Warning: This article contains discussions of sexual abuse and assault.
The termhorrorcasts a wide net, covering anything fromunderstated haunted housestories to midnight splatter fests likeThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It’s a genre that encourages artistic freedom, which occasionally manifests in movies that can be difficult to watch due to the sheer brutality showcased in their stories.
Even though the blood and gore are practical effects used on committed actors, the proper combination of both has created some of the most controversial and visceral experiences unforgettable to those who braved their way to the end. Ranging from found footage cannibalism to unrelenting scenes of physical and psychological torture,these horror movies set a new standard for brutality, and you’ve probably never experienced anything remotely like them.
10’Terrifier 2' (2022)
Directed by Damien Leone
For those dipping their toes into horror for the first time, theTerrifierseries is one of the most brutal and violent collections made in recent years. The film’s star, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton), is a silent serial killer dressed like a clown who gleefully attacks his victims in new and creatively grotesque ways.What theTerrifierfilms lack in plot, they make up for ingallons of blood that are spilled in vivid detail.
Any one of theTerrifierfilmsis perfect to put on to make unwanted house guests leave, butTerrifier 2has aparticularly gruesome scenewhere Art takes his time with a victim. There’s no need to repeat the full details of the kill in question, but it involves scalping before bleach and salt make an appearance. As a showcase for practical effects, the scene is impressive, but the visuals show a level of gore rarely seen in U.S. horror.
Terrifier 2
9’Raw' (2016)
Directed by Julia Ducournau
InRaw, a hazing ritual awakens a dark path in a young veterinary student.Garance Marillierstars as Justine, a lifelong vegetarian who is forced to eat raw rabbit kidneys as part of an initiation for new students at her veterinary school. The taste of the organs leads to cravings for meat that escalate into cannibalistic urges, which Justine struggles to control.
For those who don’t mind explicit images of cannibalism,Rawisa thoughtful movie about entering adulthood. While horror movies such asCannibalHolocaustshow the eating of flesh for shock value,Rawuses Justine’s urges to comment on her budding womanhood and sexuality.Rawis effective in exploring the themes of repressed desire, but the visuals that include eating fingers and biting off lips are enough to make the squeamish find something else to watch.
8’The Dark and the Wicked' (2020)
Directed by Bryan Bertino
A dying father brings daughter Louise (Marin Ireland) and son Michael (Michael Abbott) home to the family farm so they may say goodbye. Although their mother demands they leave, Louise and Michael stay, soon learning that an evil force has rooted itself into the farm. As the siblings witness horrible visions and experience deep loss, they’ll wish they had heeded their mother’s warning when they arrived.
While horrific visuals are not absent fromThe Dark and the Wicked,the film excels at the psychological horror the characters are forced to endure.An ever-present feeling of dread and unease accompanies every scene, wearing down the audience almost as much as the grief-stricken brother and sister. By the timeThe Dark and the Wickedreaches its nihilistic climax, the story will have taken its emotional toll on the viewer in ways most horror films cannot.
The Dark and the Wicked
7’Excision' (2012)
Directed by Richard Bates Jr.
A disturbing and underrated horror film that doesn’t hold back onjarring imagery isExcision. Struggling to fit in at school and finding acceptance at home, loner Pauline (AnnaLynne McCord) retreats inward to blood-soaked fantasies. Convinced that becoming a surgeon would win her the respect of those who ostracize her, Pauline prepares to skip a few crucial years of medical school to realize her dreams.
Excisionuses squirm-inducing visuals to allow the viewers a better understanding of the main character.
Excisionisa riveting character study that examines mental health and obsessionwhile also slowly building to what feels like an inevitably dark conclusion. Body horror tends to illicit a more visceral reaction from the audiences who dare to go down the gory path, butExcisionuses the squirm-inducing visuals to allow the viewers a better understanding of Pauline. As both a sympathetic character and a tragic villain, Pauline adds complexity toExcision’s warped coming-of-age story.
6’Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer' (1986)
Directed by John McNaughton
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killeris very loosely based on the many confessions of serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, using a heavy amount of creative license to piece together a narrative. The film follows Henry (Michael Rooker), a drifter who kills without remorse as he settles down momentarily with Otis (Tom Towles), a friend he made in prison.
