Dear Cinephiles, Looking for Disturbing Asian Films

[TheMagicMushroomMan]

I'm looking for disturbing Japanese/South Korean films to watch with my grandmother. So far we have seen a good majority of Takashi Miike's work: Audition, Ichi the Killer, Visitor Q, Lesson of the Evil, etc.

Films focusing on atmosphere such as Cure, Pulse, and The Wailing are also enjoyable. I'm not looking for "mainstream" J-Horror such as Ring. What are some of the weirdest, disturbing, violent and surreal Asian films you have seen?

Edited February 8, 2022 by TheMagicMushroomMan

[roadworx]

the guinea pig series? they're not exactly good, but they're notoriously disturbing and violent

[TheMagicMushroomMan]

Just now, roadworx said:

the guinea pig series? they're not exactly good, but they're notoriously disturbing and violent

*gasp* roadworx, there is a limit to what I can show my grandmother!

 

Haha, that is indeed a good recommendation, and the whole Charlie Sheen story is pretty funny, but that series (besides maybe Mermaid in a Manhole) is just something I'm not really interested in, with the whole film being nothing but an autopsy pretty much (although with admittedly great special effects). Have you actually ever watched any of them?

[roadworx]

22 minutes ago, TheMagicMushroomMan said:

*gasp* roadworx, there is a limit to what I can show my grandmother!

 

Haha, that is indeed a good recommendation, and the whole Charlie Sheen story is pretty funny, but that series (besides maybe Mermaid in a Manhole) is just something I'm not really interested in, with the whole film being nothing but an autopsy pretty much (although with admittedly great special effects). Have you actually ever watched any of them?

i've never watched them, no; it's never really captured my interest either, tbh. i just find weird exploitation films fascinating is all, and japan has those by the truckload

 

as for actual good movies, maybe you could try watching tetsuo: the iron man? i've heard great things about it, it's like a japanese eraserhead apparently - might be a bit *too* weird tho for a grandma

Edited February 8, 2022 by roadworx

[LadyMistDragon]

964 Pinocchio, Tokyo Gore Police, Machine Girl, Meatball Machine, Junk. I haven't really seen all that many :p)

 

Edited February 9, 2022 by LadyMistDragon

[BGreener]

On 2/8/2022 at 10:15 AM, roadworx said:

as for actual good movies, maybe you could try watching tetsuo: the iron man? i've heard great things about it, it's like a japanese eraserhead apparently - might be a bit *too* weird tho for a grandma

Oh my goodness, it’s a “Japanese Eraserhead” if horrorphile Cronenberg was involved with production…! It has one of the hardest starts I’ve seen to a movie.

 

I love it terribly, as a “Stroggaboo” it’s right up my alley with its industrial body horror.

[luke11685]

Battle Royale,Squid Game...etc.?

[roadworx]

1 hour ago, BGrieber said:

Oh my goodness, it’s a “Japanese Eraserhead” if horrorphile Cronenberg was involved with production…! It has one of the hardest starts I’ve seen to a movie.

 

I love it terribly, as a “Stroggaboo” it’s right up my alley with its industrial body horror.

i actually went and watched it right after making that post, and yeah, it was actually pretty good. it was definitely a bit confusing, but you start to piece everything together near the end. i have to say, for such a low budget they really did a great job; you can tell the people involved were incredibly good at what they were doing given the lack of resources. especially the cinematography, the black and white does a great job of helping the makeup effects look more real, and the shots themselves are fantastic and help add to the nightmarish, disorientating feel of it all

 

and yeah, the first 15 minutes is absolutely nutty af, i love it lol

Edited February 9, 2022 by roadworx

[Naarok0fkor]

Zatoichi...

