The Top Ten Exploding Heads from the 80's

There is nothing quite like a really well-timed exploding head in a film. They still give me a giddy thrill. The best ones for me were those that were not signposted by the director, and were able to knock your socks off with a bloody gush of brain matter. The crazy thing is, there are nearly too many exploding heads to even narrow it down to a top ten, and that's just from the decade that taste forgot. So I did my best, factoring the effects work, wetness and overall feel of the scene in to come up with a list I feel happy to stand by.

10 - The Toxic Avenger (1984)

It's hard to believe our old pal Toxie turns 30 this year, but there you go. For me, the best moment of head squishing isn't from the more well-loved moment involving the gym equipment, but the earlier scene with the poor kid on the bike. Probably because, A, it is a kid getting killed, and B, the scene is kinda disturbing.

9 - The Running Man (1987)

Violence and gore isn't anything unusual in an Arnold Schwarzenegger film, but this one took me by surprise in my youth, and I still love it. Maybe it's the way the body keeps running momentarily, as if in denial that the head went kaboom.

8 - Chopping Mall (1986)

I'm not sure how to justify this one, but I think the film is a whole lot of fun and one of my preferred Jim Wynorski works. Not the most impressive from the decade by a long shot, but it works well and is a bit of fun in a goofy film. 

7 - Deadly Friend ( 1986)

Generally perceived to be one of Wes Craven's worst excursions in celluloid (the crown goes to The Hills Have Eyes Part II), the film is still highly entertaining in the most nonsensical way possible. This gusher was completely unexpected on first viewing, and still gets a good groan. Once again, the way the body keeps on flopping afterwards really sells the scene to me, and isn't completely hilarious. At all.

6 - Dawn of the Dead (1978)

The effect created by Tom Savini in this moment was such a shocker at the time that suddenly all extreme horror films just had to have either Savini, an exploding head, or both. It's understandable, too, as the scene as a whole still packs a punch (and is one of my favourites in all of horror), mainly to the oppressive tone created by Romero and the startling effects work by Savini. The head shot was just one of many ground-breaking effects in this lengthy scene, but it is the most jaw dropping, considering its age.  The man went on to to many more great exploding heads, another of which is included below...

5 - The Fly II (1989)

The Fly II will never make many top ten lists, but it happens to be a favourite of mine. It's a generally unpleasant film (the scenes with the dog are still a tough watch) and the gruesome moments in the climax are still incredible looking. This poor chap certainly gets his sinuses cleared by the falling lift, though I think he had a gentler ending than the 'acid-to-the-face' guy. Some seriously wet head trauma here.

4 - Maniac (1980)

You know things are taking a turn for the unpleasant when William Lustig's Maniac shows up. One of the nastiest from the first wave of slashers, the film follows the exploits of a deeply deranged killer with war trauma and mommy issues. When he isn't scalping hookers, he takes time out to deliver a shotgun blast to the bonce of FX guru, Tom Savini. It took several hours to find my jaw on the floor when I first watched this on a 3rd generation bootleg back in the day.

3 - Dust Devil (1992)

Richard Stanley's cryptic follow-up to the smashing Hardware seems to bypass many people, but it is worth seeking out. Following a serial killer/shape shifter as he offs lonely women, the film is stuffed full of striking images, including this climatic head explosion. Simon Boswell also provides the nifty tunes. Fairly large spoilers if you care for that sort of thing.

2 - Story of Ricky (1991)

It is probably unfair to try and single out one moment of madness in a truly bonkers film, but the head crush that comes during the yard fight in Story of Ricky is enough to make most people spit out their beer. If there is any reason you haven't seen this one yet, please, go check it out. NOW.

1 - Scanners (1981)

OK, it was inevitable that Scanners was going to top the list. It is one of the most iconic exploding head moments in history, let alone the 80's. The reason why it gets the coveted number one spot? Firstly, the astonishing effects work by the truly legendary Dick Smith. Watch the scene as many times as you want, it never looks like a dummy. Secondly, due to the mastery of Cronenberg, the scene is tense and the climax nearly unexpected. We knew the guy had psychic abilities, but to make heads pop like a balloon? Plus, it's the only film with Michael Ironside in it on this list. Guaranteed number one spot. Put your raincoat on for this one.