Film Roar

I'm a huge fan of the Polanski trilogy of Repulsion, The Tenant, and Rosemary's Baby. The Tenant, is quite possibly the scariest movie I've ever seen.

I thought The House of Yes was a hysterical comedy, though, so maybe our tastes are different.

I thought The Dark Backward was more weird than disturbing. Again, I thought it was comedy.

I dunno that I'd call Requiem for a Dream "subtle" especially considering the ending. I thought the first hour or so was fairly lousy.

Please add Short Circuit and Porky's to the list of most disturbing movies. I am ashamed of my humanity when I see them.

It's not quite with most of those, but Deliverance is pretty disturbing: Mutant hillbillies, bones protruding from legs, fear, desperation, and anal rape....

That's a pretty good list, though. Seven is a movie I wish I'd never watched.

Resevoir Dogs probably has the most disturbing scene you never saw: the ear slicing scene. You can see it on the new DVD, if you wish, though. I think the one where you don't see the ear get lopped off is worse. Weird, eh?

Hey Al, if you want to question your humanity know that at least Porky's and Short Circuit cost like a buck each to make. Michael Bay, Jerry Bruckheimer, Joel Schumacker get to spend zillions on their crap. (And Porky's and Short Circuit are way better than Bad Company.)

Se7en is a very interesting movie. When I first saw it in a theater in 1995 it had an incredible impact on me. Seeing it in 2002 on DVD it seemed a whole lot milder. I honestly believe Se7en was pushing the envelope in '95 and since I have been desensitized by even more outrageous violence.

The most disturbing I've ever seen is without a question "Salo," an italian film. "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, Her Lover" was also rough!

The film Begotten. Out of twenty-three people, three people including myself were the only ones to finish it. If you can find it... see it. I will be stunned by anyone who does not leave that film "marked."

disturbing...eh i dunno but maybe you should add L.I.E. to that list. A different kind of disturbing, but regardless..

you guys what about event horizon, the house on haunted hill, murder by numbers was cool, jeepers creapers, the virus(kinda), 8 mm, IT, if you want to see a movie thats depressing and really eerie see the CUBE, this movie is mad. nobody though of the exorcist, and there was this other movie called the boys club or something they like worship satan its really fucked up too.

Lets see.
House on Haunted Hill - Did not see it, it did not seem that interesting from the previews.
http://us.imdb.com/Details?0185371

Murder by Numbers - Once again the movie looked flat so I did not see it.
http://us.imdb.com/Details?0264935

Jeepers Creepers - I don't really care for horror, so once again. (notice a pattern so far?)
http://us.imdb.com/Details?0263488

The Virus - Do you mean the 1999 release 'Virus'? Did not see it either. All of these are 'oooh, lets see how we can scare people' rather than intelligent scripts that get under your skin type movies.
http://us.imdb.com/Details?0120458

8MM - I was very disappointed with this movie. It billed itself as terribly creepy but was about as believable as. well.. a hollywood flick trying to be an art film.
http://us.imdb.com/Details?0134273

Cube - Now this one impressed me. I thought V. Natali did an awesome job with a limited budget. I did not find it all that disturbing though.
http://us.imdb.com/Details?0123755

The Ecorcist - Yup, this one creeped the hell out of me when I frist saw it. Still does get to me so many years later.
http://us.imdb.com/Details?0070047

Boy's Club - No idea what this movie might be.

i think he means the black circle boys, which i thought was a bit creepy and somewhat realistic.

BULLY - By the director of KIDS, is another examination of the aimlessness that some of todays teens feel. Made all the more disturbing by the fact that this is based on an actual event.

THE MINUS MAN - Another film that left my stomach in knots... not because it was scary, but because it presented a believable character that on the outside doesn't seem to be out of the ordinary, but inside is another story. It had me asking myself, "How many people do we meet like this everyday of our lives?"

THE PLEDGE - I still don't know what Jack Nicholson's motivations were in this film... and that, to me, is why it is so brilliant.

CHINATOWN - This may seem like an odd choice, but this was the first movie I can remember seeing that really opened my eyes to the world around me. Not everything turns out OK in the end... the good guy doesn't always win... and not all bad guys come to justice. A movie that really left its mark on me.

Sorry for the triple post... I don't know what happened there. I had a question to add. Where did you find a copy of "The Baby of Macon"? I have looked for this film going on ten years now, but have only seen the behind the scenes book. It looks stunning, but perhaps like Prosperos Books, it only got the most limited release here in the states. If anyone can help, I'd appreciate it.

Hey John. Just fixed the triple post (deleted the other two copies) so no worries there.

I was lucky to see "The Baby of Macon" while working for the Olympia Film Festival. The cinematographer, and one of the film makers I most admire, Sacha Vierny was present for it's US debut. The organizer of the film festival had to bring a copy of the movie down from Canada because it is black listed in the United States. The official line is that the movie "failed to find a U.S. distributor" but it seems pretty clear that it was censored in the US because of it's graphic violence.

I don't know where you are located or how you can get a copy of it. I did some web searching and it seems that there is not region 1 (US) release of the DVD. The most excellent Seattle video store Scarecrow Video has a copy on DVD Region 4 and one on laserdisc. In Portland I would contact Movie Madness. I know this one is very hard to find, good luck.