The lack of a central protagonist who can be considered redeemable or even likable creates an uneasy feeling throughout the runtime ofHenry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. As uncomfortable as the film can be,Rooker is exceptional as Henry, channeling a believable darkness that made casting agents take notice.The graphic violence paired with an ambiguous moral toneoriginally landedHenry: Portrait of a Serial Killeran X rating, something extremely rare for a horror movie.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
5’The Last House on the Left' (1972)
Directed by Wes Craven
The depraved murder of two young teens leads to almost equally violent retribution in thenotorious horror filmThe Last House on the Left. To celebrate her 17th birthday, Mari (Sandra Peabody) and her friend Phyllis (Lucy Grantham) plan to attend a concert, but are instead tortured, raped, and murdered by a gang of psychopaths. When the gang unwittingly stays the night at Mari’s house, her parents learn of the crimes and enact revenge on their daughter’s killers.
The low-budget approach made the events look alarmingly real, making it hard for audiences to sit through the first half of the film.The Last House on the LeftlaunchedWes Craven’s long career in horror, but the shocking film was almost a liability for the young director. While the prolonged abuse and murders of the two teens attracted the attention of curious moviegoers,The Last House on the Leftdrew an equal amount of controversy that resulted in the film being banned in multiple countries.
The Last House on the Left
4’The Sadness' (2021)
Directed by Rob Jabbaz
A film that pushes the limits of what is typically seen in the zombie genre is the Taiwanese horror filmThe Sadness. As a young couple, Jim (Berant Zhu) and Kat (Regina Lei) start their day, a fast-moving virus spreads around them, quickly enveloping the city. While Jim and Kat fight to reunite, they must avoid the brutal horrors the infected wish to inflict on them both.
The Sadnesscommands the viewer’s attention from beginning to end, making it hard to ignore, even thoughthe visuals will tempt the squeamish to look away. Unlike the traditional concept of zombies, the infected inThe Sadnessretain the physical remnants of their humanity while they become slaves to violent and sexual urges. The action is fast and frequent, with the intensity continuing to increase as the chances of Jim and Kat’s survival decrease.
The Sadness
3’Martyrs' (2008)
Directed by Pascal Laugier
One of the most notoriously violent and disturbing films made in the last few decades is the French horror film,Martyrs. A seemingly senseless home invasion and murder of a family reveals a sinister network of torture and abuse. Operating in secret, a well-organized society systematically abducts young women, torturing them to create a transcendental state allowing the subject of the trauma to glimpse the afterlife.
The graphic depictions of sadistic physical tormentmadeMartyrsa notorious addition to the horror genre, pushing the limits of what audiences expected to see on film. Although it most assuredly intends to shock with its visuals,Martyrsalso explores the fear of the unknown after death and the nature of human existence. There is a wealth of thematic exploration regarding social classes and the abuse of privilege, but for many, the torture is hard to look past to receive the message.
2’Cannibal Holocaust' (1980)
Directed by Ruggero Deodato
Before a documentary team started looking around for the Blair Witch, the ill-fated crew ofCannibal Holocaustwere the stars of the first found footage horror movie. The film follows the search for a documentary crew that went missing while filming in the Amazon. Upon the recovery of the missing group’s footage, researchers are appalled by the violence and brutality that transpired.
A lot of disgusting horror movies have been made over the years, but it takes a special kind of disturbing work to get thedirector charged with murder, forcingRuggero Deodatoto appear in court with the very alive actors.Although the human cast was spared death, animals were actually killed on film, blurring the line between what was real and what was fabricated.Cannibal Holocaustwas banned in multiple countries and is stillone of the most controversial films made, horror or otherwise.
Cannibal Holocaust
1’Atrocious' (2015)
Directed by Lex Ortega
A car belonging to two serial killers reveals unforgettable depravity in the Mexican horror filmAtrocious. After a car accident leaves a woman badly hurt, the police discover a camcorder with a recording of the torture and murder of a sex worker. As the investigation deepens, more videos of reprehensible abuse and mutilation are recovered, painting a larger picture of the many crimes committed by the killers in custody.
A car belonging to two serial killers reveals unforgettable depravity in the Mexican horror filmAtrocious.
The simulated snuff films are challenging to watch, using low-quality video to enhance the realism of the excessively violent scenes. Scenes of prolonged mutilation, sexual abuse, and violence are common and continue without the camera cutting away. Even for hardcore horror fans who can handle the worst of the worst,Atrociouswilllikely inspire a few presses of the fast-forward button to complete.
