10 Most Memorable Death Scenes In Horror Films

There's nothing at all wrong with a slow burn that builds up anticipation gradually for a spectacular payoff, but occasionally its appreciated when a horror film gets stuck in straight away and delivers the goods. Halloween, Scream, Ringu and Don't Look Now are all films which are fondly remembered for kicking off with a hard-hitting, iconic opening death scene, but ballerina Pat Hingle's murder in Suspiria has the edge in that it is unapologetically grand and bold.

Within the first 10 minutes of Suspiria, Dario Argento treats us to what is unquestionably the most gorgeously orchestrated death scene ever put to screen. So much visual chaos is crammed into these few minutes that it requires a moment of recovery time to register exactly what you've just seen.

On first viewing, it's easy to get swept up in the elaborate madness unfolding on the screen, which can leave you wondering "hold on - how did she go from seeing glowing eyes through the window to falling through a decorative glass ceiling on a noose?". It's all very overwhelming and rather a lot to take in, but it's absolutely stunning - far more beautiful than a brutal murder has any right to be. The Goblin score is always a welcome acompaniment , of course.

A mysterious, hairy arm plunging a knife into an exposed, beating heart in close-up is a particularly memorable highlight.