Most Disturbing Films Ever

This is for all non-EC or peripheral-EC topics. We all know how much we love talking about 'The Man' but sometimes we have other interests.
User avatar
Tim(e)
Posts: 746
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 5:37 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Post by Tim(e) »

bobster wrote:For me, the two most depressing films of all time are probably still "Top Gun" and "Flashdance."
Amen to that!! In fact you could add most Tom Cruise films (hate that little "shy boy showing off the dimples" smile that seems to be his trademark) apart from perhaps Minority Report. I am also usually rather disturbed (in the wrong way) by films featuring Tom W...er, Hanks apart from Philadelphia and, at a pinch, Big.
bobster
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2003 12:29 am
Location: North Hollywood, CA

Post by bobster »

Tom Cruise is fine in the right roles, "Risky Business" and "Jerry Maguire" were perfect for him. Most of the others I would have liked better if he'd been someone else.

Tom Hanks, I actually like more and more. He's turned into a really outstanding actor in the last several films. "Philadelphia" wasn't much of a movie, but it wasn't his fault.

"W"???
http://www.forwardtoyesterday.com -- Where "hopelessly dated" is a compliment!
User avatar
Otis Westinghouse
Posts: 8856
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:32 pm
Location: The theatre of dreams

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

'Wanks', was his joke. Cruise is an arse, but was excellent in Magnolia, and also in Rain Man. Never watched Born on the 4th of July. It was on the other night, but didn't have time. Is he good in that? I think he got good reviews here.
There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more
alexv
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2003 2:32 pm
Location: USA

Post by alexv »

Otis, agreed that enough said on Happiness.

On The Royal Tennenbaums (you were probably thinking of the Magnificent Andersons), a movie I liked but did not love, I was blown away by watching the DVD version and seeing how Wes Anderson spent an extraordinary amount of time and money I presume in making sure that the walls of the house were adorned with paintings, done by his brother I think, that track the characters' lives. I think he also took the trouble to produce a book for use in the movie were the lives were presented in cartoon form. Without knowing this, of course, no one watching the movie would ever even think about looking at the wall scheme to see the effect. And if they knew, and tried, as I did after learning of it, it's impossible to do it and not ruin the impact of the movie on you. This anal retentiveness about Anderson puts me off (but does not "disturb" me), and I think affects his movies. Rushmore I liked a great deal, because it was original and inventive. But Tennenbaums, which picks up a lot of the quirkiness of the earlier film, and does less with it, let me down a bit. Both movies take me back a bit to some of those early 70s hippie/angst films were characters walked around doing spacy things in a world were no one noticed. At the time the cause was drugs/alienation. In Anderson's movies, the same things happen, but the characters' oddball behavior is a defense mechanism against maturing--Bill Murray's deadpan is perfect for this. I think this ultimately limits the impact of his movies.
bobster
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2003 12:29 am
Location: North Hollywood, CA

Post by bobster »

Otis Westinghouse wrote: It was on the other night, but didn't have time. Is he good in that? I think he got good reviews here.


Well, Cruise definitely got good reviews here for that. (In fact, they were reiterated recently on "Ebert & Roeper", featuring America's most respected movie critic and another guy who's okay, I guess.) He also got an Oscar nomination.

However, I found too much acting in that performance for my taste -- and I even felt that way about him in "Magnolia", though I thought casting him in that role was near genius. The execution just kind of underwhelmed me. However, as I've frequently noted, I tend to draw back from fiery, heavy-on-big-emotions performances. (Hence my preference for Clift over Brando, for example.)
http://www.forwardtoyesterday.com -- Where "hopelessly dated" is a compliment!
User avatar
Otis Westinghouse
Posts: 8856
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:32 pm
Location: The theatre of dreams

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

alexv wrote:On The Royal Tennenbaums (you were probably thinking of the Magnificent Andersons)
No, was thinking of the former, and to me that makes sense in terms of the comparisons I was drawing. It's by a magnificent Anderson, but I think you mean the Magnificent Ambersons, as in Orson. For some reason, I have a real block trying to remember the name Royal Tennenbaums. you know how you sometimes have a blindspot over the name of something or someone? Haven't seen Rushmore, but MUST. Very interesting about the paintings, will have to take a closer look. I love that devotion to one's craft. If people don't notice it, it's their loss. The important thing is it's there.
There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more
selfmademug

