15 Disturbing (But Good) Films You Should See

Almost everyone enjoys movies. Some of us watch them to laugh. Others watch them to cry, or be moved, or to learn lessons about history. Yet there are a select few filmgoers, when seeking out movies, who want to be disturbed.

If you fit into the last category, then you may have already seen a number of the films on this list. Then again, some you may not have seen. If you Google "most disturbing films," or something to that effect, then you'll find quite a few opinions, with some of those titles below popping up multiple times.

For the hard-bitten film addicts out there, some of the more extreme films here may be just what you're looking for. Not all are violent, necessarily; but each, in its own way, has a tendency to get inside you, and stay there for a long while.

NOTE: Since I haven't seen all the films out there that many agree are the most disturbing, this list is purely based on my experience thus far. Additionally, I didn't want to simply copy every other "most disturbing list" on the Web. At the end, I've included a few titles I have yet to see, but that many consider to be among the most cringe-inducing. If you have anything else to add, feel free...but I refuse to get into arguments with anyone!

15. Jacob's Ladder (1990) - Directed by Adrian Lyne - A critic on the page Film4.com: Jacob's Ladder, who happened to watch this film, described it as "the evil-twin version of the phenomenally successful Ghost." That's a very accurate description, considering that both films were written by Bruce Joel Rubin, and that the main character in Ladder, Jacob Singer, is unsure whether he's dead or alive throughout most of the story.

At the film's beginning, Singer is in the midst of combat in Vietnam, and apparently under ambush by Vietcong attackers. Soon, however, he awakens on a subway car in New York City, leading the audience to believe he was dreaming. And so begins the disturbing, hallucinatory trip that is Jacob's Ladder. Unlike most of the films on this list, however, this one has somewhat of a happy ending, to say the least.

14. C'est arrivé près de chez vous (a.k.a. Man Bites Dog) (1992) - Directed by Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, and Benoit Poelvoorde - Literally translated as It Arrived Near You, this highly unsettling film seems meant as a spoof on reality television. It centers around a serial killer named Ben (Benoit Poelvoorde), who is so pleased with his crimes that he jumps at the chance to have a documentary film crew record his "exploits," so to speak.

The camera follows Ben through his typical day, as he expounds on art, architecture, and philosophy, among other things, in between murdering random strangers. What's most unsettling about this film is the way the camera crew treats the murders as entertainment; strangely enough, what was shocking in 1992 is almost commonplace today, especially on the Internet. Definitely not for everyone, but it's an interesting film for those with a strong stomach and a dark sense of humor.

13. Pi (1998) - Directed by Darren Aronofsky - Although you won't find this film on everyone's "most disturbing" lists, it certainly deserves its fair share of credit. The "breakout" film for director Aronofsky, Pi is mainly told and viewed from the point-of-view of number theorist Max Cohen (Sean Gullette), a brilliant mathematician who also suffers from cluster headaches and incredible paranoia, possibly the result of paranoid schizophrenia.

The movie intensifies when agents of a Wall Street firm (with possible criminal connections) begin doggedly pursuing Max for his numerical abilities, seemingly bent on financial domination. Simultaneously, Max becomes involved with members of a Hasidic sect who believe that he may have found a numerical code representing the name of God.

In spite of its low budget, the film is incredibly well made and does an excellent job of portraying mental illness and obsession from a first-person perspective.

12. Bad Lieutenant (1994) - Directed by Abel Ferrara - The titular character in Bad Lieutenant, who is never given an official name, is a corrupt cop plagued by various drug addictions, including cocaine and heroin, and is also a habitual gambler.

While these elements may sound commonplace in film today, they are shown in such a graphic, brutally honest fashion in Bad Lieutenant that the movie is definitely recommended only for a select few, who are already hardened to drug scenes and the like (the film, in its original cut, is rated NC-17, if that tells you anything).

Additionally, there is one horrifying rape scene central to the story, through which The Lieutenant (Harvey Keitel) tries to find redemption for his sins. Disturbing, yes, but effective and well told.

