Explore the Gore

I do love a film with a good old helping of blood and guts once in awhile. Some of my favourite horrors are filled with heads being torn off and brains exploding. It may be a bit morbid to enjoy these type of films, but for me, it’s more about the art. Creating visually realistic, sometimes horrific, images on screen is an artform that very few have ever mastered, but when it’s done well, the effects are astoundingly disturbing. It’s not real, it’s not wrong and it’s lots of fun!

So here are some of my highlights from the world of film. It’s by no means a comprehensive list, it’s just a handful of moments that caught my imagination, or just made me go..URGH!!!

Brain Dead – The Lawnmower Scene

Brain dead is such a entertaining film. It has so many gory moments that it’s hard to pick a favourite, but if you had to twist my arm, it has to be the Lawnmower Scene.

Set the Scene:

So zombies have just taken over your party, your girlfirends trapped in the house and you only thing to hand is a gas powered lawnmower.

Robocop – Emil’s Grisly Death

Robocop is another film that has great gore throughout, like Murphy being gunned down or the executive suit guy getting blasted by the Ed209, but my choice for the best sequence has to be poor Emil’s nasty death.

Set the Scene:

The bad guys have cornered Robocop. Emil tries to run Robocop over but crashes into toxic waste.

The Fly 2 – Face Melt

The fly 2 managed to be a really gruesome sequel, with heads pooping and mutant dogs ripping fingers off, but my favorite moment, and also a real visual effect treat, is the moment Martin’s brundle fly melts a face off!

Set the Scene:

Martin (brundle fly) is being hunted by security forces, whilst trying to get to the teleporters that could save his life.

Videodrome – The new flesh

No one does weird like David Cronenberg, and Videodrome is no exception. We are never too sure if the things that are happening are real or a hallucinations. One thing for sure is that they are bloody and violent, no more so than the “New flesh” scene.

Set the Scene:

Max tracks Barry Convex to a trade show where he publicly execute him in front of a horrified crowd.

Day of the dead (1985)

No gore list would be complete with out at least one of George Romero’s zombies films on it. And here is my favorite, Day of the dead. In particular, the death of Rhodes. Not only is a gruesome way to go, but it’s so satisfactory, as he had been such obnoxious guy through out the entire film.

Set the Scene:

Rhodes, attempting to escape the over-run compound, is shot and wounded by Bub, only to find himself faced with a wall of zombies.

The Shining (1980)

If your going to do Horror right, you need the blood dripping down the screen. Stanley Kubrick did this literally in The Shining when he dumped a ton of blood down into the set, sending claret everywhere, splashing up against the walls and floating furniture across cross the screen. It’s a powefull image and a terrifying moment that heralds the power growing within the hotel.

Set the Scene:

Wendy runs through the hotel looking for Danny, only to discover something horrific!