Post by selfmademug »

The Criterion collection versions of both Royal Tennebaums and Life Aquatic are both highly worthwhile. They're really bookends in some ways, and if you like the visual control and detail in TRT you'll love LAWSZ, in which he built a full model of the boat in cross-section so he could do shots as people moved through the boat. I agree that the level of detail is fantastic, and the reward for living in this DVD age that filmmakers can be assured that people will be ABLE to look carefully again and again, should they want to, as you would re-read a subtly beautiful or clever passage in a book.
invisible Pole
Posts: 2228
Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:20 pm
Location: Poland

Post by invisible Pole »

Last night I saw Audition, already mentioned in this thread, and can’t shake it off my head. Starts off like a slow-paced romantic drama, but somewhere in the middle the film changes its tone completely, turning into a twisted, hallucinatory, sexual thriller.
The climax is deeply unsettling – the images of violence so graphic and intense they made me cringe in my chair.
The director, Takashi Miike, apparently makes three – four (!!!) films a year. I haven’t seen any, apart from Audition, but if they’re equally good I do hope at least a few of them are available in Poland.
If you don't know what is wrong with me
Then you don't know what you've missed
User avatar
stormwarning
Posts: 516
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 8:56 am
Location: Manhattan

Post by stormwarning »

I'm glad you got to see it

"kiri, kiri, kiri..."
Where's North from 'ere?
alexv
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2003 2:32 pm
Location: USA

Post by alexv »

Storm, I am finding it impossible to concentrate on the written content of any of your posts.
User avatar
oily slick
Posts: 1864
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 5:07 pm
Location: st louis

Post by oily slick »

alexv wrote:Storm, I am finding it impossible to concentrate on the written content of any of your posts.
boy, no shit. your avatars are killing me.
I'm not concerned about the very poor.
User avatar
Otis Westinghouse
Posts: 8856
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:32 pm
Location: The theatre of dreams

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

I couldn't take my eyes off the cartoon girl, let alone this one. And as for Spiderman...
There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more
User avatar
stormwarning
Posts: 516
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 8:56 am
Location: Manhattan

Post by stormwarning »

Better not say too much about your attraction to spiderman
Where's North from 'ere?
LittleFoole
Posts: 743
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2005 2:25 pm
Location: TN, USA

Post by LittleFoole »

bobster wrote:These are another pair I'lll likely never see, but I'm wondering if any of us have ever seen "I Spit on Your Grave" or "Last House on the Left" -- two horror films that famous/infamous for crossing the line between conventional "fun" horror to decidedly not fun horror.
Seen them both.....and you're right :lol:
selfmademug

Post by selfmademug »

stormwarning wrote:Better not say too much about your attraction to spiderman
Spiderman was not as sexy, except in a funny and homoerotic way, but it was the most amazing animation! I couldn't stop looking!! Your current one makes me feel precisely one million years old, and inadequate. But I still like to look at 'er.... 8)
User avatar
Tim(e)
Posts: 746
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 5:37 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Post by Tim(e) »

invisible Pole wrote:The director, Takashi Miike, apparently makes three – four (!!!) films a year. I haven’t seen any, apart from Audition, but if they’re equally good I do hope at least a few of them are available in Poland.
If you can locate it, check out his film "Happiness of the Katakuris" - it is probably my favourite Miike film.
User avatar
Extreme Honey
Posts: 622
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2005 3:44 pm
Location: toronto, canada

Post by Extreme Honey »

The Exorcist....gives me the creeps :shock: .
Preacher was a talkin' there's a sermon he gave,
He said every man's conscience is vile and depraved,
You cannot depend on it to be your guide
When it's you who must keep it satisfied
bobster
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2003 12:29 am
Location: North Hollywood, CA

Post by bobster »

