Is Requiem for a Dream the Most Depressing Movie Ever?

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The discussion centers around the emotional impact of various films, particularly those deemed depressing or disturbing. "Requiem for a Dream" is frequently mentioned as a profoundly unsettling film that evokes feelings of despair, with several participants expressing a reluctance to watch it again despite its artistic merit. Other films like "Das Boot," "Amadeus," and "Charlie" (based on "Flowers for Algernon") are also highlighted for their heavy emotional weight. The conversation touches on the subjective nature of film experiences, with some participants preferring lighter genres like comedies and adventures, while others appreciate the depth of darker narratives. David Lynch's "Eraserhead" is noted for its disturbing qualities, and discussions about the Holocaust in films like "Schindler's List" lead to debates about the portrayal of historical events in cinema. Overall, the thread reflects a diverse range of opinions on how films can evoke strong emotional responses, whether through sadness, discomfort, or introspection.
  • #31
schindlers list, they should force everyone to watch this movie!
 
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  • #32
Anttech said:
schindlers list, they should force everyone to watch this movie!

WW2 nazi themes are incredibly boring, but it's a matter of taste I guess.

Oh yes, and I'd like to add The Thin Red Line.
 
  • #33
radou said:
WW2 nazi themes are incredibly boring, but it's a matter of taste I guess.

Oh yes, and I'd like to add The Thin Red Line.
Glad you find the holocaust "boring"
Its actually a movie with a purpose, unlike most of the drivel that comes out of Hollywood these days.

The Thin Red Line is a good movie so you are forgiven..
 
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  • #34
Anttech said:
Glad you find the holocaust "boring"
Its actually a movie with a purpose, unlike most of the drivel that comes out of Hollywood these days.

The holocaust itself isn't something that can be boring or not, so what you said doesn't make any sense, and I didn't say such a thing at all. :smile:

It's only my opinion that holocaust related movies are boring.

Although, I intend to watch "Der Untergang", it's supposed to be a really good movie.


Anttech said:
The Thin Red Line is a good movie so you are forgiven..

Am I? Aww, how nice of you.. :biggrin:
 
  • #35
The holocaust itself isn't something that can be boring or not, so what you said doesn't make any sense, and I didn't say such a thing at all.
No that doesn't make sense. The holocaust is an event, which could be deemed to be a boring (not interesting) event. You didnt say it, but pointing towards something and going "boring", is 9/10 the law so to speak, perhaps I misunderstood you.
It's only my opinion that holocaust related movies are boring.
History can also be boring, but this thread is about depressing films. What happened to the characters in the Schindlers list (based on true events) Is very depressing. So your opinion of the film about this historical event is rather crude. It would probably be better if you were to say, you find the way the holocaust was depicted in that particular movie boring, but not the gender and thus indirectly the event, because that my friend wouldn't be a "clever" thing to say.

Anyway I believe everyone should see that film once, so as to understand what these people went through, and try to stop this sort of thing happening again.

I can't believe I envoked goodwin in a thread about films!:-p
 
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  • #36
I hope you've seen it. I too find WW2/holocaust movies to be boring, and usually cliche or needlessly melodramatic (as if what was happening wasn't dramatic enough!). I don't like war movies in general actually. But schindler's list is one of the few exceptions, if you haven't seen it you might find it to be an exception too... Chaplin's dictator is also great.

I also tend to find sports movies horrendously boring, the only exception being cinderella man, which would also fit in this list of depressing movies... so few people have seen it and it's just GREAT.


Anttech said:
So your opinion of the film about this historical event is rather crude. It would probably be better if you were to say, you find the way the holocaust was depicted in that particular movie boring, but not the gender and thus indirectly the event, because that my friend wouldn't be a "clever" thing to say.


O, come on, give the guy a break, you can't be that picky with your words... I think we all know what he meant :smile: .
 
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  • #37
Anttech said:
So your opinion of the film about this historical event is rather crude. It would probably be better if you were to say, you find the way the holocaust was depicted in that particular movie boring,

I'm afraid I can't do that, since I haven't seen the movie. :smile:

Anttech said:
but not the gender and thus indirectly the event, because that my friend wouldn't be a "clever" thing to say.

Indirectly the event? Again, I disagree.

