From gouging and scooping to plucking and popping, these scenes have always been about making your whole body cringe.
5. Opera (1987)
Some scenes can overpower a film. Can anyone talk about The French Connection without mentioning the train chase? What about Psycho and the shower sequence? It’s not to say that the rest of the film is bad, just that it’s consumed by one of these singular moments. Hell, most flicks don’t come anywhere close to delivering a single memorable second, let alone a whole scene or a movie.
Dario Argento‘s Opera satisfies with its ocular showcase. Betty (Cristina Marsillach) is gagged and bound to a pillar, forced to witness her boyfriend’s slaughter. She can’t look away; a set of needles are strapped beneath her eyelids. As she twitches, the tiny points dig in. Argento’s extreme close-ups capture every millisecond of agony. It’s unbearable.
What occurs before and what occurs after is hard to recall. The violence inflicted upon our heroine is so primeval that it takes serious willpower to remaster your attention. You’re shook. That’s Opera. (Brad Gullickson)
Jacob Trussell: Jacob Trussell is a writer based in New York City. His editorial work has been featured on the BBC, NPR, Rue Morgue Magazine, Film School Rejects, and One Perfect Shot. He's also the author of 'The Binge Watcher's Guide to The Twilight Zone' (Riverdale Avenue Books). Available to host your next spooky public access show. Find him on Twitter here: @JE_TRUSSELL (He/Him)