By Dr.LoveGore
When I was around 5 or 6-years-old I had an urge... a minor impulse. I eagerly wanted to stick my tiny hand down the arm-sized hole in the middle of the kitchen sink. I even had the "smart" idea to turn the switch on first. But before doing so, I had one more idea that was smarter than the other two. That last thought that popped into my head before what would have been a horrendous incident, was to ask my mom what was at the bottom of the sinkhole, and her answer blew my childish, imprudent mind. My mother always had eyes on me to make sure I was safe, but this was one of those quick moments where I threw away the rest of the food on my plate and just happened to have a couple of dangerously curious thoughts.
Luckily, between my better instincts and my mother's sound advice, the accident was dodged and I didn't end up like little hand Hanson from Scary Movie 2. When it comes to the genre of Horror, though, well.. if there were zero mutilations caused by spinning machinery that mangles-up the rest of our uneaten food, I wouldn't be writing this.
Almost every house and apartment has one, and I'd assume most people are familiar with what they are. Shit, how many times have you, a friend, or a relative called a pet a garbage disposal? And rightfully so, I'd imagine. On a grislier note, most likely everyone has thought, at least once, what type of bloody damage a garbage disposal can cause. Well, this list may exist to help stroke those thoughts.
In each movie I chose, something had to actually be sent down, or already be in the garbage disposal while the switch was on... no fake-out scenes where absolutely nothing happens! That is a no-go in this list!
So, from psychological to balls-to-the-wall bloody, here are...
17 Ghastly Garbage Disposal Scenes In Horror
Spoiler Alert
Let's get grinding...
17. Hard Candy (2006)
Category: Psychological
This movie tells you what it is before you see it. There's no secret, even the trailers explain what will go down. Now, to actually see it, in detail, realistically at that, is a whole different rugby game. The strange dialog between the two leads, even when the worst is happening, has connotations of two people who have been disturbed for a long time. The realization of this fact is pretty morbid. And then, there's the balls-in-the-disposal scene. That's going beyond spiking the ball (haha) after castrating someone. This movie, as the title suggests, is fuckin' hard.
Hard Candy is streaming on Tubi, Vudu, and Pluto.
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16. We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)
Category: Psychological
If you're engaged in this movie, this scene hits harder than if someone just explains it to you, but, here I go.
The family's pet hamster goes missing during the first half of the film, and when it's finally found, it's a lot too late. We come to learn that Kevin, the titular character, had put the hamster down the kitchen sink. Kevin smiles menacingly from outside, looking through the kitchen window when he notices his mother unknowingly turned the garbage disposal on with the poor little animal inside of it. The horrid sound and the reaction of the mom make this scene creep with dread. It's also obviously hard to watch if you're an animal lover. It's all in the audio and actor's reactions, but damn, it tugged an emotion out of me.
In my opinion, We Need To Talk About Kevin is Psychological Horror at its best. Lynne Ramsay aced this project.
We Need To Talk About Kevin is streaming on Crackle, Tubi, and Pluto.
15. Phantasm (1979)
Category: Psychological/Comical
Yes, this GIF has the little bug fucker coming out of the garbage disposal, but that was after it was already sent down and grounded up. It somehow avoided mutilation and went for another attack. The second time it was sent down the drain, though, it was lights-out for the little bugger and it finally went out of commission. The Phantasm boys were now able to focus solely on The Tall Man and not on just one of his finger/insect hybrids.
Phantasm is easily accessible at the moment. It's currently streaming for free on Vudu, Pluto, Crackle and Tubi.
14. Wacko (1982)
Category: Comical
This movie isn't as entertaining as the slasher spoof Student Bodies (1981). It's even a little creepy at times… and not necessarily in a good way. It does, however, have a couple of laughs.
In the gore department the carnage doesn't get any bloodier than the GIF you see, ( I wish it did, though), but shoving someone's entire face in a garbage disposal is unreal nevermind unusual, even for this film. And just in case you didn't get the idea that this poor soul's face was being minced and banged up, there's a shot with huge letters that reads: Garbage Disposal.
