Top 20 Face Reveal Scenes in Movies
#20: Intro to Indy
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“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) Nowadays, Indiana Jones is a character who needs no introduction. From the fedora to the whip to the Harrison Ford, we all recognize this iconic adventurer. Back in 1981, though, Indy was a stranger to cinemagoers. After his epic first reveal, we’d never forget Doctor Jones’ face. The atmospheric opening draws the audience in as a mysterious explorer leads a group through a South American jungle. The leader’s face is kept concealed until a guide tries shooting him in the back. Indy teaches him to never bring a gun to a whip fight. Emerging from the shadows, we’re given our first good look at Indy. While there’s still much to be learned about him, we immediately want to follow this character wherever he journeys next.
#19: Master of Disguise
“Mission: Impossible” (1996) No matter how many times the “Mission: Impossible” franchise pulls off that realistic mask trick, it always catches us off guard. After several movies, not to mention the original TV series, that’s an impressive feat. The first film has a few face reveals, although the most shocking is appropriately saved for the climax. This scene also reveals Claire’s true nature, as she mistakes her husband for Ethan Hunt. Honestly, we thought it was Phelps too, even though we probably should’ve caught on to Ethan’s ruse. Once Claire lets the cat out of the bag, Ethan rips off the latex mask. While the special effect looks kind of dated by modern standards, the scene still works as a dramatic twist that hasn’t lost its impact.
#18: Will the Real Jigsaw Please Stand Up?
Top 10 Face Reveal Scenes in Movies
“Saw” (2004) The horror genre is jam-packed with memorable face reveals like the big, bloody twist at the end of “Saw.” In this splatter film spectacle, a murderer called the Jigsaw Killer is putting his victims into the nastiest traps imaginable…but we never get a good look at his face. Pay no attention to the comatose cancer patient. Throughout the film, we see Jigsaw’s handiwork, people mention his name, and we’re pretty sure he’s the guy in the pig mask…that is, until that dead guy picks himself up off the floor.
#17: The Man Behind the Spider
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“Spider-Man 2” (2004) Of course, we all know that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Whenever his identity is jeopardized in the movies, however, it’s treated with great gravitas. In “Spider-Man 2,” Harry and Mary Jane both finally see the man behind the mask. The most touching reveal comes after a thrilling subway rescue. Spidey stops the runaway train full of people, but he removes his mask in the process. The passengers carry their passed out savior inside with his face fully exposed. Looking over their hero, the New Yorkers are surprised to discover how young he is. Above all else, they see that Spider-Man is simply a person trying to do what’s right. Although Peter fears the worst as he comes to, the strangers promise to keep his secret.
#16: Face to Face with Madness
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“Apocalypse Now” (1979) While “Apocalypse Now” is a war movie, the filmmakers also described it as “a comedy and a terrifying psychological horror story.” Marlon Brando’s Colonel Kurtz brings out the humor and the horror. Although Brando is given top billing, his enigmatic character doesn’t appear on screen until the last act. Nevertheless, Kurtz’s presence is felt throughout as our protagonist searches for the mad soldier. Even when Willard finally meets Kurtz, the Colonel is kept mostly in the shadows. The two engage in a conversation almost like something out of “Alice in Wonderland” before we get a decent look. Kurtz was concealed in darkness primarily due to Brando’s weight. In what you could call a blessing in disguise, this workaround only added to Kurtz’s mysterious, broken nature.
#15: Boo! A Radley Halloween
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“To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962) Arthur “Boo” Radley is another character who remains hidden until the eleventh hour, although he’s frequently mentioned beforehand. A recluse who only emerges from his father’s house at night, Boo is like a creature from a ghost story, at least in the eyes of the neighborhood kids. The adults don’t think highly of Boo either. When young Jem and Scout are attacked by Bob Ewell on Halloween night, they’re saved by a mysterious figure. Scout is surprised to not only discover that her rescuer is Boo, but the man many feared is a shy soul with a moral center. And he looks like Robert Duvall! Boo’s reveal emphasizes the message that you can’t always believe town gossip or judge a person until you know them.
