15 Most Paused Sci-Fi Movie Moments

David Cronenberg has become renowned for his work in pioneering body horror in cinema, and although we all have a few relatives who would surely disagree with the merits of Cronenberg's career, it has made for some interesting viewing.

Scanners is a notable example of some of Cronenberg's work, and is well known even to those who have never seen it for one simple reason: Cronenberg made a man's head explode.

A movie that tells the story of "scanners", people capable of telepathy and psychokinesis, and early on we see this gruesome example of just how such powers can be used.

Made in 1981, it's an incredible use of practical effects that still looks suitably disgusting today.

It's hard to watch the scene without wanting to freeze-frame each and every moment of the head explosion, because while it may seem gratuitous it's a fascinating effect, and it's one that cemented Scanners' - and Cronenberg's - place in cinematic history.