# Unexpected and shocking moments of violence in classic films **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2019, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265 "2019-11-10T23:50:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2019, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/61 "2019-11-17T21:46:42Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > _Scarface_ has lots of violence, but for my money the most shocking is when Tony Montana is forced to watch his partner’s arms get cut off with a chain saw. Although all you see is Tony’s face get splattered with blood, it’s more sickening than all the shootings. “…and now the leg…” ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2019, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/62 "2019-11-17T23:32:01Z")
For me, it’s the torture/death scene of the cop in the chair in ‘Reservoir Dogs’. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/63 "2019-11-18T00:52:04Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Kid Sampson, not Hungry Joe. > > My entry: **LA Confidential**. Captain Smith suddenly murders Sgt. Vincennes. But not shocking, really. You knew it was coming. When Vincennes whispers “Rollo Tomasi” you know and Vincennes knows that Vincennes has had his (future) revenge on Smith, and Smith doesn’t it. That scene didn’t shock me. I actually smiled. Good on you, Vincennes. I was somewhat shocked by the rape/murder at the end of “Short Cuts.” It seemed random and gratuitous. Then, the _Deus ex machina_ earthquake. That earthquake didn’t seem realistic either and together with the scene above kinda spoiled the whole movie for me. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/64 "2019-11-18T01:46:31Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > But not shocking, really. You knew it was coming. When Vincennes whispers “Rollo Tomasi” you know and Vincennes knows that Vincennes has had his (future) revenge on Smith, and Smith doesn’t it. That scene didn’t shock me. I actually smiled. Good on you, Vincennes. Well, the murder itself took this rube by surprise. Vincennes’ dying “Rollo Tomasi” was indeed satisying. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/65 "2019-11-18T01:57:41Z")
Rape scene in _Heaven’s Gate_. I don’t remember that the rape was really unexpected, but the amount of violence surprised me, and in my memory at least it seems to have gone on for quite a long time. I really liked that film and thought it was brilliant and beautiful, but the thing I remember most is that rape and how truly awful it was. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2019, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/66 "2019-11-18T02:34:20Z")
> [@BrickBat](#): > > For me, it’s the torture/death scene of the cop in the chair in ‘Reservoir Dogs’. Oof. I saw this scene in the theater, never having heard of Tarantino but having heard a recommendation for this film. A couple years later, the movie showed at my college. I watched up until this scene, and when the music came on, it suddenly occurred to me: “NOPE!” I walked out. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/67 "2019-11-19T15:14:11Z")
_[Brute Force](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brute_Force_(1947_film))_ has several scenes of harrowing violence: a stool pigeon is crushed in a stamping machine and a prisoner is beaten to death with leather straps. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/68 "2019-11-19T15:50:42Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Marvin Marvin? The Martian?..Hamlisch?.. Gardens? 'splain, please. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/69 "2019-11-19T17:13:59Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Marvin? > > The Martian?..Hamlisch?.. Gardens? > > 'splain, please. “Oh man, I shot Marvin in the face.” [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LBBni\_-tMNs](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LBBni_-tMNs) ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/70 "2019-11-19T17:56:13Z")
There’s a cheesy old sci-fi movie from the 50’s called Earth vs. The Flying Saucers. I think I saw it third run at a Saturday matinee. Shocking and unexpected to my pre-adolescent self was the scene where one of the robots picks up a human (probably a soldier or someone equally anonymous) and proceeds to break him in two like a stick, with suitable “bone-cracking” sound effects. Not a classic of course, except by very specific and narrow definitions of the term. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/71 "2019-11-19T18:41:10Z")
When I was a kid, we used to watch a TV series called “Iron Horse”. One episode, the bad guys smashed a man’s hands with a hammer. We didn’t watch it after that. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/72 "2019-11-20T02:57:44Z")
_The Naked Prey_ - One of the poachers is stabbed to death by the village women and one of the guides is covered in clay and roasted on a spit. Later Cornel Wilde kills some of his attackers. All this in 1966. I used to watch it whenever it played on TV in the '60’s and '70’s and the guy roasted on the spit always creeped me out. _The Green Berets_ - Timothy Hutton impaled and Puff the Magic Dragon strafing the overun camp. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/73 "2019-11-20T03:06:02Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > “Oh man, I shot Marvin in the face.” [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LBBni\_-tMNs](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LBBni_-tMNs) Hey, **Ghost** , thanks for picking up the slack. ---
**Author:** ![DannyBeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dannybeans/32/38_2.png) [@DannyBeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DannyBeans)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/74 "2019-11-20T03:45:40Z")
Salino’s death in _The Sting_. It’s not overly gory or over-the-top, but comes out of nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/75 "2019-11-20T13:03:20Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > There’s a cheesy old sci-fi movie from the 50’s called Earth vs. The Flying Saucers. I think I saw it third run at a Saturday matinee. Shocking and unexpected to my pre-adolescent self was the scene where one of the robots picks up a human (probably a soldier or someone equally anonymous) and proceeds to break him in two like a stick, with suitable “bone-cracking” sound effects. Not a classic of course, except by very specific and narrow definitions of the term. Nitpick – they weren’t robots. They were the aliens (who had physically weak bodies) in their “power suits”. Kinda like humans in the Marauder suits in Heinlein’s _Starship Troopers_. Or like the Daleks in _Doctor Who_, only not as far gone physically. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/76 "2019-11-20T13:47:42Z")
While not really a classic film, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte scared the crap out of me as a kid. From Bruce Derns head rolling down the stairs to everyone trying to drive Bette Davis insane, it set off powerful waves of fear and paranoia in my little brain. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/77 "2019-11-20T15:44:24Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > While not really a classic film, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte scared the crap out of me as a kid. From Bruce Derns head rolling down the stairs to everyone trying to drive Bette Davis insane, it set off powerful waves of fear and paranoia in my little brain. Oh, hells yes. Absolutely shocking to my young self and I’m thinking it was probably pretty shocking for its time (and still holds up pretty well today). Also, wasn’t there a severed hand in there somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/78 "2019-11-20T16:14:02Z")
_Burn After Reading_. Unexpected and shocking, because until then the film had been a lighthearted comedy. So unexpected, and utterly absurd, that I was torn between horror and laughter. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/79 "2019-11-20T16:15:06Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Oh, hells yes. Absolutely shocking to my young self and I’m thinking it was probably pretty shocking for its time (and still holds up pretty well today). Also, wasn’t there a severed hand in there somewhere? I remember that. More of Bruce Dern. And wasnt a 30something Victor Buono Bette Davis’ Dad? I think it holds up wonderfully too. > **[Fact-Checking Feud: How Bette Davis Got Revenge on Joan Crawford for That...](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/04/feud-bette-davis-joan-crawford-hush-hush-sweet-charlotte-oscars)** > > Davis finds a way to get back at Crawford in Sunday’s Feud episode “Abandoned.” I wish Davis and Crawford could have sucked it up and worked together. Their toxic chemistry would have lit up the screen. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265/80 "2019-11-20T16:44:07Z")
Straw Dogs, the rape and sodomy scene with Susan George. Then afterwards when Dustin Hoffman gets revenge and kills the men. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-and-shocking-moments-of-violence-in-classic-films/843265.md?page=3)