Guillotine

A guillotine is a device used for the execution of criminals or other undesirables. It was really popular in France back in the 18th century, but is not really used today. A guillotine is basically an open wooden stock wherein the prisoner places his neck upon a horizontal beam. Two vertical beams buttress the stock and hold a sharpened blade in place attached to a rope. An executioner releases the blade and it slides down, cutting off the intended victim's head, which then plops into a bucket beneath him.

Films

 * Curse of Frankenstein, The