As to horror films, I'm not that easily disturbed, but one that got under my skin quite a bit was the original version of The Vanishing. There's not a lick of gore in it, but I've always been psychologically squeamish about the horror conceit that ends up being its central premise, and the movie is just so fascinatingly clinical and matter of fact about it (though something about the mirroring of the car headlights against the lovers' lighters in the end gave it a poetic, tragically predestined flourish). Irreversible was definitely unsettling as well. I was expecting the rape scene and prepared for that, although it's still a doozy; but what caught me off guard was the entire opening sequence (it begins with the frenetic and nearly-botched revenge).

For pure entertainment horror, I remain rather fond of the popcorn-friendly and bloodless Poltergeist. For disturbing/torture based horror, I guess the best that comes to mind is Audition, though it isn't a genre I watch a lot of. I also liked the way the first Hostel was structured, but the actors are badly chosen. Saw was kind of fun. Comedy-horror, Dead Alive and Evil Dead 2, probably.

K

Yeah, I prefer mood over gore, as well.

The rapes are certainly ferocious, though that's not quite the way I would put it.

But SPIT fails because it isn't about anything more than merely showing rape. It's showing it in a forcefully non-erotic way, but it's just showing it. It has virtually no plot and what it does have becomes increasingly ludicrous in the final third of the film. What exactly WAS Jennifer's plan to deal with the final two rapists? There's more characterization to the movie than initial critics gave it credit for, but it's all in service to the rape scenes. It's also hard to credit Zarchi's intent or technique because while sometimes he appears to be doing something purposeful, other times he's doing the same thing for no apparent reason.

The critics were somewhat unfair to SPIT in that I don't think it's as nihilistic as they took it. But there's no reason why a normal person shouldn't have taken it that way in 1978, because there's no story to grab onto and give the horrific violence some context.

Mike

I found LAST HOUSE far more unsettling than SPIT. You can feel Wes Craven's anger just radiating off that movie.

Mike

You might want to try Vacancy for a spin on the genre that emphasizes suspense over repulsion.

Mike

I don't think I've heard of Vacancy.

I watched ANTICHRIST tonight. That was a good horror flick. I can't really make heads or tails of it, all said and done -- like other Von Trier I've seen, it seems maybe a trifle too pretentious for its own good -- but, I enjoyed it plenty all the same. It's very graphic but beautifully shot, with excellent music/sound that reminded me somewhat of Lynch.

K

Sure it is. For one, it's about the pollution of sexuality with violence.

I agree. As best I can tell, Antichrist's point is that women are evil.

I thought the whole Dogma thing was stupid, but maybe von Trier was just joking around and taken to be serious?

Dancer in the Dark was awful.

I'd still like to see Antichrist, and Melancholia sounds interesting, kinda...

It's been ten years since I saw DitD, but I still distinctly remember how well the musical numbers worked into the narrative. Probably the best musical ever, in terms of the songs not feeling like they stopped the show. The American actor I wasn't too impressed with, but Bjork did a great job.