My opinion about the holocaust is the same as the opinion of every sane and normal person, if that's what's bothering you. :rolleyes:

So, I only find holocaust related movies boring, that's all. Perhaps because I've seen a lot of them.
 
  • #38
I'm afraid I can't do that, since I haven't seen the movie.
Ok then you are an enigma, first you quote me saying a movie I said is depressing is part of a gender you think is boring, then you go to add another war type movie.. then you say you haven't actually seen the film I am talking about, but you have seen lots of holocaust related movies, there arent even that many, 2 I can think of...

My opinion about the holocaust is the same as the opinion of every sane and normal person, if that's what's bothering you.
Nah that's not bothering me...Its your opinion not mine :smile:

Great stuff!
 
  • #39
C'mon guys, let's not argue about this! (even though radou's post explicitly says that he finds WW2 nazi themed films boring-- i don't see how that has been taken to mean that he is completely uninterested by the event of the holocaust?!)

Anyway, I happen to like Schindler's list. I remember we had to watch it in our weekly compulsary religious and cultural studies lesson (or whatever the class was called) at school. That film, coupled with a forgetful teacher who never remembered where we upto in the film each lesson saved me from about 6 weeks of work!
 
  • #40
Anttech said:
Ok then you are an enigma, first you quote me saying a movie I said is depressing is part of a gender you think is boring, then you go to add another war type movie..

I didn't say WW2 films are boring. I was specific about a certain type of WW2 film, that's all. End of discussion? :smile:
 
  • #41
AaliyahBlack said:
The most depressing movie for me was " Starwars ep 3 " that is the ONLY movie I have ever had to sit through, after the 1st 10 mins, I was BEGGING for it to end...

Talking about begging for a movie to end.

http://www.nick.com/all_nick/movies/spongebob/
 
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  • #42
morphism said:
You should watch The Fountain, also an Aronofsky film. It's both strange and depressing -- but brilliant.

Das Boot and Amadeus are also very depressing movies.


really good movies
 
  • #43
radou said:
I didn't say WW2 films are boring. I was specific about a certain type of WW2 film, that's all. End of discussion? :smile:
Yup :approve:
 
  • #44
Pink Floyd the Wall movie was very depressing, lots of pain and suffering.

I like the music though.
 
  • #45
I also ALWAYS cry at this very specific line of "magnolia"... I know it's coming when he's about to say and I can't help it... horrible
 
  • #46
Which line of magnolia?
 
  • #47
um... well it's this thing the Donnie Smith character says to the police officer right after the frogs fall, it's such a horrible sad statement to make...

I was watching the movie with my friends and I was telling myself "don't get choked up, don't get choked up"— but I had to leave the room saying I had to pee because I knew I would start crying with that line; gets me every time.. it's embarrassing really.

If you watch that scene there's no mistaking what line I'm talking about... when I saw that movie for the first time I was in a relatable situation and every time he says that it puts me back in that place... not to mention it's a great (ly depressing) line to begin with. ... I tend to get emo with movies anyway, but I can usually hold it.
 
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  • #48
The disturbing award in my opinion goes to Eraserhead. But in a way it's really well done, it makes me feel like i just had a bad dream.
 
  • #49
DeadWolfe said:
Has got to be Requiem for a Dream. Every time I watch this movie it makes me want to die.

Does it really make you want to die i like to watch tehse movies a really enjoy them the ones that hold a true depressing powerful message but they do not make me want to die they make me feel empty as if somthing is missing that always has been and there's no point in life without this thing but really you'll never find it because were here just to be here there is nothign special about anything living example if there was nothing there would be nothing to worry about were here so what changes there's still nothign to worry about i get that kind of a feeling from those movies but i do really enjoy them and this feeling.
 
  • #50
million dollar baby was very depressing to me.
 
  • #51
Vincent_Rayne said:
Does it really make you want to die i like to watch tehse movies a really enjoy them the ones that hold a true depressing powerful message but they do not make me want to die they make me feel empty as if somthing is missing that always has been and there's no point in life without this thing but really you'll never find it because were here just to be here there is nothign special about anything living example if there was nothing there would be nothing to worry about were here so what changes there's still nothign to worry about i get that kind of a feeling from those movies but i do really enjoy them and this feeling.

