Genuinely Disturbing Movies Discussion

[Robertson]

For all of the people out there who are used to "blood and gore" horror movies, what are the movies that really, really scare you?

For me, David Lynch always seems to have a way to make the simplest things absolutely terrifying. Eraserhead is really creepy. And there was a time when I would imagine Bob from Twin Peaks crouching behind my dresser. Plus Lost Highway is the rare movie I couldn't finish. Got to the 40-ish minute mark and had to turn it off, get my breath back, and watch Sound of Music. Anyone else?

[Lazario]

This is almost embarrassing, but the movies that really scared me were always PG or PG-13 fare. Well- most of them were. Gremlins gave me some great spooks as a pre-teen, Killer Klowns from Outer Space gave me the most nightmares, Spaceballs (you heard right) was too disgusting, and since you bring up The Sound of Music- those marionettes gave me the creeps like you wouldn't believe.

Worth mentioning on the R-rated side - I saw The Fly remake as a kid and I've already mentioned the arm wrestling scene here before. It kind of traumatized me as a kid. I also saw a made-for-TV movie. Something tells me Christopher Reeve was in it but I saw it when I was really young, so I don't remember. He played a killer or something, someone was drowned underwater and that really got to me.

Most recently, I've only been touched by a few select titles. Meet the Feebles became an obsession after seeing little video clips on some website of the movie's big massacre scene. I couldn't get it out of my head. I had to know what happened. I found out and kind of wished I hadn't bothered. Then there's Theater of Blood (1973). Just look for me on Epinions to find out what I think about that movie, needless to say its' shock value is its' only redeeming quality. And then, you always take some major risks when you dip into Troma's pool. Frostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo is particularly nasty and memorably freaky.

[2099net]

As you say, "Twin Peaks - Fire Walk with Me" is disturbing. Just the imagery and the ideas.

"Magic" with the ventriloquist dummy really gave me nightmares when I first saw it (later buying the DVD I was a little disappointed).

I find the Original Japanese "Ring" more disturbing than the US reimagining (but to be fair, the US film is probably fractionally better). I also found lots of the ideas in "Ring Zero: Birthday" (Japanese) disturbing too.

"The Mist" has a disturbing ending (and if you do watch it, watch it in B/W, its so much better that way).

If you allow yourself to be drawn into the mood, the original "The Haunting" can be really disturbing, and its all done with suggestion and noise (with a mono soundtrack no less!)

Likewise, although dated today and unlikely to disturb, if you're in the right frame of mind, "The Most Dangerous Game" can be disturbing. It's a really chilling concept.

"The Exorcist III" is a much better and much more disturbing film than the original (IMO) as the bulk of the film is about real-life horror.

Finally, not a horror film, but "Dancer in the Dark" has perhaps the most disturbing ending of any film.

[Cordy_Biddle]

Probably Reverend Kane from "Poltergeist 2". God is in His holy temple....creeps me out even now...

As a kid, would you believe I used to get scared by the scene in "Mary Poppins" where she sings with her reflection in the mirror? Dunno, just thought she looked kinda...evil...

[littlefuzzy]

I find the Original Japanese "Ring" more disturbing than the US reimagining (but to be fair, the US film is probably fractionally better). I also found lots of the ideas in "Ring Zero: Birthday" (Japanese) disturbing too.

If you allow yourself to be drawn into the mood, the original "The Haunting" can be really disturbing, and its all done with suggestion and noise (with a mono soundtrack no less!)

I haven't seen the US version of The Ring, but Ringu (hey, that's what the DVD says) was pretty creepy. I've heard that people who see the Japanese version first like it better, and people who see the US version first like that one better, although that may have to do more with their movie tastes. Presumably, most people who see the Japanese version first are more open to foreign film, and the ones who saw the US version may think whatever remake is the coolest thing (if they even know about the originals.)

The Haunting is pretty good. The atmosphere makes it much scarier than modern gore and "jump scare" films.

