10 Most Disturbing and/or Disgusting Movies I've Ever Seen

Movies, as any of the ramifications that constitute and embody art, are molded by the free expression and the boundaries in their creators' imagination. But, up to what extent those elements can be the vessel of nightmarish and grotesque depictions of what lies inside the unassailable evil within the human mind? (Indeed, the longest question you will sumble upon today).

Do not come here expecting decent, well-written and good movies (excepting a couple of spots). What you are about to witness are ten movies that have troubled and affected me. Whether it was the subject matter, the imagery or both of them combined.

August Underground

All of the movies in this list share a common characteristic: I knew in advance that they were deemed as grotesque and disturbing. All of them, except this one. Being prepared as you sink into August Underground is not really that helpful to assist you endure how horrendous it is; and of course, being unprepared is even less recommendable.

Not considered a snuff film just because it was released to the public (although some effects might look dated), this movie is a very graphic, cruel and real potrayal of relentless depravity.  

Is it horrible? Of course. I do not recommend watching this one. The sequels are less shocking, but they are still awful.

Is it a good movie? No.

Come & See

War movies are something to behold in awe when they are properly executed (Saving Private Ryan, 1917, Apocalypse Now). Of course Come & See belongs in this category. However, it is more in the vein of films like Full Metal Jacket or Schindler's List in terms of approach. Well, they are more in its vein. This one was released first.

This Soviet films excels in atmosphere and displays a very emotional depiction of war and the consequences over both, the human body and psyche. By the way, Aleksei Kravchenko's performance has to be the best in the entirety of this list. Well, maybe.

Is it horrible? Yes. It's very powerful and the performances are highly effective in conveying dense emotions.

Is it a good movie? Absolutely. 

The Vomit Gore Trilogy

The Vomit Gore Trilogy tops the list of things I wish I could unsee. The franchise spans four entries (of which I only got to watch three) and, despite trying to include only one, it was rather complicated to choose the "right" one.

Considered experimental cinema, these films are aimed at schocking the viewer by means of atrocity, apalling imagery and a very competent sound design. Had it been necessary to select only one out of the three, I would have opted for Slaughtered Vomit Dolls; the thing is that the three are equally filthy and unwatchable

I haven't checked Black Mass Of The Nazi Wizard but, based on how literal this series has proven to be regarding its titles, I get the idea of what it is about.

Are they horrible? Indeed. In a league of their own. Maybe even more horrible than August Underground.

Are they good movies? No.

Martyrs

New French extremity can be labelled as the finest exemplification of how to make highly interesting movies combined with atrocious subject matter and presentation. Having given birth to movies such as Irréversible, Dans ma peau, Haute Tension and Frontière(s), it's easy to get the picture of how this extremism has become revolutionary in horror cinema.

Despite the fierce competition in the field, Martyrs manages to stand out as the most notorious film in this wave. This movie offers no shortage of violence and cruelty. As a matter of fact, It can be the most unpleasant to watch, but the most interesting and compelling as well.

Is it horrible? Certainly. It's the hardest to digest in a subgenre whose main characteristic is being hard to digest.

Is it a good movie? Yes.

Salò O Le 120 Giornate Di Sodoma 

I was doubtful about whether or not to include this movie in the list . Not because it does not fulfill the requirements to be here; in fact, it's because it does and the way it does it. By no means I support pedophilia or children and teenagers abuse and exploitation (that includes also fictional work and representations), and that's what this movie is about.

Loosely based on two humongous powerhouses in literature such as Marquis de Sade's 120 Days of Sodom and Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, this movie does not reach their level, but still makes it up for a very disgusting and disturbing experience.

Is it horrible? Undoubtedly. I do not recommend watching this movie.

Is it a good movie? It's well shot, but because of its subject matter I cannot and will not say it is. 

The Butcher

I usually abhor exploitation and torture porn movies like the Saw series (although its first entry is excellent), Hostel and the Guinea Pig series. These films lack nuance and purpose and are often very boring.

The Butcher can be considered the most decent movie that has ever come out from this infamous and despicable subgenre. Very similar to the lame Grotesque (by the legendary Kōji Shiraishi), but not as stupid and empty, this movie is a very gruesome and immersive experience due to its Found Footage perspective.

Is it horrible? Yes, very much. 

Is it a good movie? It's decent for the subgenre's standard, but no, it isn't.

Begotten

I will never forget the first time I experienced Begotten. I was certainly scared, but I was even more baffled and dazed. This experimental film is almost impossible to take in the first time you see it.

Aimed at being a metaphor and an allegorical depiction of creation, the movie is visually very impactful and, though mute, crafts a really haunting and disturbing atmosphere.

Is it horrible? The imagery is. On the other hand, the subject matter is not.

Is it a good movie? It's hard to tell. It's novel and unique but complicated to understand and grasp.

Antichrist

Lars Von Trier's movies, especially his Depression Trilogy, are strongly character-driven and use sex and violence as means of power and command. Antichrist is the first, and best, movie in that trilogy. Leaning on spectacular leading-role performances (by Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg), this movie is a particular journey through the deepest corners of human nature.

Making use of disturbing and unsettling themes, stomach-turning sequences, and a lot of violence and sex, the films succeeds in budgeoning your senses. You will never look at a pair of scissors the same way after watching it. 

Is it horrible? Yes. Lars Von Trier is excellent at crafting baffling and disconcerting sequences in his movies. Antichrist must be the prime example of this.

Is it a good movie? Of course. It has to be the best movie in this list and one of my favorite movies of all time.

Taxidermia

Taxidermia is upsetting because it goes from being dead serious to mocking itself in absolutely no time. The intention of the film is to not be taken seriously, but one cannot help but do it because of the way the situations are presented.

This Hungarian film is an unpleasant piece to endure and it's fairly graphic and disgusting. And, as the majority of the spots in the list, the title tells you what to expect from it.

Is it horrible? Yes. There are a couple of very graphic and stomach-turning sequences. Nevertheless, the overall film is not that disturbing due to the fact that it is also a comedy.

Is it a good movie? No. But it is amusing.

Cannibal Holocaust

Considered the first Found Footage movie ever (my favorite horror subgenre), Cannibal Holocaust has to be the most horrifying and strong. Visually, it still holds up to this day and has been hugely influential on what to do and, especially, what to avoid in the making of a movie.

There is a highly-known fact about it. None of the movies in the list, in spite of how horrific and cruel the may be, actually killed a living being for the sake of the film. Cannibal Holocaust did. The kill count is: a turtle, a monkey (in fact they killed another one off-screen), a snake, a tarantula, a pig and a coati.

Is it horrible? Of course. The fact that Deodato was thought to have filmed a real snuff film and that they actually killed animals for the movie speaks for itself.

Is it a good movie? Not at all.

(Dis)Honorable Mentions:

The Last House On The Left (1972)

Kuso (2017)

A Serbian Film (2010)

Men Behind The Sun (1988)

Visitor Q  (2001)

Raw (2016)

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

The Evil Dead (1981)

Nekromantik (1988)

Irréversible (2002)

Melancholie Der Engel (2009)