History Main / ExorcistHead

* One early sketch in ''Series/LesGuignolsDeLInfo'' has PPD trying to reach out to the usually unresponsive Raymond Barre, who suddenly begins to speak in a demonic voice with plenty shout-outs to ''Film/TheExorcist'', culminating with his head turning around 180 (which is easier to do in real-time with a puppet, of course).

* Music/TheyMightBeGiants: From the song "Turn Around" on ''Music/Apollo18''

''VideoGame/RhythmDoctor'' has the Insomniac boss, who does this in his miss animation...which is constantly playing when you first meet him. Fail to treat him, and [[OffWithHisHead it unscrews itself and falls to the floor,]] which doesn't seem to kill him but leaves his body distressed.

[[caption-width-right:350:Like a record, baby.]]

Subtrope of AbnormalLimbRotationRange, Compare BodyHorror, LosingYourHead, DemonicHeadShake.

->''"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."''

Often done as a ShoutOut to the TropeNamer, ''Film/TheExorcist''--for example, in cases of DemonicPossession.

* Pinocchio does this in ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}'' (1940). Justified in that he's still a wooden puppet.
* Pinocchio from ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' does this sometimes. Including in a parody of ''The Exorcist'' in ''WesternAnimation/ScaredShrekless''.
%% Needs context * Phantasma does this on ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndTheGhoulSchool''.
* Woody does this in the first ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'' film to [[spoiler:scare Sid]].

** ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie2TheSecondPart'': During the OrbitalShot at the start of "Catchy Song", Wyldstyle's head rotate on her shoulders to keep her face in front of the camera.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' has the Mayor of Halloweentown, who is literally two-faced, and can rotate his head depending on his mood to show his happy or worried face.

* The TropeNamer is the 1973 {{Horror}} film ''Film/TheExorcist'', where it happens twice to the possessed Regan [=MacNeil=]. The first time, the demon spins her head 180 degrees backward while using the voice of a family friend it pushed out a window, with the spun head visually replicating what happened to him after the fall--all this as a way to torment Regan's mother with what happened, and confirming to her that the possessed Regan was responsible. The second time her head spins is during the first exorcism attempt, where the demon spins Regan's head 360 degrees to unsettle the priests.

* In the ''Series/SmallWonder'' episode "My Robot Family", Vicki does this in response to the command "about face".
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': In the 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.

* In a rare comedy example from ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'', Tom Servo rotates his head 180 degrees during a cheerful Christmas song. ItMakesSenseInContext.

* In ''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 "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1995S4E1CriminalNature 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.

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* Baby Sinclair does this twice in ''Series/{{Dinosaurs}}''. The first time is in the episode, "Germ Warfare", where he's [[SickEpisode dying of a mysterious disease]]. The second is in the episode, "Terrible Twos", a full-on ''Exorcist'' spoof where he acts like the possessed Regan [=MacNeil=] [[ParodiedTrope because he turned two years old]].
[[/folder]]

* ''WebAnimation/SpookyMonth'': {{Invoked|Trope}} and {{Subverted|Trope}}: 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 the ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'' episode "Truth Seekers", while possessing one of the D.H.O.R.K.S agents as part of his BigDamnHeroes moment, Stolas makes her head rotate around her neck. Being an owl demon Stolas is shown doing this with his own body a few times as well.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': Maddie Flour, a NightmareFetishist, turns her head 360 degrees to face Anne in "Cursed".
* Parodied by WesternAnimation/CourageTheCowardlyDog in ''The Exorcist'' spoof "The Demon in the Mattress", where a possessed Muriel's head drops off after doing the 180 degree spin.
* In ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom: WesternAnimation/TheUltimateEnemy'', [[spoiler:Dark Danny, the evil future version of Danny]], demonstrates a 180 degree head spin, and then fully turning his body.

%% Needs context * The Flying Dutchman actually did this twice in ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants''.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': The [[AxCrazy Earl of Lemongrab]] does this, despite not really having a neck. Also, unusually for this trope, doing so seems to cause him visible strain. It somehow makes the whole thing even more disturbing.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In "Adventures in the Elements", a teddy bear turns its body without turning its head when King says it can't have any snacks.

** Maggie turns her head this way in the very first ''Treehouse of Horror'', in a ''nod'' to ''The Exorcist''.
** One Treehouse of Horror episode has Homer Simpson moving his head in an Exorcist way. Parodied.
** PlayedForLaughs in "Krusty Gets Kancelled", when Gabbo [[OhCrap spins his head in shock]] when he learns the only guest he could get on the day of Krusty's comeback special is [[BrickJoke Ray J. Johnson]].
** In "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily", the one where Homer and Marge are declared unfit parents and the kids are given to the Flanders family to foster, Ned takes them to the river to baptize them. Bart and Lisa are sitting in the back seat and Maggie is in front.