Good list. I would add to that:

Suspiria - Truly one of the strangest and most terrifying things I've ever seen. Add that to the late seventies clothing and cheesy dialogue and you have one very disturbing movie. Much more than just horror, it masters suspense in a unique and artful way.

28 Days Later - A new edition, and again, much more than a horror flick. It's actually a psychological thriller, depicting events that could in many ways be considered possible. Interesting visuals and a great job directing.

The Animatrix - The Second Renaissance Part I & II - Another new edition. Somewhat based on the Terminator premise, but takes it to another graphically disturbing level of a future ruled by machines, with images of human fuses and fun things like that.

Not to be rude or anything, but I thought 28 Days Later was HORRIBLE...I was expecting to be really scared and disturbed by it, but when it was over, I was just kind of like "ooooooook." It was similar to that movie The Signs that came out last year maybe? Not in plot or anything but just that it looked reeeeeaaaally scary, but turned out to be the aliens are chasing us, still chasing us, scaring us, we defeat them...the end. That's kind of like 28 Days Later(though not aliens) No brilliant underlying theme, not a surprise ending, just cat and mouse...but then, that's just my opinion. *********In response to an earlier post, someone had written about a movie called The Boys Club--I saw this movie-it starred Devon Sawa and Chris Penn...kinda wierd, but I don't remember anything about the boys worshiping the devil.

THE RING- Truely a disturbing movie. Very well put together, not overly graphic, but quiet horrifying.

I'd have to say that without question, "SALO, OR THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM" is the most disturbing movie I've seen to date. On a slight tangent, I'm curious, yet apprehensive about Pasolini's adaptations of "Medea" and "Oedipus Rex," as the books are quagmires in and of themselves.

To continue the list:

-SANTA SANGRE: co-dependency and Fellini-esque touches have never been so intense and fanatical.

-MULHOLLAND DRIVE: a complex and very disorienting study of psychosis, lack of identity or dubious indentity, aspirations that expire and are inevitably never reached, and how the film industy is a catalyst for many of these issues, particularly in the category of lookism. And it's a Nancy Drew farce to boot. Fantastic film.

-MEET THE FEEBLES: Muppets on crack is perhaps not a very creative concept, but Peter Jackson really packs in the humor and absurdity. Whoever thought a walrus could make love to a Siamese cat no larger than the size of his fin? A truly dysfunctional movie.

-DEAD ALIVE: A wonderfully superfluous tribute to George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead," exhibited shamelessly (and humorously)in gallons and gallons of bleeding corn syrup. Various genres are mixed very well, too, despite the madness that constantly ensues. Love the 1950s sci-fi look and parody when the zombies crash the party!

-SE7EN: Forensic odyssey into multiple murders whose impact patiently awaits to unveil the grisly denoument.

-PERSONA: Another foray into identity, and the lack of control over it. Evil genius unfolds very slowly and its impact is psychologically deadly.

-REQUIEM FOR A DREAM: Best anti-drug movie ever made, yet somehow deliriously beautiful and very engrossing.

-PI: A great study of schizophrenia, and how the existance of patterns in life are enlightening, but as they branch out further and further, become cluttering and incrimentally less manageable, disorienting, paranoia-inducing, it ultimately gives way to private, personal madness.

-BLUE VELVET: Dennis Hopper. Need I say more?

-MOULIN ROUGE: So insulting to the intelligence, that it's actually disturbing. This film had a lot of potential and a great set-up, but to little avail.

Forgot to add:

THE EXORCIST: truly demented, and in some cases, just plain wrong. End of story! One of the best horro movies ever made.

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE: Deux ex machina approach to watching one's companions become abusive authorities.

Hey Chantal, thanks for the post, lets see what I can say in response

Salo, 120 Days of Sodom - Wow, I cant believe I missed this one. I think maybe because I blocked it from my mind.

Santa Sangre - Another one that freaked me out and I would rather not revisit.

Mullholland Drive - I quite liked it, but I was not as wierded out nor did I like it as much as many did.

Meet The Feebles - I have wanted to see this movie since I first heard about it (many years ago now) but I have somehow not managed to. yet.

Moulin Rouge - It is interesting how some movies are liked, some disliked and then some like these are loved by some and hated by others. I should figure out what gives a movie such a split reaction.

I didnt find Salo as bad as everyone made it out to be, but some others to add to the list might be

Caligula
Baise-Moi
Storytelling
Dancer in the Dark

how can you talk about the director of kids and not mention GUMMO?
and although i have not yet seen it, i believe IRREVERSIBLE with monica belucci could be the most shocking and explicit; therefore disturbing, movie of all time. ill let you know.
how about FULL METAL JACKET as well? vincent d'onofrio wields a rifle... poor little vietnamise girl... boot camp period.
BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE is fucking disturbing because its real.
the first time i saw it, VERY BAD THINGS was respectfully awful, although it lost its appeal subsequently.
BRINGING OUT THE DEAD is close to a masterpiece, scorsese's best since TAXI DRIVER; which also has its moments, but i never want to be an e.m.t.
-i dont know if this qualifies, but there was a short film on a woman who, on her path to enlightenment, proceeds to drill into her own forehead. i have no idea the where when how why or who of this doc, but it truly disturbed me.
-any faces of death or banned from tv (dont know if they qualify, but if youre not disturbed by these, then you must have already watched someone die.)

