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Disturbing films: name some and why you list them

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I'm not a fan of the genre, but was intrigued by topic title.

I'm not sure if it was mentioned but "God Damn Religion" is some seriously disturbing stuff, but also strangly enlightening.

 

~Michael~

Edited by M S Smith
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^ lol....wow...that did give the grey matter a workout

EDIT - didn't find it disturbing...but its worked me the hardest in the shortest than anything for a while

Edited by waterboy

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Ceres>

Bad boy bubby>> I love cats. I was kind of shocked with the cat at the begining, but then the comedy got me. This film is ingrowing in me, definately one of the best films I have ever seen. Very funny , I mean I laughed aloud which is not typical of me, and I even stopped to watch a scene for a second time, only because I could not get the whole satisfaction in one take.

Michael we 're definately beyond one genre.

apart from extreme horror, there's drama, black comedy, thriller.

not sure about documentaries though... I suppose they can make a category in their own. Lots of nasties especially in the pseudodocumetary (a la mondo trash) depaertment. Lots of documentaries on various issues can be disturbing. A document on 'Krokodil' use in Russia, "Wartorn 1861-2010" excellent docu on PTSD in soldiers, a docu on the nazi attrocities, a docu on pornography , even a hunt of african wilddogs can be disturbing.

So yeah docu's another thing

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[continuing after a short delay and visit to gh]

but maybe we should open up a disturbing docu thread

this whole thing only proves that different things disturb each one of us.

which is kind of a wonderful scientific sociological realisation.

while some might dislike extreme content in fictional films, due to them being exposed to real life dark matters and this is pretty understandable and justifiable, other perspectives of what disturbs us in more intimate and unsaid ways is far more interesting.

Analysis cannot be shy or politically correct. Analysis ought by definition be thorouhg and relentless in searching causal factors and responding factors. I personally always found the extremes most interesting. From much younger age I stated that there's great philosophical thruthand data to be processed out of exploring extremities, tabboos, the hidden and the untold. My heros are those who tell the stories despite the personal loss.

Bad Boy Bubby is so politically incorrect that no director or actor in their real minds would make to forward their carrer. Why did they make it? was he so naive to think its gonna work like a comedy for most? who knows... but All those involved in Bad boy Buddy are my heros. Wut a fucking film! For atheists it means much more! FUCK YOU GOD!

****

I watched "Street trash" again btw. I had found its political correctness disturbing the first time, many years earlier, but not this time. An admirable crazy film that doesn't take itself seriously.. Thumbs up! also recommended to booze haters, might pack a thrill or two

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re-reading was very interesting!!

in page two I mentioned a german film a comdey splatter, which is indeed showing the accident form of splatter gore in a gloriously funny way. It was while I was explaining how gory films might make you more careful.

this is COMEDY SPLATTER at its best

 

Edited by mutant
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Lol, i know the guys who made that one! Mutant, do you know Inbred by Alex Chandon?

Edited by Evil Genius

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Hillbillys homemade goat prolapse porn

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men behind the sun. Chinese historical war film about Japanese human experimentation program; unit 731. most of the real atrocities are dulled down for the film, but, some of the gore scenes are pretty well made for the time (arguably contains some real harm to animals, so, beware that if you are a cat lover). also, after the war in real life, these Japanese doctors were not sent to a Nuremberg equivalent, but instead pardoned by the U.S in exchange for chemical weapon research.

-dio

 




edit: typographical error

edit #2: found it on youtube...

Edited by dionysus

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the cat eaten alive is a myth:

However, in an interview made in 2010 in the US (can be found in YouTube), Mous stated that the cat was tired after participation in the film and the cat got two fish as a reward. The cat was made wet with honey and the rats were licking and eating the honey only.

also interesting is the the director used real corpses to save effects money!!!!

PS: EG, I didn't know inbred and it seems super fun!

you know they guys that made Staplefahrer Klaus???? I'll be damned!! Tell them their film is still remembered (I had watched when it was out) and tell them I love them guys!!! Awesome, one of a kind, very well shot, did these guys do anything more?

Edited by mutant

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bumb

this is an important topic for me

hit me with films

read the thread its cool

noone saw anything horrific recently?

