Given the number of people who excitedly wait for a new chilling movie to come out every time, we have to admit that they are often mediocre at best. Perhaps it’s the result of a low budget, inexperienced writers, predictable twists, or repetitive plots that dampen the whole experience. 

But all is not lost, as people in this online thread were recently sharing films that still give hope to the terror connoisseurs at heart. Below, you’ll find a list of the most disturbing movies guaranteed to send some creepy crawlers down your spine.

P.S. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

#1

Human centipide.
 
YossiTheWizard:

For me, it’s just such an absolutely disturbing concept that I can’t believe the person who came up with it doesn’t have issues that need to be addressed.

Image credits: Kechemerin

#2

A Serbian Film.

minish4w:

Came here for this. I wouldn’t watch the movie again but, in terms of accomplishing what they set out to accomplish, it was a good movie. I feel bad for even saying that, lol. But man, that’s one that just can’t be unseen. Almost feel terrible for having actually seen it. On that note, if anyone comments about a movie that’s more disturbing than this one… I don’t think I’d want to watch it. And I’ve of gone on horror movie binges that span the globe.

Image credits: Ill-Organization-719

#3

Requiem for a Dream it's not a horror movie but definitely one of the most disturbing movies I've watched.

conn_r2112:

I remember watching it when I was younger, and at a certain point I legit had to pause the movie and go outside just to hear some birds chirp and see some sunshine.

Image credits: kwabsala

#4

Threads... By far.

SV650rider:

I saw it years ago and still think about it regularly. Sometimes my friend and I need to talk about it to continue the processing.

Saintdavus:

This changed my idea of surviving nuclear war. I’m now glad I live in a high target city and I only hope I get vaporized instantly if or when the time comes.

Image credits: Tomaszmagnum

#5

Martyrs.

Brief-Leader-4015:

I lay awake all night after this film. Nothing has ever bothered me except this.

punky67:

Just watched this a couple of weeks ago. Brutal film. It starts off a really good revenge movie as well, but Jesus, it gets much darker. The relentless torture just becomes downright depressing

Image credits: Sorry_Reference8436

#6

Mother….

u/TalkativeTree:

This is the only movie I actively wish I could un-watch.

u/Clom_Clompson:

The only movie I’ve ever seen that truly and I mean truly felt like an unfolding nightmare. I will never watch it again.

Image credits: AttractiveLizard

#7

Midsommar.

u/woahwoahwoah28:

That was one of the first movies I saw where nausea set in while I was watching it.

Image credits: pleasure-delayer

#8

Irreversible.

Only movie I tapped out on the first time then revisited just to get through it. Not only is it gruesome, the atmosphere and camera angles make it really unsettling.

rupa_rockstar:

This film stuck with me for so long, so awful, tragic and beautiful as well. Quite a feat.

Image credits: aychedee

#9

Very Bad Things - it isn't necessarily a scary movie or one trying to send some weird/dark message. It's just a movie that starts bad and keeps getting worse. As though it wants your hopes to get dashed no matter who you're trying to root for throughout it.

I've seen horror flucks and heard of other disturbing movies In not willing to watch. But for me, this is the one movie I will never return to given the way it keeps getting so... just hopeless.

Image credits: MissyMarigolds

#10

Not the most disturbing, but the car scene in Hereditary shocked the absolute s**t out of me more than any other horror scene. I’ve watched a lot of horror movies.

bokin8:

It was so unexpected in that moment of the movie for some reason that's why it was so shocking too. That one is really burned into my brain.

SassafrassPudding:

Hereditary stayed with me. It's a long, slow burn until it hits you again, and again. I've watched a whole bunch of "deep dive" video essays to try and work through it, but the effects remain, like a spot on my soul

Image credits: Dangerous_Mouse_1475

#11

Meghan is Missing.

becuzurugly:

It took me three tries to get through the second half of that movie, and then I spent at least a week looking up how to escape being buried alive.

Image credits: Strange-Ad4169

#12

Schindler’s List. I will never watch it again.

u/ToBeReadOutLoud:

It’s an extremely good movie and I’m glad I watched it, but once was definitely enough.

Image credits: Unusual-Caregiver-30

#13

A Clockwork Orange was up there on the list.

VidelSatan13:

I can watch a lot of horror but I watched it once and never again

Image credits: Outdoor-Snacker

#14

I found Tusk very disturbing. I love horrors and don’t mind body horror usually, but that one left me with a really uncomfortable feeling.

Brief-Leader-4015:

I'm glad I'm not the only one, everyone laughed at it but I found it very unsettling.

Image credits: Lux-Raven

#15

American History X.

EgonsBrokenTie:

I can remember by buddy showing me the film. He had the video tape rewound and back in the case and I still had my jaw dropped while staring blankly into the turned off TV.

