Much to the annoyance of over-zealous censors, and prudent parents of younger cinephiles everywhere, death scenes have played as big a part as sex and action sequences have in the formation of modern cinema. Whether that's emotionally crippling scenes designed to add piquancy to the narrative, or gratuitous stab-fests from bargain basement horror shlock, the impact is designed to be the same. But sometimes, film-makers push the boat out, and try to score a double-win by making their death scenes as provocatively gorey as possible in the hope of selling their film on controversy and the result is the type of scenes that work their way under your skin and stay there. This article is dedicated to those supremely gorey death scenes that somehow got past the censors despite their extreme commitment to provocation and distaste. From the deaths that come out of nowhere to the ones that linger and you pray for them to end; the ones that affected my childhood, to recent ones that continue to push the bar and would never have passed the censor years ago. Or for that matter, been possible to capture on celluloid. Needless to say, there be SPOILERS within, so proceed with caution...
20. Friday The 13th Kevin Bacon
Before six degrees of Kevin Bacon was a thing or his loose feet became legendary, The Bacon was just another piece of slasher killer fodder. Playing the part of camp counsellor Jack Burrell, Bacon got very little opportunity to display his acting chap, though did flash some of his figure that would gain him much attention. His death is fast, but very effective. While lying on his bunk, a hand reaches out from under, grabs him and the next thing you see, a shiv comes up through the bed, into the back of his neck and out through his throat. Bacon gurgles as blood squirts out as the spirit of Jason claims another kill.