Ok I have seen most of the movies that have been posted here but i recently saw a movie that is by far more disturbing then any of them. It's called "Irreversible" and it will change you. Its the only movie that I have EVER fast forwarded through a scene because it was so disturbing. If you think that you have the stomach for it then you should definitly rent it.

Thought I'd mention my personal pick of most disturbing flick of all time: "CLOSET LAND" (starring Madeline Stowe & Alan Rickman, co-produced by Ron Howard.)

It's hard to find at some rental chains, but it's a movie you'll never forget. I'm a big fan of horror flicks, but even I had trouble making it through the first viewing of this film. It's not gory, but the incredible quality of acting in the psychological & physical torture scenes truly raises the bar. It's the kind of disturbing film that will stay with you for weeks.

What I liked most about this movie was the amazing direction and cinematography. In fact the entire movie only casts 2 actors locked in a single, depressing room: the political prisoner (Stowe) and her torturer (Rickman). Do not watch this just before going to bed. Trust me.

Regards,
Brian Jackson

By the way, there's some excellent reviews of CLOSET LAND here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6302135397/103-0379307-6993435?v=glance

Wow, had not heard of Closet Land before. It sounds very well made and very disturbing.

Hi Leopoldo.
I'm not even sure if "disturbing" is the correct word here. I've seen many of the films mentioned on this board thus far, and they're good. I enjoyed them. But CLOSET LAND is in a category unto itself.

As I said earlier there's little gore shown on screen, but the acting quality of Madaline Stowe (the prisoner) while she's getting her toenails pulled out with pliers, truly left a dent in my head. You don't need to see all the gore to experience it. You feel it.

Conversely, Alan Rickman is perfectly cast as the ultimate sadist. He thoroughly enjoys his job, though he f**ks with her head in ways you wouldn't believe.

Trust me here... fake blood & slasher films is one thing. CLOSET LAND changed me. Not sure if it was the part he made her drink piss, or shoved red-hot skewers up her anus, or the part he ran wires up her vagina... Alan Rickman played a sick individual whom enjoyed giving pain.

But perhaps the most intense moment of this film, without giving anything away, was how she was able to escape the physical torture in her mind. My favorite moment is when her coping mechanism is revealed. It's the ultimate "F**k you."

Don't expect anything though. The ending was more horrible than the story.

... by the way, when I said "The ending was more horrible than the story," I meant "disturbing." Horrible could be construed as bad, which this film clearly wasn't.

heres a few for your list
bully
ken Park(vile)
i stand alone
irreversable(vile)
nekromantik 1&2 (vile)
all night long 1-2-3 Part 3 is really vile
Happiness
salo (vile)
vistor Q (vile)
Audition
Ichi the Killer(vile
Theres alot more but thats all i can think of right now

here are a few more

giene pig series (no story but still disturbing and they are fake not real)

man bites dog

vulgar the clown (vile)

And all night long 3,Irreversible,necrimantik 2, Ken Park,visitor Q & salo are vile vile movies i don't think i stressed that enough

http://www.great-debate.com/tv.htm
Disturbingly funny video clip!

More:

MAY - I'm convinced Angela Bettis IS May. Categorized under horror but I'd call it more of a study in very abnormal psychology.

Donnie Darko - One of those "What just happened?" kind of movies. Skattered, dark pieces make up the whole of this movie. The giant bunny image will stay with you for awhile.

Cabin Fever - I know, I know - but I gotta give this movie props. There are at least four scenes which I found to be pretty gruesome and startlingly original. It's not often you have to beat to death the object of your lifelong affection with a shovel because her face is rotted away.

Don't Look Now - The first and last scenes of this movie are what you will remember. The rest is creepy and great film noir, but it's really just about starting off on the right foot + getting to the end result that makes the ride worth it. You can also have fun watching for subtle clues and symbols in this film.

Dead Alive is a great movie, funny and original, but I wouldn't really call it disturbing. Taxi Driver was probably up there in its time, but other than just being a cool movie I don't find it to be as edgy as it once was. The Exorcist is a classic and a great horror flick, but I think a tad overrated. I was never really scared by it for some reason. Happiness is a priceless movie and a bit disturbing, but the humor helps take the edge off. Caligula was just a mess. Deliverance and Se7en go without saying.

From what I've read I'm scared to see Closet Land or Salo.

I Stand Alone, although I haven't yet seen "Irreversible" the most deeply disturbing movies of all time.

Here is a couple more

Combat Shock

In a Glass Cage

The Untold Story

See The Sea
Schramm
In My Skin

I just saw this movie called "light it up." I thought it was pretty violent and scary at times. All in all, the message was good, but I think it would have been better w/o all the violence...I guess they were making it more realistic. It was a good movie, but I guess I'm just not a fan of violence.

