Few filmmakers have redefined cinematic horror like Guillermo del Toro, a director who spins harrowing tales using monsters, mesmerizing visuals, and deeply human themes. In honor of his upcoming interpretation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, we present Guillermo del Toro’s most chilling movie scenes ranked, revisiting ten moments that have left lasting impressions on audiences around the world.
Monstrous Transformations in ‘Blade II’: The Horror of the Reaper’s Jaws
Del Toro demonstrated his talent for grotesque yet innovative creature design in ‘Blade II’, where the Reapers, mutated hybrids, stalk both humans and vampires. Wesley Snipes stars as Blade, forced to ally with vampires to stop the mutant threat. The Reapers could pass as human at first glance, but their pale skin and crimson eyes betray their monstrous nature.
What sets them apart is a facial feature that pushes the boundaries of body horror. Their jaws split lengthwise, revealing concentric rings of blood-soaked teeth and a secondary mouth that emerges, reminiscent of the Xenomorph from ‘Alien.’ The first on-screen reveal, as these predators feast, delivers a moment of pure shock. This unsettling depiction of the Reapers, combined with del Toro’s signature effects, cements the scene as unforgettable in vampire cinema.
The Shape of Water: Encounter with the Captive Creature
In his Academy Award-winning film ‘The Shape of Water’, Guillermo del Toro crafts a story where otherness becomes beautiful and dangerous. Set in the early 1960s, Sally Hawkins portrays Elisa, a mute janitor working at a secretive government facility. Her routine is interrupted when she discovers the subject of clandestine experiments—a humanoid amphibious being played by Doug Jones—inside an upright tank surrounded by archaic computers and dim lights, evoking Cold War sensibilities.
The moment Elisa first sees the creature is fraught with tension, not just for her character, but for viewers as well. Her reaction underscores the wonder and fear in encountering the unknown, all within a backdrop of historical paranoia and secrecy. This scene sets the tone for the film‘s blend of romance, fantasy, and societal commentary, making the introduction unforgettable.
Apparitions and Blood: Santi’s First Appearance in ‘The Devil’s Backbone’
Guillermo del Toro explored the personal costs of war and loss in ‘The Devil’s Backbone’, set during the final years of the Spanish Civil War. The film centers on Carlos, a boy left at an orphanage run by Republican loyalists. He becomes haunted by Santi, the ghost of a murdered child.
The initial ghostly encounter is both sudden and deeply unsettling. In a dim bathroom, Carlos witnesses Santi, blood cascading from the crack in his skull—a powerful jump scare that blends haunting imagery with grief. Later, Santi’s story unfolds, his fatal wound streaming like a river, intensifying the film’s atmosphere of dread. Del Toro’s approach to ghosts—showing their pain visually—connects personal trauma with supernatural elements, and Santi’s first vision remains among his most unforgettable scares.
The Blood-Soaked Spirit: Crimson Lady in the Tub from ‘Crimson Peak’
‘Crimson Peak’, a gothic romance haunted by spectral presences and family secrets, stars Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, and Tom Hiddleston. Wasikowska’s character, Edith, is plunged into a web of hauntings after moving into a decrepit mansion with her new husband and his sister.
One night, Edith is roused from sleep by ghostly whispers. As she follows them through the ominous corridors, she peers into a bathroom. Del Toro lingers on the image: a woman’s corpse, skin translucent and drenched in red, rises from within a standalone tub. Realization dawns—this shade is not of the living. Rather than relying on a sudden shock, the sequence conjures a slow, growing sense of unease, delivering a vision that endures long after the credits roll.
Nightmare Alley: The Disturbing Arrival of the Geek
‘Nightmare Alley’ transports audiences into the dark underbelly of carnival life in 1940s America, drawing on a star-studded cast that includes cast members such as Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, Willem Dafoe, and Richard Jenkins. The film follows Stan, played by Cooper, as he becomes involved with carnival workers and their secrets.
One early scene drowns in grotesque fascination: Stan sets foot inside a tent where the so-called ‘geek’—a savage, filthy man—devours a live chicken before a horrified crowd. The geek, wild-haired and animalistic, is portrayed as having sunk past the boundaries of human decency. The image is startling, both in its brutality and the pathos underlying the act. The horrific spectacle and what it reveals about human nature linger, reemerging in the film’s later revelations.
‘Cronos’ and the Terrible Choice: Jesús Stands at a Crossroads
With his feature debut ‘Cronos’, del Toro established a unique blend of horror and empathy. The story follows Jesús Gris (Federico Luppi), who discovers an ancient scarab device that grants immortality in exchange for a thirst for blood. As Gris is slowly transformed, Ron Perlman’s character becomes his adversary.