[Roofi]

Watch the two japanese movies inspired by Junko Furuta's murder case. Concrete released in 2004 and another one from 1995 which I don't remember the name ("Schoolgirl in cement" something like that)

 

Just reading the real story on wikipedia is more disturbing than any horror movie

Edited February 9, 2022 by Roofi

[Endless]

I fucking hate the exploitation/torture porn films, I don't see them as disturbing, but disgusting. Leaving that aside, j-horror (and asian horror) is one of my favorite genres and they have some of the best stories. For some disturbing horror films, I'd say:

• Noroi
• Tetsuo: The Iron Man
• Suicide Club
• Shutter
• Audition
• Dark Water
• The Eye

Also, while The Ring became mainstream, it still is a classic. The original has all the atmosphere and vibe that any other j-horror movie has.

[Dusty_Rhodes]

47 minutes ago, Roofi said:

Watch the two japanese movies inspired by Junko Furuta's murder case. Concrete released in 2004 and another one from 1995 which I don't remember the name ("Schoolgirl in cement" something like that)

 

Just reading the real story on wikipedia is more disturbing than any horror movie

Yeah I feel a bit ill now. Just awful.

[Arrowhead]

Does Parasite count? Great South Korean film.

[TheMagicMushroomMan]

Thanks for the replies!

 

On 2/8/2022 at 10:15 AM, roadworx said:

i've never watched them, no; it's never really captured my interest either, tbh. i just find weird exploitation films fascinating is all, and japan has those by the truckload

 

as for actual good movies, maybe you could try watching tetsuo: the iron man? i've heard great things about it, it's like a japanese eraserhead apparently - might be a bit *too* weird tho for a grandma

That's one I haven't got around to yet for some reason - but we did see Tokyo Fist by the same director, which is a little bit like Rocky's nightmares combined with Eraserhead combined with other weird stuff, some of it similar to Tetsuo (like a woman who becomes obsessed with putting pieces of metal inside her body, obsession with perfecting the body, etc.). Things like that are fine, I just don't care for stuff like Guinea Pig, or those fake low-budget "snuff" films like August Underground.

 

7 hours ago, luke11685 said:

Battle Royale,Squid Game...etc.?

Battle Royale is an entertaining movie, but I never found it to be disturbing, too silly and self-aware like a Tarantino film. Which is why he likes it, I guess. Haven't checked out Squid Game yet.

 

5 hours ago, Naarok0fkor said:

Zatoichi...

My favorite Japanese series of all time. I love the originals with Katsu so much that I rewatched them all when Criterion rereleased them. I wish Kitano would have directed/played in more than one film.

 

5 hours ago, Endless said:

I fucking hate the exploitation/torture porn films, I don't see them as disturbing, but disgusting. Leaving that aside, j-horror (and asian horror) is one of my favorite genres and they have some of the best stories. For some disturbing horror films, I'd say:

• Noroi
• Tetsuo: The Iron Man
• Suicide Club
• Shutter
• Audition
• Dark Water
• The Eye

Also, while The Ring became mainstream, it still is a classic. The original has all the atmosphere and vibe that any other j-horror movie has.

Those are great recommendations, I have Noroi and Suicide Club on my list but never got around to them. The Ring is great, the only reason I asked for no mainstream movies is because people always recommend Ring and BR every time.

 

3 hours ago, Arrowhead said:

Does Parasite count? Great South Korean film.

Parasite does count but I've seen it lol. Song Kang-Ho played in a lot of great South Korean movies. It took too long for America to acknowledge Korean cinema.

 

Edit: also thanks LadyMistDragon and Roofi, I missed your comments. I'll check those movies out too since I'm not familiar with them, so good recommendations.

Edited February 10, 2022 by TheMagicMushroomMan

[Snark]

I have nothing to add to the previous lists, as far as asian movies go. However, if you wish to expand to the european , I highly suggest a film called "Grave" (in french), "RAW" (in english). Gritty societal cronenbergian feel with a touch of very dark, and bloody, humor.

[Dark Pulse]

Not Japanese (but it is Golden Harvest goodness!), but it is based on a Japanese property:

 

 

If I told you how this movie ended, you'd probably not believe me. @vyruss and I had a running gag for years where we'd quote random lines at each other.

 

Let's test his memory, since I was nice enough to ping him: "Someone gave me thirty pounds of rice to finish you, and turn you into mincemeat, and put you in a pie."