** In "When You Dish Upon a Star", an angry Homer is driving to the beach and turns his head clockwise toward his fighting kids. He then turns his head further clockwise to face the road and we hear an audible snap.

** In "Exor-Sis" story from "Treehouse of Horror XXVIII", Maggie is possessed by a demon called Pazuzu and she starts to turn her head 360 degrees.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "Seahorse Seashell Party", Brian is hallucinating heavily on mushrooms, and he stumbles across a naked Lois standing in a briar patch, who does one.
-->'''Lois:''' ''[her head spins around 180 degrees]'' Wanna have ssssssex? ''[her eyes turn into snakes and crawl out of her face]''
* ''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!]].
* [[WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadrunner The Road Runner]] is seen turning his head a full 360 degrees at the start of the cartoon, "WesternAnimation/ReadySetZoom".
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheCritic'' has Jay Sherman's son Marty's school compete against an entire school of "Exorcist" children, all of whom constantly display this trope simultaneously.
%%* Done by a CreepyDoll on ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes''.
* Done by Omi, of all people, in ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'' after he makes a temporary FaceHeelTurn and joins Chase Young on the Heylin side when he gets his good chi being left behind in the Yin-Yang world, coming back with only his bad chi remaining. When the remaining Xiaolin apprentices try to restrain him so they can restore his chi, including trying to sneak up behind him during his rampages, Omi makes a complete 180 degree head turn, complete with AxCrazy grin, RedEyesTakeWarning, and the sound of scraping metal.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** [[TheOwlKnowingOne Owlowiscious]], being an owl, can twist his head extremely far. Spike calls this creepy.
** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E26ToWhereAndBackAgainPart2 To Where and Back Again Part 2]]", [[spoiler:[[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen Chrysalis]] demonstrates she can turn her head 180° when confronting Starlight Glimmer in her throne room]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'' episode "The Other Cousin", Wooldoor Sockbat on cold turkey hallucinates a baby crawling at him on the ceiling doing the head spin.[[note]]This is in fact an abiding visual image from the ''Exorcist'' sequel[[/note]]
* ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'': Gaz does this near the beginning of "Bloaty's Pizza Hog".
-->[[VoiceOfTheLegion "Can't you see I'm trying to draw a little piggy!?"]]
* Hilariously inverted in the ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' episode "Blood Moon Ball". Star's demon ex-boyfriend Tom holds his head still so he can continue to give Marco a DeathGlare while his body rotates as he and his anger-management counselor "walk it out".
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': In "The Inconveniencing", a possessed Mabel's head rotates, followed by the rest of her body.
* In ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', Metallo can shoot Kryptonite EyeBeams. When Superman grabs him from behind, Metallo turns his head towards him anyway and resumes shooting.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In "Change Your Mind", [[spoiler:after being possessed by White Diamond, Pearl]]'s head rotates 360 degrees the first time she gets back up. Given Gems' bodies are [[HardLight holograms]] that likely [[HumanOutsideAlienInside lack bones]] (or any other internal organs by default), it's possibly any gem can do so, they just don't because it would be creepy.
-->'''[[spoiler:White, speaking through Pearl]]:''' I feel excellent!
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionGuard'': Ulla the owl is surrounded by Mama Binturong's porcupine minions, but she scares them away by turning her head exactly behind her. Unlike most fictional owls, she turns her head around at [[ShownTheirWork 180 degrees instead of a full 360]].
* Done by Izzy in the ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaRama'' episode "Germ Factory" after she and most of the other kids get sick from licking the interior of a restroom.
* Played for laughs as a throwaway gag in the ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' short "Trap Happy". Butch rolls a cheese-scented bait into Jerry's hole. Jerry watches as the bait rolls a full circle around him.
* An uncharacteristically pissed-off Ed (of "[[WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy Edd n' Eddy]]" fame) briefly does this in the episode "Little Ed Blue" in response to a distraction.
* Played for laughs when Bean is possessed in ''WesternAnimation/{{Disenchantment}}'', she spins her head around like an owl, then complains that her neck hurts before her whole body rapidly untwists.
* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'': Owing to Zerk being an alien, he can turn his head 360 degrees. He does this in "Zerk Visits Earth", when he arrives on Earth and greets Sydney, Sean, and Mindy.

* ''Franchise/WinnieThePooh'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ycRnLo5HQU can do this]], though it's not played for horror. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBuA5UbaqoM Some edits]] of this scene ''do'' play it up by making Winnie a Satanist due to the Exorcist's influence.
* In ''WesternAnimation/KimPossibleMovieSoTheDrama'', during the climatic fight, Ron squares off with [[spoiler:Erik aka Synthodrone 901]], and delivers an upper kick that twists [[spoiler:his]] head backwards. [[spoiler:Erik]] simply twists it back the other way, much to Ron and Rufus's shock.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePatrickStarShow'': In "[[Recap/ThePatrickStarShowS1E22DadsStacheStashARootGaloot Dad's Stache Stash]]", when Patrick looks around the stache stash, his head turns 360 degrees, complete with the sounds of bones cracking.

