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19 Disturbing Movies You Can’t Unsee: A Cautionary List

We have curated a list of disturbing movies that have been banned in multiple countries. A word of caution—these movies are not for the faint-hearted. They psychologically and emotionally challenge viewers with their unsettling scenes and terrifying visuals. Unlike regular movies, their impact won’t fade away quickly; they will linger in your mind for a long time. Here is the list of disturbing movies we’ve prepared just for you.

Warning: These movies are not suitable for individuals under the age of 18 and psychologically unprepared individuals


1.Hostel

19 Disturbing Movies You Can’t Unsee: A Cautionary List - Hostel

The movie begins with two young men, Paxton and Josh, in search of adventure. Fresh out of college, they pack their backpacks and embark on a European trip. They arrive at a hostel, famously known as a paradise for American travelers. While there, they grow close to a girl they meet, and soon, they venture to a remote location outside a Slovak town, filled with Eastern European women. Everything seems too perfect, and although the duo senses something off, they try to savor the experience. However, they quickly discover they’ve walked into a terrifying trap. This movie, known for being particularly disturbing, features a significant amount of blood and brutality.

Information about Hostel

  • Title: Hostel
  • Director: Eli Roth
  • Cast: Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Eythor Gudjonsson
  • Release Year: 2005
  • Duration: 94 minutes
  • Country: United States
  • Genre: Horror, Thriller
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
  • Similar Movies: Saw (2004), The Cabin in the Woods (2011), Green Inferno (2013)
  • IMDb Link: Hostel on IMDb

2.Nymphomaniac

19 Disturbing Movies You Can’t Unsee: A Cautionary List - Nymphomaniac

The movie is about a woman named Joe who is found lying in an empty street and is rescued by an elderly stranger who takes her home. When Joe, a self-proclaimed nymphomaniac, begins to tell his life story from his childhood to his teenage years, the conversation between them takes a strange and unsettling turn. Banned in many countries, this production is considered one of the most disturbing movies due to its controversial content.

Information about Nymphomaniac

  • Title: Nymphomaniac
  • Director: Lars von Trier
  • Cast: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Shia LaBeouf, Jamie Bell
  • Release Year: 2013
  • Duration: 117 minutes (Vol. I), 124 minutes (Vol. II)
  • Country: Denmark
  • Genre: Drama
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: NC-17
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
  • Similar Movies: Antichrist (2009), Melancholia (2011), Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013)
  • IMDb Link: Nymphomaniac on IMDb

3.The Human Centipede

The Human Centipede

Two young American girls embark on a journey across Europe. One night in Germany, their car breaks down, leaving them stranded and helpless. They come across a nearby villa and seek shelter there, where they meet Doctor Josef Heiter. By morning, they find themselves trapped in a cellar alongside a Japanese tourist. From that moment on, all three are doomed to become victims of Doctor Heiter’s grotesque and twisted fantasy. This movie, which pushes the boundaries of disgust, ranks at the top of the list of disturbing movies.

Information about The Human Centipede

  • Title: The Human Centipede
  • Director: Tom Six
  • Cast: Dieter Laser, Ashley C. Williams, Akihiro Kitamura
  • Release Year: 2009
  • Duration: 100 minutes
  • Country: Netherlands
  • Genre: Horror, Thriller
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: NC-17
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 5.0/10
  • Similar Movies: Saw (2004), Hostel (2005), A Serbian Film (2010)
  • IMDb Link: The Human Centipede on IMDb

4.Cannibal Holocaust

Cannibal Holocaust

The movie has been banned in many countries due to its graphic depictions of violence, rape, and cannibalism. The story follows a group that ventures into the Amazon to movie a documentary. After losing contact with them, a second team is sent to investigate. Although they don’t find the original crew, they discover boxes containing the footage they had filmed. As they watch the recordings, they come face-to-face with the cannibalistic nature of a local tribe. This production, considered one of the most disturbing movies, even led to legal action against the director. He was forced to prove that the actors were alive, though he did, unfortunately, admit to the animal killings shown in the movie.

