Halloween Tribute: 10 Horror Movies With Disembodied Hands

4. The Beast With Five Fingers (1946)

Francis Ingram is a wealthy and famous pianist living out his years as a recluse in his large house near a small Italian village. He has several long-term house guests, most of whom covet the lion's share of Ingram's estate after he dies. One fateful night, Ingram is poisoned. While trying to get to his room, he falls from his wheelchair down a flight of stairs and breaks his neck. A fight over Ingram's will ensues. When potential claimants to the will begin to die by being choked, it is discovered that one of Ingram's hands has been removed from his corpse as it lies in the family mausoleum. The newly-severed hand repeatedly announces its impending presence by playing the piano in Ingram's distinctive style, further adding to the terror of the manor's surviving residents as they attempt to thwart the hand's vengeful quest. I'm not going to tell you any more. Watch it yourself and see what happens. You might even like it.

3. The Crawling Hand (1963)

Here's a different take on the "hand severed in vehicle accident comes to life" theme. In The Crawling Hand, an astronaut is blown to bits on his way back to Earth from the Moon. The only thing that survives the explosion in one piece is - wait for it - his hand!! Somehow surviving re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, the apparently indestructible metacarpus lands in California and proceeds to run amok. This is another black & white classic of science fiction. Make sure you watch it to the end - the death of the hand is outstanding!
 
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Contributor

Tim is a varied character. He's lived on three continents. He hates ice cream. He has been a highly-paid computer programmer. He invents collectible card games. He is a coffee shop owner. He has had fantasy stories published in magazines. Eventually he wishes to retire from life and become a professional 10-pin bowler who writes articles while living in his RV and traveling from bowling tournament to bowling tournament with his faithful wife in tow. And of course, Tim is a major horror and science fiction fan.