#14: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Seen
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“Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone” (2001) Whether you first read it in the book or saw it on the silver screen, the reveal that Professor Quirrell was working for Voldemort took us all by surprise. The true shock, though, came with the undoing of Quirrell’s turban, exposing the parasite on the back of his head. Almost eleven years after giving Harry his scar, the Dark Lord reunites with the Boy Who Lived. Voldemort isn’t voiced by Ralph Fiennes, who wouldn’t appear until the fourth film. Instead, he shares the same voice as Quirrell, actor Ian Hart. His face, meanwhile, belongs to Richard Bremmer, who also portrayed Voldemort while hooded. The first film did a phenomenal job at building up He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and this creepy reveal delivered on our expectations.
#13: The Man Behind the Curtain
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“The Wizard of Oz” (1939) Despite being the titular character, the true Wizard of Oz isn’t unveiled until the end. With a booming voice, a blazing fire, and a giant, haunting head, the Wizard appears to be all-powerful. Pulling back the emerald curtain, however, Toto reveals an ordinary man from Kansas. He also happens to look a lot like the gatekeeper, carriage driver, and guard our heroes encountered earlier. Whether these are all doppelgangers or the same person, the Wizard isn’t too different from Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, or Lion. All of them feel incomplete and insecure. By searching inside themselves, though, they find what they’ve been looking for. Behind all the smoke and mirrors, the Wizard does have some wisdom to share, even if he’s not what we expected.
#12: Here’s Jason!
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“Friday the 13th Part III” (1982) After sporting a sack in the sequel, Jason Voorhees changed his look for “Part III” by donning his trademark hockey mask. In the third entry, it’s business as usual as the faceless Jason murders a bunch of teenagers, only in 3-D. In the film’s gory showdown, heroine Chris Higgins knocks Jason out with a shovel and tries to hang ‘im high. Only Jason isn’t quite dead and decides to show off his ugly mug. Now that’s a face only a vengeful and unstable mom could love.
#11: Blofeld Revealed
“You Only Live Twice” (1967) James Bond has some pretty unforgettable foes, but 007’s number one enemy is definitely Ernst Stavro Blofeld. As head of SPECTRE, Blofeld has shown up in six Eon films played by six different actors. But while he’s Bond’s biggest baddie, Blofeld remained hidden for his first two films. It wasn’t until “You Only Live Twice” that the cat-loving villain finally showed his face. Actor Donald Pleasence actually came up with that grotesque scar after passing on a hump, a beard, and a lame hand. Nice choice.
#10: Taking Rorschach’s Face
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“Watchmen” (2009) Some heroes wear a mask to conceal their face. For Rorschach, the mask is his face, at least that’s how he views it. The mask is so intertwined with Rorschach’s identity that he almost never willingly takes it off. Its frequently changing inkblot only adds to his enigmatic nature. When Rorschach is framed and cornered by the authorities, we get to see the face behind the mask… or perhaps it’s the mask behind the face in this case. Revealed as Walter Kovacs, we witness the vigilante at his most desperate. He screams as if his face has literally been torn off and to a certain extent, it has. Although Rorschach is now missing a part of himself, he hasn’t lost what makes him a badass.
#9: Taking Off the Hood
“South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” (1999) Even though Kenny McCormick is one of “South Park”‘s most famous characters, we never actually see his whole face… well, not until the movie anyway. After dying once again, Kenny ends up in Hell, but after giving Satan some relationship advice, he’s able to wish away a war between Canada and America. But in so doing, he damns himself to eternal torment. Right before he returns to Hell, Kenny gives fans a long-awaited look at the boy behind the hood. But, don’t worry. He comes back to life eventually.
#8: Trick or Terrorize
“Halloween” (1978) It’s no secret that Michael Myers is the villain of “Halloween.” So, let’s say you were to watch the 1978 classic for the first time. As the action unfolds from an unknown person’s perspective, you’d likely assume that this is Michael’s POV. You’d be correct, but there’s a twist. Following an intensely shot sequence where a teenage girl is stabbed to death, the murderer is unmasked by his parents. It’s a six-year-old Michael Myers, who shows zero emotion regarding the unspeakable violence he just inflicted upon his sister. This surprise was actually spoiled in the original trailer, which kind of did the film a disservice. For audiences who are just discovering “Halloween,” however, seeing young Michael with the knife comes as a genuine shock.