Information about Cannibal Holocaust

  • Title: Cannibal Holocaust
  • Director: Ruggero Deodato
  • Cast: Robert Kerman, Francesca Ciardi, Perry Pirkanen
  • Release Year: 1980
  • Duration: 96 minutes
  • Country: Italy
  • Genre: Horror, Adventure
  • Language: Italian (English subtitles available)
  • Age Rating: NC-17
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Shudder
  • IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
  • Similar Movies: The Green Inferno (2013), The Last House on the Left (1972), Faces of Death (1978)
  • IMDb Link: Cannibal Holocaust on IMDb

5.Srpski Film

Srpski Film

Milos is a retired porn star, having left the industry five years ago. In the meantime, he leads a happy life with his wife and son. That is, until his former colleague Lejla approaches him with an intriguing offer—a sum of money large enough to secure the financial future of Milos and his family. However, the details of the movie he is being asked to star in are kept hidden, shrouded in mystery. For Milos, who accepts the offer, it marks the beginning of unimaginable cruelty and chaos.

Information about Srpski Film

  • Title: Srpski Film
  • Director: Srdjan Spasojevic
  • Cast: Sergej Trifunovic, Jelena Gavrilovic, Miodrag Radonjic
  • Release Year: 2010
  • Duration: 104 minutes
  • Country: Serbia
  • Genre: Horror, Drama
  • Language: Serbian
  • Age Rating: NC-17
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Shudder
  • IMDb Rating: 5.3/10
  • Similar Movies: A Serbian Film (2010), The Human Centipede (2009), Antichrist (2009)
  • IMDb Link: Srpski Film on IMDb

6.Oldboy

Oldboy

The movie tells the revenge story of a man imprisoned for 15 years without any explanation. Oh Dae-Soo was kidnapped in front of his house on a rainy day and locked away in a miserable cell for 15 years. During his imprisonment, he learned from the television in his cell that his wife had been murdered, and his kidnappers framed Oh Dae-Soo for the crime. One day, without any explanation, he is suddenly released, and from that moment on, his hunt for revenge begins.

Information about Oldboy

  • Title: Oldboy
  • Director: Park Chan-wook
  • Cast: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung
  • Release Year: 2003
  • Duration: 120 minutes
  • Country: South Korea
  • Genre: Action, Mystery, Thriller
  • Language: Korean
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Tubi
  • IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
  • Similar Movies: The Man from Nowhere (2010), Memories of Murder (2003), The Chaser (2008)
  • IMDb Link: Oldboy on IMDb

7.Pink Flamingo

Pink Flamingo

In the movie, we follow Divine, a transvestite who has been dubbed by the media as the “World’s Most Disgusting Person.” Divine lives in a trailer near Baltimore with his partner Cotton, who has a voyeuristic obsession, his son Crackers, who harbors sadistic sexual desires, and his mentally ill mother. When Connie and Raymond Marble send feces to Divine and set his trailer on fire, a war between the two sides erupts. From this moment, each side begins to prove their superiority in increasingly grotesque ways. Now, both are prepared to showcase their most terrifying and extreme abilities.

Information about Pink Flamingos

  • Title: Pink Flamingos
  • Director: John Waters
  • Cast: Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce
  • Release Year: 1972
  • Duration: 109 minutes
  • Country: United States
  • Genre: Comedy, Crime, Musical
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: NC-17
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Criterion Channel
  • IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
  • Similar Movies: Female Trouble (1974), Desperate Living (1977), Hairspray (1988)
  • IMDb Link: Pink Flamingos on IMDb

8.Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma

Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma

The movie has always been highly controversial due to its extreme depictions of graphic violence and sadism, and is often described as the most disturbing movie ever made. It remains banned in many countries to this day. The events unfold in the fascist Italian Social Republic, also known as the “Republic of Salò,” a short-lived puppet state controlled by Nazi Germany in 1944. Four men, notorious fascists in Italy—Paolo Bonacelli, Giorgio Cataldi, Umberto Quintavalle, and Aldo Valetti—compile a list of victims. They kidnap nine boys and nine girls, aged 12-18, and bring them to a secluded area. There, the torture begins, lasting for 120 harrowing days. This production, firmly among the most disturbing movies, undoubtedly earns its reputation.

Information about Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma

  • Title: Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma
  • Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini
  • Cast: Aldo Valletti, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Tilda Thamar
  • Release Year: 1975
  • Duration: 117 minutes
  • Country: Italy
  • Genre: Drama, Horror
  • Language: Italian
  • Age Rating: NC-17
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Criterion Channel
  • IMDb Rating: 6.0/10
  • Similar Movies: The Night Porter (1974), A Clockwork Orange (1971), The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
  • IMDb Link: Salò on IMDb

9.Funny Games

Funny Games

Ann and George, a couple, head to their summer villa by the lake with their son for a short holiday. They hope to escape the exhaustion of city life and find some peace. However, their plans take a dark turn with the arrival of Peter and Paul. What begins as a peaceful getaway quickly descends into a violent nightmare, with no chance of escape.

