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extreme horror movies
06-02-2014, 09:05 AM (This post was last modified: 06-02-2014 09:08 AM by goodcop2000.)
Post: #1
extreme horror movies
I was wondering what you guys think of the "extreme horror" genre. I used to consider myself a pretty hardcore horror fan because the violence in most horrors doesn't bother me. I love zombie films, slasher movies and even bloody Italian giallos like the work of Dario Argento.

The only horror movies that I have had difficulty watching parts of are Hostel, Hostel 2, and the original I Spit on Your Grave (because of the torture and/or rape scenes). Sensing my limits, I have never watched Hostel 3 or either of the Human Centipede movies.

Recently, I joined a group on Facebook for collectors of horror movies and many of the members love to watch more extreme horrors like A Serbian Film, Inside, Salo, and Martyrs, none of which I had even heard of before I joined the group. I was curious enough to seek out details about the films. Having read a very detailed synopsis of A Serbian Film, there is no way I will ever watch it.

Are there members here into that extreme stuff and, if so, what draws you to it or what enjoyment do you get out of it?

“By the time I realized the danger, it was scratching at my front door.”
― Max Brooks, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
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06-02-2014, 11:36 AM
Post: #2
RE: extreme horror movies
A Serbian Film - the uncut version cannot be unseen. I do not recommend watching it.

Hostel or Hostel 2 I do not see as Extreme horror. They are Mainstream Torture Porn.

Extreme is the likes of Salo, Serbian, Ichi and to a lesser extent Irreversible, Martyrs and similar films.

It takes a certain kind of mindset to be able to handle these types of film, the only 2 to phase me were Serbian and Irreversible.

Serbian is just outright twisted and one scene should not really have been filmed - EVER

Irreversible was twisted in another way and it was the premise of the film and outcome, not the actions that were unsettling.

Anyone reading who ends up with the curiosity to seek either of the two out, by all means watch Irreversible as it does its job but be warned.

However by no means watch Serbian. That is not hyperbole or overreacting, it will potentially really upset you for a while afterwards and as I have said once, some things cannot ever be unseen.
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06-02-2014, 06:43 PM
Post: #3
RE: extreme horror movies
Not for me. Don't get me wrong I love a good horror as much as the next guy but when there's films/scenes which are made for the sole purpose of being shocking/disturbing just for the sake of notoriety I feel no compulsion to watch these films. Most lack even the barest hint of a plot or the reasons for the various atrocities. I know in Friday the 13 the murders were mostly needless and gory but I think nowadays effects have got so realistic that they can cause nightmares or just 'stay with you'.

There are many clips that can be seen on the internet, that I won't name, where you can see real people die and I have met people (even friends) who've seen these and their morbid fascination disturbs me. These are the same people who would have been stood in the market square watching the latest guillotining/hanging witch/midwife trial. Slowing down to see twisted wrecks of cars and people at the side of the road is another example. Perhaps it's just human nature and the fear of personal death that makes us want to see.

I studied sociology for a year and it opened my eyes with regards to the news broadcasts and newspapers. Fear and death sell almost as much as sex. If a serial killer or someone, somewhere gets executed the papers will sell like wildfire. Yet someone raises tens of thousands climbing Everest for a charity it will barely get a mention. Are we all sick? No, not at all. Although I do believe as a society (in the main) we are more intrigued by the darker side of human nature.

Anyway back to your initial question. In a nutshell I have no desire to watch a film that will make me feel genuinely sick or mentally scar me for life. I don't judge anyone who's into that kind of stuff (each to their own) but I will repeat. Not for me.
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06-02-2014, 07:46 PM
Post: #4
RE: extreme horror movies
My sentiments largely mirror sam's. I've seen Hostel and it didn't do anything for me (postiive; though not too much negative either). I saw Saw and definitely was not keen on it. Reading the Wikipedia article for Serbian Movie definitely makes it fall into the "nope, certainly not".

Ichi the Killer was mentioned. I half-enjoyed that movie, despite the gore. There was actually (some) meaningful plot to it.

i'm terribly hard to please with most films, even non-horrors. I require meaningful plots, not just [genre-specific elements; aka: explosions, or gore, or...] before I'll even consider watching it.

There is one type of film that I generally avoid: psychological horrors/mental illness films (examples: Memento, Session 9, Inception). They make me uncomfortable in ways that even quality film-making do not overcome.
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06-02-2014, 09:41 PM
Post: #5
RE: extreme horror movies
So much for my collection of Snuff Flicks(JUST KIDDING).I'm not a big movie person anyway but excessive Gore
just turns me off. Films that go for the cheap shock by pouring out tons of blood & internal organs just are gross.

OD

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Wailing for the lost one that comes not again:
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06-02-2014, 10:16 PM
Post: #6
RE: extreme horror movies
I'd have to agree with trev. I have no tolerance for movies like that. And it's not so much being unable to stomach it. It's more for me the thought that such things are dreamed up by people. And realization that things like this can and do inspire people with psychotic tendencies.