It's so ludicrous it requisitely made the list.
Wacko is not streaming on any free platform right now, but if you have Amazon Prime you can give it a go as it is on there.
13. Waxwork 2 (1991)
Category: Psychological
The two Waxwork films are amazing, high quality Horror, and more often than not, they are looked over. I think that has to do with the fact the film's director Anothy Hickox throws so much at you it's hard to remember everything you witnessed. There's so many homages it's easy to confuse a scene from Waxwork 1 or 2 as the films they're homaging! Examples: Werewolves, Frankenstein's Monster, zombies, and a lot more. Even now, after seeing Waxwork 1&2 numerous times, I CAN NOT remember every single film reference mentioned. But I did remember that near the beginning of Waxwork 2, a killer hand lingers over from part 1, terrorizing Sarah. It loses the battle when Sarah sends it down the disposal. It's not bloody, but it's cool looking, and the garbage disposal gets a little snack out of the ordeal.
Waxwork 2 is streaming on Tubi.
12. Wish Upon (2017)
Category: Psychological
My take on this movie after walking away from it was that I have seen much worse. Wish Upon takes the simple premise of a person making wishes that come true but that also come with consequences. It doesn't do anything new with the idea, though. It's a decent movie, however, I think it should have had riskier twists, but that's only my corny opinion. As far as the money shot here, there are glimpses of someone's hair being sucked and twirled down the disposal. Then they're finished off with a fatal whiplash-neck-break. It's an effective scene for a PG-13 Horror film, I'll give it that.
Wish Upon is streaming on Pluto and Tubi
11. Fresh Meat (2012)
Category: Bloody
Here's something you won't see in many movies: two hands going down a garbage disposal at once. Let me explain. One out of four burglars who broke into a couple's house is guarding the female half of the couple. While doing so he discovers a severed hand in the kitchen under a napkin and grabs hold of it all while guarding the "victim" homeowner. But then, the "victim" takes a bold chance and tries to shove the thug's hand down the disposal while he's holding the severed hand. Bizarre... right? Luckily for the thug/intruder, only the severed hand takes a further beating and he and his hand are able to move on to commit more douchebag actions.
Fresh Meat is streaming on Tubi and Vudu
10. Mirror Mirror (1990)
Category: Ball-To-The-Wall-Bloody
Even though there's literally blood on the wall, which I give the film credit for, the scene isn't as violent as it might want you to think it is. There's no actual shot of the mangled hand, just blood squirting. Now, having said that, some movies have a straight-up bleak tone, Mirror Mirror is one of them. It's a little spooky here, a little bloody there, with a generous amount of late 80's/super early 90's, cheesy atmosphere layered evenly throughout. The bit with the most queso is the scene that's associated with this list... cracking the top 10 at that. A poor woman falls victim to her daughter's selfish albeit sad and understandable choice to meddle with a supernatural mirror. This movie is moody as fuck more than it is bloody, but it's still a mean, little Horror film.
Mirror Mirror is streaming on Tubi.
9. The Last House On The Left (2009)
Category: Bloody
I saw this movie before I saw an episode of Breaking Bad and thought Aaron Paul did a believable job as one of the creeps in this film. He's an exceptional actor.
As for this scene itself, there's a lot of fast cuts going on and it's really Paul's body language that sells the gag. This is one of those moments filmmakers and actors make you think you saw more than you actually did. That's actually why it didn't make it higher on this list because it's not as gory as it allows your mind to think it is. It's great filmmaking, though, and actually a solid remake.
The Last House On The Left is not streaming for free on any service at the moment, but it can be rented or watched on Starz if you have a subscription.
8. Supernatural: Season 1, Episode 9: "Home"
Category: Bloody
What can I say... Supernatural wowed me, especially the earlier seasons. In episode 9, season 1, simply titled, Home, we get to see a semi-gory incident involving a poor unfortunate plumber. After he shoves his whole forearm down the drain, an electronic toy monkey turns itself on… as most toy monkeys do, and so does the... yup, you guessed it, the garbage disposal, and down goes the plumber. It's an intense scene for a TV show.