#7: Come Out, Come Out, Whoever You Are
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“The Third Man” (1949) Since his name appears in the opening credits, it doesn’t take a detective to piece together that Harry Lime is going to be played by Orson Welles. Although Lime is continuously mentioned throughout this mystery, the enigma surrounding the character is so great that after a while, we begin to forget Welles has a starring role. That’s a testament to the film’s brilliant pacing and storytelling. For much of the run time, it’s believed that Lime is dead. Holly Martins stumbles upon the truth one night when a light is shined on a mysterious figure in a doorway. Revealed to be alive and well, Lime flees the scene. It’s not only one of the best character introductions, but one of cinema’s most iconic close-ups ever.
#6: Whatever Doesn’t Kill You…
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“The Dark Knight” (2008) Want to be a supervillain? Then you need an awesome face reveal like this scene in 1989’s “Batman.” But while Jack’s appearance was terrifying, it takes second place to Heath Ledger’s arrival in “The Dark Knight.” After “Batman Begins,” audiences spent years waiting for the Clown Prince of Crime. If that wasn’t enough suspense, we learn the Joker is a pretty scary looking guy in the opening bank heist. Sure, he had competition from Two-Face, but the Joker stole the show when he took off his mask.
#5: Meeting Mrs. Bates
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“Psycho” (1960) She isn’t “Mother of the Year” material, but Norma Bates can certainly scare an audience. That’s especially impressive as she’s hidden for most of the film. We hear her voice, see her silhouette, and did she just kill the main character? But it isn’t until the twisty climax that we see Mother’s true face. Alfred Hitchcock tested different versions of the Mrs. Bates prop by hiding them in Janet Leigh’s dressing room. The louder the scream, the scarier the prop. We think she probably shattered some windows.
#4: One Ugly Mother...
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“Predator” (1987) He’s a sci-fi slasher complete with an uber-creepy mask. A big game hunter from outer space; the Predator winds up in Central America, stalking a gang of gun-toting commandos led by Alan “Dutch” Schaefer. For most of the movie, the alien is nearly invisible, but when the mercenaries get a glimpse, he’s sporting a slick hunting mask, complete with thermal imaging. But several dead bodies later, the Predator challenges Dutch to hand-to-hand combat and finally removes his mask, revealing the scariest pair of mandibles you’ll probably ever see.
#3: Vader Unmasked
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“Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983) The cape is cool, and the lightsaber is awesome, but people always remember the mask. It gave Darth Vader his robotic breath and made him sound like James Earl Jones. For two movies, this deep space supervillain kept his face hidden, but we finally got a good look in “Return of the Jedi.” After sticking it to the Emperor, Vader asks Luke to remove his helmet, revealing an injured old man. Without the mask, Luke sees his father’s true face, and Vader finally becomes more man than machine.
#2: Not an Animal
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“The Elephant Man” (1980) With David Lynch directing and Mel Brooks producing, you wouldn’t expect a poignant character study, but “The Elephant Man” certainly tugs at your heartstrings. The film follows a deformed freak show performer named John Merrick who becomes a Victorian celebrity. Lynch keeps Merrick’s face a secret at first, but when a nurse stumbles into his hospital room, we get a straight-on shot of the Elephant Man. But even though he’s a hideous sight, Merrick is no made-up movie monster. He’s a real person and a human being. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. You Look a Little Flushed “Captain America: The First Avenger” (2011) Gonna Need a Bigger Boat “Jaws” (1975) Enter the Dragon “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” (2013)
#1: The Man Behind the Mask
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“The Phantom of the Opera” (1925) Before Gerard Butler charmed his way through the Paris Opera House, Lon Chaney was frightening audiences with this freaky face reveal. After kidnapping his crush and hiding her in his subterranean lair, the Phantom lays down some ground rules – namely, don’t mess with the mask. But Christine doesn’t listen, and the result was so scary that moviegoers in 1925 allegedly fainted. Known as the Man of a Thousand Faces, Chaney used some crazy tricks to make that horrifying face, including holding his nose back with wire. Talk about dedication.