History Main / ExorcistHead

* Very small primates native to south-east Asia, known to scientists as ''Tarsius'', are capable of this. Since they look a bit like E.T., you probably don't want to chance upon them at night.

* One early ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' episode has a giant praying mantis in human form. Early tip-off: She [[BuffySpeak "does a full-on Exorcist twist"]] when she hears someone come up behind her.

** Frost in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' gains a lot of AbnormalLimbRotationRange due to her becoming a {{cyborg}}, and her head is among her body parts that can freely swivel around, and [[DetachmentCombat even detach to use as a weapon.]] [[PlayedForLaughs Played for]] [[UncannyValley semi-creepy]] [[PlayedForLaughs laughs]] in her Friendship where she merrily performs impressive figure skating spins... as her head remains completely in place, facing towards the camera.

[[caption-width-right:350:''"Do you know what she did? Your daughter!"'']]

Often done as a ShoutOut to the TropeNamer, ''Film/TheExorcist''.

-->--'''Black Doom/Actual {{Satan}}, WebVideo/RealTimeFandub - VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'''

* In ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode "[[Recap/TheXFilesS07E08TheAmazingMaleeni The Amazing Maleeni]]", the eponymous magician does this as part of his act. Mulder and Scully never do figure out how he did it.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The Spoonheads' necks twist 180 degrees to reveal the transmission dish on the backs of their heads when they upload someone in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E6TheBellsOfSaintJohn The Bells Of St. John]]".
* On ''Series/GoodEats'', in the episode "Give Peas a Chance," Alton is called in to help a child named Stevie, who has been sitting at the table for ''days'', because his parents told him he couldn't leave the table until he finished his (mushy, overcooked) [[StockYuck peas]]. Alton shows him that peas can be delicious if prepared properly. He makes split-pea soup, a burger made of pressed split-pea paste, and a pea salad with cheese cubes. Stevie expresses his approval by turning his head around 180 degrees. [[DissonantSerenity (His parents don't find this unusual.)]]

* ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'': This is played with in "Criminal Nature", a rare instance where it proved fatal for the person doing it. The Genetic Rejection Syndrome sufferer Melanie commits suicide by using her superhuman strength to turn her head 360 degrees, breaking her neck in the process.

-->''The screens flashing red, can't see shit but heads''
-->''Spinning exorcist like planets out of orbit off the edge''

* A Jello commercial, from the 1990's, is presented as a horror movie. At the end of the commercial, a bus driver spins his head while laughing maniacally. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_jrlH5XOac]]

[[caption-width-right:350:''"Do you know what she did? Your [[CountryMatters cunting]] daughter!"'']]

* A Jello commercial from the 1990's is presented as a horror movie. At the end of the commercial, a bus driver spins his head while laughing maniacally. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_jrlH5XOac]]

* Being based on an Owl, the Malfestio of ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' is able to rotate its head 180 degrees and look behind itself, before turning its body around to face anything behind it.

->" ''You just turned your head around, like, 360 degrees like an owl, that was fucking cool! That scared the shit outta me, don’t do that again.''"\\
'''Black Doom/Actual Satan''', ''WebVideo/RealTimeFandub [[VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog Goes to Hell]]''

* The TropeNamer is the 1973 {{Horror}} film ''Film/TheExorcist''.

-->'''Black Doom/Actual Satan''', ''WebVideo/RealTimeFanDub [[VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog Goes to Hell]]''

* Played for laughs when Bean is possessed in ''WesternAnimation/{{Disenchantment}}'', she spins her head around like an owl, then complains that her neck hurts.

* A Jello commercial from the 1990's is presented as a horror movie. At the end of the commercial, a bus driver spins his head while laughing. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_jrlH5XOac]]

* A Jello commercial from the 1990's is presented as a horror movie. At the end of the commercial, a bus driver spins his head while laughing.

* ''WesternAnimation/WinnieThePooh'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ycRnLo5HQU can do this]], though it's not played for horror. Some edits of this scene ''do'' play it up by making Winnie a Satanist due to the Exorcist's influence.

* Woody does this in the first ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' film as a ShoutOut to ''Exorcist'' and [[spoiler: to scare Sid]].

* ''WesternAnimation/Futurama'': Bender and other robots can do this, because [[CaptainObvious they're robots]]. In one episode, Bender exploited this to deliberately terrify a recently unfrozen cryogenic subject while chanting [[KillAllHumans Kill all humans!]].

* Danny Phantom's future self demonstarted the 180 degree head spin, and then fully turning his body.

* ''WebAnimation/SpookyMonth'': In "Unwanted Guest", Pump convinces the demon Moloch, who is possessing the exterminator, to spin his head around, as Skid doesn't believe he's actually Moloch. [[spoiler:It ends with Moloch [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome breaking his neck and dying]]]].

* In ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines'', the T-X's head does a 360 spin after the Terminator hits her full-on with a fire extinguisher. Her response is a QuizzicalTilt.

* In the ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'' episode "D.H.O.R.K.S", while possessing one of the agents as part of his BigDamnHeroes moment, Stolas makes her head rotate around her neck.