Top 10 Brutal Torture Scenes in Horror Movies
Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’re counting down our picks for the most twisted and shocking Brutal Torture Scenes in Horror Movies. Did any of these make you squirm? Let us know in the comments!
#10: Annie Hobbles Paul
“Misery” (1990)
Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, “Misery” stars an Oscar-winning Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes. Annie is a disturbed woman who kidnaps writer Paul Sheldon and forces him to rewrite the ending to his popular Misery series. After learning that Paul is, quite understandably, planning his escape, she brings in a sledgehammer and a block of wood to set things right. Annie proceeds to “hobble” Paul, which means placing the block between his ankles and breaking them with the sledgehammer. It’s an absolutely sickening sight which is made all the worse by the excellent acting of James Caan. Those screams of pain are something else.
#9: Frank’s Chains
“Hellraiser” (1987)
Clive Barker burst onto the scene with “Hellraiser,” a classic that made Pinhead a cultural icon. Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, a group of extra-dimensional creatures who inflict pain for pleasure. Frank has escaped the Cenobites, and in the grisly climax of the film, they come to collect with the help of some chains. They emerge from the dark and graphically pierce Frank’s skin. They eventually string him up like a flayed fish before quite literally tearing him to pieces. The makeup work is exceptional, and the image has become one of the most iconic in all of horror.
#8: Kana’s Eyeball
“Hostel” (2005)
Eli Roth’s cult classic makes “Saw” look like an episode of “Bluey.” Coming on the heels of the 2004 original, “Hostel” took the now-popular abuse genre and ramped the visuals up to 11. It follows a group of American tourists who are viciously mutilated for fun. The movie is filled to the brim with grotesque visuals, including what happens to poor Kana. Paxton stumbles across Kana being attacked, and she is, let’s just say, not seeing very well out of her right eye. The scene only gets worse from there, as Paxton attempts a little surgery to save Kana. We commend the effort, but we don’t think a pair of dirty scissors is the right tool for the job.
#7: Nick Is Turned Into a Wishbone
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“Bone Tomahawk” (2015)
Sometimes you think you’ve seen everything that the horror genre has to offer. And then along comes “Bone Tomahawk.” A unique Western horror, the film sees a small group attempting to save a local woman from a violent group of cannibals. They are eventually taken to the cannibals’ cave and made to watch the brief murder of Deputy Nick. We don’t know who comes up with this stuff, but it’s certainly an original death scene. Let’s just say, Nick is turned into a human wishbone. And that’s after the torment. The whole scene only lasts about a minute, but it will stay with you forever.
#6: Brent’s Entire Experience
“The Loved Ones” (2009)
Don’t let the title fool you - there is nothing “loving” about this movie. In fact, it’s pretty darned depraved. Brent is asked to the prom by Lola Stone, but he turns her down so he can go with his girlfriend, Holly. Well, Lola isn’t one to take no for an answer. She kidnaps Brent and subjects him to horrific treatment, like wrecking his vocal cords with bleach and piercing his feet with knives. But the worst comes later, when Lola attempts to lobotomize Brent with a drill and some boiling water. We don’t see much of the drilling itself, but the sound design tells you all you need to know. It’s revolting, it’s both crunchy and squishy, and it certainly paints a vivid picture.
#5: The Circle of Blood
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“Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom” (1975)
One of the most controversial films ever made, “Salò” concerns the horrific treatment of kidnapped victims in World War II. While some argue that the film contains important socio-political themes, others regard it as little more than a prolonged exercise in patience-testing. While the entire film is disgusting, it’s in the fourth segment - rightfully tilted Circle of Blood - where things get really bad. Director Pier Paolo Pasolini pushes both boundaries and buttons, and even to this day the segment remains incredibly difficult to watch. All manner of violence is on display, much of it stomach-churning and sickening. Maybe the themes are important, but the film’s critics certainly have a point. This is nasty, bordering on needlessly gratuitous.
#4: Kakihara & Suzuki
“Ichi the Killer” (2001)
And speaking of controversial films, let’s talk about Takashi Miike’s “Ichi the Killer.” It follows the brutal adventures of Kakihara, a sadomasochistic Yakuza enforcer on the hunt for his missing boss. His investigation leads him to a member of a rival clan named Suzuki. It’s not like Kakihara invites him out to coffee and politely inquires about the whereabouts of his boss. Nope, he strings up Suzuki using a number of steel hooks and makes everything worse with the help of a skewer and a pot of boiling oil. Kakihara is clearly having the time of his life, but we aren’t.
#3: The Rack
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“Saw III” (2006)
You know, it’s funny. Of all the gore seen throughout the “Saw” franchise, it’s a relatively bloodless device that has gone down in movie infamy. It’s called the Rack, and it can be seen near the end of “Saw III”. The victim is poor Timothy, the drunk driver who accidentally killed Jeff’s son. Timothy’s limbs are encased in a large steel device, whose individual components slowly turn in a circle. This means that all of Timothy’s limbs are twisted one-by-one before his neck is eventually broken. Timothy’s screams of torment are excruciating, as is the nauseating sound design that accompanies each snapping limb. Most of us know how bad a broken bone hurts, but we couldn’t imagine what this feels like.
#2: Anna Is Skinned Alive
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“Martyrs” (2008)
Remember that scene from “Game of Thrones” where Ramsay rips off a little piece of Theon’s finger? Well, Theon got off easy compared to Anna. The young woman is kidnapped by a cult who, through some nonsensical religious guise, inflicts horrific pain on their captives. The entire climax of the film is devoted to Anna’s abuse at the hands of the cult, and it ends with her being flayed alive. Anna does not die from her traumatic injuries (at least not right away), and she is forced to remain conscious sans skin and with her muscles completely exposed. It’s repugnant stuff, and it resulted in a lot of controversy with various rating boards.
#1: Asami’s Work
“Audition” (1999)
Widely regarded as a classic, Takashi Miike’s “Audition” contains one of the most iconic scenes in all of horror cinema. A brilliantly-constructed film, “Audition” begins innocently enough, with widower Shigeharu finding a new romantic partner through playful auditions. It’s through this that he meets Asami, a deranged woman who playfully toys with Shigeharu. Only, her toys are the likes of paralytic agents, needles, and a wire saw. It’s every bit as horrible as it sounds, with Asami using these tools in the most hideous ways possible. The sequence earned wide acclaim, especially for how it was paced within the context of the film. But acclaim or not, it sure is gross.