If you have a Netflix subscription you can check out this, and other episodes of Supernatural.
7. Body Bags - "Eye" (1993)
Category: Bloody
I've rewatched this movie several times. It has a fun, silly vibe that, to me, doesn't get old. I think it could've given Tales From The Crypt some decent competition as it initially intended to do back in the early 90s.
In the third segment, Eye, directed by Tobe Hooper, Mark Hamilton plays a professional baseball player who gets an eye implant after a serious injury. As one may imagine to happen in this type of anthology, Hamilton's character starts having wild and blood-soaked visions; visions of the person who the eye originally belonged to. It's a hokey but fun story. It's also one of my favorite pieces of work from the late, great Tobe Hooper.
Body Bags is streaming on Pluto, Tubi and Vudu.
6. Amityville: The Evil Escapes (1989)
Category: Bloody
There are several franchises in our beloved genre, some obviously well-thought-out and brilliant, some decent, some mediocre, and others...well, they just are what they are. Too many films in a Horror series can water down the potency. Not that all sequels in non-continuous or badly botched Horror franchises are awful. A lot just get looked over for usually have little or nothing to do with the original film or concept. Having hawked that out, Amityville 4 aka Amityville: The Evil Escapes has some shit-eating-grin scenes. Name one, you say? Hows about the garbage disposal scene with the "jock" character. First, it's shot very well. And the incident looks painful. The garbage disposal is giving this dude the business as he helplessly watches, feeling his hand and wrist get minced. Again, what's a sequel got to do with the original… sometimes nothing, they can just be entertaining Horror movies.
Amityville: The Evil Escapes is streaming on Pluto and Tubi.
5. The Blob (1988)
Category: Hardcore
Not that Chuck Russell's The Blob is scared to be bloody, but this scene doesn't call for an excess amount of red liquid. The contortion of this victim's body is more hardcore than witnessesing a proper 1980's werewolf transformation. It kind of makes me laugh, but the laugh fades quickly when I see all the meat and bone go down the drain. That's a visual that can be felt and not shaken. Uhhhh, the fuckin Blob is such a satisfying special effects movie. Why did Chuck Russell stop making films like this?
The Blob is not streaming for free on any service at the moment.
4. Creepshow: Season 1, Episode 2: "Bad Wolf Down/The Finger"
Category: Balls-To-The-Wall-Bloody
In The Finger part of this episode, the main character, Clark, finds a finger he decides to set aside which grows into a knee-high, hideous creature. This creature, who Clark names Bob, feasts on flesh and starts targeting his new owner's "enemies". See, even if Clark has an argument with someone, little Bob tracks them down no matter where they're located and mutilates them. Killing in blood splashy ways obviously isn't the cleanest of jobs, so, Clark lovingly disposes of the excess meat down the you-know-what for his nasty homicidal pet, and it's juicy! Oh, the things humans do for their pets!
Creepshow seasons 1-3 are available with a Shudder subscription.
3. Swamp Thing: Season 1, Episode 4: "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" (2019)
Category: Balls-To-The-Wall-Bloody
I haven't seen this show in its entirety, but I've been wanting to dive into it for a while. So, I figured watching the first few episodes in preparation for this list would be a good start, and I got to tell you, it's fucked up! Of course, I mean that in a "fuck yeah" sort of way. This blood-drenched eye candy reminds me of how effective hallucination scenes can be. There's a few Horror movies I can think of where characters who are hallucinating think they're cutting, shaving, or carving off… usually insects that are crawling on or under their skin. Here, we have a hallucination of a snake crawling all over a character while he's at work. He panics, slices his arm up, then shoves it right down the garbage disposal forming a bloody mess. I needs to finish Swamp Thing!