Edited by mutant

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The only disturbing movies I've seen (from memory -- there could be more I've luckily erased from my brain) have been Requiem for a Dream, 8mm. I've seen some scenes/trailers for the Saw movies, Hostel, Salo, The Human Centipede etc and I've read wikipedia/IMDB synposes but that's enough to turn me off and decide not to watch them. Even just reading about the hype surrounding Salo and the plot was enough to leave me feeling quite fucked in the head and gave me nightmares and the creeps for a while. It's probably a good thing that I can only list 2 disturbing movies I've seen for my own sanity and wellbeing :)

Personally, I'm not sure what people get out of watching these films. Sure, they can be cerebral and a bit of a mind fuck, but I'd prefer to go that route without the shock and disturbing attributes. In my view, there are enough appalling atrocities happening in the world as a bleak reminder of what humans are capable of without having to delve into films and attempt to find some enjoyment in it. Just my point of view though :)

It's not really 'disturbing' (by my own definition, anyway), but The Seventh Seal is still one of my all time favourites.

Edited by goneski
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Ghosts of the civil dead. If you haven't seen it, it's a classic prison movie, nick cave makes a pretty disturbing cameo.

Edited by Glaukus
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thanks for suggestsion...

Goneski, thanks for input. I watch such movies for thrills. Stupid hollywood action films dont do it for me. If you catch yourself to be caring about the characters in a film, be it a horror or a drama or anything, then it catches you. Chemical reactions happen in your mind if you care about a film, double so if there's tension involved, and it most often is. I wouldn't call this mind fuck.

One legendary punk duo from UK had an album title "You can hide yourself from the horrors of reality, but they wont go away"

I watched recently 8 mm again, its a decent film for a really disturbing subject matter. Fine crime thriller.

but obviously there's some morbid curiousity even in you, since you're read seen trailers for films like Human centipede (I still cant understand how this film is so widely known, obviously they did a fine job in marketing)

Also I dont know why its better to depict violence as cool or unreal.. I am definately of the Cronenbergian school... Violence should be depicted as is: horrific. Now if you're asking why we make films about pain and death, maybe you should ask why we have religion..

"Moment of terror is the begining of life"

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lol

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"Mondo cinema is certainly a weird concept and THIS VIOLENT WORLD maintains the genre standards admirably. Semi-racist commentary and exploitation/misrepresentation of other cultures aside, the photography is actually quite atmospheric and imaginative in places"

I dont like mondo for reasons I have explained earlier... Dont find them so interesting.... pure exploitation, most of the times... could pretty essential for a extreme videoclip maker though..

I would also like to say cheers to the dude that pointed me to Wolfs creek. Thanks dude!

I have seen both since, not only its decent torture porn , its ozzie torture porn.

I think I liked part 2 even more.. Definately a keeper for the collection...

feels very australian too

And now I am on to see Enemy...

Edited by mutant

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Enemy is nice interesting mystery/thriller, not really suitable for this thread... nice recommendation though...

PS: its also original and weird, check out "explanation" in the messageboards in imdb, if you want to understand the symbolisms and all...

Edited by mutant

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im into more weird then horror but really like the holy mountain. pretty far out there tho. and stanley kubrick is always amazing.

Edited by brooa
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I have to say Jodorwoski is much more than plain weird, but he is weird alright. I haven't seen his films for a while.. I think I haven't seen Holy mountain, only El Topo and Santa Sangre... The reason I didn't watch yet is that I love the dude so much that I am keeping a treat for the future. Atheists and non-theists traditionally appreciate these films also for the anti-religion tone....

Its a great coincidence one friend yesterday said, hey lets have this one playing (a whole movie) while we are chilling and I am like, no way man, Jodo films are not for background quality.. And then I am like, "and I haven't really seen Holy mountain so no way I am gonna spoil this for me"

Some of Jodos shit might make it to the list, probably, by a wider range of disturbance...

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I guess the worst for me was "men behind the sun" a hard film to find, and true story of unit 731. horrid stuff indeed. kinda wish i didnt see it. the total worst for me was some "documentary" that showed footage of some cruel act's of mans "science" on animals... Cant get that out of my head ever and do very much wish i never saw it! The thing's people do out of their typical human ignorance is beyond me. sickest life-form's on earth. If people had the simple ability to look at nature for just 5 mins, none of this would even happen.

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El topo was interesting... Seen it a few times and still dont quite get it. an odd film, in no way i think is it "sick"or "bad". just curious.

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Oh.. One movie I did find somewhat disturbing but is probably one of my favourite films -- American History X.

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the pavement-teeth scene is supposed to be one of the most violent scenes of all time... well... it used to be, remember me reading it.. I thought " this is the most violent scene of all time? " ... nah...

I seem to remember most the dinner scene with the Jew. Amazingly acted , pretty disturbing stuff, you see, it can be even a dialogue... That's what I was babbling about in the begining of the thread, that such films needn't only be horror/thriller...

and actually, the non-horror shit that gets in the list is probably more interesting than the usually standard horror/thriller fare

Sure, one could include Amarican History X in such lists of disturbing films...

so goneski, you're reaching a tiny antiphasis.

