The self-amputation in “127 Hours” might be turning filmgoers off, but cutting off limbs is nothing new to Hollywood. Having both legs amputated by a sadistic doctor in 1942’s “Kings Row” lead to the most widely praised performance of Ronald Reagan’s career. It might not guarantee a launch pad to the White House but - not including horror - some of Tinseltown’s most notable films have taken a slice or two themselves. Here’s five of Hollywood’s hardest cuts.
Reservoir Dogs (1992) When the sadistic Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) is left alone with Officer Marvin Nash (Kirk Baltz), he decides to torture the young cop by severing his ear with a straight razor and dousing him in gasoline. Madsen himself reportedly had a difficult time finishing the scene (which has drawn comparisons to the shower scene in "Psycho") after Baltz ad-libbed a line about having "a little kid at home." Dozens of audience members walked out mid-film (including horror director Wes Craven and special effects wizard Rick Baker), to which director Quentin Tarantino responded: "It happens at every single screening. For some people the violence, or the rudeness of the language, is a mountain they can't climb. That's OK. It's not their cup of tea. But I am affecting them. I wanted that scene to be disturbing." ($2.8 million domestic)
The Empire Strikes Back (1980) In the first “Star Wars” sequel, Luke Skywalker has his hand cut off by Darth Vader, who is revealed to be his father. Double ouch! ($290 million domestic lifetime)
Requiem For a Dream (2000) Jared Leto learns the hard way that heroin is bad for you, as doctors are formed to amputate his infected injection arm. Blood splashes across his face and he wakes up in a prison hospital missing one of his limbs. Don't do drugs, kids! ($3.6 million domestic)
Boxing Helena (1993) Julian Sands plays a lonely surgeon who's obsessed with a young woman named Helena (Sherilyn Fenn). When she's injured in a hit-and-run accident right outside of his home, he takes the opportunity to kidnap her and amputate both her arms and legs. Of course, all of this turns out to be a dream. While the film was nominated for the prestigious Grand Jury Prize at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival, it was released to critical scorn and earned Lynch a Razzie Award for Worst Director. ($1.8 million domestic)
Papillon (1973) Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman) hurts his foot while escaping from a French penal colony. The injury becomes infected with gangrene, so his fellow escapees get him drunk and cut off his foot with a dull knife. ($53.2 million domestic)
