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Films that were most disturbing, but not because of graphic violence


what are the films that you found to be the most disturbing, but not because of being gory or visually disgusting? said films can be graphic, but that should not be the main reason you found it disturbing.

some of mine, that come to mind:
oldboy - original
spoorloos
the seventh continent
benny's video
poughkeepsie tapes
hard candy
the mist
confessions
the treatment
the tortured
seven days
kill list
we need to talk about kevin
funny games
cache
irreversible

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Spoorloos is a good call. Really disturbing. And Cache and Irreversible. I hated The Mist.

I'd add 'Eden'. Almost no violence or graphic nature, but disturbing, mainly as it's based on a true story.

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sounds good. will check it out.

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Pet
The Road
Antichrist
Deadgirl

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Blindness (2008)
Brutti, sporchi e cattivi (1976)
Caligula (1979)
Donโ€™t Look Now (1973)
Eraserhead (1978)
Lilya 4-Ever (2002)

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Adding 1 more:
The Holy Mountain [La montaรฑa sagrada] (1973)

Terrific direction and imagery

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Awesome. thanks for all the input, guys. quite a lot of the ones named i have to check out. :D

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sweet. some great choices, plus some i don't know yet and will surely check out. thanks. :D

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One that comes to mind is Killer Joe (2011). A certain scene that involves a chicken leg in particular.

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yeah, that one was disturbing and absolutely fantastic. surprisingly it went almost completely under the radar.

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Yup, I've forgotten most of it by now, but that scene has stayed with me.

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1. Eraserhead
2. Un chien andalou
3. Freaks
4. Requiem for a Dream
5. The Vanishing (Spoorloos)
6. Blue Velvet
7. Bad Lieutenant



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awesome choices, mate. :D

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Thanks. Which ones are your favorites?

Just out of idle curiosity, are you an Aussie? I'm a Yank. (Or do folks in other countries call us something else?) I do a lot of traveling. I've been to all 50 states and 26 other countries. In July I'm going to Kenya and Tanzania.



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out of your picks i would say that "spoorloos" is my fave, which is also in my top 10 films of all times. the first time i watched it, i was almost traumatized. after multiple viewings that feeling turned into pure fascination. i have seen it like 10 times by now.

close runner up is requiem, but i am a bit afraid to rewatch it, since it is so unbelievably dark. ironically i have no problem rewatching most haneke films, which are even more devastating like benny's video or seventh continent, but requiem is one tough cookie.

there are also a lot of ulrich seidl movies that i still have to watch, but i have to be in the mood for such a bleak vision of reality. i highly recommend him and haneke in general.

actually i am from iowa, but i travel a lot. mainly in the uk area though.

i think the last time i have been called a "yankee" must have been either late 80s or early 90s. xD

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I'm from Ohio, but I've been called a Yank by posters from other countries.

Requiem For a Dream is my favorite, though I'm not sure I would want to watch it again. Spoorloos was the most suspenseful and frustrating (No! Don't get in his car!)

But for sheer full on creepiness, no film can touch Eraserhead. It gave me the heebie jeebies, and I know I never want to watch it again.

BTW I've visited all of the UK except for Wales. I love it.


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in what countries have you been called a yank?

yeah, eraserhead is a different beast altogether. ^^

for me it's mostly britain. i would love to see the rest of the uk one day.

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I can't remember which countries, but I was never offended. All of the UK is amazing imho.



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agreed. the UK is pretty awesome. :D

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