11. Requiem for a Dream (2000) - Directed by Darren Aronofsky - A much better-known and more widely seen Aronofsky production, this is often cited as the anti-drug film to end all anti-drug films.

Based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr., Requiem famously portrays the downward spiral of four drug addicts: Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn); her son Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto); his girlfriend Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly); and their friend Tyrone C. Love (Marlon Wayans). Though some find the anti-drug message over-the-top, some of the terrifying hallucinatory sequences, as well as the painful ending, are enough to make many viewers cringe under their seats.

10. The Addiction (1995) - Directed by Abel Ferrara - Yes, this list warranted two Abel Ferrara films. The Addiction, basically a morality play disguised as a vampire film, treats the vampires' thirst for blood, more or less, as a drug addiction.

What truly makes this film disturbing, in my eyes at least, is its street-smart atmosphere and gritty depiction of New York City (as in Bad Lieutenant). With these elements in place, the vampire characters seem that much more believable. If you happen to get your hands on a copy, look for Christopher Walken, Annabella Sciorra, Edie Falco, and Michael Imperioli in bit parts.

9. Natural Born Killers (1994) - Directed by Oliver Stone - Another one of the more widely seen films on this list, Natural Born Killers is, of course, the story of a pair of serial killers, Mickey Knox (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox (Juliette Lewis), who go cross-country on a murder spree, becoming celebrities in the process.

For those who haven't seen the film (a re-write of a Quentin Tarantino screenplay), it seems the extreme critical reactions it received were due to its hyper-surreal film style, combining black-and-white, color, cartoon footage, commercials, demonic faces, a hypnotic soundtrack (edited together by Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor), and powerful violent sequences.

Once again, Natural Born Killers is not for everyone, but film buffs, especially those who enjoy stylized violence and biting social commentary, should definitely rent it and possibly even add it to their collections.

8. A Clockwork Orange (1971) - Directed by Stanley Kubrick - Ah, Kubrick. One of those highly controversial but immensely talented directors, that people either love or hate, was of course the master behind this film.

A Clockwork Orange was based on the novel of the same name by Anthony Burgess. Its antihero, if you will, Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) is the epitome of the juvenile delinquent: he delights in rape, home invasions, beatings, and even murder. Yet, like many of the protagonists in these films, he is somehow charismatic. Is it his intelligence? Is it the fact that he talks directly to the audience? You decide.

Much like Natural Born Killers, Clockwork is incredibly stylized, giving it a dreamlike quality in some scenes. And of course, like many of the films on this list, it's had its share of controversy, including accusations of inciting real-life violence. Still, however, it's a classic.

7. Happiness (1998) - Directed by Todd Solondz - What makes Happiness so disturbing, like many of Todd Solondz's films, is that his characters all seem quite real, just as though they might live next door to you.

That this cast of characters includes a pedophile father and a seemingly normal middle-aged man (with a penchant for obscene phone calls) is just everyday territory for Solondz. For all its uncomfortable (and that's understating it) themes, Happiness somehow makes each of these characters understandable, and possibly even sympathetic.

Perhaps that's what the title means.

6. Cannibal Holocaust (1979) - Directed by Ruggero Deodato - Exploitative? Check. Bloody? Check. Violent? Check. Worth watching? Well...

Part of the '70s Italian spate of "cannibal films," Cannibal Holocaust is often cited as the most extreme among them. In addition to containing several brutal scenes of rape and human-on-human murder, the film contains the genuine deaths of six animals: a coatimundi, a yellow-spotted river turtle, a snake, a tarantula, a spider monkey, and a pig.

Much of the controversial violence is contained in the second half of the picture, which consists mostly of the "documentary film" footage shot by the student filmmakers who are listed as missing at the beginning of the film. TV executives watch the footage, unedited, in which we discover the fates of the filmmakers, due in part to their horrific treatment of the South American native tribes.

If it contains any sort of message, Cannibal Holocaust may make you look differently at "civilized" society, and the way we treat outsiders.