* The Owl, a ''Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}'' villain, can rotate his neck 360 degrees like his namesake[[note]] OK, so owls cannot technically do that, but facts can't stop a fictional story[[/note]].

* ''WesternAnimation/WinnieThePooh'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ycRnLo5HQU can do this]], though it's not played for horror. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBuA5UbaqoM Some edits]] of this scene ''do'' play it up by making Winnie a Satanist due to the Exorcist's influence.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' has the infamous JumpScare from Blizzeta, the boss of [[SlippySlideyIceWorld Snowpeak]] [[RuinsForRuinsSake Ruins]]. When [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Yeta]] leads [[TheHero Link]] to a Mirror of Twilight shard and gazes into it, she [[DemonicPossession becomes corrupted]] and her head 180s to reveal a NightmareFace.

** [[TheOwlKnowingOne Owlowiscious]] / [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Owloysius]], being an owl, can twist his head extremely far. Spike calls this creepy.

* A rather [[{{Squick}} gross]] and unsettling example of this trope shows up in ''Anime/BoogiepopPhantom''.

* In an instance of LimitedAnimation in ''Manga/DragonBall'', Goku as a Great Ape performs this at the climax of the Pilaf episode when the villain and his minions fly past in their escape plane, rather than actually turning around.
** Also in ''Manga/DragonBallZ'', Kid Buu is known for this especially in the anime where Vegeta starts a speech taunting the pink universe-destroying demon during their final battle. Kid Buu twists its head around to look at him before growling.

* Phantasma does this on ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndTheGhoulSchool''.

* Pops up naturally in the ''Exorcist'' parody ''Film/{{Repossessed}}''.

* In a rare comedy example from ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': Tom Servo rotates his head 180 degrees during a cheerful Christmas song. ItMakesSenseInContext.

* [[spoiler:Mimi]] in ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' does this upon revealing [[spoiler:her]] true form. However, instead of twisting her head around, she somehow spins her head on her neck, causing [[spoiler:her]] head to turn upside down.
* [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Havik]] from ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' has the ability to contort his entire body in odd and sickening ways. In fact, two of his specials allow him to [[TooKinkyToTorture regain health]] by doing so.
** 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]] 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.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFBIYwm6FT8/ Brawl Doll]], a creepy possessed doll in the aptly named [[BigBoosHaunt Horror Manor]] in ''VideoGame/WarioWorld'' spins his head backwards while laughing in the boss introduction.

* Parodied in ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon''. In the Haunted Towers, there's a [[CreepyDoll doll]] in the middle of a room that turns its head to face you. If you walk counterclockwise around it, its head unscrews and falls off.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheUltimateEnemy'', [[spoiler:Dark Danny, the evil future version of WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom]], demonstrates a 180 degree head spin, and then fully turning his body.
* The Flying Dutchman actually did this twice in ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants''.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': the [[AxCrazy Earl of Lemongrab]] does this, despite not really having a neck. Also, unusually for this trope, doing so seems to cause him visible strain. It somehow makes the whole thing even more disturbing.

* ''WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries'': [[spoiler: Little Cassandra]] is seen bending her neck in an unnatural way to face Pascal in "[[Recap/TangledTheSeriesS3E11IslandsApart Islands Apart]]", complete with the sound of sinew being twisted.

* Done by a CreepyDoll on ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'', "The Other Cousin" (s01e05), Wooldoor Sockbat on cold turkey hallucinates a baby crawling at him on the ceiling doing the head spin.[[note]]This is in fact an abiding visual image from the ''Exorcist'' sequel[[/note]]

* WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa does this sometimes.

* Pinocchio from ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' does this sometimes.

* Woody does this in the first ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'' film as a ShoutOut to ''Exorcist'' and [[spoiler: to scare Sid]].

* A Jello commercial, from the 1990's, is presented as a horror movie. At the end of the commercial, the bus driver spins his head while laughing, maniacally. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_jrlH5XOac]]
[[AC:Advertisements]]
* An add for a bolt-manufacturing company had Frankenstein's monster have a problem with his head spinning round and round until he [[Film/Frankenstein1931 stuck a bolt in his neck.]]

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' has the infamous JumpScare in [[SlippySlideyIceWorld Snowpeak]] [[RuinsForRuinsSake Ruins]] when its boss, Blizzeta, reveals herself. When [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Yeta]] gazes into a Mirror of Twilight shard, she [[DemonicPossession becomes corrupted]] and her head 180s to reveal a NightmareFace.