But its normal: we watch films to be moved.. sometimes they move us in a way that makes us feel disturbed..

Feeling puzzled after watching a movie is also another interesting result.

Almost as good as the feeling devastated after watching a disturbing film with a point.

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I have been watching crime thrillers recently and watched

Dear Mr. Gacy (2011) watched, pretty decent and not really disturbing or even frightening..

its a real story of a boy that writes to Gacy, the notorious serial killer... crime thriller

this is rated R of course, but its nowhere near most of the films mentioned in this thread

in the sick splatter horror , I watched Frontiers (I think EG suggested this) , nazi/zombie torture porn... I found this passable, semi-decent , not particularly did it for me.. Perhaps worth keeping.

====------------------===========

I would like to add a few things more to the my ramblings on this thread about why I and perhaps some people watch and look for such films.. But I will talk about my personal perspective, not what I assume and have gathered about for others.

*****

Its pretty obvious I have been desensitized in some degree, but movies still get me... I can enjoy a crime/thrillers or crime/dramas that sometimes feature awful stories from a different , most often milder perspective than horror films, a more drama perspective. In horror films, there's a certain element of exploiting the fear, focusing on the fear, make the film around fear to eventually make the heros (viewer) face the violence they perhaps missed in thrillers.

Most of the times, I enjoy watching these films. That's the reason I am watching them films. I enjoy myself... I even enjoy seeing Saw and Hostel..

With some others its not that simple. Lets take Wolf's Creek (& Wolf Creek 2) , as its ozzie.. for example... This is an awesome example of the torture porn sub-genre of horror and a pretty well made at that.. It's nasty, and its realistic enough to be effective.. Well, I am sure I will enjoy it more the second time I watch it: less shock, more familiarity .. These two fllms series have on obviously dark humorous element and the australian element makes it even more unique.. The dialogue scenes in part 2 are hillarious and I think the acting is better. But these are generally films of a common format. A Hills have eyes clone, we could say. An american horror clone actually. And as such, it can be enjoyed.

With some others (french f.e.) its more complicated simply because they're inbetween really sick and plain disturbing and actually good/decent films.. The french Martyrs is a fine such example , original authentic film, raising above the genre stereotypes. In these belong films usually with more artistical merit, than the US- popcorn feel of other films...

And of course there are those that they're impossible to enjoy and I am not the person who makes a friend watch such films to enjoy their horror. There are films impossible to enjoy, yet its impossible for me to not consider, talk about them when talking about such films. Films that make you feel badly can still be important. And then again, when a film manages to push the boundaries a bit further than the last film that did this to you (for me its definately Serbian film) , and while feeling really bad and almost empty after having watched the film, there also comes a feeling of the pioneer, the pioneer who is exploring some of the darkest corners of humanities sick soul and then comes back to talk about it and even communicate it with humanity.. I would call this a duty, if I didn't actually get kicks, just not common enjoyment.

I noted most people who dont like or better cant bare watching such films (anymore) tend to have forgotten them... Well I dont.. I dont want to forget them. I want to remember!

I would like to say a couple more things about A Serbian film (2010) , I think I am ready now... The careful reader will have realised by now this is the film the has pushed the limits further than any film, and is easily the "worst" of its kind.. Ceres wondered a couple pages back, what the heck "torture porn" was. Well, "torture porn" is not what you imagined, but Serbian film perhaps is. Serbian film is a knightmarish tale that blends horror and sex... Sex and horror... hell it doesn't sound so awful, there's so much of this blend in silly 70s and 80s us and euro B-grade horror!

No, no, this is the real thing.. Some might suggest Grotesque is somewhat in the same erotic element - bollocks, in grotesque its only fucken implied not really blended!

So imagine my surprise, when I finished watching serbian film, found it to have surpassed Grotesque's grade , and actually having enjoyed it! This is the thing that shook me about this film... It was the most disturbing film I have ever seen and still, I enjoyed it.. ?!??!

I haven't dared to see again yet, and I think I am afraid of not the horror but the pleasure...

Peace

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Hey did you know Saw creators are of australians?

Read this pretty interesting interview on the Saw saga and how it came to be one of the most famous horror sagas. Its pretty interesting that the creators distance themselves from the "torture-horror" genre, stating that the sequels for which they were not responsible focused more on torture, while the first film did not.

http://www.avclub.com/article/isaw-icreators-leigh-whannell-and-james-wan-46975

AVC: I’m interested in the way you guys deal with criticism. You’ve put forth these genre films in an unapologetic way. Do you brace yourself for the reality that your films may be embraced in one corner, but there’s going to be a certain segment of the population, certainly the critical population, that’s just not going to engage with what they call torture-porn?

