I think the most depressing movie I’ve seen is Johnny Got His Gun (1971).
I love the ‘Merry Christmas! I am the boss, and this is champagne’ scene. But despite the surreal aspects, it’s a bit of a downer.
Yep.
Also, I nominate The Road.
That one sounded too depressing to even watch.
The Plague Dogs (adapted from the novel)
Told from the dogs’ point of view, a pair of dogs escape from a research facility that was also experimenting with Bubonic plague. Although the dogs aren’t carrying the disease, the news leaks and hysteria ensues leading to a military manhunt (doghunt?) for the animals. The dogs make a couple failed attempts to find shelter and a new human master before being driven by the army to the coast where the terrified dogs try to swim away and drown. Yay!
There are basically zero moments of levity or relief, just unrelenting shit going on.
The Road. Hands down. No question.
I thought ‘Spongebob Squarepants, the Movie’ was pretty damn depressing. Probably not for the reasons you’d think.
Another vote forThe Road.
Harry and Tonto is right up there.
Dear Zachary
‘Wanda’. Came out in '70 or '71.
That’s my #1 all-time… My #2 all-time is “La Strada” and “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” is a Top 5.
Threads, of course. A far more realistic portrayal of nuclear war than The Day After. The trailer below gives no indication as to how horrifying this film is.
Osama. The final scene is the most heartbreaking in all of film.
On The Beach
Leaving Las Vegas
The Road
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
I thought it was going to be a Coen Brothers zanyesque film
Schindler’s List
One of the most depressing that I’ve seen is commonly thought of as one of the best movies of all time–Tokyo Monogatari.
It’s really hard to top (bottom?) Johnny Got His Gun, but here’s a few that haven’t been mentioned
Midnight Cowboy - small-time hustlers can’t make it in New York City
Testament - it’s an American Threads without the actual bomb
Ladybug Ladybug - another not-quite nuclear attack, this one focusing on schoolchildren
I’ll repeat those and my list is:
Dear Zachary - I will never watch this again.
The Road - 'nuff said
Graveyard of the Fireflies - I’m not crying, you’re crying!
Hereditary - I won’t say anything because I’ve said enough. I was traumatized by this movie.
Threads isn’t nearly as realistic as some say it is (not saying it doesn’t beat The Day After). Too often, many think “more depressing = more realistic” when it comes to nuclear disaster movies. EMPs killing everything electronic and lost-lasting radiation poisoning resulting in the “degradation” (deformities, mental disabilities) of huge chunks of the population are things that aren’t that scientifically accurate.