Extreme Viewing: Films That Make You Feel Dirty Inside
As i’ve said in the past, I love October. Although i’m not much for dressing up, I do love engaging in horror-themed movie nights with friends in celebration of HELL NIGHT. Over the past week i’ve been going over lists of the best possible films to bring to the table this Tuesday night, and while trying to come up with some of the goriest shit possible, I thought of a great topic for the site. It takes alot to offend my senses, so it’s rare that I come across a film that just makes me sick to my stomach or gives me the heebee-geebees. As a kid, there were three films that truly freaked me out: Black Christmas, John Carpenter’s Price of Darkness and The Exorcist. More recently The Blair Witch Project and The Descent had me experiencing that rare rush of anxiety right there in the movie theatre! Now THAT is an accomplishment. But there is that rare breed of movies that have a different, more strange effect on you. The films that leave you feeling dirty inside. I can tell you that my recent viewing of Cannibal Holocaust did just that. The vilolent animal mutilations were pretty hard to watch, especially in the almost pornographic style they were presented. I was somewhat put off by the end of the film, but that’s pretty rare. I also remember watching PIN as a kid and being creeped out by the anatomically correct dummy in the basement. I guess i’m just wondering what films have had the same effect on you guys. Is there a movie out there that makes you sick to your stomach? A film that simply went too far in its depiction of extreme terror? Let us know in the comments section!
Comments (13)
The Thing made me kinda freak out. It was pretty intense and it was relentless. Another relentless movie is Se7en and that movie affected me as well.
The one movie that gave me a feeling close to what you’re describing is when I saw Signs in the theatre. I remember being very skeptical when it opened with Mel Gibson waking up from a nightmare, which felt lame, and even had him whisper “perfect” which he seems to do in every movie, but from around 20 minutes in, I remember being unable to move.
I remember after the movie not being able to get up from my seat for a couple of minutes, and even my friend who’s usually the first guy to leave was rooted for a while. It is still the only movie I can honestly say I was scared by. After that experience I remember thinking this must be why so many people like horror movies.
I will say that I don’t usually seek out movies that I expect to be grossed out by. I don’t necessarily think it takes an awesome director to mutilate people in disgusting ways. I don’t mind it if it is part of the movie, like in Casino, but I don’t want to watch a movie that is about torture ie. smashing teeth with hammers and inserting burning metal into people’s eyes.
Posted by Henrik on October 30th, 2006The 1992 movie Man Bites Dog, (C’est arrivé près de chez vous) about a camera crew following a serial killer around has probably been a movie that stays in my mind as something that went too far.
I wouldn’t really classify it as a horror movie (it’s classified as a comedy) but near the end when the whole crew hangs around and rapes the lady in the apartment, I felt pretty sick to my stomach. The whole scene feels like it keeps going on and on and on, you look down for a minute, and when you look back and it’s still on.
The rest of the movie was great, and just as volitale at some points (when he smothers the old lady, and the pile of dead bodies at the quarry) but at the rape point I thought to myself that it was crossing that imaginary line. Maybe because its depiction was too real? I really don’t know, but I sure felt dirty after watching it.
Posted by roy on October 30th, 2006I didn’t have quite the same reaction, but I did enjoy the part where they’re trying to sink the dead body.
Posted by Jay C. on October 30th, 2006The rape scene in Irreversible is pretty disturbing, plus the dude getting beat to death with the fire extinguisher.
Posted by Sean on October 30th, 2006I try to avoid films like this and to this day I’ve managed to not watch anything that’s made me feel “dirty inside”. However, you’ll be pleased to know that the other day I popped my local alternative rental place looking for “Cannibal Holocaust” after seeing it on one of your polls (can’t remember which one) and the dude behind the counter did a double take before walking me over to the film and then asked me where I’d heard about it and why I wanted to see it. It was kinda creepy. Still haven’t seen it. Maybe at some point this weekend.
Posted by Marina on October 30th, 2006High Tension (Haute tension) from 2003. There were a number of scenes that had me squirming in my seat. I wasn’t a fan of the twist ending, but as a straight up gore flick it was pretty damn effective.
Posted by Jax on October 30th, 2006I was at someone’s house and they were playing the movie “Feed.” I watched the first five minutes, went back to my apartment and literally — I mean literally — threw up in disgust.
Posted by Phil on October 31st, 2006http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104244/
Look, I’m sure it wasn’t that funny but that seems a little extreme….. *rimshot*
Ouch. Annnnyways. Parts of Ichi the Killer made me uncomfortable…. I haven’t seen Audition, that probably will too.
I tried to check out some scenes from Cannibal Holocaust on YouTube, but nooooooo. Thanks a lot Google. Thanks a lot.
Posted by Boooo. on October 31st, 2006Cannibal Holocaust is a good one to make you feel like taking a shower, so is Irreversible. but i can’t believe that no one has mentioned Pasolini’s Salo or the 120 Days of Sodom, or any of the Guinea Pig films, or Men Behind the Sun, or Cannibal Ferox, or Combat Shock, or Maniac…i mean, come on!
Posted by Matthew on February 9th, 2007The first couple of Guinea Pig films are spun out the first time you watch them, but once you know they’re bluffing it becomes very obvious… and the same applies for Faces of Death.
If you want turn your gut disgusting cinema, I’m yet to see anything that surpasses August Underground from Toe Tag Pictures.
Toe Tag kick total ass, bringing the true terror back to horror.
Posted by gerant on March 3rd, 2007If your looking for movies that make you feel dirty and sick to your stomache then there are some great ones out there. I think i’ll start with August underground, August underground’s Mordum & August Underground’s Penance! These three movies are very strong and extreme in content and i’ve seen them make the hardest guys cry and beg for it to stop!
The first two entry’s from the guinea pig series are incredibly vile also.
If you like stuff like Faces Of Death then try Traces of Death, Executions and Faces Of Gore. They consist of completley real shocking footage of death at it’s worst.
I would also reccommend Men Behind The Sun, Salo, Aftermath, Murder Set Pieces, Nekromantic 1+2, The Redsin Tower & Bunman: untold story.
check these movies out on imdb to find out more:D
Rev Storm
Posted by Rev Fwah Storm on March 8th, 2008it is nice
Posted by manu on July 1st, 2008You guys seem to know your stuff. i would have to say I was somewhat disturbed by all the lactating in Gozu, although it also made me laugh.I know it’s not horror, but as far as disturbing goes I would also have to include Gummo, the bathtub scene @ the end always gets me, but hands down, I would have to say that the August Underground trilogy is the most morally depraved & mentally scaring series I have ever seen personally.
Posted by Herbert West on April 2nd, 2009Leave a Reply