supermarket after closing time. Despite their valiant efforts, Kate (Julia Rehwald) meets a heart-wrenching fate, being overpowered by Ryan, then stabbed and ultimately having her head forced through an electric bread slicer.
One way of paraphrasing the sentence would be: What stands out in this unsettling scene is the unique appearance of Kate as she emerges from the machine, not as a blob but in slices. In an exclusive making-of video for Netflix, director Leigh Janiak and VFX supervisor Paul Graff discussed how crucial that detail was to enhancing the scene’s impact, despite it being one of the less practical or realistic moments in the series.
TV Brain-Rot — Halloween III: Season of the Witch
Among the most chilling horror trilogy sequels, “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” deviates from the narrative of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode, instead offering a fresh tale that, interestingly enough, doesn’t revolve around witches as one might expect from its title. Despite this misleading name, it’s a film that cleverly instills a sense of unease, largely due to the heinous evil woven into its central villain’s plot.
A person, disguised as a factory owner and wealthy businessman, is actually a cult member with a sinister agenda. He intends to revive ancient Celtic spirits by carrying out mass child sacrifices during ritualistic events. To accomplish this, he starts marketing Halloween masks that contain fragments of the enigmatic Stonehenge structure embedded in microchips on their backs. On Halloween night, if a child wearing such a mask watches a specific broadcast, the microchip will trigger their death. The public gets to witness this chilling event when a family is invited to the factory under false pretenses for feedback on a new advertisement for the masks. One of the children in the family dons a pumpkin-themed mask and collapses in agony as the hypnotic ad airs.
Although this scenario lies beyond the realm of plausibility, the sight of a child being enticed towards a gruesome demise is undeniably heart-wrenching. By the time his or her guardians come to comprehend the danger, it’s suggested that the child’s head has already begun to liquefy within the mask. Somehow, these enigmatic Stonehenge artifacts possess the power to conjure repulsive creatures such as snakes and slugs, which eventually emerge from the child’s head to pursue and slaughter the parents instead.
The Star Lasso Experience — Nope
Initially, Jordan Peele’s “Nope” unfolds with equal parts mystery-thriller and horror elements. As OJ (played by Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer) strive to capture images of the UFO hovering over their California ranch, you find yourself on the brink of anticipation, eager to discover the identity and purpose of the alien craft’s occupants. However, when the Star Lasso Experience rolls in, it becomes apparent that this isn’t merely a sci-fi film—it’s a creature feature.
Ricky “Jupe” Park, the proprietor of an amusement park, invites spectators to join him in observing a UFO at the Star Lasso Experience, a performance intended to cash in on the excitement. However, once he manages to bring it into existence, he regrets his decision as this strange, saucer-shaped object with a massive, gaping mouth beneath it turns out to be an actual flying creature, capable of vacuuming up anything underneath it.
“In a game I once played, it wasn’t just the twist that made it memorable. No, it was when Peele had me, a lone character, climbing up from within the belly of ‘Jean Jacket’, a monstrous creature I’d come to know. Every inch felt like an eternity, as I was swallowed by the suffocating darkness. The sounds of terror echoed around me, but my own fear grew when I encountered the plastic horse that Jean Jacket had consumed earlier.
Death is a Highway — Final Destination 2
To encapsulate the charm of the “Final Destination” movie franchise, all you need is to replay the iconic “Highway to Hell” scene from the 2003 film “Final Destination 2”. Similar to other films in the series, it centers around an unconventional group of individuals who band together after one of them has a premonition that spares them all from a gruesome fate. This scenario effectively illustrates the core concept of these movies: ordinary people trying to outsmart an inevitable and relentless Death.
In the continuation of the story, events unfold on a bustling highway where a laid-back college student named Kimberly (A.J. Cook) is traveling to Daytona Beach for Spring Break. In her foresight, a policeman (Michael Landes) is unable to halt a truck carrying logs, which had an insecure load. This unfortunate incident sets off a chain of events as a tree, flying loose from the truck, smashes through the officer’s windshield and the back of his car, transforming him into a bloody mist.
This production encompasses every element of gore, violence, nonsensical situations, and amusing blunders that make the “Final Destination” series iconic within its genre. Regardless of whether it’s presented in reverse, the Road to Hell serves as an exceptional opening for the second part and continues to rank among the most impressive deaths in the series.
Freddy’s Human Puppet — A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Indeed, such a list wouldn’t be complete without the dream master himself, Freddy Krueger (played by Robert Englund). The unique blend of mystery and terror in Wes Craven’s creation, “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” along with Craven’s exceptional creativity, makes Freddy capable of killings unlike any other franchise. Choosing a “Nightmare” kill for this list was no easy task, given the vast array of gruesome scenes. However, after careful consideration and sifting through numerous scenes of terror, we chose the marionette scene from “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.
At a mental institution, Freddy manipulates a patient named Philip (Bradley Gregg) by invading his dreams and controlling him like a marionette. The ‘strings,’ however, are strips of Philip’s own muscle tissue. In his dream, Philip experiences agony and struggles to break free from his tormentor, but in reality, he seems to be strolling drowsily through the hospital halls. Eventually, Freddy forces him towards an opening in the building and tosses him out, severing the ‘strings.’
