Someone said to me recently, “Heads don’t roll like they used to,” and I took that as a personal challenge. Whatever happened to the good ol’ snap n’ drop? Nothing! Beheadings and decapitation have stayed alive and well in our neck of the woods. Let me highlight a handful of the best beheadings in horror that need to be added to your watch list, or give you a reason to revisit some classics.

The Best Beheadings in Horror

Hereditary (2018) 

No, I don’t think Ari Aster is okay. A two-fer of decapitation in only 128 minutes is almost as rare as little Charlie’s (Milly Shapiro) headless body after marinating in the back seat of her brother’s car overnight. The only thing that could possibly trump the infamous nut allergy sequence is a self-inflicted beheading for a cute lil’ nightcap right before the credits roll. Toni Collette eats those wounds like an absolute champ while hoisted 10 feet off the floor.

Saint Drogo (2023) 

Saint Drogo is the second feature film to drop out of Monster Makeup Entertainment. The story follows a gay couple going through a rough patch. The two make an effort to heal their relationship by taking a trip to Rhode Island’s P-Town during the winter off-season. While pretending to fix their bond, one of them faces their suspicion of the disappearance of an ex who never returned home.

It’s a tense and uncomfortable slow burn that ends on an even more anxiety-ridden note with some gorgeous body horror. A must-see for queer fans of psychological horror and gore that’ll leave your head spinning as the heads on screen are rolling.

 

Deadly Friend (1986) 

Before M3GAN, before Anabelle, and even before Chucky, there was Samantha Pringle; the deadliest “girl next door”. Take a stroll down Wes Craven’s catalog, and you’ll find this wildly overlooked piece of gore gold- which includes one of the best clapbacks of the decade.

Paul is the new robotics prodigy in town, and his creation, a bot named BB is all the proof he needs. When there’s meddling kids on the block, the mortal enemy can’t be far. In this case, it’s the old Karen down the street, Elvira. When Sam Pringle suffers a critical injury due to domestic violence, Paul places BB’s chip into her brain, turning her into the cutest cyborg around. Maybe ol’ Elvira should’ve thought twice before stealing the neighborhood kids’ basketball- Sam Pringle shoots a nasty free throw, knocking her head clean off and into a bloody pulp.

The Coffee Table (2022) 

You don’t know true stress if you haven’t seen The Coffee Table. Director Caye Casas is one sick dude who just delivered the blackest horror comedy you’ve ever experienced. The film explores the fragile familial relationships between Jesus, his wife Maria, and his brother Carlos. It’s an equal opportunity horror in here- no one is granted immunity. I’m sure you’re wondering how decapitation and family drama mix. I’ll quietly throw this on the list and leave you to your trauma. I’ve already said too much.

The Omen (1976) 

Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen was a fun time, but nothing could ever compare to the crater-sized impact that was left in viewers after the late David Warner’s incredible death scene. Warner stars as the photographer Keith Jennings, assisting in the investigation to determine whether the boy Damian is the Antichrist.

During an assassination attempt, Jennings becomes distracted and fails to notice the industrial glass truck heading full speed towards him. A sheet of glass comes loose, slicing his throat with the precision of a Michelin star chef’s knife, popping his head clean off the stem. Just to rub it in, viewers get the play-by-play from at least four different angles in glorious slow motion. The 70s couldn’t have been ready for all that.

I Saw The Devil (2010) 

This beheading comes at the finale of a masterclass of revenge. Director Kim Jee-woon is extra generous with flesh and violence. Around these parts, we’re all game, but to the Korea Media Rating Board, absolutely not. The board had forced a recut on two separate occasions to avoid a “restricted” rating, which would prevent the film from having a theatrical or home video release. Lucky for us, the international cut puts all the squishy stuff right back in.

Lee Byung-hun stars as Soo-hyeon; a professionally trained agent on a revenge mission against his finance’s “decapitator”, Jang Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik). Decapitation plays a special role in this film, as that’s where our story starts and ends. After 144 minutes of an extreme level cat and mouse chase, Kyung-chul finally meets his demise by decapitation from his own personal guillotine. And the best part? Soo-hyeon invites the maniac’s parents and son to watch the show.

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

I’m not the biggest slasher fan, but I’m a New Yorker, which means my pride forces me to pretend that Friday the 13th Part VIII is good. I won’t lie and say it’s not worth a watch- there are some great moments in here. One of my favorites being Julius’ (Vincent Craig Dupree) hilarious knockout scene.

Squaring up for a rooftop fist fight is a very New York thing to do, but picking a fight with Jason? It’s grade-A comedy camp. All it takes is one swing to send poor Julius’ head flying off the rooftop with immaculate aim into the dumpster below. Swoosh.

Day of the Dead (1985)

I’ll always be down for a hate-watch, but I’ve never wished painful deaths on any cast of characters to the degree that I have while watching Romero’s Day of the Dead. I’ve got to believe that was intentional; George Romero was definitely a conduit of on-screen divine karma. Luckily we’ve got the legendary special fx duo, Tom Savini and Greg Nicotero on board to deliver the inevitable with style and satisfaction. This death is drawn out to the absolute max, leaving Private Torrez howling before, during, and after his head is forcibly ripped from his body by classic Romero zombies.

House of Wax (2005) 

The list needs a little more love from the 2000s. This star-studded soft “remake” doesn’t have much connection to its 1953 namesake, but we love her anyway. In a House of Wax situation, I’d much rather lose my head in a quick death, than be damned to starvation and solitude by becoming a wax figure. Dalton (Jon Abrahams) gets the easy out. While looking through the museum for Wade (Jared Padalecki), Dalton discovers his petrified (and still very much alive) body coated in wax. After making a hysterical attempt at freeing Wade, Dalton is chased down the stairs by the wax-bandit, where his throat meets a pair of chef’s knives. He has no idea how easy he had it.

Final Destination 2 (2003)

In my opinion, the best kind of beheading is the kind where all you can do is lean in and wait for the inevitable. Even better in a time sensitive situation like an elevator ride. I think every horror fan has had the “what if” notion when riding the elevator- a rite of passage for the fandom, if you will. I’d like to thank Nora (Lynda Boyd) for her contribution to our intrusive thoughts. If you don’t know what happens when getting your head stuck in a pair of elevator doors, now you know!