Ten great head explosions on film

I thought I would begin my posts here on FacetsFeatures with a bang--literally. I've compiled a mind-numbing list of movies with head explosions guaranteed to clear your sinuses. So ditch the aspirin and track down these terrific examples of grey matter splatter:



WARNING: The video has graphic content (obviously).

1. Scanners
The most noted head explosion in movie history (see the video clip above). It helped make David Cronenberg's movie a hit, became one of the most talked-about special effects scenes on film, and even inspired the hilarious running sketch on SCTV ("The Farm Film Report") with two yokels rating movies in which actors "blowed up real good!"

2. Rikki Oh (The Story of Ricky)
The wildest over-the-top violent martial arts action film you're ever likely to see. During a prison riot led by a seemingly indestructable martial arts expert, an inmate's head is imploded between the palms of a behemoth. This scene became famous when used by The Daily Show host Craig Kilborn for his "Five Questions" segment.

3. Maniac
Tom Savini created the special effects for William Lustig's notorious splatter film and has a bit part playing the victim of a shotgun-wielding serial killer. Thus, Savini was able to watch his own head being blown off in slow motion. I recall Gene Siskel voting this movie "The Dog of the Week" on Sneak Previews and claiming this scene made him leave the theater in disgust.

4. Dawn of the Dead
More Savini FX here in George Romero's classic from 1978. Racist cop goes nutzoid during a raid and explodes an innocent bystander's head. There's more of this mayhem in the recent remake.

5. Truth or Dare?
No, it's not the Madonna movie. Instead, it's the worst movie with the best head explosion you've never seen. An insane killer plays 'truth or dare' games with his victims, including a mental patient who takes up the challenge by clenching a live grenade between his teeth with predictable results. If you do get to see it, look for the cabbage-like prop falling in the background after the explosion. By the way, future Backstreet Boy A.J. MacLean had a small part in the film (no, he's not blown up).

6. The Beyond
Lucio Fulci directed this extremely violent zombie horror film, but thank God he didn't star in it. A young zombie girl has her head blown off with a pistol with more gory detail than was probably necessary, but hey, who said zombies need to die cleanly?

7. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
The bawdy British secret agent battles "fembots" by dancing amorously in his Union Jack undies and overheating their circuits, causing multiple head explosions.

8. Species II
Species II was one of only two movies I've ever attended in which the audience numbered 5 or less and actually decreased by the end credits. (The other movie was John Frankenheimer's vastly underrated The Fourth War). An alien being becomes an astronaut's parasite, eventually forcing him to blow off his head with a shotgun (shotguns, again?) leaving a stump onto which the clone creature regenerates.

9. Mars Attacks
Tim Burton's goofy film about a Martian invasion has become a popular cult classic. The Martians' heads explode into green slime upon hearing a certain type of music.

10. Outland
This outer space adventure stars Sean Connery as a marshal targetted for assassination by a corporation protecting their drug interests. One of the henchmen has his head inflated through decompression (shown in extreme close-up) before exploding.

My thanks to Miguel, Matt H., Scott, and Susan for helping out with this list.

Lew