5. Nekromantik (1987) - Directed by Jorg Buttgereit - Alright, I admit to not being able to entirely sit through this one, partly due to having a bad copy of the film. Regardless...

Nekromantik is an atypical horror film, about a character named Rob Schmadtke (Daktari Lorenz), who works for a company that cleans up after grisly murder and accidental death scenes. What's a bit "off" about Rob is that he likes to take the cadavers home and be sexually active with them; Rob also has a girlfriend, who, if possible, is more enthusiastic about necrophilia than he is.

The film contains loads of blood, gore, and other disgusting images...yet, in a strange way, it's also kind of beautiful. If you're curious, see it for yourself.

4. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) - Directed by John McNaughton - Many of the other "most disturbing film" lists have placed Henry lower than these other titles. I beg to differ, because the film is so well-made, and so realistic,, that it just may convince you that there are serial killers lurking around every corner.

Loosely based on the confessions of Henry Lee Lucas, the film follows (Michael Rooker) and his roommate, Otis (Tom Towles) on their random killing sprees throughout 1980's Chicago, which, by the look of the film, is incredibly seedy.

Oddly, in spite of Henry's murderous actions onscreen, his portrayal may cause you to gather some sympathy for him (which is one reason this film is close to the top of the list).

3. Guinea Pig: Flower of Flesh and Blood a.k.a. Ginî piggu 2: Chiniku no hana (1985) - Directed by Hideshi Hino - Though it hasn't much of a plot to speak of, Flower of Flesh and Blood is partly disturbing for that reason. It seems designed to look like a "snuff film," and was in fact investigated by the FBI under such suspicion after Charlie Sheen saw it and believed it to be real.

The "plot" consists of a Japanese man, apparently a serial killer, drugging a random woman on the street with chloroform, and dragging her to an underground "dungeon," where he graphically dismembers, disembowels, and finally kills her, adding her body parts to his "collection." Many horror film fanatics have likely already seen this.

To the "seasoned" viewer, it may not be that sickening, but be warned: it is not for the squeamish or easily disturbed.

2. Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma - Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini - A film so controversial that it may, in part, have led to the director's murder, Salò (a.k.a. the 120 Days of Sodom), is loosely based on the book of the same name by the Marquis de Sade, according to The Internet Movie Database: Salò Trivia.

In both the book and the film, there are four wealthy men (in the film, Italian Fascists) who kidnap eighteen teenagers (specifically, 9 boys and 9 girls), chosen for their physical beauty. Their aim is to have the ultimate orgy, using both the males and females. The sex, somewhat "normal" at the start, quickly becomes degrading, involving torture, rape, urine, feces, mutilation, and even murder.

I admit that I couldn't sit through the entirety of this one. It was too disturbing...yet I still believe it has an important message about this period in history, and about the lengths regular human beings will go to when allowed to give in to their basest desires.

And the #1 Spot Goes To...

Irréversible - Directed by Gaspar Noé - Often cited as one of the most disturbing films ever made, Irréversible is not only violent and horrifying, but extremely disorienting.

Its two most violent (and most notorious) sequences are likely the tunnel rape sequence with Monica Bellucci, which clocks in at almost ten minutes; and the fire-extinguisher scene, in which the supposed rapist has his face beaten unrecognizable with said extinguisher.

Add into the mix the fact that the film is played in reverse chronological order, and that many of the camera angles are literally all over the place, and you have one nightmarish movie.

Honorable Mention

As I said in the beginning, there are a number of films I haven't yet seen that others have listed among their "most disturbing." In fact, it probably isn't fair to categorize them under "Honorable Mention," but if I have the chance to see them, I may write a "Part II." Some of these include, in no particular order:

1. Combat Shock
2. Men Behind the Sun
3. Blue Velvet
4. Eraserhead
5. Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS
6. Last House on the Left
7. The Hills Have Eyes
8. Bloodsucking Freaks
9. In a Glass Cage

So, if you're making a trip to your nearest indie video store, and are in the mood for a night of skin-crawling images or simply a cinematic acid trip, rent or buy any of the above films. See if you can stomach them.