JW: Again, with the first Saw film, we didn’t set out to make a torture movie. We had a really short segment that focused on that. But even then, it was shot in such a way where the focus wasn’t really on torture, but it was more focused on the overall mystery. The first movie played out like a mystery thriller.

LW: Yeah.

JW: It wasn’t like we took the torture sequence in Marathon Man or Reservoir Dogs and stretched it to the entire film. We didn’t do that. We only had it in a short segment, and the rest of the movie was just this huge mystery. It’s almost like a whodunit, right? But, like I said and as Leigh pointed out, it wasn’t until the sequels that it became more and more about [torture].

It’s kind of a strange one for me to defend, because I ultimately didn’t direct the sequels, and I didn’t really have that big of a hand with the sequels, with the exception maybe a little bit of storyline with 2 and 3, but that was really it. And the stuff I was really involved in had nothing to do with the torture stuff. So I myself am really removed from it.

I know my colleagues who are part of this quote-unquote “splat pack” have referred to this term “torture-porn” as lazy journalism. It’s a really strange one for me, because Leigh and I, we don’t really make those kinds of movies. Part of the disadvantage of not having hits with my other films in the same way that Saw was a hit, is people kind of look at my other stuff and go, “Oh, I see, this guy doesn’t make only one type of film. He’s made a movie like Dead Silence, which is an old-school tribute to Hammer horror films, and was all about creepy atmosphere. Then my second one [Death Sentence] was a ’70s-style revenge thriller. And then the latest one that Leigh and I made, Insidious, is an old-fashioned ghost story, a haunted-house film with a twist. So if you look at our body of work, we don’t really just make that one style of movie. I think what Saw did was really open up a huge branch of lots of these other movies that ultimately retroactively gave the first Saw somewhat of a negative reputation.

LW: I think the first Saw film has a more violent reputation than it deserves, in the same way that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre became the yardstick for cinema violence without really deserving that. I think the title, if anything, is what really gave The Texas Chain Saw Massacre its violent reputation. Whereas if you’ve seen the film, it’s not that violent a film, certainly not one that warrants a nasty label. It’s a disturbing film. I think the first Saw film is fairly gore-free, but the sequels of course have gone on to be more and more gory, and that’s become a part of it.

I guess the term “torture-porn” doesn’t affect me one way or the other. I don’t love the term, nor do I really hate it. For me, it’s kind of hard to have any bad feelings about the term, because I guess torture-porn has given me a lot of good things, like being able to work in the film industry and work as a screenwriter. I guess I’m just thankful to be part of a film that made it, and anything after that is just a champagne problem. The people that James is talking about, like some of our friends that work in Hollywood and are more defensive about their films being called torture-porn—I agree with James that neither of us really feel that way, because we don’t see ourselves to be a part of the scene.

I worked as a reviewer at a magazine in Australia, and I know the media sometimes needs a shorthand when it’s talking about pop culture, about anything, really. So these terms get invented. I think it’s a bit useless to get upset about these terms. It’s not like we’re a band. Sometimes I cringe when I see bands interviewed—I’m sure you’ve seen this, Scott. They vehemently protest being slotted into a certain genre. “We’re not emo! We are not an emo band!” But I sort of see why, because it’s their sound that’s being branded as slotting into this thing. I guess if you’re a band that hopes to go on and have a long career, you don’t want to be a part of something that is naturally going to have an end.

All these terms and trends have a life cycle. So I guess if you’re in a band, you don’t want to have your career be over and your band be over when those 15 minutes are up. But film is different, because as James said, we’ve made all these other different films, and I do think James and I are going to go on to make films in lots of different genres, hopefully. So we don’t feel any sort of malice toward it. Myself, I’m just thankful to have been a part of it. Terms like torture-porn and “splat pack” make me laugh, because I’m like, “Cool!” I think that’s awesome.

JW: I think it is cool. Years from now, when people forget about all the negative connotations and look back at it, it’s like you were part of a movement, like it or not. And that’s cool. That is awesome. I’d love to be a filmmaker and look back and be like, “Ah, man, we were part of that whole ’80s video nasty thing!” Which people can do now. I honestly think we’ll look back with a lot of affection for this time and everything, and it’ll be great.

[Addendum: After this interview, Leigh Whannell contacted us with one final note about the cultural impact of Saw:

“As this last Saw film comes out and I look back at the franchise and think about what it’s all meant to me, my favorite memory is still when Saw was mentioned on The Sopranos. After all the premières and Comic-Con visits and time on set, that still stands out as the moment I knew that Saw was truly part of the cultural conversation—when a character from my favorite show mentioned the film. Even though I was pissed that James got mentioned and not me!”]

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