Uncomfortable Viewing
Yesterday, I knocked another off the bucket list by watching acclaimed 2003 documentary Capturing The Friedmans, a film originally conceived as a profile of New York’s top children’s entertainers which ended up a study of a family torn apart by hysteria, secrets and lies. Compelling, thought-provoking stuff with an extremely dark subject matter; it’s not the most disturbing film you’ll ever see, but it certainly sets your mind racing down avenues you’d probably rather skip past with eyes turned the other way.
Which got me thinking about other unsettling films you lot might have seen, and whether or not it would make an interesting afternoon discussion. I’m not necessarily talking about gore porn nonsense like Hostel, which exists to shock in the same way that Eat, Pray, Love exists to annoy the arse off you; I’m thinking about the likes of Takahata’s Grave Of The Fireflies, Noe’s Irreversible (which happens to be one of my favourite films), Aronofsky’s Requiem For A Dream. Films that make you think, that make you uncomfortable, that force you to examine facets of your own character you’d rather pretend weren’t there … maybe just films you’re glad you watched that you’d never, ever watch again.
For me, watching Grave Of The Fireflies was one of the most emotionally draining experiences I’ve ever had in front of a DVD player, and that included programming the bloody thing. It’s a film I recommend to everyone, not just anime fans, or those hankering after a good war movie. But would I watch it again? Gosh, only under protest; it’s exhausting. It changes you, that film. It chews you up and spits you out. On the other end of the difficult-but-rewarding spectrum for me is Araki’s Mysterious Skin. Admittedly, it features a stunning performance from deserved flavour of the month, Joseph Gordon Levitt, but it seemed exploitative without redeeming, closer to schadenfreude than anything else. I felt dirty by the time the movie was over, like I wanted to scrub my brain out with wire wool and watch endless episodes of The Powerpuff Girls in penance. I gained nothing from Mysterious Skin.
What about you lot?
seanear1ey:
September 14th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Hard Candy provided incredibly uneasy viewing. From the child predator stalking bit to Ellen Page going to town on her pursuant’s genitalia with a scalpel. Nothing in that film was easy to watch.
Andy Gaffney:
September 14th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
I have to go with ‘Antichrist’, any movie that shows that much damage being put upon a man’s ‘Love Area’ is more than a little hard to watch
Sweary:
September 14th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
I remember reading loads of different reviews and opinions after watching Hard Candy because I really couldn’t make up my mind whether I liked it or not. “Like” isn’t the right word either, but you know what I mean. One one hand, it glamourised sadistic, gory revenge by having it perpetrated against a nasty piece of work. On the other, it was a very clever study in role-reversal, in that your loyalties shifted constantly. Naturally, at first everyone roots for Ellen Page’s character, but as the story progresses you ask yourself if you can really sympathise with such a twisted heroine?
Sweary:
September 14th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
I haven’t seen Antichrist. Don’t think I ever will, either. I’ve heard enough!
John Braine:
September 14th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Yep Requiem is definitely disturbing for me. Makes me teary thinking of my own mum. Not a million miles away.
And any film that gets me thinking about genocide just fills me with a sadness. Kinda blows me away when I start thinking about Rwanda etc. Jeez I feel like I’m on Oprah all of a sudden.
And I know you didn’t mean gory stuff but any film with scenes of people’s faces getting bashed in really stays with me; Casino (Joe Pesci), Irreversible too obviously, & the Killer Inside.
And Antichrist and War Zone would be on the list too.
John Braine:
September 14th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Antichrist is actually a pretty good film but it’s far overshadowed by the gory scenes. Both in reputation and while watching it.
Sweary:
September 14th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
On Rwanda, the strange thing about Hotel Rwanda is how redundant and muted it felt; the first time, I thought, that the reality was more alarming and sensational and terrifying than the movie dealing with the same subject. I remember watching Hotel Rwanda and thinking, “Jesus, I’m all the ways away in Ireland and even I know the reality was far worse than that…”
John Braine:
September 14th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Oh yeah - absolutely with you on that. Meant to say; most Genocide movies aren’t disturbing in themselves. Just a reminder of the horrible reality once you get thinking about it. So doesn’t really count.
Sweary:
September 14th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
This from TheCountOfSix on Twitter.
“Children of Men & Synechdoche would qualify. Former depressing but great, latter hateful & nihilistic in a really grubby way.”
Is it wrong that I’m immediately drawn to the second one (well, I have seen Children Of Men)?
Niall:
September 14th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Grave of the Fireflies is heart-wrenching. Brilliant, brilliant movie.
I’d add Das Experiment, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Todd Solondz’ Happiness.
One Hour Photo is rather unsettling too.
