Earlier this week we reported on a new horror TV show that is apparently so scary that some viewers are allegedly finding it difficult to finish it. This really caught our attention because it isn’t often that you hear of a work of horror having such an intense impact on people.
We at The Pit love horror, and this recent news got us thinking about something… What are the most fucked up horror movies? We don’t just mean horror movies that are scary and have creepy imagery – we mean films that have the power to utterly disturb and terrify audiences.
After thinking about this for a while, we went ahead and compiled a list of the 10 most fucked up horror movies of all time. These movies are, without a doubt, pure horror.
A note regarding the following trailers – please keep a content warning in mind for violent, gruesome, and gory imagery. Also, given the extremity of these films, you may want to research them a little prior to watching them, for they do contain very explicit content to various degrees.
Martyrs (2008)
It’s really difficult to talk about the story of Martyrs without spoiling it; what we will share is that it starts out as a revenge tale, but then ultimately turns into something far more hauntingly existential. Martyrs is a film that is part of “The New Wave of French Extremity” – these are movies that have been created by French filmmakers that depict violence and violent subject matter to explore a plethora of themes. Martyrs is a hell of an experience and is one of the most chilling works of art in horror movie history.
Inside
Here’s a little thought experiment for you: You’re pregnant, and one night while you’re all alone in your home, a woman comes up to your door and says she wants your baby – and she plans on getting it out of you no matter what. That is the premise of Inside. For the majority of the film’s runtime, Inside is a constant minute-to-minute tension-fueled whirlwind of chaos.
High Tension
Alongside Martyrs and Inside, another film we have to shout out from The New Wave of French Extremity is High Tension. What was meant to be a chill trip between two friends ends up becoming a bloodbath when a random killer appears one night. A heartbreaking and extreme cinematic experience throughout, High Tension throws audiences for a loop (especially considering its shocking twist).
The Sadness
2021’s The Sadness is a virus movie that has one hell of a disturbing twist: What if you got infected with a zombie-like virus that didn’t turn you into the undead or take away your sense of awareness, but intensified your need for constant dopamine rushes, pushing you to enact fucking horrible things onto others? That is The Sadness, and it is by far one of the goriest movies to come out in some time
Cannibal Holocaust
When it comes to shocking and extreme horror movies, Cannibal Holocaust is one of the most infamous. Primarily focusing on a film crew’s trip into the Amazon rainforest, Cannibal Holocaust is a deeply uncomfortable venture into cruelty and violence. People were greatly appalled by this movie upon its release, with some claiming it was a snuff film (the director even had to arrive in court to defend himself).
Funny Games (the original German film and the American remake)
A family’s peaceful vacation is interrupted when two young men stumble upon their home – the young men come off friendly at first, but there is something far more sinister at play. Though the film contains several moments of violence and bloodshed, Funny Games makes this list because of how profoundly cruel of an experience it is.
Human Centipede 2
The first Human Centipede revolted, shocked, and captivated audiences worldwide, and when it comes to the sequel, Human Centipede 2 doubles down big time. Along with being an extremely distasteful work of body horror, Human Centipede 2 is also a disturbing as-hell work of psychological horror.
The Poughkeepsie Tapes
The Poughkeepsie Tapes is a mockumentary horror film that follows the actions of one killer. But this isn’t your typical serial killer narrative, for through the film’s mockumentary approach, The Poughkeepsie Tapes comes across like a snuff film – portraying some of the most vile and upsetting torture scenes that have ever been shown in a horror movie.
Audition
Audition is an astounding work of psychological horror. This Japanese horror film follows an older man who is looking to get back into dating; he ends up holding an “audition” to find a new partner and meets a lovely young woman. This woman has a dark secret though – one that reveals itself through horrific torture scenes and psychological manipulation.
A Serbian Film
Among all the films on this list, A Serbian Film may be the most controversial horror movie here; in fact, many consider it one of the most controversial horror movies of all time. You’ll notice we haven’t included a trailer for this section, and that’s because even the little the trailer has to show is far too graphic and upsetting. What we will say about A Serbian Film is that it involves a retired porn star who is asked to work on a porno flick that involves an array of evil acts. While every horror movie on this list comes with a big content warning, this one comes with an extreme content warning.