Image credits: Jdtdtauto

#16

Come and See, written and directed by two men who were on the eastern front during Germany's genocide campaign in Belarus, the campaign that k*lled 27 million Russians. The movie depicts the writer's experience as a teenage soldier. It was made during the time of the Soviet Union and the actions of the Germans depicted in the movie were deemed so intense and disturbing that even the Soviet Union who basically controlled all media at the time asked then to tone it down. The movie uses a real child actor, real animals, and real live ammunition. It could never be made today. It is haunting, disturbing, and based 100% in reality. It shows there are no heroes in war and will destroy any notion one may have that war is ever a good idea. It makes Saving Private Ryan look like Over the Hedge. Edit: The movie is free in its native Russian on Youtube.

Image credits: Tantra_Charbelcher

#17

Menu - i still don't understand the purpose.

#18

Pink Flamingos for sure.

Image credits: unicornichopia

#19

Dogtooth. Saw it on a list of WTF films back in the early 2010s, so I gave it a watch. It was really uncomfortable and unsettling to sit through. Without going into too much detail, it's about a controlling father who isolates his wife and three kids from the rest of society on a private estate. It's a Greek foreign film. I recommend it solely based on how bizarre it was; but be warned, you'll feel icky after watching it.

Image credits: CannonBlobs

#20

Eraserhead. You are welcome.

AreYouMeIAmYou:

I saw it for the first time last year and it left a very foul taste in my mouth. Oh, and I'm going to be a dad for the first time this year and the movie is even more unsettling now.

Image credits: sweetsour9

#21

Funny games. I watch A LOT of horror movies/ thrillers etc. I consider it my favorite genre. That movie got me to my core for some reason. Something felt so real about it.

unoeyedwillie:

I watch a lot of horror and read a lot of true crime, I could not finish this movie. It did feel very real.

Image credits: DrZoid1984

#22

Aniara. It’s about a spaceship that’s ferrying humans from Earth to Mars because Earth has become uninhabitable due to climate change, and right after they start towards Mars they have to swerve to avoid space junk and it ends up disabling the ship. They’re now stuck hurdling away from Mars with no way to maneuver back. I can’t really explain it but it’s so incredibly unnerving and disturbing seeing what these humans devolve into while being lost in space, and it gives a sense of isolation and desperation unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It also gives me a sense of claustrophobia despite the ship being absolutely massive.

Image credits: Hanz_VonManstrom

#23

Eden Lake.

SamRaimisOldsDelta88:
 
I had to scroll far too long for this one. Other movies might be more viscerally upsetting but this one just hurts deep down inside. I’ve seen pretty much all of them. Terrifier, TCM, Martyrs, Cannibal Holocaust…

It’s mean, realistic, and doesn’t give you a payoff or relief in the end.

Image credits: Dependent-Stuff-8574

#24

One Hour Photo. Robin Williams as a psycho. Brilliant but disturbing.

Image credits: FriendlyInspection68

#25

Johnny Got his Gun. It took me years to watch it all the way through. Being stuck in your body not being able to move or communicate all the while being conscious to everything around you. It's like being buried alive for years.

Image credits: spytez

#26

Ok, Bone Tomahawk.

Ricemandem:

Only film I've ever watched where I have to actively avoid thinking about it for my own peace of mind

Image credits: not_your_google

#27

HAPPINESS (1998) with Dylan Baker, and Philip Seymour Hoffman (one of the greatest actors ever, imo). It's.......well, uncomfortable to say the least.

HypoxiaJones:

I vomited after this one. I’ve seen some of the more upvoted films on this list. This one did it.

Image credits: jeffjsw

#28

Hotel Rwanda.

u/becuzurugly:

I own it but have only watched it twice. I cry about it for days on end.

Image credits: lnchkr

#29

Dear Zachary.

/MacduffFifesNo1Thane:

I only remember the movie when these threads come up. And good thing, because I need to be reminded every so often that the world is cruel.

DomingoLee:

If you haven’t seen it, please... Just don’t.

Image credits: wgn431234

#30

The movie Splice. One of the last scenes where the “father” has s*x with his “daughter”. It wasn’t a scary movie, just disturbing af!

KatieLily_Simmer:

I’ve had nightmares from this movie for years. I’ve watched much more disturbing content but something about this film just messed me up. I can’t watch anything else with the main actor in it because I only think of this movie.

Image credits: YinScorp

#31

The Poughkeepsie Tapes. It was quite unpleasant. Nothing happy or positive what so ever.

edwpad:

I had a fascination with horror movies out of curiosity when I was younger and this one creeped me out a lot.

Image credits: Rockals

#32

I don’t watch a lot of unsettling movies but The Devil All The Time got me bad. I had to watch it in two sittings.

#33

Bad Boy Bubby, an Australian movie, can't really explain it, But flo...

u/Cattle-dog:

Absolutely unique movie with a horrific beginning and a surprising ending.

#34

*Hard Candy*

Good f*****g hell is this an uncomfortable movie.

#35

Cube 2 that films makes me vomit every time I see a single frame from it.

#36

Apocalypse Now.
It had an impact on me like no other. The movie feels so intensely real, and unfortunately it is a very accurate depiction of what happened in the Vietnam War. The way that the movie dehumanises Vietnamese people (which is what the Americans did) just kills me. It’s absolutely horrifying.