Another movie I found a little disturbing and quite depressing was "Leaving Las Vegas." It was just so sad and self distructive. There's also a rape scene that I thought to be violent and aweful(had to turn away). Maybe I have a weakness for that kind of violence. The acting was outstanding though. Nicholas Cage was amazing! But when it ended, I was so depressed. All in all, a very unsettling film.

KEN PARK

GUMMO

BASTARD OUT OF CAROLINA

When I think of the most "disturbing" films I've seen, it isn't the gory ones that come to mind. Believe you me, I love gory films. Heck, I grew up watching Dead Alive, Evil Dead, Faces Of Death and all that. But when I think about films that really disturb me, it isn't the ones that SHOW us the horror. Instead, it's the ones that show us what the horror is going to be, and then let us IMAGINE it for ourselves, thereby letting us experience and feel it for ourselves. This, I believe, is what makes a film scene truly, truly disturbing.

Here are some titles I'd throw on the heap (with a focus on specific scenes):

Un Chien Andalou - The Eye Slicing Scene
American History X - The Curbing Scene
Misery - The Hobbling Scene:
Scarface - The Chainsaw Scene
Pink Flamingos - The Shit Eating Scene

Ah, "The Horror..."

GUMMO (spaghetti,chocolate and dirty bathwater do not go together at all)

SALO (watch it, i dare you not to squirm)

LEON (18 year old natalie portman acting sexy is hot, 12 year old natalie portman acting sexy is wrong)

HAPPINESS (please screen whoever you decide to let your children stay overnight with....please!)

BULLY (violence and underage drug use never looked so fun, oh wait i forgot about KIDS)

HATED (this GG ALLIN documentary from the director of OLD SCHOOL is a great introduction into the mind of a truly sick and twisted individual, rock & roll before GOOD CHARLOTTE made it look pussy)

Even though it wasn't a scary movie, it tramatised me like you wouldn't believe. Even though some freak isn't gona come and eat my body parts it still scares me!!!!

Ok ! enough with the stupid Remarks, Let's get it together ... By Far the scariest movie in the last 10 Years has got to be undoubtly " Night Falls " I'm a Theatre arts major and have seen alot of Scarey Movies ...Most are to over the top and YOU DO KNOW without a doubt it's only a movie .....Now, Night Falls scares the Crap out of you in the first 10 minutes ..on a scale of
1-10 ...I'd give it a 8.5 ...the best Horror Movie ever ...Hum, Still get nightmares after the end of the Original Carrie ...10+++

AS A FELLOW THEATRE ARTS MAJOR I HAVE TO QUESTION THE OPINION OF ANYONE WHO WOULD READ ALL THE POSTS LISTED HERE, AND SOMEHOW COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT "SCARY" MOVIES ARE THE TOPIC. SECONDLY, "A LOT" IS TWO WORDS, NOT ONE. THIRDLY, THESE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE INFORMATIVE. I TRIED TO FIND "NIGHT FALLS" AT AMAZON, AND THERE WAS NO LISTING, WHERE CAN YOU GET IT, WHAT IS IT ABOUT? TALK ABOUT STUPID REMARKS!

I just came across a book that seems to be somewhat related: Profoundly Disturbing : Shocking Movies That Changed History! by Joe Bob Briggs

I hope by "Night Falls" she didn't mean "Darkness Falls". I couldn't find Night Falls at Rotten Tomatoes, either. Darkness Falls was a terrible movie. Boring...

I agree with the curb scene in American History X and the chainsaw scene from Scarface. The latter I have only been able to watch once, thankfully.

To that I gotta add Requiem for a Dream, particularly the last ten minutes. If that doesn't move you, nothing will.

i dont think that leather face in tcm was all that scary i found the family a lot more disturbing

The only movie I have truly felt physically ill after was, "Boys Don't Cry." I think the main reason it was so disturbing was because it was based on a true story.

What odd synchronicity. I just watched "Boys Don't Cry" again on Friday (I had originally seen it in theaters). I expect to write a review of it for GeekRoar.com soon.

Have the tape of scar face and the chainsaw scene really bugs me because the feeling of helplessness when you are in that situation.Also the curb scene in american history x really hurts even if you are only watching just like the japanese movie i saw wherea kid made a guy bite a soda can and stomp the guys head.

Just glancing over some of the movies listed and havent heard anyone mention "Strangeland" with dee snider....that was a great way to pass some time!

how about pink floyd the wall, to me its the most sick and disturbing movie ever made

I few I haven't seen yet.

Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer
Bad Lieutenant

^^^The performances in both of these blow me away.

Fresh - The basketball court scene left me numb. So did not see it coming.

the most disturbing film and i do mean very, very disturbing has to be .....irreversible.....i watched the first 10 minutes with my girlfriend and she freaked out telling me to stop the dvd.
i grew up watching all kinds of scary and disturbing films and this one beats out all of them. It is so realistic and all i got to say is that the rape sceen is the most disturbing ever...
warning and make sure not to watch this with your GIRLFREIND

KEN PARK - from the director of kids. if anyone has seen this movie(based on a true story) and doesnt atleast feel like throwing up is insane. this movie is f#$%ed. im never gonna watch it again

i agree with whoever mentioned
Donnie Darko - the idea of the tangent universe full of manipulated dead and manipulated living and the one and only donnie within just doesn't get out of my mind
The Ring - just think evil thoughts could kill anyone
still like to add
Lost Highway
Dolls
did any of you guys watch these films and did not feel eerie.. or better did understand them..?