And let me assure you, I'm in no way opposed to general horror movies. Things with psychological twists, horrifying thoughts, or plain slashers like the Friday the 13th franchise, Halloween, nightmare on elm street, and the Scream franchise. But I can appreciate those because it's fun to feel scared for a moment, or in the case of slasher films it's good for a laugh because of how ridiculous they are.

And forgive me if my comment seems to lack creativity, but the fact is, there was a time when people were considering banning Scream, because it had inspired a series of murders.

I couldn't help it when I saw this, I read a number of reviews for A Surbian Film, about 2 dozen or so. Just the reviews put a wrench in my stomach. The redeeming factor to reading them, most people were completely turned off by it.

Again, in my opinion there are some things that shouldn't exist, and to say things like "it actually happens in real life" or "it's to make a political point" is kinda nonsense, and does in no way justify certain film's fabrication.

And I'd like to say that also I'm not even totally opposed to "extreme horror" films. I've seen 8mm and had no issues stomaching it. Certainly I felt disturbed at times. But at least the plot was following a PI who was diving into a dark part of the world to try and expose it. There was story to it, and the disturbing scenes did in fact enhance the movie, and weren't so plentiful that they seemed to be the purpose and the story just an excuse. I felt the exact opposite way. They were there to progress the story and give viewers a sense of what the protagonist went through during his quest.

I've also seen 2 of the Saw movies, which again, I had nothing against them, but did feel that the story could've been done in about 4 mins, so the other 116 minutes of each film were kind of unnecessary in my opinion. I'm not a sadist, and not overly intrigued with people who are, so I simply can't enjoy them. But I wouldn't condemn them (nor the genre) as a whole, they have merits, just not ones I care for.

Just the Serbian film, that shouldn't exist.

They're coming for us!!! ... Brains brains ... Ahhh somebody save-- ... Om nom nom
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06-03-2014, 02:53 AM (This post was last modified: 06-03-2014 02:56 AM by goodcop2000.)
Post: #7
RE: extreme horror movies
Thanks to everyone for your input. UK Zombie, your insight is particularly interesting since you have seen some of the movies I referenced.

I have made a conscious decision to avoid movies that seem to fall into the extreme horror genre because I really don't want any more unforgettable disturbing images in my head...truly disturbing stuff I mean. I have spent the last 9 years as a crime scene tech. On the one hand, this has desensitized me to most gore/traumatic injuries/etc., but the job has also left me with tragic images that I will never be able to forget.

When it comes to these controversial movies, I really try to not be judgmental about the film makers or the fans who like them. I have to say though that I agree with UK Zombie and aprillo about A Serbian Film. I can't think of a message important enough to justify the filming of at least two scenes that I read about.

“By the time I realized the danger, it was scratching at my front door.”
― Max Brooks, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
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06-03-2014, 11:33 AM (This post was last modified: 06-03-2014 11:37 AM by UK_zombie.)
Post: #8
RE: extreme horror movies
I have watched films since a young age, I am talking the time of £75+ VHS that my best friends brother would buy and we would sneak into his room to watch American Ninja, No Retreat No Surrender and Flesh Gordon (lol my first of another type of film!).

This was before VHS players overtook Betamax and became widely available (chorus of young uns going "Beta-what?)

Then my interest was further fueled by going to a friends house whose ex hippy parents ran a video shop and had copies of things like Last House, Texas Chainsaw and Driller Killer lying around and had no issue with letting 12 year olds watch them...

A Serbian film is like an extreme version of 8mm, however I cannot understand what the film makers were trying to achieve when they filmed certain scenes and you do go away thinking that it was purely for shock factor. All I have to say is thank god for fast forward since as soon as I realised what was happening it was time to skip.

Irreversible, Ichi, Martyrs all have decent plots (IMO) but have extreme elements to the movies.

Ichi actually was done in a cartoon-ish, manga type way so you can get away with watching it, although in the uncut version there are some brutal moments.

Irreversible is a very good film, well written, well performed, there is a long drawn out scene that is uncomfortable (IE do not watch on a date) but the film as a whole, its message and the outcome really mess with you. No words to explain other than it does its job. Really well.

Had to Edit just to mention big kudos to goodcop for mentioning Dario - his "Demons" films are great fun.

(In case you have not realised UK_zombie = MASSIVE film fan)
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06-04-2014, 01:38 AM (This post was last modified: 06-04-2014 01:39 AM by goodcop2000.)
Post: #9
RE: extreme horror movies
+1 rep to UK Zombie for great information and for being such a big movie fan.

Maybe you would be interested in doing some movie reviews for the collection here on The Zombie Game? I watch as many horrors and thrillers as I can but I can't get to everything. You have basically done mini reviews for a number of movies in your post above already!

Also I am interested in "second opinion" reviews for the movies I have reviewed, especially if you would rate them very differently. I have offered that opportunity to the board before but nobody has taken me up on it.

Let me know if that sounds fun.

“By the time I realized the danger, it was scratching at my front door.”
― Max Brooks, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
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06-04-2014, 08:41 AM (This post was last modified: 06-04-2014 08:42 AM by Fizzgaz.)
Post: #10
extreme horror movies
Hi wasn't sure if it was ok to post this on this thread, but. I'm to excited not to I'm meeting George Romero at comicon in London next month. Zombie king


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