What's the Most Unsettling Movies you've ever seen? - Page 19

SGTTOM · #**271** Mar 29, '12, 10:50 am

I actually don't mind gore as long as it isn't excessive or constant. Especially if its in a war film. I'd rather movies take a more subtle approach if possible though. Instead of showing things out right I think its better to imply certain things. Its really a cheap gimmick to use gore for shock effect as like you said once the audience sees it enough it doesn't become as shocking.

Its disturbing ideas that I dislike most though. If there actually about something real that really happened I don't mind as much but when its fictional it seems completely unnecessary to clutter my mind with deranged ideas.

Tigress · #**272** Mar 29, '12, 6:03 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickybr38

People like an adrenaline rush. Movies that have horror and gore in them are more prone to stimulate our senses. Sometimes because they ARE shocking.

The problem is once a person gets used to a certain level of violence they need more and more to get the 'rush' so they seek more and more violence in their movies.

Honestly I think this is all pretty subtle and subconscious though. I doubt most people even realize this is why they enjoy that type of movie.

I agree, though personally I enjoy the Saw series for the plot line. I guess I'm just dark? The plot all comes together at the end of the movie, so if you don't understand I get it; basically, it's about a man who had a near death experience and was changed by it. He had the choice himself; live or die? He says this because the experience was a car crash where a crowbar wedged in his torso or something of the sort, so he could either bleed out or try to go against the odds and save himself. He got the idea to place sinners in similar situations: live or die? It was up to them to go through horrible pain and realize that life really is worth living by doing whatever it took to live (crawling through fields of barbed wire, cutting off limbs, navigating old abandoned lots with Jigsaw's traps around every bend) or die trying.

I get why most people wouldn't like it, but those kinds of things intrigue me. Though honestly, honestly, I hate it when gore is used just for the shock value. It makes the entire movie tacky and tasteless.

Arizona Mike · #**273** Mar 29, '12, 8:21 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickybr38

Me too. I don't mind a horror movie but I can't watch gore movies (horror gore is the worst kind of gore in my experience). I'm not desensitized enough to tolerate those things. And I KNOW it's just 'make believe' but violence, blood and gore are just a kind of make believe I can't tolerate.

I grew up watching horror movies and still enjoy the classics but will admit that I don't like gory ones. When I think back on the horror and suspense films that really (really) spooked me, they were all done with suggestion, good acting, characterization, and excellent cinematography - THE HAUNTING (the original, not the remake), THE CHANGELING, CAT PEOPLE (again, the original, not the remake), THE INNOCENTS, WAIT UNTIL DARK, even later films like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT.

BTW, there's an interesting podcast on the relationship between horror films and theology available on iTunes, "The Flicks that Church Forgot". It's done by a young Baptist minister in England who's a lifelong horror film fan, and he comes up with some very interesting insights (the last episode, part of a 3-part series on overlooked vampire films, ended with an interesting comparison on the omnipresence of evil as depicted in horror films, compared to the real omnipresence of God. Fun, not heavy-handed at all, and there's nothing in there with which a Catholic would be likely to disagree. Worth a listen if you enjoy such films.

spellinggirl · #**274** Mar 30, '12, 1:51 am

"Schindler's List" was incredibly intense. I had to pause it a couple of times while watching it to calm down. I've never had my heart rise and fall so much with one movie.

I'd watch it again... but it really stuck with me. It's a great movie. It'd be nice if more people watched it.

Tigress · #**275** Mar 30, '12, 9:52 am

Nine Dead is also a little unsettling.

WhatMeWorry · #**276** Mar 30, '12, 10:04 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by triumphguy

The Road: When they found the safe bunker I though it could only go downhill from there, so I stopped.

You're right ... it does.

Marybeloved · #**277** Apr 1, '12, 3:26 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by SGTTOM

I try not to watch any films directly meant to scare or disturb. Why the heck is it entertaining to get scared. The Human Centipede film is just sick.

My philosophy in selecting movies EXACTLY!

I think some people get a thrill from horror films. I stopped watching them entirely about 5 years ago for exactly the reason you've given- I'm never either entertained, educated, or spiritually edified after I've watched ANY horror flick or show. So why bother?