Saw Irreversible. Yep, right up there. I am a woman but I can stomach a lot. You definately don't forget it. It's one of those movies you can't "unsee". Hence the title, Irreversible.

I was disappointed in The Tenant. I can take slow pacing and really messed up stuff, but this one I just didn't get. Although I saw Polanski's Bitter Moon and thought it was great. Pretty disturbing in it's own right.

Julien Donkey Boy is a great flick. Done by Harmony Korrine, who directed Gummo and Kids (I think).

ok so ive finally accomplished my movie marathon watching and ive come to the conclusion that these are disturbing movies, each in their one way but will still leave you more than thinking... directed by the most disturbed directors:

-Bloody Sunday
-Clean, Shaven
-A Clockwork Orange
-Rules of Attraction
-Thirteen
-Gummo/Kids/Bully/Ken Park/Another day in Paradise
-Trainspotting
-Eternal Sunshine
-The tenant
-Elephant
-Funny Games
-baise-moi
-Fear and loathing in las vegas
-Party monster
-monster
-Identity
-Se7en
-Irreversible
-Deliverance
-Pink Flamingos
-Caligula
-The Cube
-May
-Salo
-Spun
-The last seduction
-Boys dont cry
-Basketball Diaries
-War Zone
-Grey Zone
-Happiness
-The Wall
-Velvet Goldmine
-Ginger Snaps
-Storytelling
-Welcome to Dollhouse
-SLC Punk
-Lost in Translation
-Begotten
-Taxi Driver
-Natural Born killers
-Requiem for a dream
-Resevoir Dogs
-Scarface
-Jacob's LAdder
-Eraserhead
-The Baby of Mâcon
-Boys club(well not so disturbing but wtv)
-Julien Donkey-boy
-Mulholland drive
-Donnie Darko
-Suspiria
-The house of yes
-The Minus Man
-Alice in wonderland/The wall pinkfloyd
(play these two simultaneously and you wont laugh at my pick)
-Closet Land
-Santa Sangre
-Heavenly Creatures
-L.I.E
-Crime and Punishment in Suburbia
-Short Circuit
-Leon
-Luckytown
-Le passager(from the book)
-Persona
-Spider
-Lost Highway
-Fresh
-American History X
-In a Glass Cage
-The Cell
...

well thats what i have up to now if you have more to add to that please post it as long as it doesnt fit in the ²horror² categorie because like seen before: ''disturbing is: intelligent scripts that get under your skin''
And id like to thank all these directors who had to have fully tormented lives to write such art...

After seeing most of these posts, I am on my way to watching Irresistable to see what all the talk is about...

Now before I list this movie, I just want to say that I am in no way religious, so I have no religious ties to this movie, but:

Passion of the Christ

Even though I don't believe in Jesus, the hatred of the people, and the very graphic scenes kind of left me teary eyed just to think that people are like that... You will NEVER get some of these images out of your head...

I mean't Irreversible in the previous post, sorry..

I just watched Irreversible a week ago. Well made but wow, I would NOT recommend that movie to anyone not specifically looking to be disturbed. The movie begins with a guy in a bar literarily beating another fellow's brains in... And I mean literarily and graphically.

-the ring
-poltergeist (kinda)
-event horizon
-strangeland (whoever mentioned that earlier thumbs up)
-requiem for a dream
-21 grams
-traffic
i cant help it... drug movies are fucked up, although 21 grams wasnt really about drugs.
-the grudge (well i havent seen it yet but i can bet that it will make its way on to some peoples disturbed list cept for sarah michelle... BLEH!)

SALO: 120 Days of Sodom was the most disturbing film I ever saw. Its a wonder the people involved with its production didn't come out of the experience unbalanced - oh wait, the director was murdered just after the films release wasn't he?

There are some amazing movies mentioned here. PI was a favorite, though I can't say why. No one has mentioned Hour of the Wolf directed by Ingmar Bergman. Not a horror film per se but the images are striking and frightening enough to stick in your mind. Probably deserves mention.

Also Fellini's Satyricon. Ok not disturbing but a lot of fun.

Maybe not so disturbing but certainly odd is a film called Vulgar, which I don't think is so vile. Produced by the "Silent-Bob-and-Jay" crowd (Jay is in it I think), it successfully depicts the villainy of control freak rapists who you know actually exist out there somewhere. For a low budget film, it isn't that bad.

How about 8mm? What did you think of it? What a role for James Gandolfini!

For fans of the writings of William S. Burroughs - the creator of a very disturbing novel Naked Lunch - is the 1991 filmed called Naked Lunch. For anyone who has not read Burroughs, the movie is a confusing waste of time. For those who have, the movie is not an adaptation of the novel Naked Lunch, but rather an interesting collage of Burroughsque material both from the author's life and his writings. Its David Cronenberg at this best .

