If there’s already a thread like this one lurking around somewhere, I apologize.
What movie have you seen that completely physically and emotionally racked you?
Mine is Darren Aronofsky’s film Requiem for a Dream, based on a book of the same title by Hubert Selby Jr.
Its like a kick to the head. With a steel toed boot. That has nails stuck to it. Tipped with poison (ok, I’ll stop now, but if you’ve seen the movie, you know I could continue). No one leaving the theater said a word after the movie ended. Dead silence as the crowd got up and shuffled out into the lobby. The silence was only broken when a perky theater employee asked what movie we all had just seen (it was late, and it was pretty much the only movie getting out)…someone managed to croak out Requiem as we left. I was shaking for a good 45 minutes, and mentally on edge for several days after that.
So, what movie has fried your nervous system lately?
Memento - It wasn’t a emotionally racking film but when I left the audience was silent and everyone was thinking Jeez what the hell just happened? For the next week I was just replaying the movie in my mind trying to work everything out.
The only really disturbing part about the film for me was how I first pitied the main character (Leonard Shelby), and then realised at the end that he’s continually lying to himself just so he can continue killing people as otherwise he’d have no purpose in life. That kinda got me on edge.
I’ve said this before, but Saving Private Ryan. The battle scenes didn’t even register, but when the german soldier stabs the Jewish-American soldier in the chest, I was seriously disturbed. The image was burned into my skull for days. That surprised look in his eyes just tore my heart out.
Grave of the Fireflies The audience literally sat in their seats, without moving, for at least 5 solid minutes after the ending credits stopped rolling.
Wow, it’s very ironic that you posted this. I just finished watching Requiem and the first thing I did was come to the SDMB to try and change my frame of mind and get a grip. All I can say about it is it’s one of the best movies I have ever seen and I never want to see it again. I anticipated on watching the deleted scenes and documentary included with the DVD, I don’t even think I can.
This movie is emotionally devastating. I think it’s one of the best anti-war movies ever made. Sadly, because it’s japanese animation, many people will never give it a chance.
My nomination goes to the sweet hereafter, a movie about the emotional after-effects of a tragic school bus accident. Sarah Polley’s peformance is perfect in its ambivalence. Thankfully, there is some small hint of redemption at the end to lighten the heavy psychological load.
Both my contributions to this list are French films. If you don’t speak French, try to see them with subtitles.
Les Amants du Pont-Neuf. Beautiful movie, very disturbing nonetheless. The characters are homeless in the movie and the actors are simply superb. You would think they are really homeless people.
La Belle Histoire. I saw this one at the cinema. Most people stayed in their seats for a good five minutes after it ended. I rarely cry at movies, but this one really got to me. An amazing story about love, loss and destiny.
The most disturbing movie I have ever seen (I haven’t seen the subject of the OP) Is 8MM. I challenge anyone to watch that movie and not be disturbed by it.
The only movie I ever saw that had the entire audience
rivetted to their seats at the final scene was the
Donald Sutherland/Julie Christie thing, “Don’t Look Now”.
No Spoiler, but don’t get the bowdlerised version, or it won’t make any sense.
I certainly agree about Don’t Look Now. It also has a cool love scene.
Recently I have become much more timid about what I can handle in the movie theater. I purposely stayed away from Requiem as well as Boys Don’t Cry. Some movies that were quite harrowing for me in the past:
Midnight Express (enjoy traveling, but never did make it to Turkey)
The Accused (esp the rape scene)
Apocalypse Now (the horror)
The War Zone (incest, directed by Tim Roth)
Grave Of The Fireflys is one of the most depressing movies I have ever seen. Just hearing the name now gives me goosebumps and gets me upset. I bought it off Amazon.com not really knowing what to expect, I knew it was an anti-war anime that was depressing but I wasnt prepared for it. Ive watched it once and its been sitting on my shelf since that one time. I dont think I can watch it again.
Oh good Lord…I could barely sleep for weeks after seeing ** Midnight Express**, especially the part where Brad Davis (I think) rips out a fellow inmate’s tongue. And ** The Accused**…let’s just say that I refuse to see that movie ever again…
Other movies which have left me speechless/emotionally drained/numb (in no particular order):
American Beauty Schindler’s List The Elephant Man Fatal Attraction Ordinary People Silence of the Lambs
I wanted to see Boys Don’t Cry when it first came out, but on second thought, it’s probably a good thing that I didn’t…
Saw on video - don’t think I could have handled in the theater.
I’ll go along with a previous poster (for a different movie) – the best movie I never (well, maybe not NEVER) want to see again.
American Psycho was also quite disturbing - and I only saw the second half (the ATM scene really creeped me out - “feed me the kitten” [or something like that])