What film(s) messed with your head / scared you sh!tless the most?

Question

I've seen my fair share of movies that have had me thinking 'What the Feck???!!' afterwards, but two of the most weirdest and/or imponderable are: "Jacob's Ladder" and "El Topo".

Has anyone else watched certain films purely for their out-and-out strangeness, and if so, which were your favourites/most incomprehensible?

OK, here are a few more to consider:

"Audition", "Visitor Q", "Naked Lunch", "Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai across The Eighth Dimension", "Evil Dead" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (the 70's version, with Donald Sutherland).

Also, could someone answer me this:

Is 'Donnie Darko' an enigmatic, thought-provoking, cult classic of modern cinema?
Or:
An overblown, prententious, steaming pile of ****-biscuits?

Answer 1

Pet Sematary and the Exorcist.

A Clockwork Orange was a film I watched because it seemed weird...it was a load of violent b*llocks.

Answer 2

Okay. I'm almost exactly like you- I like to do things i'm only comfortable with on a horse, and I dont like to do anything more without my trainer or an experienced horse person. For example, I wont jump a certain jump without my trainers permission because I don't normally jump at that height- I wait for lessons to do it. My advice to you is to get out of there. It'll be hard, and this isnt what you want to hear, but it'll probably be best for you. If you and the horse lost some confidence, it might be better for him to rebuild it on a more experienced person whos done jumps at that height regularly, and for you, a horse that you can trust but still can do what you were doing. Look around at ads for another barn. I was in almost the same situation as you. I was doing a full lease on a wonderful arabian (500 dollars a month, i got him 6 days a week.) One day I worked for the lady and I had specifically told her that I was going to ride the horse after I was finished. Well, she went ahead and ignored me and used the horse in a lesson while there was one that she could have used. She began to take advantage of me. She told me (and even had it in writing) that if I worked twice a week then every month I would only have to pay $350 for my lease. She didn't do that, which was when I left. I literally just took my stuff one night and never came back. she called and I ignored her. havent seen her since. There are plenty of barns that will allow you to do lessons there, work for lessons/money, and will let you lease. I seriously suggest switching. It seems like you're miserable and dont feel comfortable yet on the horse. I'd start with small crossrails then work your way up to a height you're comfortable with. Just remember that it was an accident. If the barn owner and her daughter are going to give you a hard time and make you afraid to go to the barn alone, its not worth it. People are taking advantage of you- I know what that feels like. You have to get treated fair or leave. Either try sitting down and having a mature talk- or have your parents do it- and discuss why you are upset. good luck, i hope everything will work out in the end. c:

Answer 3

Now that I am older, not too many mess with me. When I was younger though... Oh man, tons of them scared me! The ones that I remember being scared of the most are The Omen, Invasion of the Body Snatcher ( the original), and Child's Play. THe Omen TERRIFIED me, it made me worry that I would find out that I was the Anti-Christ, and I just wanted to be good! ( I know it sounds silly, but to a 6 year old, it is creepy.) I also thought the Invasion of the Body Snatchers was real, and I was constantly trying to figure out who was "infected". The Child's Play movies.. I think most kids around that time, watched it and thought their toys came alive at night.

As far as Donnie Darko goes, I personally think it was brilliant, but it is one of those movies that you either love or hate.

Answer 4

Sorry I don't remember the title but there was a movie a long time ago where this woman is having an affair and then he's killed in a car crash, during the whole movie the woman is convinced that her husband had something to do with it. At the end they find the body and it is like he is looking in the mirror. The boyfriend was in a car crash but she had the doctor construct her husband's face on him so that no one would know it was him. Not even him because he had memory lose and finally remembered. Sounds simple well it was pretty crazy when you watched it and no it wasn't Face Off with John Travolta and Nicholas Cage it was way before that.

Answer 5

I've watched this film on several occasions and can't even say what scared me in the first place. But when I was 9 I watched "Phantasm" and it scared the bejesus out of me. I just finished 1408 and it made me think. Your right on with Jacobs Ladder it does the same.

Now as for Donnie Darko, I personally loved the film, but can easily see how others might not.

Answer 6

Session 9 was a thought provoking thriller that had me pretty creeped out. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas had me thinking "what the ****?" and then some.

I have to say that Jacob's Ladder was by far the strangest movie I've ever seen! I can't watch anything with Tim Robbins in it without thinking about his role in that film.

Another that was a bit off was My Own Private Idaho directed by Gus Van Sant. A little Shakespeare and street hustlers - brilliant!

Answer 7

Dr Who in the UK when I was around 10 or so. Some of the series used to be really sick and scary. I got nightmares all the time but still watched it. The newer version is pretty weird. On the whole Psycological thrillers scare me the most. The ones that play with your mind. I can't think of the weirdest one off hand but some of the scenes off "The Grudge" were pretty scary. Also Misery, Silence of the Lambs, The Shining were all pretty weird.

Answer 8

Well, i could undoubtedly say that David Lynch's Eraserhead is by far the most frightening, scariest and disturbing movie i have ever seen. any one who has ahd the previlege to see this film would certainly agree. this movie is just a terrible, terrible nightmare that never seems to end and every minute that goes by, you want to turn it off more and more, but you just cannot tear your eyes away from the horror. Every element of the film is disturbing, with the twitching man made chickens that ooze blood, to the lady in the radiator with discontended cheeks and the worm that dances through the crevasses of the wall. But by far, the most frightening thing in this movie is the quasi - premature baby, with its long neck protruding from a bundle of bandages, and perched on the neck is a head the size of a fist, with two bulging eyes on each side and a beak of a mouth that never, NEVER stops crying. If you can, i urge you to see this terrifying peice of art, because you will never feel the same afterwards. as for donnie darko, in my opinion, it is the best film i have ever seen, but it does require perseverence. Simply put though, donnnie darko is just sheer brilliance.

Answer 9

I think Mulholland Drive fits the description the best. It was out there and yet intense and scary without being a horror film. As for Donnie Darko, loved it, sometimes cult classics need no explanation.

Answer 10

I'm with Queen othe the silver dollar on this. Meet The Feeles and Brain Dead are without doubt the most nauseating movies I have ever had the misfortune to sit through. Peter Jackson pre-Lord Of The Rings was a sick, sick puppy.

Answer 11

I saw the first Nightmare on Elm Street when I was like 5 or 6. I swore Freddy Kruger was just about to come down the hall at any minute that night.
When I was about 7 years old I saw The Believers, that scared the shyte ou of me.
I agree with you on Jacobs Ladder.
I remember Event Horizon really scaring me too.
My brother just told me of one he saw recently that really creeped him out.
I also remember seeing the movie Parents when I was like a preteen, that movie was a trip. Check it out if you get a chance.