Swamp Thing, Season 1 was at one point available to stream on The CW app, but it appears at the time of me writing this, it's no longer on there,
2. Blood Nasty (1989)
Category: Balls-To-The-Wall-Bloody
This scene caught me by surprise, not because it shows what every twisted viewer (like myself) wants to see in a garbage disposal scene, but because the rest of the movie isn't as violent. Maybe they took it down a nudge in the first half due to how graphic the mangled hand is; maybe it was budgetary. No matter the reason, directors Richard Gabai and Robert Stauss went all the way with this effect. Blood Nasty has, hands down, (hehe) the best garbage disposal scene involving a mutilated hand.
I often put on movies I haven't seen and get let down… a lot. Blood Nasty was the open-eyed surprise I hope for when going in blind. Not only can I get down with its charm, but Linnea Quigley has a role here and as usual puts a gawking grin on my face. If you haven't seen this slice of Horror happiness, I recommend tracking it down if possible.
As far as I can tell, Blood Nasty isn't streaming anywhere at the moment. VHS might be your best bet.
1. House IV (1989)
Category: Balls-To-The-Wall-Bloody
Without a doubt, the pizza scene outdoes every other square inch of this movie. It's a gushy mess and I love it for being that. But, immediately after the pizza gag we're smacked across the face with this super creative and downright disgusting garbage disposal scene.
Having YOUR arm twisted up, looking like carved ham is one thing, but having a hideous pizza-arm come out of the disposal ready to slaughter you is on a plane all its own. The House movies do not have the best continuity (the first two barely connect and the third is a sequel by name only), but I'd bet a left buttock that they'd entertain whoever hasn't seen them if they decide to watch them. So, maybe or definitely do something good for the world and show somebody House IV, or any of the House movies who haven't seen them. Part 3 also goes by the name The Horror Show, directed by James Isaac. On a final note, I personally think House IV has the most ghastly, interesting, and bloody garbage disposal scene within the Horror genre, and it deserves a bloody medal for that.
House IV is another film that doesn't appear to be streaming anywhere at this time.
Honorable Mentions
The Video Dead (1987)
You don't actually see it, but a zombie hand is disposed of in a garbage disposal. And since it doesn't work on a psychological level either, I decided to leave it out of the main list.
The Lost Boys (1987)
Blood spews up through a garbage disposal. It's a cool visual, but not shocking or mind boggling enough to be placed on the main list.
Office Killer (1997)
A dead mouse is disposed of, nothing worthy for the main list is shown. However, this movie is so bloody, if they had wanted to do a proper garbage disposal scene, they would have.
Dishonorable Mentions
(Fake-outs)
Pulse (1988)
Such a missed opportunity.
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
This movie is a product of its time, and I'm fine with that. I can deal with its flaws. But this is one of the biggest teases with no payoff I've ever seen. C'mon, Steve Minor.
Final Destination 2 (2003)
This movie used the garbage disposal as misdirection, so it's understandable. Final Destination 2 is the least deserving to be on the dishonorable list, but the scene is still a fake-out.
Honorable Non-Horror Mentions
Rolling Thunder (1977)
Heroes Season 1 Chapter 1 'Genesis' (2006)
The Mechanic (2011)
Orphan Black Season 1 Episode 10 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful.' (2013)
Garbage Disposal Facts
Source: Expresssewer.com
1.) Most garbage disposals last about 10 years, but regular maintenance and upkeep can extend the life of a garbage disposal to over a decade.
Source: Universalhomeexperts.com
2.) Onion (specifically onion skin), celery, broccoli, corn husks, beans and other fibrous foods can jam the disposal.
Source: Neyerplumbing.com
3.) One of the biggest misunderstandings people have about disposals is that they use “blades” to chop down the food. But there are no sharp objects rotating inside the disposal. What people think are blades are actually blunt impellers. As the impellers rotate, they hurl food against a grind ring around the edge of the hopper, where it’s ground to go down the drain easily with the water.
Until next time, keep it bloody, Beyond The Voiders!!!
Dr.LoveGore is all about the gore, and quality in anything related to Horror. Movies, soundtracks, comic books, novels, you name it, he loves it!
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