# Neck snapping **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 19, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395 "2011-05-19T02:12:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/1 "2011-05-19T02:12:01Z")
How do movies/Tv created the illusion of someone getting their neck snapped? Just thinking about it squicks me out. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/2 "2011-05-19T03:20:26Z")
It is about as real as the Vulcan Neck Pinch or the good old fashioned Karate Chop. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/3 "2011-05-19T03:24:22Z")
Are you asking about the sound effect? I think breaking a stalk of celery replicates breaking bones, but a recent episode of mythbusters with a foley artists taught us that most sound effects have several sounds layered over each other including some sounds that happen _before_ the event to create a fraction of a second of build up/tension. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/4 "2011-05-19T03:32:16Z")
The head-twist resulting in broken neck move that Steven Seagal turned into a cliche is done by letting the victim take control. SS grabs the victim by the back of the head and chin, and relaxes his arms while the victim turns his head quickly to one side. In this way there is no risk of real neck damage since SS is not really applying any force. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/5 "2011-05-19T03:36:31Z")
I was a stage manager for a production of MacBeth and I had to provide the s f/x for it by crushing a Poland Spring water bottle at the appropriate moment. (older version of their bottle, it’s a little tougher and louder) ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/6 "2011-05-19T03:40:20Z")
Patty-thanx, I was refering to the visual illusion. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/7 "2011-05-19T05:33:49Z")
They can use a mannequin, or a real person’s head where the body is free to rotate and otherwise move within the stationary clothes on a body facade (or whatever they call it), or even CG these days. For fun though, try this Penn and Teller gag. Put one of those hard stiff clear disposable drink cups under your upper arm. Go up to someone and say “My neck feels funny”, then grab your chin with the hand on the arm with the cup, the top of your head with other arm, twist your head with your hands and break the cup under your arm. Say “Oooo! That felt good.” I had to use that a lot to cheer up a really sad wedding reception. ---
**Author:** ![kombatminipig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5ac83/32.png) [@kombatminipig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kombatminipig)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/8 "2011-05-19T06:29:33Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > For fun though, try this Penn and Teller gag. Put one of those hard stiff clear disposable drink cups under your upper arm. Go up to someone and say “My neck feels funny”, then grab your chin with the hand on the arm with the cup, the top of your head with other arm, twist your head with your hands and break the cup under your arm. Say “Oooo! That felt good.” I acutally do that without the cup. Drives the GF nuts. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/9 "2011-05-19T06:35:07Z")
> [@kombatminipig](#): > > I acutally do that without the cup. Drives the GF nuts. Can you get as good of a cracking sound without the cup? I wish I could, that would be really cool! ---
**Author:** ![kombatminipig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5ac83/32.png) [@kombatminipig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kombatminipig)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/10 "2011-05-19T08:40:52Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Can you get as good of a cracking sound without the cup? I wish I could, that would be really cool! On occasion, indeed. Don’t be envious though, it’s the result of a slightly crooked spine that causes my neck muscles to tense, and hence compress the vertebrae of the neck. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neck-snapping/582395/11 "2011-05-19T11:11:33Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > For fun though, try this Penn and Teller gag. Put one of those hard stiff clear disposable drink cups under your upper arm. Go up to someone and say “My neck feels funny”, then grab your chin with the hand on the arm with the cup, the top of your head with other arm, twist your head with your hands and break the cup under your arm. Say “Oooo! That felt good.” IIRC, Penn and Teller also suggested gripping a flat pasta noodle – dry and uncooked, you understand – between your back teeth, vigorously crunching it right as you twist your neck.