What is the Most Disturbing Film You've Ever Seen?

peter johnson · October 06, 2008, 11:26:52 AM

Not mainstream, but once in college I went to a frat party that was showing 8mm porn movies. I can still remember them all, as none of them were "vanilla", but involved animals and acts that I can't even type about here. I suspect I will take some of those images with me to the grave . . .

As far as mainstream goes, Clockwork Orange still does it for me, as much for the imagery as the mixed morals it displays. Eraserhead bothered me too, but lacks the staying-power of Clockwork.

peter johnson/denny nausea

trekgeezer · October 06, 2008, 02:38:26 PM

Not in the horror genre ( maybe it should be). Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream

A tale about the extremes of addiction and the terrible places it can take you. The part at the end with Jennifer Connelly and Keith David really knocked me cold.

Metropolisforever · October 06, 2008, 03:33:48 PM

Gaspar Noé's film Irréversible (2002) has been mentioned in this thread, but his earlier film, I Stand Alone (1998), is often considered to be far more disturbing. Has anyone seen this one?

akiratubo · October 06, 2008, 05:00:51 PM

Quote from: Metropolisforever on October 06, 2008, 03:33:48 PMhis earlier film, I Stand Alone (1998) is often considered to be far more disturbing. Has anyone seen this one?

Yeah. It's not disturbing, just boring. Go to coldfusionvideo.com and read NShumate's review of it.

Metropolisforever · October 06, 2008, 07:01:39 PM

Jess Franco's 1980 film The Devil Hunter is often considered to be among the sickest achievements of the Italian "cannibal" film boom. In the most notorious scene, "the Devil" demonstrates "eating p***y" in a grossly excessive, literal manner.

Yes, it's exactly what you think it is.

Metropolisforever · October 07, 2008, 12:45:15 PM

...but, actually, most of Jess Franco's films are pretty extreme... even by low-budget-Italian-cannibal-shock-porno-exploitation standards.

JPickettIII · October 07, 2008, 11:38:01 PM

I have seen many, many films that are a little disturbing. But I will have to say the most disturbing one I can think of is the remake of "Hill Have Eyes". The rape scene in that move just made my stomach go south.

I am not sure what it was about that movie, but it just made me go, yuck.

Later,

John

inframan · October 08, 2008, 09:11:18 AM

Quote from: JPickettIII on October 07, 2008, 11:38:01 PM
I have seen many, many films that are a little disturbing. But I will have to say the most disturbing one I can think of is the remake of "Hill Have Eyes". The rape scene in that move just made my stomach go south.

I am not sure what it was about that movie, but it just made go, yuck.

Later,

John

I found the original disturbing, not shocking or scary but just plain disturbing, I dont think I'll even try the remake.

Kester Pelagius · October 08, 2008, 11:02:39 AM

re: Joe D'Amato

It is rather difficult to acquire his genre movies, fully uncut. Even when they did get a release most B&M stores didn't stock them. I know the Caligula VHS was cut and overscanned in FS, not even a proper pan & scan. Not sure about his latter day films, which were all pornos. Speaking of which I believe he did a second porno version of Caligula. Haven't really heard much about that one.

Quote from: Neville on October 05, 2008, 03:44:57 PM
Abel Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant. Enough said.

If that's the movie where Harvey Keitel plays the titular role and pulls over a car with two "teens" in it and then, well, the less said about that scene the better.

Very squicky flick.

Rev. Powell · October 08, 2008, 11:57:28 AM

Quote from: Kester Pelagius on October 08, 2008, 11:02:39 AM

Quote from: Neville on October 05, 2008, 03:44:57 PM
Abel Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant. Enough said.

If that's the movie where Harvey Keitel plays the titular role and pulls over a car with two "teens" in it and then, well, the less said about that scene the better.

Very squicky flick.

Yep, that's the one. I still really like this movie despite it's disturbing and overblown nature. It's actually a deeply religious film about the ability to forgive the absolute worst sinners among us.

Neville · October 08, 2008, 12:18:13 PM

I also thought it was a great film, but... let's say most of the stuff it depicts wouldn't be so disturbing if it wasn't for the realistic approach Ferrara takes. We're used to watch all kind of sick stuff as far as it doesn't look too real, so we don't have to identify with the victims. Many of the films named on this thread belong to that cathegory. But Ferrara plays a different game, he seems determined to make the audience re-examine their reaction towards strong material, and he doesn't pull his punches.

Metropolisforever · October 08, 2008, 04:43:11 PM

Oops! Did I say Joe D'Amato? I meant to say Jess Franco.

I was confusing them.

Silly me.

Metropolisforever · October 12, 2008, 04:49:04 PM

Many will argue that those "shocker" films are too stupid to be truly disturbing. This may be true for some people, but many others will find the grotesque imagery to be very disturbing, no matter how stupid the film may be.

However, some films are so campy and stupid that they become laughable (Blood Feast, anyone?)

ER · October 12, 2008, 05:58:34 PM

There's always been something disturbing to me about The Wizard of Oz.

Neville · October 12, 2008, 06:05:36 PM

Can't believe I forgot about this one...

"The girl next door" (2007)

Not the film starring Elisha Cuthbert, but a dramatization of a real murder of a teenage girl who was tortured and abused for days in a basement. There are not, strictly speaking, any horror elements in it, but the whole thing verges on the unwatchable. It's an excellent film, by the way.