EDIT: Whoops, I forgot a film:
For me, the only film that really gave me nightmares (or at least I kept thinking about it before I went to bed, and hoped I wouldn't get nightmares) was Dead & Buried. We were all at my uncle's for Thanksgiving, and I snuck down in the middle of the night to look for boobs on cable (hey, I was probably 12 or so!) I found this, and I saw some breasts in it, but then...

SPOILER!
the guy was impaled, I think... I was okay with that, and maybe even with him getting set on fire, but when the Medical Examiner was looking at the charred corpse hung upside down in some rigging the next morning, he touched it, the jaws dropped open, and it SCREEEAMMED!!

[jpanimation]

As a kid I was scared to death of horror movies. I had nightmares of Chucky for a month strait after seeing the VHS box at a rental store. My best friend was a horror fan and had statues of Leatherface and Freddy in his room, along with a life sized Chucky doll that scared the crap out of me. Heck, the Nightmare King from Little Nemo scared me.

Something in me snapped and I started watching horror film after horror film. With each one I became more accustomed to the violence and horror images. It's been years since I've been "scared" and I think I'm at the point where I can't get scared (the same thing applies to haunted houses). I now love Chucky (he's the funniest ever) and bought my own Chucky doll.

To me, horror films can go two ways. Serious or comedic. The serious ones today consist of quick flashes and sudden noises that are easy to predict, which doesn't actually scare people but startles them (this tactic counts as horror nowadays but only cheapens the genre), and is used to cover up a lack of interesting protagonists/story (sometimes also covered up with a bad twist ending). Some serious ones just go all the way for the gross-out/shock factor but also forget to scare us while they're at it. The comedic horror films usually have more interesting protagonists that don't take themselves seriously (Freddy or Chucky in recent films) and I find myself enjoying these more.

I will say that there is two horror films that don't scare me but are defiantly creepy and well made:

The Exorcist (1973)
The Descent (2005)

Very well made films that use their atmosphere and intense character situations to make you uncomfortable/creeped out. They don't resort to cheap flashes or sounds to startle you.

I'd love some more serious horror films like the two mentioned above made. Heck, I'd even take the campy ones if they had an original and interesting idea (like Elm Street had) or a just plain fun character (Freddy, Jason, Chucky, The Creeper, Jigsaw) that doesn't become cheapened with quickly made bad sequels.

[Dottie]

For me it's definitely The Exorcist It's an excellent movie, but does scare the crap out of me. Not even the most famous scenes like the head-turn, spider-walk or the angiogram, but the atmosphere and the scenes before Regan's mom goes too ask for help from the priests. Just one very well executed and scary movie.

Another movie that had me traumatized as a kid was E. T. .
For years I couldn't even look at pictures of E.T. or I would freak out and have nightmares for weeks. It's better now.

And yes, I'll admit it, The Blair Witch Project scared the crap out of me and I had to sleep with the light on the night after I watched it

[2099net]

I find the Original Japanese "Ring" more disturbing than the US reimagining (but to be fair, the US film is probably fractionally better). I also found lots of the ideas in "Ring Zero: Birthday" (Japanese) disturbing too.

I haven't seen the US version of The Ring, but Ringu (hey, that's what the DVD says) was pretty creepy. I've heard that people who see the Japanese version first like it better, and people who see the US version first like that one better, although that may have to do more with their movie tastes. Presumably, most people who see the Japanese version first are more open to foreign film, and the ones who saw the US version may think whatever remake is the coolest thing (if they even know about the originals.)

I think the problem with the Japanese Ring is it uses Japanese mythology and legends as part of the narrative.

The clues to Sadako's origin (part sea-sprite or similar) obviously have more cultural relevance to Japanese viewers than Western viewers. So we're left without an origin. The US Ring gives us an origin which we, as Westerners can relate to.

