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Original poster

Most harrowing TV/film you have ever seen?

354 replies

Greensleeves · 30/05/2022 10:28

Mine are:

Song for a Raggy Boy - beautifully made film, but I never, ever want to see it again
Sophie's Choice
Escape from Sobibor
Scum
Touching the Void

OP posts:
catfunk · 05/06/2022 16:45

It's a bit silly - but one scene I vividly remember from ER about 15-20 years ago. Nurse Ray had gone missing for a whole season and neela tracked him down to a hospital and he appeared by wheeling himself around the doorway, he'd lost both legs.
It was so unexpected I've never forgotten that.

Other than that - tyrannosaur; this is England - anything by Shane meadows really

catfunk · 05/06/2022 16:51

Oh and a Jeremy Renner film called Wind River. There's a really brutal scene where a bunch of military men get out of hand and assault a couple. It's stuck with me.

PestoPasghetti · 05/06/2022 20:28

This is going to sound silly, but I still think about the first Casualty episode I ever watched. It was some time in the late 90's, 97 or 98 maybe? It was round about fireworks night and we'd gone over the road to the neighbour's fireworks party, and us kids all ended up in front of Casualty after the display. I didn't have a TV at home so was quite sheltered from that sort of thing, and found the episode really upsetting. I'd love to track it down so I can watch it again and lay the ghost! All I can remember was there was a caravan with people inside rolling over and over down a steep hill. If anyone might know the one I mean please let me know!

towelsa · 05/06/2022 20:49

Wolf creek stayed with me.
The road - most depressing film - not sure anything good happened in the whole film - it was just bad thing after bad thing.
Schindlers List - awesome film but I was not prepared when I watched it. Everyone should watch it but it's absolutely a reminder of how awful people can be.

towelsa · 05/06/2022 20:53

Sarah's key. That also doesn't bear thinking about.

Theeyeballsinthesky · 05/06/2022 22:01

the beginning of Up - as someone in a childless marriage it absolutely destroys me

NigelWithTheBrie79 · 06/06/2022 03:46

HoppingPavlova · 05/06/2022 12:45

Some old American film I can’t recall the name of, it’s several decades old. Poor family, lots of kids, wife is terminal and they make it their mission to find all the kids homes before she passes away and then at the end on her deathbed her mind imagines them all in the room.

Wolf Creek because I’m Australian and that shit really occurs, and not infrequently. I was unsettled watching Hostel thinking that likely they same, based on everyday occurrence but because I’m not from that part of the world it didn’t have the same effect.

The worst thing I have ever seen though was an episode of Futurama where, after he falls into the cryogenic chamber, Fry’s dog waits for him year after year and pines until it dies of old age. Wasn’t a dry eye in our house including teenage boys at the time. If repeat comes on tv now I have to flick off immediately.

Who will love my children with Ann-Margret. Someone posted the link to the film on YouTube.

HopingForMyRainbowBaby · 06/06/2022 08:41

muddyford · 30/05/2022 18:28

Marley and Me - the PTS scene towards the end finished me off.

Same. I've never bawled so much in the cinema. I think what made it worse was it was quite comical in places so the ending was not what I expected

BarbarasStripedHands · 06/06/2022 08:41

That episode of The Walking Dead. I felt like I had actually watched a real murder and it traumatised me for days afterwards.

HopingForMyRainbowBaby · 06/06/2022 08:51

FrownedUpon · 31/05/2022 18:45

I really don’t get how Toy Story 3 is harrowing. For me, I Daniel Blake and Sorry We Missed You. Couldn’t watch either of them again.

I'm guessing it's the part where they are all holding hands on the conveyor belt heading towards the incinerator

HopingForMyRainbowBaby · 06/06/2022 08:51

FrownedUpon · 31/05/2022 18:45

I really don’t get how Toy Story 3 is harrowing. For me, I Daniel Blake and Sorry We Missed You. Couldn’t watch either of them again.

I'm guessing it's the part where they are all holding hands on the conveyor belt heading towards the incinerator

shrunkenhead · 06/06/2022 08:57

It's a Sin broke my heart. I can't even talk about it without welling up.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 06/06/2022 11:28

shrunkenhead · 06/06/2022 08:57

It's a Sin broke my heart. I can't even talk about it without welling up.

Ah yes , I watched it (as a binge watch) a couple of months ago.
Colin being so excited being away from home then going to New York .
Then when he's in hospital crying "I'm not dirty, Mam" Sad

It is a brilliant series and I think I'm prepared enough to re-watch it

Eaumyword · 06/06/2022 17:52

I rewatched It's a Sin recently and whilst I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry, I held it together better. It was just as good second time round and worth watching again for the brilliant story and acting, some nuances I'd missed due to sobbing ☹

BattenbergdowntheHatches · 06/06/2022 18:06

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

bellamountain · 07/06/2022 00:51

BarbarasStripedHands · 06/06/2022 08:41

That episode of The Walking Dead. I felt like I had actually watched a real murder and it traumatised me for days afterwards.

Yes!

ComplainAboutRain · 07/06/2022 01:52

SafeMove - I think the irish film is called In Fear.

1nsertusername · 07/06/2022 02:21

Watership down. The rabbit heads in the borrows as fields and trees are ripped up.

Empire of the sun. The end. I can remember my brother crying so much when he was about 8/9 when we watched it as children

Animals of Farthing wood(tv series) this prepared a whole generation for the unexpected deaths in Game of thrones

Pans Labyrinth. I ugly cry ,especially when she meets her real parents

The Decent. My husband makes the creatures noise if he wants to make me jump!

John Wick- if you havent seen it,the first 10 mins are heartbreaking. When my husband and I first watched it we had to stop and make sure it was the right film

Black Adder. The final scene as they go over the top makes me wail.

Woolandwonder · 07/06/2022 07:08

MissMaple82 · 30/05/2022 17:47

The war zone

So bleak.
Watched it when I was about 17 and have never forgotten how sad it made me feel.

PupInAPram · 10/06/2022 19:29

Theeyeballsinthesky · 05/06/2022 22:01

the beginning of Up - as someone in a childless marriage it absolutely destroys me

Yes, UP starts with scenes so profound and moving you forget it's a cartoon. I just watched Nomadland and I wanted to weep the whole way through. I can't understand why I found it so distressing. I'm sitting here in bits wondering wtf just happened!

SommerTen · 10/06/2022 21:34

Hotel Rwanda
Come and See
The Pianist
Ladder 49 - where Joaquin Phoenix's character is trapped in a burning factory and his colleagues are trying to rescue him.. I didn't expect the ending it really made me cry!

Neverplayleapfrogwithaunicorn · 10/06/2022 21:42

7even was horrifying

GoldPig · 10/06/2022 22:14

Same as many others on the thread: Watership Down, Hostel, Wolf Creek, The Road, Dancer In The Dark.

Salo was purely horrible.

without a doubt the one that unsettled me for weeks after was Irreversible. Brilliant but hard to recommend.

GoldPig · 10/06/2022 22:16

Also agree Shane Meadows hits in the gut every time

Davros · 10/06/2022 23:12

Hachi a Dog's Tale
ET the first time