History Main / DemonicHeadShake

The Demonic Head Shake is a staple of horror movies of recent history, made famous by the 1990 movie ''Film/JacobsLadder''. The effect is achieved by filming somebody (or something) waving their head at [[{{Undercrank}} a very low frame rate]] and later play the footage back at normal speed which creates an unsettling motion blur effect. Characteristically, the shoulders and the rest of his body remain completely still while the head goes all jittery.

* In the cold open of the [[Series/WireInTheBlood]] episode 'Torment' (Series 4 Episode) this happens with a mental hospital orderly to indicate the insanity of the viewpoint character, Derek Tyler.

This effect can be used alongside MarionetteMotion where awkward body motions are filmed in AdrenalineTime creating the illusion of a broken doll. Compare ExorcistHead when someone spins their head around 360 degrees.

* The ''Franchise/SilentHill'' franchise, heavily influenced by ''Jacob's Ladder'', provides examples of head twitching as well as MarionetteMotion all throughout the game series in random scenes and encounters:

* The ''Franchise/SilentHill'' franchise provides examples of head twitching as well as MarionetteMotion all throughout the game series in random scenes and encounters:
** In ''VideoGame/SilentHill3'', there's The Glutton "boss" in the Rec Center Otherworld, Valtiel and the Carousel horses. The head movements also occur during the fight against Memory of Alessa.

* In the anime adaptation of ''LightNovel/KaraNoKyoukai'', the BigBad Araya Souren does this while regenerating from a wound on his neck where he was stabbed by Shiki earlier. Enjo Tomoe is freaked out by the sight to such an extent, he runs away shrieking.

** Even scarier on the original PlayStation version as the head is shaking too fast for the framerate that the red glow emitted from the central eye can't even follow properly.

* In ''Franchise/DeadSpace'', Twitchers sometimes have this effect thanks to their SuperSpeed

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* Happens in ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'' episode "Tome-wan". During his MushroomSamba sequence, Mason Verger envisions Hannibal shaking his head this way for a few seconds until it changes into a boar head. Watch the sequence [[https://youtu.be/KQ8ftsj2fhc here]].

** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E17E18TheEndOfTime The End of Time]]", the Master uses the Immortality Gate to unleash a WorldWreckingWave that [[CloneByConversion transforms every human being into a copy of him]], which causes their heads to shake at blurring speed while they're being converted.

* The Austrian psychological thriller ''Film/GoodnightMommy'' has a NightmareSequence wherein Elias' mother strips down in the woods and starts [[https://youtu.be/DzSsE5t7JNk?t=88 doing the head twitching]].

* In series 1 of ''Series/{{Misfits}}'' Simon does this when turning {{invisible}}.

* In series 1 of ''Series/Misfits'' Simon does this when turning {{invisible}}.

** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E17E18TheEndOfTimeThe End of Time]]", the Master uses the Immortality Gate to unleash a WorldWreckingWave that [[CloneByConversion transforms every human being into a copy of him]], which causes their heads to shake at blurring speed while they're being converted.

* In ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "The End of Time", the Master uses the Immortality Gate to unleash a WorldWreckingWave that [[CloneByConversion transforms every human being into a copy of him]], which causes their heads to shake at blurring speed while they're being converted.

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* ''Film/{{Innerspace}}'' combines this with ShapeShifterSwanSong when Jack (disguised as the Cowboy) loses control over his shapeshifting ability and undergoes an eerie facial deformation process where [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrYFA85CyZk&feature=youtu.be&t=197 his head shakes uncontrollably]].

* Maryanne from season 2 of ''Series/TrueBlood'' did this effect in the woods. -- ''''Needs more details''''