Running short on periods and commas

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I don't like to watch depressing movies like on wars (Schindler's List). But I do enjoy watching melodic movies even one that have sad endings. Sometimes, the narrators use really stupid techniques to make happy endings (like hero defeating the antagonist/challenges even when he had no odds of doing that). I really avoid those movies which give an unreal touch in the end just to make you happy.
 
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  • #52
"When the Wind blows" That movie will make you want to blow your brains out.

But Requiem for a Dream is definitely the most intense movie I've ever seen.
 
  • #53
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114119/ - "A Petal" (South Korea), the opening soundtrack makes me cry! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62M4VkR3Y10&fmt=

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408664/ - "Nobody Knows" (Japan), just plain depressing and sad. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMP0KDKLwxw&fmt= (stupid American voice-over/trailer unfortunately)

These are both fabulous movies (of course)... also both based on true events! Anyone who is looking for real tear-jerker emotional "human drama" sort of thing, you can't go wrong with South Korean cinema. I could list heaps more. It's all happening in Asia.

"Secret Sunshine" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0817225/ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4NH0dsXzug&fmt=
"Happiness" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1048159/ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fiy_4I30Iv4&fmt=
"A Moment To Remember" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0428870/ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XbbiHLmBCo&fmt=
"Christmas In August" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0140825/ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it9_6ILTXqk&fmt=

If anyone is genuinely interested in this sort of top-shelf cinema, you may be able to find a subtitled DVD here or there to buy, or otherwise you may want to visit the awesome collector site asiandvdclub.org for advice.

(Don't let the cheesy trailer soundtracks turn you off! This is top-notch cinema, give it a go! It SHxTS on Hollywood CRxP!)
 
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  • #54
A really depressing movie is "Oscar et la Dame Rose" if you can follow subtitles. By the end of this movie, my basement was flooded from me crying.
 
  • #55
turbo-1 said:
Most depressing for me was Charlie. It's based on the story "Flowers for Algernon" and it is heart-rending.

That is my second favourite movie (after "Birds of Prey"), and my favourite short story/novel (it was expanded).
I read only the first page of this thread, and even at that point there were a lot of films mentioned that I've never heard of. I'll try to catch up later.
The most depressing to me, going only by ones that I've watched, was "Blade Runner". As an Atheist with no belief in an afterlife, Roy Batty's desperation to remain alive tore me apart. I couldn't watch it again, or even think about it, for 20 years. Now that I've come to terms with the fact that I have less than a year to go, I would watch it again for the production values (and to see Joanna Cassidy naked). It was a brilliant movie, based upon a brilliant novel ("Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"), but it really hurt.
 
  • #56
Danger said:
The most depressing to me, going only by ones that I've watched, was "Blade Runner". As an Atheist with no belief in an afterlife, Roy Batty's desperation to remain alive tore me apart.
Worlds. Best. Quote.
 
  • #57
Empire of the Sun somebody mentioned yesterday. Very, very sad movie. No wonder that kid grew up to be The Dark Knight.


Bicentennial Man, I've liked a lot; but it's another depressing flick. A lot of Robin Williams' movies are like that.


I would have to say though, that my favorite sad ending movie of all time is Ragtime. I just feel a strong connection to that movie. It's a visual aid of sorts to a lot of stories my grandparents retold of my great-grandparents generation. I knew my great-grandmother (she lived to be in her 90's, and died when I was 6) and she was a teenager around 1910.
 
  • #58
Some decent bleak movies which come to mind :

Tideland
Martin
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Bugs (this movie disturbed me for weeks)
1984
Brazil (if you count the original intended ending)
Visitor Q

I liked all of them.
 
  • #59
I think that it comes down to the fact that once in a rare while an artist, singer, filmmaker, or such produces something that resonates with something in the observer's mind and triggers a serious emotional response. If, as a "for instance", when you were 5 years old you witnessed your baby sister drowning in a river, anything related to water could set off such feelings in your adult life.
This thread, I believe, is very closely related to the one about "musical chills". Beauty (or fear, or discomfort, or love) is in the eye (or some other sense) of the beholder.
 
  • #60
9/11, a film by Jules & Gideon Naudet and James Hanlon. I couldn't even buy it for five years. When I did, I watched it that night. Haven't been able to watch it since.
 

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