#37

I can't understand exactly why but "saltburn" ignoring all the obviously uncomfortable parts. When that end song starts playing I feel horrible haha.

#38

Jacob's ladder traumatized me.

#39

Boys don't cry. I was a teenager trying to find some lgbt representation and someone recommended this.

#40

Soft and Quiet. I’m pretty desensitized to a lot, but this movie really had me anxious and cringing for most of it. Not disturbing in a traditional grotesque way but it’s crazy bc it felt rather believable.

#41

The Road. I had to just sit and think for a little while after watching it.

#42

An American Crime (2007)

This one hurt my soul truly, its based on a true crime of a single mom who was being paid to watch & care for two sisters (15&16) in 1965. It has Catherine Keener & Elliott Page (formally Ellen Page).

Not gonna go into detail but I only finished it because I felt the victim deserved to have her story told/heard.

#43

There's this French indie film, shot on a shoestring budget, called Man Bites Dog. It's a story of a documentary crew following a serial killer around as he, well, kills people. It has some pretty visceral scenes in it. It's actually a black comedy but I always found it interesting how it sort of predates our modern documentaries and reality tv series that are rather exploitative.

#44

Girl In The Box.

What's terrifying is that everything in that movie happened for real.

#45

Grave of the Fireflies (1988).

Foolish_Flame:

That was just such a devastating movie. Must’ve seen it about 20 years ago and I still think about it often. It still gives me goosebumps.

#46

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The 1974 original.

It just feels so grimy, unpleasant and most of all, REAL. It feels realistic and truly disturbing in a way a lot of horror movies don't, to the point where you almost feel like you shouldn't be watching, but you can't look away. The title makes you think you're in for a gorefest, but there's actually very little blood and gore to speak of (Tobe Hooper was shooting for A PG RATING, but the MPAA decided that the subject matter was just too macabre to be anything less than an R). It's all about the atmosphere, the tension, the extremely f****d up imagery in that house, and the erm... eccentric Sawyer family. And it's all made even scarier by Marilyn Burns' uncomfortably realistic terror at everything around her... and much of her fear was genuine.

Yeah, about that... the making of the film was no picnic. Just look up what a nightmare the dinner scene was for everyone involved. Edwin Neal (who played the hitchhiker) said it was the worst experience of his life.... and he'd served in Vietnam.

#47

Probably Event Horizon.

doomonyou1999:

I still have nightmares related to this film.

#48

There is Something Wrong with Aunt Diane.
It had a very shocking still at the end but it's overall a horribly sad event followed by a family deep in detail.

#49

I Spit On Your Grave. The Hills Have Eyes. Both originals and remakes.

#50

I dont think its traditionally disturbing , but “The killing of a sacred deer” really left me feeling weird.

#51

The Audition. The look of pre glee on her face as she took the Molly wire to his ankle.

TheHammer987:

I still freak out about this like, 20 years later.

#52

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons.

SirPotatoToes:

I watched it with my dad not knowing what it was about bc we both liked ari aristers’s films… yeah it was awkward

#53

Terrified (Aterrados) Argentinian scary movie. I love scary movies but this one had me sleeping with my lights on, and I’m 40 ?.

#54

Lars von Trier's Antichrist. Specifically the scene involving scissors….

#55

Jaws. Hear me out: I'm a horror fan and find demons and ghosts as scary as the next guy, but at worst I can't sleep for three nights after a particularly disturbing movie. But it's been decades since I watched Jaws and I am still scared to tread water. So it might not have hit the hardest, but for me it's reverberated the longest.

#56

Cannibal Holocaust.

#57

Fire in The Sky. Based on a TRUE story. Terrifying!

#58

The boy in the striped pajamas, it is truly a movie you watch once and never return back to it.

#59

Give Salò a try.

apb2718:

I only watched this film once but I felt it was just weird until the end where it finally goes over the top.

#60

Deliverance.

#61

Snowtown.

#62

I found Maniac with Elijah Wood very disturbing.

#63

Kids.

funkyhomo:

So good and so heartbreaking.

#64

The Machinist. Surprised I haven’t seen it mentioned!!

#65

Faces of Death.

#66

Civil War (2024).

I don't know if it was because of the amplified effect in the theater or I'm just a wuss, but I genuinely left the place traumatized and about to throw up. Was 100% worse than all quiet on the western front. I have never seen a modern film pull something off like it. Other than that it was a good movie though, I suggest you watch it.

#67

House of a thousand corpses.

#68

Maybe not the worst, but one that comes to mind is Mean Creek. Kids going through an emotionally grueling experience figuring out what to do with another kids body. Those kid actors did an amazing job on that film.

#69

Speak No Evil.

#70

Phantasm.

#71

I watched MEN the other night and that was pretty F*****G DISTURBING, holy f**k.

#72

The House That Jack Built.

#73

Girl, interrupted. Still haunts me to this day.