Only one other person has listed what has to be the most disturbing, stomach churning movie ever made, the Japanese film Audition. It is like nothing ever filmed before....

heres a couple more you might take interest in:
gummo
six ways till sunday
julian donkey boy
spun
caligula

Nekromantik 2 is The scariest movie ever made!

Some great choices here! I'm surprised noone's mentioned "Funny Games". The film's got some of the most disturbing yet understated scenes ever. It just made me feel uncomfortable.

Another movie that is reall distrubing is female pleasures. Its a john waters film and is pretty funny but the people just look and act so messed up it is disturbing and it stars Divine.

Got most of my most disturbing films. Would like to add Bad Boy Bubby, Ichi the Killer and Tetsuo I & II (The Iron Man & The Body Hammer). I think Apocalypse Now deserves a mention too.
Most disturbing, Salo or Pink Flamingoes.

BULLY

KIDS

STORYTELLING

DAS EXPERIMENT

FUNNY GAMES

THE SHAPE OF THINGS

FINE DEAD GIRLS

DISCO PIGS

Okay, here's an update.

I saw Funny Games, it was okay, but I wasn't that impressed. Couldn't sit through Hour of the Wolf. I have yet to get my hands on Closet Land, Salo, or Begotten, but I keep looking.

So far I gotta say Irreversible, with Requiem for a Dream, Se7en, and Happiness right up there. I'm glad someone mentioned Storytelling, I forgot about that one. Vulgar is pretty messed up, too. I really enjoyed both Ginger Snaps I & II, they were a suprise to me. Good suspenseful, and surprisingly believeable films. Werewolves always scared me as a child, and I haven't seen a good wolf in move in awhile that got under my skin, but these did.

I am now to add I'm Not Scared, subtly disturbing and a good film nonetheless. Similarly is The Devil's Backbone. Also a couple of Gus Van Saint movies, Gerry and Elephant. These movies pride themselves on lots of long shots with little or no dialogue, but I think they are quite effective. Neither are forgettable.

I'm waiting now for Audition from Netflix, and a couple Dario Argento movies, since I'm a big fan of Suspiria.

Doom Generation was pretty messed up, especially the ending scene. Audition was sick and highly confusing, therefore disturbing. Gotta get Irreversable, sounds like a lot of you rate it. Event Horizon was disturbing, just watched it again tonight.

I just wanted to say that without a doubt Closet Land is the most disturbing film I have ever attempted to watch- I actually couldn't finish watching it (and am glad of it too) AND dumped the boyfriend who told me it was his "favorite film". Good yes, but to have your girlfriend watch it and not even HINT that it was gut churningly traumatising..... scary man.

I'd like to reccommend Romper Stomper to the list as well. One of those movies that does stay with you for a long time and exquisitely acted and filmed.

Seven ucked me out after wards (loved the film but slowly the need to scrub myself clean just built up stronger and stronger).

Eraserhead was NOT a good thing to watch while stoned, and much as I love David Lynch I have never worked up the nerve to see it again.

Jacobs Ladder was AWESOME but gave me some serious shuddery nightmares.

I loved Man Bites Dog, and found it very black, slightly funny and not at all disturbing, ditto for A Clockwork Orange, Lost Highway, Reservoir Dogs, and NBK .

Heavenly Creatures hung around in my mind for a long uncomfortable time.

But Closet Land is high above the top of the list, and Jacob's Ladder runs second.

I just had to say that I recently watched American History X for a course I am currently enrolled in. It is BY FAR the most disturbing film I have ever watched. And, the only film to ever cause me to become physically ill. It's a must see for Adults.

Ok, so i googled specifically, for schocking/disturbing movies, so this is what i get.
i had a list of my own, preconceived, and was searching for this kind of movies, because no matter how you do it, this are the ones that count, that let something on your memory...
going to the cinema is getting quite boring in our days, so i have to create classics, like the ones, i see above.
i believe that in the midle of all this i haven't seen two of my favourites, so i add them to the list:
la haine - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113247/
crash - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115964/
trully amazing list for a marathon, including post psychological attendance, would be expected...

theres a film thats the same as alice in wonderland - its just extremly weird - i had it when i was little - it was such a scary film then -very twisted and weird - do u think you could help me? i dont no what it is!! or where 2 get it

Are you maybe thinking of 'Alice' by Jan Svankmajer?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095715/combined

This is a very disturbing version of Alice in Wonderland with animated objects including an unforgettable chunk of steak crawling along the floor.

Hotaru no haka (Grave of the Fireflies) is the most damaging and sad movie you will ever see.

Definitive list: As a person who has been seeking out obscure and often disturbing movies for the better part of 15 years, I have come across some real stomach turners. This list excludes all mondo films including Faces of Death, Traces of Death and the like. All of these selections have a narrative structure, albeit a very disturbed one. They are all relatively low-budget and have few "stars" in them. How disturbing can a movie really be if Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock or Rider Strong are in it? So here is my very abbreviated list of films that are actually disturbing.