It probably is true you prefer the version you first see. Like I said, the US is probably a better "film" - but I think the Japanese version is more disturbing. Sadako is way more disturbing than Samara - check out that jerky, broken walk at the end... (and check out Ring Zero to see why she has such a jerky misformed walk!)

BTW, The Japanese Ring 2 is complete Pants. But then again, so is the US one (which is totally different and almost as bad!)

[Disney's Divinity]

I think the only movie that really scares me is The Exorcist. But I don't seek out horror films, so... Other movies that creep me out: Frailty, The Craft, and Kinsey (not intended, but...ugh). Saw definitely isn't scary, it's just sad that anyone can think of/enjoy watching that many ways to kill people. It's worse than Final Destination.

[PeterPanfan]

I think the only movie that really scares me is The Exorcist. But I don't seek out horror films, so... Other movies that creep me out: Frailty, The Craft, and Kinsey (not intended, but...ugh). Saw definitely isn't scary, it's just sad that anyone can think of/enjoy watching that many ways to kill people. It's worse than Final Destination.

How is The Craft scary?

[SpringHeelJack]

As a kid, would you believe I used to get scared by the scene in "Mary Poppins" where she sings with her reflection in the mirror? Dunno, just thought she looked kinda...evil...

LOL ME TOO. I think just the idea that Mary could like conjure up her reflection to sing harmony with, then the smug look that the reflection shot her as she left. Clearly, Mary Poppins is some sort of agent of Satan. "Scary Mary" was right all along...

[Disneykid]

I find parts of Carrie really disturbing, especially her house. All of that religious iconography hidden in shadows is kind of unsettling, especially the prayer closet with that whacked out crucifix.

Some may find this a little ridiculous, but there was something chilling about The Mothman Prophecies to me. It's not that the film itself scared me, but it left me with a lingering feeling of unease afterward that I couldn't shake off easily.

The Exorcist, of course, is also eerie, though for some reason, like Mothman, it doesn't scare me as I watch it. I'm just left with a haunting feeling after viewing it.

And now for something so far out of left field, you'll be left either scratching your head or laughing it off. Buddy Ebsen's test makeup as the Tin Man terrified me as a kid, and he still gives me goosebumps whenever I watch my Wizard of Oz bonus material. For those who don't know, this video explains it and gives a look at his freaky makeup. I honestly don't know what I would've done if the Tin Man looked like that in the final film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdpB8wkZOIw

[Cordy_Biddle]

I find parts of Carrie really disturbing, especially her house. All of that religious iconography hidden in shadows is kind of unsettling, especially the prayer closet with that whacked out crucifix.

That creepy crucifix was created especially for the film, because it replicates the pose eventually taken by Margaret when she is killed at the end.

[Lazario]

I think the only movie that really scares me is The Exorcist. But I don't seek out horror films, so... Other movies that creep me out: Frailty, The Craft, and Kinsey (not intended, but...ugh). Saw definitely isn't scary, it's just sad that anyone can think of/enjoy watching that many ways to kill people. It's worse than Final Destination.

Actually, Final Destination was quite a surprisingly good film. For a teen horror movie.

And the reason Saw is a bad film has nothing to do with killing people.

[Mooky]

Not a horror movie, but this scene from "Superman III" terrifies me to this day.

Then there's also John Carpenter's "Prince of Darkness". The whole movie is creepy, but those parts where one of the leads "receives" apocalyptic warnings from the year 1999 take the cake. Those tiny glimpses of the Antichrist scared the hell out of me. Alice Cooper and his gang of homeless folks give me goosebumps too. I still can't force myself to watch that movie at night.

"Halloween III". It's not really scary, but it has this rather unsettling atmosphere. "The Fog" is like that, too.

And finally - I'm probably alone on this one - "Rocky Horror Picture Show"... I know it's supposed to be a fun movie, yet it creeps me out. I can't really pinpoint what exactly bothers me about it (maybe it's its slightly nightmarish feel), but whenever I watched it, I couldn't shake off this sense of unease in me.

