Scream (1996)
The Moment: A pure “splatter movie” kill according to Rose McGowan later on in the movie.
Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) comes a cropper in this slasher’s opening scene when she gets on the wrong end of a movie-trivia-loving serial killer’s blade.
Look Away When: Casey’s mum screams and falls to the ground just before a quick zoom reveals Casey’s body strung to a tree, “insides on the outside”.
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
The Moment: Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) comes for a teenage Johnny Depp as he dozes off watching TV in his bedroom.
Look Away When: Depp is sucked down into his mattress, disappearing from sight. Cue the biggest torrent of blood we’ve ever seen.
Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
The Moment: Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) is imprisoned in a makeshift jail cell, but it’s not long before his brilliant mind figures out a way to escape – and butcher his guards in a bloody nod to the works of Francis Bacon.
How cultured.
Look Away When: Lecter brings down the truncheon, bludgeoning one of the cops, his jaw set in a joyful grimace.
100 Feet (2008)
The Moment: Joey (Ed Westwick) has the pulp beaten out of him by invisible man Mike (Michael Paré).
Look Away When: Mike repeatedly head butts Joey until his nose and jaw break.
An American Werewolf In London (1980)
The Moment: American backpackers David and Jack are attacked in the English countryside by a werewolf.
Look Away When: Jack’s mangled body is revealed, slashed to pieces and gushing blood.
The Curse 2 (2005)
The Moment: A guy is eaten from the inside out by parasitic snakes, causing his skull to collapse and his eyeballs to pop out.
Look Away When: Dozens of snakes pour out of the guy’s mouth…
Driller Killer (1979)
The Moment: Killer Reno Miller (Abel Ferrara) puts his drill to the cranium of a guy sleeping amongst the bin bags.
Look Away When: Reno turns on the drill…
The Passion Of The Christ (2004)
The Moment: Jesus (Jim Caviezel) is beaten, whipped and variously abused on his way toward crucifixion.
Look Away When: Jesus’ hands are nailed to the cross…
The Fly (1986)
The Moment: Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), now almost entirely transformed, melts Borans’ hand and foot using his own acidic vomit.
Look Away When: Borans breaks into Brundle’s lab.
He really shouldn’t be there…
The Beyond (1981)
The Moment: Martha (Veronica Lazar) discovers a rotting body in the bathtub, which emerges with a single aim: kill her.
Look Away When: Martha’s head nears the nail in the wall…
