Horror movies are infamous for their depiction of violence; many times it’s used to add dramatic effect and others it’s just used gratuitously. The level of enjoyment one gets out of the moments of violence usually depends on the quality of the effects whether they be CGI or practical. Cheesy horror movies generally opt for comedic levels of blood and guts spraying across the screen, but these moments aren’t limited to the cheesy movies alone as there are several horror movies that use the realistic portrayal of gore to shock and appall viewers. No matter which style you prefer the genre is never short of the red matter to feast your eyes upon.
Genre buffs could argue for hours over what scenes are the best and the fact of the matter is that when you’re talking about arms, legs, head and any other body part being severed from one’s body and blood being shed in the gallons on screen, taste is one of the last things you can really argue for. Lists will vary from person to person but certain moments are just so unforgettable that they remain universal, that is unless of course you’re dealing with someone new to the genre, and then it’s our job to help them discover these juicy pieces of cinema. I’ve witnessed my fair share of over the top gore scenes in my day, but I know that I’ve got a long ways to go before I’ve seen it all let alone seen many of the more obscure choices other people might come up with. So I’ve dug through the archive of films I have seen and I’ve come up with some of my favorite gore scenes that all are epic in some way shape or form. Also…assume there are spoilers afoot.
5. The Spring Break Buffet (Piranha 3d) – The most recent of my choices, Piranha 3D is far and away from being the best horror movie anyone will encounter, but it is a whole lot of fun from beginning to end. The events all lead up to an incredibly brutal beach scene with college partygoers being attacked by the bloodthirsty piranhas. While they are trying to escape their fate at the razor sharp teeth of the fish they also cause horrible violence upon themselves in various ways and the practical effects are really something to behold.
4. Titty Twister Massacre (From Dusk Till Dawn) – Before any women feel offended by my title for the scene let me just clarify that the name of the strip club that George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino visit in the film is actually called The Titty Twister, so don’t blame me, blame the filmmakers! When the Gecko brothers escape from prison and sneak across the border into Mexico they seek refuge in a strip club to meet with an acquaintance. Shortly after they arrive and the locals are extremely hostile an altercation leaves one of them bleeding and sends one of the strippers into a bloodthirsty rage and she turns into a vampire. Then the rest of the bar workers and strippers also change into vampires and start slaughtering all of their paying customers in a scene that’s very violent and also very funny.
3. Choke On It (Feast) – A very underrated film that came out of Project Greenlight was FEAST. It’s a hilarious and violent monster movie that might take a couple viewings to really appreciate, but I nearly can’t get enough of it. Sure the sequels are some of the most terrible movies ever made, but that doesn’t negate the fact that FEAST is still a great piece of entertainment. The scene in question also comes at the end of the film when the characters need to make one last final stand against the monsters to try and survive the ordeal. When all the carnage is coming to an end there’s one very glorious moment when the waitress of the bar jumps on top of one of the monsters and shoves her entire arm down it’s through screaming “Choke on it.” It’s one of those moments where you just have to clap with a huge smile on your face.
2. One Word, Inside (Inside) – My first exposure to French horror was this little home invasion gem known as INSIDE. It does not contain a single scene where lots of people are brutally butchered, but through the course of the film several people meet an awful and bloody demise. The killer’s weapon of choice happens to be scissors and she uses them in terrible ways, ones that were burned into my brain for days after initially watching it. The events are all capped off by a gory and disturbing final kill that is at once memorable and disgusting; therefore the film gets my nod of recognition for being epic, on a disturbing level.
1. When Lawnmowers Attack (Dead Alive) – Before Peter Jackson was making trips with hobbits and remaking a certain classic giant ape he was toiling in the world of a virus originated by a diseased rat monkey that turns those bitten into zombies. It is an extremely gory and hilarious horror comedy that every genre fan should seek out. Towards the end of the film and things have all gone to hell our main character grabs himself a lawnmower and from then on, “Party’s Over,” he mows his way through the horde of zombies that have infested his house in a scene of sheer disgusting glory.