[Disney's Divinity]

How is The Craft scary?

Well, like I said, it creeps me out, not really scares me. Something about the way the girls had the "spirit" come into them kind of freaked me out. And then the white witch-woman trying to make it sound like the spirit can be good, when it requires blood sacrifices, gave bloody gifts (the sharks), and allowed a guy to be manipulated and murdered.

PS. I probably wouldn't even remember this, except I saw it on Showtime yesterday, so... Give it time to be forgotten again.

[Lazario]

How is The Craft scary?

Well, like I said, it creeps me out, not really scares me. Something about the way the girls had the "spirit" come into them kind of freaked me out. And then the white witch-woman trying to make it sound like the spirit can be good, when it requires blood sacrifices, gave bloody gifts (the sharks), and allowed a guy to be manipulated and murdered.

Well, you know it was just a drop of blood from a prick on the finger. Hardly a sacrifice.

And, the dead animals were Nancy's fault. Lirio said that "she takes it to a dark place," so the power only brings dark things from dark people. There's no allowing, one way or the other. Like a sorcerer conjures up the power, it can be used for good or bad. Lirio also said "the only good or bad is in the heart of the witch."

[KubrickFan]

For all of the people out there who are used to "blood and gore" horror movies, what are the movies that really, really scare you?

For me, David Lynch always seems to have a way to make the simplest things absolutely terrifying. Eraserhead is really creepy. And there was a time when I would imagine Bob from Twin Peaks crouching behind my dresser. Plus Lost Highway is the rare movie I couldn't finish. Got to the 40-ish minute mark and had to turn it off, get my breath back, and watch Sound of Music. Anyone else?

I had the great idea to watch Lost Highway while I was completely alone in the house. I couldn't even make it to the 20 minute mark when I decided I would watch it some other time. I was aware of Lynch's reputation (Inland Empire scared the crap out of me when I watched it in an art house theater) so I knew it would be kind of scary. It turned out to be not that scary (after the first part, anyway) except for Robert Blake. He is one scary fellow.

Oh, and Lazario? Who is the second person to the right? I could identify all other horror icons, but I couldn't place him at all.

[Lazario]

Oh, and Lazario? Who is the second person to the right? I could identify all other horror icons, but I couldn't place him at all.

The Tall Man. From the one and only:

[slave2moonlight]

I will have to have more time to think about this subject, but off the top of my head, there are definitely moments in the Shining that I found disturbing until somewhat recently, ha, like the guy in the dog costume scene. Also, the Exorcist, for a variety of reasons. And then there's Carrie, which was one of the scariest things in the world for me as a kid, especially how freaky she looked when she was walking down the street covered in blood, with that look on her face! That whole movie was probably the scariest thing in the world for me growing up.

Beyond that, I find trippy movies disturbing and a little scary, though that also makes them interesting to watch. One example that comes to mind is The Who's Tommy. I never completed "got" the story, though it's been a while since I've seen it and I don't even really remember how it ends now, but also there's just something about "Rock Operas", where not even a single word is spoken (don't get me wrong, in general I LOVE musicals, but when it's nothing but singing...), it's like seeing into an alternate dimension that is just too creepy for some reason, I don't know. Which reminds me, alternate dimensions and related stuff like dopplegangers can be pretty freaky (I wish they WOULD make a great doppleganger movie, though perhaps there is one out there I haven't seen). Though, often it's more a fascinating disturbing than a scary one, like in the film "The Mist", which I really loved.

Incidentally, I can understand about "The Mothman Prophecies". For me, it's mainly the whole Indrid Cold thing. I don't even like to say/type that name. Whether the stories are b.s. or not, the reason it creeps me out in the film (mainly that telephone scene) is because I had read about the various incidents before seeing the movie, quite by coincidence, and some are pretty creepy, especially about that guy.

Anyway, I'm sure I could come up with a lot of stuff for this, but as usual, I don't have much time right now...