What are the top 5 most disturbing films you've ever seen?

[Socci]

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dropinthe - especially for Yous click on them all.

lucy5, I think since being a mother, every single film that involves parental death and abandoned children has become almost completely unbearable to me.

I am SO glad you said that about Peter Greenaway. At the time, he and everyone else (student days for me) thought he was a genius. I thought he was a conceited tosser and thought the film was utterly dreadful. A real bore. The rape stuff was so pointless and gratuitous. I was really angry!

Last one to really affect me was Passion of the Christ.

Conceited tosser, Rowlers, totally. He had so many 'minions' doing his work for him I didn't see any of his 'genius' at all. And he was so hated by the time we finished the work that he didn't dare come to the end of task party! I know what you mean though, in the mid-90s everyone adored him didn't they? I was so disappointed ...

Probably a bit off the point here, but can anyone explain why they actually watch these films? I literally cannot bear to even think about some of the things in these films, and yet it is classed as entertainment? I can still clearly remember the scene at the end of Goodfellas and must be 10 years since I saw it.

I'm not being judgemental or anything, really, but I just wanted to know what it is that people 'enjoy' about them?

Mummylonglegs - I've just googled the film and found this quote. Made me laugh:
"No other filmmaker could have made The Baby of Mâcon. And no other filmmaker would have wanted to. "

Chocolatequeen - a lot of these films are brilliant as well as disturbing. That's why they are watched.
Some are admittedly shit and disturbing.

so true, Rowlers!

chocolatequeen actually I don't watch scenes with lots of violence/ torture. That part with the torture of the policeman in Reservoir Dogs was too much for me. I hate cruelty and often leave the cinema when it comes up.

BUT good, 'arty' David-Lynch style surreal bone tingling stuff I LOVE!

... and I don't want to go all academic, but Greek Tragedy was pretty traumatic ... I think it's a cathartic experience to see something that shakes you up a bit. It's just a shame that a lot of modern films use too much violence and gore.

Thanks Rowlers!

In what way brilliant? (God, I sound like a really picky old woman now). Honestly not being critical at all, DH really enjoys some of the films on the list too, but I just can't seem to understand exactly what it is that appeals. I can see the horror movie appeal - as someone said, it's nice to feel all warm and safe at home while someone is running away from a monster, but I can't seem to get the appeal of really violent films where people are suffering. Even if it is only acting, it is done in order for the audience to believe it is real, right? Or am I missing something?

Am (clearly) not a film buff - educate me!!!

The Hillside Stranglers
Dawn of the Dead
Schindler's List
Bambi
Nil by Mouth
A Clockwork Orange
Kids
Deliverance

chocolatequeen, they might be brilliant for cinematic reasons, for the emotions they manage to reach, for the thrill factor, all kinds of things. Personally, like I said, I can't get into gratuitous violence so I don't watch much modern horror and I'm not mad on Tarantino or even some Scorsese, but David Lynch, Alfred Hitchcock, etc. hurray!

It's hard to say chocolatequeen. I admit freely I'm not hugley keen on horror stuff but once in a while a film just has to be watched for other reasons.
Take The Shining. Firstly I love Jack Nicholson so watching it to see a legend at work is one reason. It's a great story. As Mummylonglegs says, it's a piece of art cinematically. And one can suspend belief and just enjoy a good story.
Some are just rubbish though and are just money making ventures. Gratuitous "violence" and riding on the success of another film fails to light my fire.

Thanks Rowlers and mummylonglegs - always wanted to ask but don't want to be seen as confrontational!!

Enjoy!

This thread has been great It's reminded me of loads of films I've never gotton round to watching and have now gone and put them all on my rental list!

A New Zealand film called Once Were Warriors. Story of a Maori family, and the conflicts of living in a 'white' NZ - huge amounts of sickening violence. And one particular scene with the teenage daughter which haunted me. About the only film I felt physically sick by.

Oh, yes - Kids made me scarily obsessed with safe sex!

Don't know about 5.. but on my mind because I saw them very recently are Hotel Rwanda (excellent but traumatising!) and last night I had the misfortune to see half an hour of Dawn of the Dead.. which was stupid to the point of patheticn-ness.. but I still went to bed and 'worried' about it! (I have an aversion to zombies..! Even Shaun of the Dead was scary to me!! )

Wow! What a good thread! I personally loved Once Were Warriors, the ending far outweighed any potentially negative violence, poor sad chappy. I hated and am still haunted by 'The Cook, the thief, his wife and her lover.' Grossout.

OMG Furball-I remember that one-that was the one that really shit me up too-Argggggggggggggggh!
Horrible!

I enjoy being thrilled, I love jumping at the unexpected, I love surreal themes-that's why I watch and enjoy these type of films-not because I necessarily agree with the subject matter!
It's called Escapism!

dropinthe - Santa Sangre is really bad! I remember watching it drunk years ago and falling about laughing... isn't it a horror spoof? The only memory I really have of it is lots of blood spurting from limbs.

Dark Water by Hideo Nakata (who directed The Ring, Japanese version) is really disturbing. The child in it gave me nightmares for ages.

The Shining is still a classic - those twins!

Amor es perros.

there's one like 7 where there are two men chained up in a basement with a dead body, called Drill or something? relatively recent