In the film’s climax, following a brutal struggle, Gris awakens to his granddaughter Aurora, played by Tamara Shanath, whose blood is exposed from a cut wound. The emotional tension escalates as Gris, caught between monstrous craving and familial love, must decide whether to succumb and feed on his own granddaughter. The harrowing dilemma plays out on his face, cementing this as one of del Toro’s most wrenching moments, exploring the conflict between humanity and monstrous urges.
Carnivorous Pixies: The Debut of Tooth Fairies in ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’
‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’, featuring Ron Perlman’s return as Hellboy (“Big Red”), unfolds an epic battle against Prince Nuada Silverlance. Among the otherworldly adversaries introduced are the Tooth Fairies—creatures striking for their deceptive cuteness.
These small, mantis-legged winged beings first appear en masse, swarming a crowd at the behest of Nuada. Their delicate profiles are quickly betrayed as they begin stripping their victims to the bone in a relentless, vicious attack. Del Toro subverts the innocent reputation of tooth fairies, using their emergence as an example of his creative subversion—making what should be whimsical into a source of terror. The chaos they cause is as memorable as it is deeply disturbing.
A Fatal Family Struggle: Lucille’s Last Act in ‘Crimson Peak’
Jessica Chastain delivers one of her most intense performances as Lucille, sister to Tom Hiddleston’s Thomas and a pivotal force in ‘Crimson Peak.’ Driven by greed and jealousy over Edith’s inheritance, Lucille’s ambitions boil over in the film’s climax.
In a sequence that brings buried secrets to the surface, Lucille dispatches Thomas to prevent him claiming the estate, and pursues Edith, only to be thwarted by the specter of her own brother. In the ensuing confrontation, Edith kills Lucille with a shovel. As the film closes, Lucille is shown seated at the piano in the great, ghostly manor, suggesting she is doomed to remain within its haunted walls. The layered tragedy of her character, her bitterness and ultimate defeat, gives the film its emotional resonance.
Unlocking Secrets in ‘Blade II’: The Reaper Autopsy
Furthering the horror from earlier in ‘Blade II’, one sequence takes viewers deep into gruesome territory as Blade and his team attempt to learn more about their deadly adversaries. The group dissects a Reaper, discovering not only its grotesque internal organs, but also key anatomical differences that make it much harder to kill than typical vampires—a dense bone encases the heart, necessitating new strategies for fighting them.
This grim, clinical inspection reveals that ultraviolet light is the Reaper’s vulnerability, crucial information as the hunt continues. Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro’s relentless attention to anatomical detail and practical effects amplifies the realism, intensifying the audience’s repulsion and fascination. Such deep dives are part of what make del Toro’s films consistently innovative within the horror and fantasy genres.
An Enduring Nightmare: The Pale Man Awakens in ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’
At the pinnacle of Guillermo del Toro’s most chilling movie scenes ranked stands the infamous Pale Man sequence in ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’. The story follows Ofelia, portrayed by Ivana Baquero, who discovers a magical realm within a labyrinth while seeking refuge from the strife of civil war-era Spain. Doug Jones, ever-vital to del Toro’s monstrous visions, brings the Pallid horror to life.
Ofelia is instructed to retrieve a mystical dagger from an opulently laid table, where the Pale Man sits motionless. The being’s sagging skin, elongated black nails, and sightless face unsettle both Ofelia and viewers. When Ofelia eats forbidden fruit, the Pale Man springs to life, lifting his hands—palms embedded with eyes—toward his face and emitting a silent scream. The visual, rich with symbolic dread, becomes more harrowing as Ofelia narrowly escapes. The creature’s design and the primal terror of the scene have made it a defining image in modern horror cinema, echoing the lasting legacy of del Toro’s ability to personify evil in unforgettable ways.
Through these cinematic milestones, from the animalistic violence of ‘Nightmare Alley’ to the spectral anguish of the ‘Crimson Peak’ and the monstrous surreality of ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, Guillermo del Toro has reimagined what horror and fantasy can express. His stories, populated with vivid characters like Ron Perlman’s Hellboy, Sally Hawkins’ Elisa, and Jessica Chastain’s Lucille, and crafted alongside actors like Cate Blanchett, Mary Steenburgen, Rooney Mara, and Bradley Cooper, continue to haunt, challenge, and inspire. As anticipation builds for his take on Frankenstein, these moments stand testament to why his chilling visions linger long in the minds of audiences and have become touchstones for cinematic horror across generations.