Sweary:
September 14th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Niall, I’m reminded now (naturally) of Lady Vengeance; some of the scenes in that film were really pushing-the-envelope disturbing. Not in any gory sense, but watching “video footage” of child prisoners in hoods as they were murdered was rather too realistic for me. Very disturbing stuff, from a film that veered between uncomfortably disjointed and ridiculously sentimental. I don’t think I could watch it again.
Swe.Ge:
September 15th, 2010 at 1:09 am
“Come and See” By Elem Klimov is a glimpse into Dante’s Ninth Circle of Hell, while hallucinating on LSD…
Sweary:
September 15th, 2010 at 8:47 am
I remember watching bits of that over your shoulder. Just read the synopsis on Wikipedia and it sounds seriously disturbing. But worth it?
Niamh:
September 15th, 2010 at 11:25 am
I have only seen two out of all the movies mentioned above including in the original post - Synecdoche which I reviewed on the site here and Hotel Rwanda. I think I naturally veer away from anything that looks uncomfortable or very dark - no likey!
Culch.ie » Blog Archive » Seriously, Though, Things Can Only Get Better …:
September 15th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
[...] everyone! Or, alternatively, not so happy, because as a tie-in to yesterday’s discussion on unsettling movies, we’re bringing you Röyksopp’s video for new song “The Drug” from album [...]
Sweary:
September 15th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Niamh, I just had to go for a little read of your review, and now I’m more determined to see it than ever! Did you think it was “hateful” in any way, though?
Niamh:
September 15th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Ha - I had to go back and read the review to remind myself and now I remember how terribly confusing some of it was. I certainly didn’t find any of it “hateful” - frustrating and sad, yes but not hateful. As far as I remember anyway! Definitely see it if you can.
Emlyn:
September 16th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Now i’ve seen my fair share of disturbing movies. But yes…that scene with the children in ‘Sympathy For Lady Vegenance’ literally had me in sudden tears and wanting to strangle the director for including it. Not expected either which made it even worse. Have yet to see ‘Grave Of The Fireflies’, but heard it is devastating stuff. I would also put ‘Dancer In The Dark’ (actually most of Lars Von Triers work) in the watch-once-and-can-never-stomach-again category.
Emlyn:
September 16th, 2010 at 7:05 pm
And also yes, ‘Capturing The Friedmans’ is pretty grim stuff . I saw the first Irish screening of it at the ’04 Dublin Film Festival.
Swe:
September 17th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
It’s fractured, disjointed, an assault on the senses. Has been feted as one of the best anti-war films ever made, giving the a viewer a true glimpse of the insanity and horrors of the greatest horror that we can visit upon ourselves - modern warfare.
seanear1ey:
September 18th, 2010 at 2:13 am
I also found ‘Shooting Dogs’ very uncomfortable to watch, while on the topic of Genocide movies.
Sweary:
September 18th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Rwanda as an event (rather than a country) was the first real concrete proof, in my mind, of there being no god whatsoever. I remember watching Hotel Rwanda simply because someone had said Don Cheadle’s performance was brilliant, but I think in general I would avoid films about Rwanda. I can’t see what good it would do me, when I already know what happened. In terms of watching a film to educate yourself, well, on that basis it would be pretty redundant, and I don’t know that I would get anything out of it but a severe case of the blues. I don’t know.
Never seen Dancer In The Dark, strangely enough. I must try to get a copy. What makes it so unstomachable?
Emlyn:
September 18th, 2010 at 10:34 am
Hmmm, maybe unstomachable is too strong a word (from me). But DITD has one of the most depressing conclusions to a movie ever - and the contrast of the musical/fantasy sections makes it even more so. But yep, really has to be seen first!
Sweary:
September 18th, 2010 at 10:43 am
I must be in a very dark frame of mind these days (which tends to happen when I’m writing), because I’ve already gotten my grubby mitts on Happiness and Synecdoche, and as of now am adding Dancer In The Dark to the bluesies/wantsies list.
Emlyn:
September 18th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Most Lars Von Triers movies are like that…i would say ‘Breaking The Waves’ even more so. Must be the Scandinavian aspect too (i would love to see a Swedish/Danish laugh-out-loud dumb comedy for once!).
Sweary:
September 19th, 2010 at 10:21 am
So, I watched Happiness last night and laughed my arse off.
Disturbing subject matter, but not a disturbing movie, I thought. It didn’t treat any of its themes with any kind of gravitas, so I found you couldn’t take it seriously enough to be alarmed by it. Of course, one could argue that laughing at the actions of the rapist dad is pretty bloody alarming, but even being amused by that wasn’t treated as ironic - at no point does the movie turn a mirror to its audience and ask them why they’re laughing.
I don’t explain myself too good on Sunday mornings.