Information about Funny Games

  • Title: Funny Games
  • Director: Michael Haneke
  • Cast: Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Mühe, Arno Frisch
  • Release Year: 1997
  • Duration: 108 minutes
  • Country: Austria
  • Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
  • Language: German
  • Age Rating: Not Rated
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Criterion Channel, Amazon Prime Video
  • IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
  • Similar Movies: The Strangers (2008), The Last House on the Left (1972), Martyrs (2008)
  • IMDb Link: Funny Games on IMDb

10.Eraserhead

Eraserhead

The movie follows the story of Henry Spencer, who discovers that the woman he is with, Mary, is pregnant. Despite his initial reservations, Henry agrees to marry Mary at the insistence of her mother and brings her to his home. When Mary gives birth, she delivers a non-human creature into the world. As time passes, Mary becomes increasingly overwhelmed by the child and eventually abandons Henry. He is left to navigate a harrowing ordeal on his own with the strange baby.

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Information about Eraserhead

  • Title: Eraserhead
  • Director: David Lynch
  • Cast: Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph
  • Release Year: 1977
  • Duration: 89 minutes
  • Country: United States
  • Genre: Drama, Horror
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: Not Rated
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Criterion Channel, Amazon Prime Video
  • IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
  • Similar Movies: Mulholland Drive (2001), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986)
  • IMDb Link: Eraserhead on IMDb

11.Crash

Crash

The movie explores the lives of a married couple whose world is dramatically altered by a traffic accident. Their lives take unexpected turns as they form new and complex relationships with the people they encounter. The movie stirred controversy at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, garnering both positive and negative reviews.

Information about Crash

  • Title: Crash
  • Director: David Cronenberg
  • Cast: James Spader, Holly Hunter, Elias Koteas
  • Release Year: 1996
  • Duration: 100 minutes
  • Country: Canada
  • Genre: Drama, Thriller
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: NC-17
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Criterion Channel, Amazon Prime Video
  • IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
  • Similar Movies: Dead Ringers (1988), Videodrome (1983), The Fly (1986)
  • IMDb Link: Crash on IMDb

12.Antichrist

Antichrist

The movie focuses on the events that follow the suicide of a child who witnessed his parents having sex. The couple, who are hopelessly grieving over the incident, retreat to a forest cabin away from everything and everyone. The father, a psychologist, tries to help his wife, but her wife is severely depressed. Unfortunately, the forest cabin will not make things easier. Over time, it will cause everything to get worse and pave the way for strange events.

Information about Antichrist

  • Title: Antichrist
  • Director: Lars von Trier
  • Cast: Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg
  • Release Year: 2009
  • Duration: 108 minutes
  • Country: Denmark, Sweden, France
  • Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
  • Language: Danish, English
  • Age Rating: NC-17
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
  • Similar Movies: Melancholia (2011), The House That Jack Built (2018), Eraserhead (1977)
  • IMDb Link: Antichrist on IMDb

13.Martyrs

Martyrs

The movie, set in France in the early 1970s, grabs the audience’s attention immediately by depicting a young girl named Lucie, who escapes from an old slaughterhouse, her body covered in blood. Lucie, having been held captive and subjected to both physical and psychological abuse, struggles to escape the trauma of her experiences even after being placed in an orphanage. She only communicates with another girl named Anne. The story then jumps forward fifteen years to the doorstep of a seemingly normal family. Lucie massacres the entire family, marking the beginning of a movie filled with intense blood and violence.

Information about Martyrs

  • Title: Martyrs
  • Director: Pascal Laugier
  • Cast: Mylène Jampanoï, Morjana Alaoui, Catherine Bégin
  • Release Year: 2008
  • Duration: 99 minutes
  • Country: France
  • Genre: Horror, Thriller
  • Language: French
  • Age Rating: Unrated
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
  • Similar Movies: Inside (2007), High Tension (2003), Them (2006)
  • IMDb Link: Martyrs on IMDb

14.Freaks

Freaks

The production, classified among disturbing movies, centers on freaks working in a circus. Cleopatra, a beautiful trapeze artist, is in love with Hercules, the circus’s strongman. However, Hans, a dwarf who is also one of the circus’s freaks, is infatuated with Cleopatra. When Hans inherits a fortune, Cleopatra devises a plan with Hercules to marry Hans, only to murder him and claim the inheritance. Cleopatra successfully marries Hans, but he soon discovers their scheme and reveals it to the other freaks. From this point, the tension in the movie escalates dramatically. What sets this movie apart is its use of real freaks working in the circus, rather than actors made to look like freaks through make-up.