Despite Craven not being the director for this movie, the dramatic impact and special effects are on par with any other films in the series. The scene where a colossal Freddy towers over Philip is particularly powerful and could be one of the most unforgettable moments of the film.
The Reverse Bear Trap — Saw: The Final Chapter
Discussing both puppeteers and their creations (particularly those with an over-the-top dramatic flair), John Kramer, also known as Jigsaw (portrayed by Tobin Bell), was a natural fit for this list; to be honest, we had to resist the urge to include multiple instances of his infamous trap sequences. If we must select just one, there’s truly only one trap that is so iconic and intertwined with the franchise that leaving it out would undoubtedly spark the wrath of Billy the Puppet.
As a devoted admirer of the “Saw” franchise, let me share my thoughts about that chilling device – the reverse bear trap. It made its debut in the initial film and nearly claimed Amanda’s life (portrayed by Shawnee Smith), but it wasn’t until six years later, in “Saw: The Final Chapter” or “Saw 3D”, that we finally witnessed it in action. In a gripping turn of events during the intense showdown between Kramer’s wife, Jill (Betsy Russell), and his apprentice Hoffman (Costas Mandylor), Hoffman skillfully employed this deadly trap to avoid facing justice for his heinous deeds. The satisfaction of seeing it function after such a long wait is thrilling on its own, but what truly stands out is how flawlessly it serves as the Chekhov’s gun in this intricate “Saw” storyline. Despite some aspects of the movie being less than stellar, this clever callback adds a layer of complexity that makes up for it to a certain extent.
Bates Motel Shower — Psycho
Six decades after its initial release, Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” remains one of the most haunting horror films ever made, if not the outright best. Its most iconic moments continue to be as edgy today as they were then, a testament to exceptional direction and outstanding acting.
Following her escape with a box laden with stolen money, Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) heads towards her boyfriend’s home along the coast. On her journey, she pauses at a modest, seemingly ordinary motel. Her first night there is generally quiet, except for an awkward dinner with the motel manager, Norman Bates, and afterwards, she opts to relax in a shower. Unaware of the danger, a shadowy figure watches her from behind the curtain before violently tearing it open, brandishing a knife overhead, and repeatedly stabbing her until she collapses onto the floor.
Leigh’s acting in this particular horror scene is arguably among the greatest performances ever captured on film. As Marion appears to lose consciousness, her body slumps towards the drain with blood trickling down it, her instinctive reaction being to grasp onto the curtain for support. However, she ends up pulling the curtain from its rod as she collapses over the edge of the tub. The combination of Leigh’s powerful performance, Hitchcock’s masterful direction, and Bernard Herrmann’s unforgettable score solidifies this scene not only on this list but also in the annals of horror cinema history.
Game Over — Scream (1996)
An opening sequence can make or break a horror movie. It needs to be entertaining, memorable, and arresting, while also effectively establishing the film’s tone, style, and in many cases even its killer. The opening to 1996’s “Scream” accomplishes all of these goals and more.
The film opens with Drew Barrymore’s Casey, a high school student waiting for her boyfriend to join her while her parents are enjoying a night out. When she picks up a phone call from a mysterious stranger, however, a game of horror trivia soon becomes a fight for survival, as the Ghostface killer chases her through her house with a large knife. The scene builds in intensity from reveal to bloody reveal, pulling the viewer into this world and refusing to let them go. By the time Casey does manage to make it outside, only to be murdered just a few yards from her oblivious parents, the audience knows exactly what sort of film they’ve just signed up for.
What elevates the scene even further is the presence of Barrymore, who was arguably the most famous member of the cast at the time. Though she had been considered for other, larger roles, she asked director Wes Craven if she could play Casey so as to subvert the audience’s expectation of who would survive to the end of the movie. “In the horror film genre, my biggest pet peeve was that I always knew the main character was going to be slugging through at the end, but was going to creak by and make it,” she explained during a Hot Ones interview. “What I wanted to do is to take that comfort zone away.”
Line-Dancing — Ghost Ship (2002)
One scene that could potentially outshine both “Scream” and “Final Destination 2 in terms of chilling kill sequences is the initial scene from the 2002 movie “Ghost Ship.” In a scene set 40 years prior to the main storyline on the ship itself (before it became haunted), all passengers gather on the deck for an evening of dancing and music. As the night progresses, an unseen saboteur manipulates one of the ship’s cable lines so that when the tension builds enough, it snaps and slices across the ship at deck level, cutting through almost every passenger from side to side like a brutal blade.
The cable cut isn’t as intricate or chilling as the openings of “Final Destination” or “Scream,” but when standing alone, it’s a powerful kill scene. Its jarring nature amplifies the terror, and the frozen expressions of horror on the crowd’s faces as they gradually comprehend their situation is unnerving in a horror film. The shocking climax – a child being the lone survivor who clings to the captain as his head detaches – is too gruesome to beat. It’s a scene you’d never wish for in reality, yet it’s precisely such intense moments that films like “Ghost Ship” aim to provide, offering a safe means to experience them.
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2024-10-27 19:30