1. Cannibal Holocaust(1979, Italy)-Blair Witch Project ripped this movie off, big time! As the title suggests, there are cannibals and a lot of real animal sacrifice.
2. Man Behind the Sun(1988, China)-Japanese scientists experiment on Chinese villagers during WW2.
3. Last House on the Left(1972, USA)-Rape, torture and murder hit home in Wes Craven's first film.
4. I Spit On Your Grave(1980, USA)-45 minutes of gang rape and then it really gets ugly
5. Salo, 120 Days of Sodom(1977, Italy)-based on the Marquis de Sade. Enough said.
6. Maniac(1980, USA)-Guy goes around NYC scalping women and nailing the scalps to mannequins. Tom Savini acts in and did the SFX for this depressing film.
7.) Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer(1986, USA)-loosely based on Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole. Feels like an after school special gone horribly wrong.

Honorable Mentions; Combat Shock, Necromantic 1& 2, Violent Shit, all Nazi Exploitation films, the Ilsa series and of course Bloodsucking Freaks.

I'd like to add one more to the list.

Boxing Helena

Cannibal Holocaust is probably the most disturbing film I've ever seen. Good luck finding it though.

Oh, and I forgot Possession. It starts out with newlyweds having marital problems, but then it veers off way into left field.

IRREVERSIBLE, hands down. Had to walk out of art house during the rape scene. Might have to finish it on DVD some time.

I heard that some of the Faces of Death stuff was staged and not real. At any rate, I wouldn't really consider those disturbing movies, they are merely a bunch of images of carnage and horror put together to freak people out. They are pretty much low grade documentaries - they aren't "films" so to speak.

"Last House on the Left" is a cool movie, and I'll bet it was quite something in its time. Personally I didn't find it all that disturbing. Maybe I've seen too many low-budget 70's horrors. I saw "I Spit on Your Grave" many, many years ago, and I do remember at the time specifically renting it after hearing about it. I'd have to give it another go around to see if it stood the test of time.

I couldn't watch any film that I knew contained real animal sacrifice. That's not disturbing...that's just wrong. That said, Wicker Man was pretty whacked, and I really hope no animals were harmed during the making of that film.

I will say Audition was pretty intense. It was one of those films where everyone in the room at the time was freaked out by a different scene. I was disappointed by Ichi the Killer, although interesting, not as intense. Too much CGI I think.

I can't seem to find Begotten, Salo, or Closetland anywhere. Until then, I still go with Irreversible. If you can make it through the whole thing it is actually a pretty remarkable film, and nothing like anything I can think of.

Ok, OK...I get a lot of crap from guys when I say that I like psychological/horror movies because they seem to think that girls can't take scary shit. Let me just say that I have seen most of the movies on this list and cracked up, only to have all the guys in the room leave and get sick in the bathroom. Maybe I'm a freak or whatever, but I like to study and take notes on movies because I plan on directing my own in the near future. After I feel that I have enough notes, I will begin production. But mark my words...THE MOVIE I AM PLANNING ALREADY PUSHES THE ENVELOPE AND MAKES IRREVERSIBLE AND CLOSETLAND LOOK LIKE DISNEY MOVIES. It should be done sometime towards the end of this year...

By the way...just thought I'd tell you...
I'm not the only one who is a complete weirdo with these kind of movies...I come from a school in which we watched SE7EN and the whole class laughed. So, it's not just me...I just happened to live in a really fucked up town! And for my creative writing class, I am making a documentary in which I will be going inside the house that Kenneth Biros murdered a girl in 1991. Look it up if you don't believe me, but I'm sure it will be fun. Needless to say, I enjoy scaring the shit out of people. Wish me luck and I'm sure one of my movies will be on this list someday!

I saw a movie called "The Reflecting Skin" about seven years ago. While a bit slow from what I remember, there are definitely a few scenes that made me feel like I was having a nightmare about watching this movie. Bizarre. Something abot crappy quality film (especially when it looks like it was made in the late 60s/early 70s) that tends to disturb me a bit. Not sure why. Maybe because some movies that came out in that era gave a good degree of authenticity to the situations. For instance, Ted Danson getting executed in "The Onion Field" (John Savage, who plays a policeman, screaming like a woman after witnessing the shooting is a sound that stuck with me), Deniro blowing off Keitel's fingers in Taxi Driver, Dustin Hoffman's pasty, greenish corpse on the bus in Midnight Cowboy, Linda Blair's violent spasm on her bed in "The Exorcist", Piper Laurie's freakish grin as she darts at her own daughter with a knife at the end of "Carrie", poor, poor Ned Beatty in "Deliverance"...even Scorpio slapping a little kid upside the head while forcing a busload of children to sing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" in the original "Dirty Harry". The realism of these classics is what tends to be absent from films of today. Nowadays (with the exception of a few filmmakers) it's just gore and either no story or one so simple it doesn't force us to reexamine the world around us or ignite our imaginations, and in the end, is that not where the disturbing events that can and sometimes do inspire great films come from? Anyhow, I'll quit rambling. Here are a few recewnt movies that, whether I liked them or not, were haunting and disturbing for the fact that they carried a degree of authenticity that really made me feel like I was trapped in a nightmare:

Requiem for a Dream
Pi
Open Water
Jacob's Ladder
Ghost Dad (just kidding)
Bully
Begotten
Blue Velvet
Mullholland Drive
Eraserhead
Gummo
Julien Donkey Boy
Happiness (though I agree with the posting that humor took off some of the edge)
Dark Days (interesting documentary about a thriving community of homeless people...just the sight of a few of them kinda gave me the willies)

Here a few that I have yet to see that have been highly recommended by friends:

Funny Games
Clean, Shaven
Butcher Boy

I've enjoyed reading your posts. Here's a word of advice for any potential filmmaker coming from a die-hard yet picky fan of "disturbing" movies:
Keep the shock value subtle, as in Happiness or Gummo (the environment and characters were shocking enough without the story...whatever the hell it was supposed to be), and if you're going to use violence, make it authentic so that we feel for the characters who the violence is happening to (as in Tim Robbins' heartbreaking performance in Jacob's Ladder or the doomed scubadivers in Open Water). I've seen too many movies where someone's face gets splattered on the cement and the shallow characters seem to be able to get one decent gasp and then go about their business (usually in slasher films...the genre I am most critical of). If you want to scare me, make me feel like the characters. Make me feel like this could happen to me (though I have a few minor complaints about M. Night Shymalan, his characters are never flat and shallow). That's all I have to say about that. Good-night all.

A few disturbing flicks you guys seemed to have missed:

DEAD-RINGERS. Nothing was more shattering to me than watching the complete psychological deterioration of twin brothers played by Jeremy Irons and Jeremy Irons. As they regress and disintegrate before our eyes, confused victims in a cold, indifferent universe, the meaning of life appears to be revealed as nothing more than the inevitable progress of degenerative psychopathology.

THE RAPTURE. What could be worse than fundamentalist notions of reality bearing out? Cthulu's tentacles seem so warm and friendly when compared to an evangelical paradise.

JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN. Much like the heroine in THE RAPTURE, our hero is left screaming into the void.

MEMENTO. Primarily for the sense of ambiguity and implication that the hero is in fact...really bad.

NIGHT OF THE HUNTED. Lightly erotic film with elements similar to MEMENTO.

MARK OF THE DEVIL. Mostly theater-of-cruelty stuff like SALO, but I saw it when I was six years old, so I add it to my list as it left an impression on me.

Until I see Irreversible, I Stand Alone, and Audition, my vote for most disturbing film of all time remains DEAD RINGERS.

yay.

Another one to add - The Machinist. This just came out on DVD. Worth it alone to see the 6'2" Christian Bale at 120 pounds. Quite a sacrifice as an actor I must say, and he deserves to have this noted. Otherwise, the movie is still very surreal and etheral in addition to Bale's skeletal appearance.

Johnny Got His Gun - forgot about that one. Goes without saying...very disturbing movie, the idea inofitself is torturous to think about.

As far as all time sickest movie, that would be a difficult call, but if you get a chance, view these films. They're sure to turn some stomachs.

Nekromantik 1 and 2
The Death King
Schramm
Begotten
Guinea Pig " Flower of Flesh and Blood"
Salo

Some brilliant films include

Eraserhead
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover
Blue Velvet
A Clockwork Orange
Bad Taste

enjoy:)

IRREVERSIBLE is an okay film, yes the rape scene is not for the faint hearted and the guy getting his brains bashed but thats the only two disturbing parts in the film, if your looking for films that are psychologically disturbing try all of larry clarks films, requiem for a dream is awsome i hear guinea pig is good but i havent seen it yet
cube aint disturbing but it still is a cool flick
spun is funny like trainspotting

Thanks for the update, all. I hope to find these titles. What is Salo about? I've heard it's a difficult watch, and that's what I'm on the lookout for. Filmmakers who aren't bound by studio influence and commericial criteria. Guinea Pig also...not sure about that one. I, too, recently saw The Machinist. While the conclusion was not as shocking as the events leading up to it, I agree that Bale really went above and beyond the call of duty for this one. Creepy, bleak thriller/mystery was full of strange events and weird characters. I know it's not a disturbing movie, but as long as Christian Bale is being discussed, I have to say his performance as the dark knight in Batman Begins is noteworthy. And kudos to Christopher Nolan, who finally takes the viewer out of the realm of campy into the surreal and tragic. Great movie. Good-night all.

You can get most films (uncut and otherwise) from eBay! I got my uncut versions of Cannibal Holocaust and Cannibal Ferox from eBay (and am currently waiting for Salo to arrive in the post). I also managed to aquire the entire Guinea Pig Box set off eBay for a very reasonable price. I'm sure some of this stuff is probably still banned, I have heard (read) lots of other people say they have had problems importing some of these films.

If you want disturbing, sick movies, avoid anything Hollywood produces, or anything with known actors in it, or pretty much anything that you can watch at your local high street cinema, sick movies just don't make it that far.

Good luck finding your sicko films!!!

What about Igby goes down. The end bit where Igby and his brother kill their mum, not the whole movie. That is very disturbing.

A CLockwork Orange is great, if not all that disturbing.

Cruel Intentions is disturbing in it's own way, as is American Beauty.

As you can tell I am not a fan of mindless violence. On screen violence detracts from the phsycological side of the film. The only disturbing thing about overly violent movies is that normal people go to see them and actually enjoy them.