[TheMagicMushroomMan]

3 minutes ago, Dark Pulse said:

Not Japanese (but it is Golden Harvest goodness!), but it is based on a Japanese property:

 

 

I actually think you recommended this one to me before, when I was talking about Ichi the Killer. I'm adding it to a list this time so I won't forget. I've read reviews of the film before, but I can't recall any other details besides holes being punched through people.

[Dark Pulse]

1 minute ago, TheMagicMushroomMan said:

I actually think you recommended this one to me before, when I was talking about Ichi the Killer. I'm adding it to a list this time so I won't forget. I've read reviews of the film before, but I can't recall any other details besides holes being punched through people.

That's probably for the best. Try not to spoil yourself, it's way more fun if you don't know what's coming. :)

[The BMFG]

27 minutes ago, Dark Pulse said:

Not Japanese (but it is Golden Harvest goodness!), but it is based on a Japanese property:

 

 

If I told you how this movie ended, you'd probably not believe me. @vyruss and I had a running gag for years where we'd quote random lines at each other.

 

Let's test his memory, since I was nice enough to ping him: "Someone gave me thirty pounds of rice to finish you, and turn you into mincemeat, and put you in a pie."

i remember seeing justin whang review this movie. crazy shit lol

[Thelokk]

The 'Three Extremes..." anthology is also pretty good. Fuit Chan's entry is particularly disturbing in my opinion. 

[luke11685]

Ghost in the Shell anime series,New Genesis Evangelion,Akira,Attack of the Titans,Kill La Kill,Dragon Ball Z(hentai Master Roshi-it would be very problematic if it would be made today),Sonic X(4Kids censorship looked like they removed Rouge the Bat's breats speaking of her breasts covered by her cartoony heart waist),Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney live-action movie,F-Zero as anime(discovered by me by thanks to YouTube Poops,Kirby anime.

Edited February 10, 2022 by luke11685

[dyshoria]

15 hours ago, luke11685 said:

Squid Game

squid game isnt very disturbing

[ChopBlock223]

I've heard Men Behind The Sun is supposed to be greatly disgusting and disturbing, being based on the Imperial Japanese Unit 731 and the unspeakable horrors they visited on the occupied Chinese population. I guess imagine an entire organization of Josef Mengeles, if you didn't know of them, they got away unpunished as well, which makes it yet more fucked.

 

Interesting grandma you have there, by the way.

[vyruss]

7 hours ago, Dark Pulse said:

Not Japanese (but it is Golden Harvest goodness!), but it is based on a Japanese property:

 

 

If I told you how this movie ended, you'd probably not believe me. @vyruss and I had a running gag for years where we'd quote random lines at each other.

 

Let's test his memory, since I was nice enough to ping him: "Someone gave me thirty pounds of rice to finish you, and turn you into mincemeat, and put you in a pie."

Think you can do it?

[luke11685]

-Jojo's Bizarre Adventure(Adult Swim),

-Beastars,

-Death Note anime,

-Kill A Kill,

-Pokemon anime series,

-Sonic OVA.

Edited February 10, 2022 by luke11685

[esselfortium]

On 2/8/2022 at 9:41 AM, TheMagicMushroomMan said:

What are some of the weirdest, disturbing, violent and surreal Asian films you have seen?

Seems like a few people are using this thread as an excuse to just post any Asian media they like...

[BladeWolf]

Well, my English class just watched the movie Rashomon, it's not necessarily disturbing however, but it'd be an interesting watch!

[Poncho1]

Shinya Tsukamoto's films should be worth checking out. Very bizarre atmosphere in most of his stuff.

[i suck at nicknames]

Anything by Park Chan-wook. 

 

Oldboy (freaking love this one), Thirst, The Handmaiden (my personal fave of the bunch), Mr. Vengeance (or sth like this).......fantastic takes on the horror genre. 

[i suck at nicknames]

To add......uhhh I dont think any horror-themed anime comes to mind besides some Satoshi Kon works like Perfect Blue and to an extent Paranoia Agent.

Neon Genesis Evagelion also comes to mind. 

Im lost beyond that.