Tim(e) wrote:
invisible Pole wrote:The director, Takashi Miike, apparently makes three – four (!!!) films a year. I haven’t seen any, apart from Audition, but if they’re equally good I do hope at least a few of them are available in Poland.
If you can locate it, check out his film "Happiness of the Katakuris" - it is probably my favourite Miike film.
Though it's really not very disturbing at all -- unless you're sensitive to Japanese pop. There are some slow patches, but I really like this film a lot too. A great creepy, sort of spoofy musical comedy with an oddly touching finale.
http://www.forwardtoyesterday.com -- Where "hopelessly dated" is a compliment!
User avatar
Tim(e)
Posts: 746
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2003 5:37 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Post by Tim(e) »

bobster wrote:
Tim(e) wrote:
invisible Pole wrote:The director, Takashi Miike, apparently makes three – four (!!!) films a year. I haven’t seen any, apart from Audition, but if they’re equally good I do hope at least a few of them are available in Poland.
If you can locate it, check out his film "Happiness of the Katakuris" - it is probably my favourite Miike film.
Though it's really not very disturbing at all -- unless you're sensitive to Japanese pop. There are some slow patches, but I really like this film a lot too. A great creepy, sort of spoofy musical comedy with an oddly touching finale.
Yes, I like to think of it as Dawn of the Dead meets the Sound of Music with a little Svenkmajer thrown in for good measure.

Kiyoshiro Imawano, who plays the "British royal" (Richard Sagawa), was vocalist with a band called RC Succession... they have a very interesting CD of cover versions of songs interpretted in Japanese; songs like Secret Agent Man, Eve of Destruction, Blowin' in the Wind etc etc.
bobster
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2003 12:29 am
Location: North Hollywood, CA

Post by bobster »

I'm still working up the courage to see "Dawn of the Dead" (I mean the original...yes, we're talking decades here), so what's the connection? I guess there may be (non-flesh eating) zombie in there somewhere....
http://www.forwardtoyesterday.com -- Where "hopelessly dated" is a compliment!
invisible Pole
Posts: 2228
Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:20 pm
Location: Poland

Post by invisible Pole »

Some of you mentioned "Henry : Portrait Of A Serial Killer".
Well, I've just watched it for the first time and it made me physically ill.
The family killing scene is one of the most harrowing I've seen in my entire life.
If you don't know what is wrong with me
Then you don't know what you've missed
laughingcrow
Posts: 2476
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:35 am

Post by laughingcrow »

Hey...just tonight I watched Ichi The Killer...brilliant stuff, so funny and gorey, yet quite surreal...it was great - but some bits might be deemed disturbing I suppose...man having his faced sliced off and that, not particularly reccomended viewing for 'beans on toast with the kids'.

I have seen quite a few Asian films lately...Old Boy is probably the most disturbing. Anyone seen that?
bobster
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2003 12:29 am
Location: North Hollywood, CA

Post by bobster »

I saw "Old Boy" awhile back. Funny, I foudn it sort of unpleasant, but not all that disturbing. Liked the ending, which was pretty disturbing, but in a way that was almost too clever not to just kind of enjoy, twisted though it be.

I'm afraid to see "Ichii" -- see my many quotes about squeamishness re: extreme gore above.

It's interesting how different things bother different people. I saw "Old Boy" with an old friend who's basically seen it all -- fake snuff movies (which he thought were real), horrible, horrible internet stuff, all the famous gore films mentioned above and then some. Nothing seems to bother him that much.

However, the scene were the lead character/actor actually eats a live octopus (which doesn't really look like any octopus I've ever seen...if I hadn't known better I'd have said it was some kind of eel) didn't bother me at all, but it had him visibily squirming, much to my amusement. Probably was the most entertaining moment of the entire movie for me.
http://www.forwardtoyesterday.com -- Where "hopelessly dated" is a compliment!
User avatar
Jack of All Parades
Posts: 5716
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:31 am
Location: Where I wish to be

Re: Most Disturbing Films Ever

Post by Jack of All Parades »

Stumbled on this one the other day- Alexv[a missed voice] lists a great many I would include and The Vanishing has always spooked me[the original Dutch version] but it is Freaks that probably most creeps me out- when those dwarfs and misfits start to converge at the end I have nightmares. I would add to that a b movie from the early 70's- SSSSSSS with Strother Martin and snakes-it always touches a real phobia for me and then a very spooky movie from the mid 60s Carnival of Lost Souls- the music alone in that one puts me on edge.
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
Post Reply