Information about Freaks

  • Title: Freaks
  • Director: Tod Browning
  • Cast: Wallace Ford, Leila Hyams, Olga Baclanova
  • Release Year: 1932
  • Duration: 64 minutes
  • Country: United States
  • Genre: Drama, Horror
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: Unrated
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
  • Similar Movies: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), The Elephant Man (1980), The Shape of Water (2017)
  • IMDb Link: Freaks on IMDb

15.Faces of Death

Faces of Death

The movie is banned in exactly 46 countries. Presented in a documentary-style, it comprises amateur footage and is included in the list of disturbing movies. The production is a compilation of eight real death scenes, making it a highly controversial and unsettling viewing experience.

Information about Faces of Death

  • Title: Faces of Death
  • Director: John Alan Schwartz
  • Cast: Michael Carr, Sara Barnes, David F. Friedman
  • Release Year: 1978
  • Duration: 108 minutes
  • Country: United States
  • Genre: Documentary, Horror
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 5.6/10
  • Similar Movies: 2 Girls 1 Cup (2007), The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007), Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
  • IMDb Link: Faces of Death on IMDb

16.Hard Candy

Hard Candy

The movie is about two people who meet online. After three weeks of talking online, 32-year-old Jeff Kohlver and 14-year-old Hayley Stark decide to meet at a café called Nighthawks. Despite the age difference, Hayley flirts with Jeff and convinces him to take her home, where she spikes his drink and begins torturing him with a game of cat and mouse.

Information about Hard Candy

  • Title: Hard Candy
  • Director: David Slade
  • Cast: Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson, Sandra Oh
  • Release Year: 2005
  • Duration: 104 minutes
  • Country: United States
  • Genre: Drama, Thriller
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
  • Similar Movies: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Chloe (2009), Gone Girl (2014)
  • IMDb Link: Hard Candy on IMDb

17.Ôdishon / Audition

Ôdishon / Audition

Aoyoma has been single since his wife passed away seven years ago and has not dated anyone since. His best friend, a TV producer, is concerned about his situation and decides to help. He organizes an audition to find a suitable wife for Aoyoma. On the day of the selection, Aoyoma is surprised by the candidates, especially by Asami, the last one. Despite not being interested in anyone until this point, Aoyoma is intrigued by Asami. However, he soon uncovers strange details about her past.

Information about Ôdishon

  • Title: Ôdishon
  • Director: Takashi Miike
  • Cast: Ryuhei Matsuda, Eihi Shiina, Taro Yamamoto
  • Release Year: 1999
  • Duration: 101 minutes
  • Country: Japan
  • Genre: Horror, Thriller
  • Language: Japanese
  • Age Rating: Not Rated
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
  • Similar Movies: Audition (2000), Ichi the Killer (2001), Ringu (1998)
  • IMDb Link: Ôdishon on IMDb

18.The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

The production, classified among disturbing movies, introduces us to Leatherface. Five friends—Sally, Jerry, Franklin, Kirk, and Pam—embark on a road trip through Texas. During their journey, they pick up a hitchhiker they encounter on the road. The hitchhiker quickly begins to act erratically, pulling out a pocket knife and cutting his hand. The situation escalates when the hitchhiker stabs their friend Franklin. Fearing for their safety, the group ejects him from the car. From this point on, the friends are plunged into a series of terrifying events.

Information about The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

  • Title: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
  • Director: Tobe Hooper
  • Cast: Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain
  • Release Year: 1974
  • Duration: 83 minutes
  • Country: United States
  • Genre: Horror
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
  • Similar Movies: Halloween (1978), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), Psycho (1960)
  • IMDb Link: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on IMDb

19.Kynodontas

Kynodontas

The movie explores the lives of a mother, father, and their three teenage children living in isolation outside the city. This family, cut off from the outside world, homeschools their children. The only member allowed to leave the house is the father, who goes to work and manages the household’s needs. The children are informed that they may only leave the house if one of their canine teeth falls out.

Information about Kynodontas (Dogtooth)

  • Title: Kynodontas (Dogtooth)
  • Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
  • Cast: Angeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Christos Stergioglou, Michelle Valley
  • Release Year: 2009
  • Duration: 96 minutes
  • Country: Greece
  • Genre: Drama, Thriller
  • Language: Greek
  • Age Rating: Not Rated
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video
  • IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
  • Similar Movies: The Lobster (2015), The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), The Favourite (2018)
  • IMDb Link: Kynodontas on IMDb

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