GCTSgrad · #**278** Apr 1, '12, 7:06 pm

The Omen (original version)
Precious -- unsettling for language and the way she was treated by her mother, I would still see it. Can't say that The Omen had any redeeming qualities.

nickybr38 · #**279** Apr 2, '12, 10:20 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arizona Mike

I grew up watching horror movies and still enjoy the classics but will admit that I don't like gory ones. When I think back on the horror and suspense films that really (really) spooked me, they were all done with suggestion, good acting, characterization, and excellent cinematography - THE HAUNTING (the original, not the remake), THE CHANGELING, CAT PEOPLE (again, the original, not the remake), THE INNOCENTS, WAIT UNTIL DARK, even later films like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT.

BTW, there's an interesting podcast on the relationship between horror films and theology available on iTunes, "The Flicks that Church Forgot". It's done by a young Baptist minister in England who's a lifelong horror film fan, and he comes up with some very interesting insights (the last episode, part of a 3-part series on overlooked vampire films, ended with an interesting comparison on the omnipresence of evil as depicted in horror films, compared to the real omnipresence of God. Fun, not heavy-handed at all, and there's nothing in there with which a Catholic would be likely to disagree. Worth a listen if you enjoy such films.

Gore horror tends to rely solely on shock to keep viewers interested. Psychological horror is where it's at!

Edited to Add: I watched a movie once that had me and my roommate jumping and screaming FOR NO REASON. It was wild. There was no blood. No guts. No gore. I don't believe we ever REALLY saw the 'bad guy' properly and yet we were terrified. We had to go watch a good old fashioned ghost story to calm down. haha.

BradburyReader · #**280** Apr 5, '12, 6:02 pm

I haven't really seen any of the movies others have mentioned, but I think the most unsettling film I've seen is When the Wind Blows. Very depressing.

As for other disturbing films, there are many I've heard of and refuse ever to see because of the content I've heard is in them. Some examples:

The Human Centipede
The Human Centipede 2
A Serbian Film
The Skin I Live In

The horror genre can be good and enjoyable. It can be imaginative and explore great themes. The feeling of being scared or creeped out can help us feel alive and remind us of how much evil is in the world.

But when filmmakers make films such as those I listed above that are made simply to be as depraved as they can possibly be, then those movies are not in the least worth watching. They are absolute filth.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickybr38

Edited to Add: I watched a movie once that had me and my roommate jumping and screaming FOR NO REASON. It was wild. There was no blood. No guts. No gore. I don't believe we ever REALLY saw the 'bad guy' properly and yet we were terrified. We had to go watch a good old fashioned ghost story to calm down. haha.

That sounds interesting. What movie was it? I might want to watch it.

KevinAK · #**281** Apr 5, '12, 6:31 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by marci

american psycho
clockwork orange
seven
28 days

....And the all-time, most unsettling movie goes to "the exorsist". I love scarry/disturbing movies, but this is one movie I can only see once. Even the mention of it brings to mind images and sickened feelings that I wish I could forget. To me, this movie IS evil.

Has anyone seen American Psycho 2?

The Brain(Head) That Couldn't Die.

KevinAK · #**282** Apr 5, '12, 6:34 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickybr38

Gore horror tends to rely solely on shock to keep viewers interested. Psychological horror is where it's at!

Edited to Add: I watched a movie once that had me and my roommate jumping and screaming FOR NO REASON. It was wild. There was no blood. No guts. No gore. I don't believe we ever REALLY saw the 'bad guy' properly and yet we were terrified. We had to go watch a good old fashioned ghost story to calm down. haha.

I know what you mean. I watched Ingmar Bergman's The Magician and was totally creeped by what you DIDN"T see. Oddly enough he intended it to be a comedy.

Matthew NC · #**283** Apr 5, '12, 6:37 pm

Jacob's Ladder is a very disturbing movie.

Robertanthony · #**284** Jun 21, '12, 7:17 am

--The Ring: Eerie atmosphere throughout. I seem to remmeber there was a scene where we saw an old house, there was something creepy about that place, you weren't quite sure if there was someone on the second flloor looking from the window.

--The Others: The seance scene nearly killed me.

--Bug (1975): I was a young kid, it literally terrified me.

--Audrey Rose: Again, as a kid I was deeply troubled by the reincarnation thing.

--The Hours: The scene where Julianne Moore leaves her son behind, and he knows it, is the saddest, most profoundly troubling thing I have ever witnessed in a movie, bar none.

FromTheAshes777 · #**285** Jun 21, '12, 8:56 am

Seven definitely was disturbing, also The Thin Red Line, each for very different reasons.