The Top 13 Torture Porn Flicks Actually Worth Seeing
With the surprisingly positive critical and fan reaction to the recently released “The Collection,” the follow-up to 2009’s sleeper hit “The Collector,” it would seem that there’s still life left in the much-derided, so-called “torture porn” subgenre after all. Who knew?
As such, I thought it was as good a time as any to take a look at some of the better entries in this oft-critically lambasted subgenre sometimes known as the “gorno.” As the definition of it is somewhat elusive- most seem to include extreme violence and at least one scene of prolonged torture- I’ve limited my list to films released in the late 90s and beyond, so no “Guinea Pig,” “Salo” or “Cannibal Holocaust,” among many others that could feasibly be added to the list.
Note also that I’ve picked films that I felt are “worth seeing,” therefore I’m also not including many of the subpar knock-offs meant to capitalize on the trend, a la “I Know Who Killed Me,” “Captivity,” and “Turistas.” Nor will I be including the gazillion sequels to some of the films listed below- when it comes to most films with sequels, it’s rare for the follow-up to surpass the original anyway, though you’re certainly free to make a case for your favorites below in the comment section!
So, without further ado, rev up the chainsaws and clean up the utensils- or not- it’s gorno time!
13. The Collector (2009)
It seems only appropriate to begin with this film, which originally began as a prequel to the “Saw” films. (To be honest, I would actually have preferred to see that, which is not to say this film is bad, just that it might have made for an interesting movie.) The plot is one of those “high concept” types of films that typically don’t hold up to intense scrutiny, so you might want to check your brain at the door if you want to really enjoy it. Here goes: A woman, whose ex-husband is a thief gone straight, owes money to a loan shark. He has until midnight to come up with the money or they may be in real danger. He opts to rob a customer of his that he knows to have an expensive diamond, only when he gets there, he discovers the family is already under siege and he’s walked right into the middle of it. Moreover, the person in question has rigged the house with all sorts of booby traps, with death around every corner. Can he escape with the diamond, save the family (or some of them) and in turn save his own? The answer may surprise you- or not, given that there’s a sequel out. Though certainly flawed, the film is a fun watch- at least if you’re in to this sort of thing- and it does leave the viewer wanting to know more about the mysterious titular “Collector.” One assumes that the new flick will answer some questions left hanging in this film as well, so there’s that.
12. Inside (2007)
I’m not sure what’s going on in France, but there must be something in the water, as quite a few films on this list are from there, starting with this one. It revolves around a young pregnant woman with an admirer of sorts. Okay, make that a stalker. Interestingly, this one is female, adding an unexpected layer of meaning to the film that one doesn’t get from films where the psycho is typically male. (Indeed, the same holds true for many of the films on this list, so apparently sisters really are doing it for themselves these days!) Eventually, the stalker breaks in and a showdown ensues, with a few clever twists along the way. It’s a tense, well-done thriller that really involves the viewer, though I wouldn’t recommend it to expectant mothers, to say the least! For another French twist on the stalker/slasher genre, be sure and check out “High Tension” as well.
11. Frontier(s) (2007)
This one adds a unique political spin to the genre, as the events take place after a right-wing extremist is elected and riots break out all over France. A group of people tries to escape Paris but need money to do so, so they attempt a robbery and things go horribly awry, eventually leading them to an Inn near the border where they stay to gather their bearings. Then things get worse. I won’t say any more, but this one involves yet another pregnant woman, so once again, take caution if that sort of thing makes you apprehensive. An impressively original take on the whole crazy-people-that-prey- on-tourists approach pioneered in films like “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “The Hills Have Eyes,” only with the aforementioned political slant. Plus, Nazis!
10. The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)
The seemingly-docile Dutch got into the gorno onslaught with this, the film that launched a thousand WTFs. I saw it at a film festival with a packed audience with little idea of what we were getting into- and boy, did we get more than we bargained for. The excellently-named Dieter Laser plays Dr. Heiter, a mad scientist with a plan to create the titular creature using kidnapped victims. Once it dawns on you- and them- exactly what he’s up to, the gagging will commence. This is profoundly sick stuff, but also darkly humorous as well, which lent itself nicely to parody, as evidenced by the one done on “South Park” in their “HumancentiPad” episode and the inevitable porn parody, “The Human Sexipede.” Interestingly, the film actually shows less than people might assume, and is more subtle than you’d think. The filmmaker, Tom Six, felt that the stuff people came up with in their minds would be far worse than anything he could actually show, so he edited in a way that you don’t really see that much- not that most people would want to. An inevitable sequel followed, but I admittedly haven’t been able to bring myself to watch it, especially since the director said it would be infinitely worse. If you did, let me know what you thought in the comments!
9. Funny Games (1997/2007)
A film so nice, the director made it twice. Okay, maybe not that nice. Originally made in 1997 by an Austrian director, the same director remade the film shot-for-shot in English for American audiences with a name cast this time around, including Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, and Michael Pitt (“Boardwalk Empire”). This one is unique for directly involving the audience in a fourth-wall breaking scenario in which the main psycho talks directly to the camera, addressing the viewer, ensuring that the watcher not be completely passive in the process. The approach rattled some, while others found it brilliant and exceedingly clever. In some ways, the films serve as commentary on the torture porn subgenre in general, which make them perfect for those seeking something a bit more cerebral than visceral. It’s sort of the thinking man’s gorno, as it were. As such, the films aren’t really that violent, with much of the mayhem happening off-screen, so if you’re the squeamish sort, this might be the best place to start on the list. It’s sort of like what Hitchcock might have done with the genre, and it’s worth adding that filmmaker Michael Haneke’s other films are well worth seeing, especially “Cache” and “The Piano Teacher,” though neither truly qualify as horror, much less torture porn.
8. House of 1000 Corpses (2003)/The Devil’s Rejects (2005)
I’m cheating a bit on this one, but only because they’re essentially variations on the same film, much like “Evil Dead 1 & 2.” Which you like better entirely depends on what style you prefer. Myself, I actually prefer the cotton candy-colored surreal nightmare-scape of the former, with its lavish primary colors looking like a Dario Argento film gone horribly wrong. It really nails what it’s going for, namely a throwback to the heyday of 70s exploitation cinema. Plus, the cast is fantastic, with everyone from nerd gurus Rainn Wilson (“The Office”) and Chris Hardwick (“Talking Dead”) to horror legends Karen Black (“Trilogy of Terror”) and Tom Towles (“Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer”) showing up for the party. Not that the pseudo-sequel/remake, “The Devil’s Rejects” is too shabby in the casting department either, mind you, what with PJ Soles (“Halloween”), Mary Woronov (“Death Race 2000”), Ken Foree (“Dawn of the Dead”) and many others onboard. The latter is far more gritty and raw, making it an entirely different experience from the former, so it really does come down to a matter of personal preference. If the former is Argento, then the latter is Wes Craven at his down and dirtiest, a la “Last House on the Left.” I like ’em both, but I lean slightly towards the first. People either love or hate Rob Zombie, though, so if you fall into the latter category, you might not care for either, as the films live and die by his particular sense of style and writing. Nice soundtracks on both, though, whether you hate Zombie or not.
7. Hostel (2005)
If there can possibly be such a thing as a gorno crowd-pleaser, it’s this film, which was a massive hit back in 2005. Indeed, the film was so successful that many on the tourism board felt that it would discourage overseas vacations altogether, particularly in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, where the film is mostly set. Between this and “Taken,” it’s a wonder anyone in America goes on vacation across the pond anymore! Whatever the case, the film gets most of its mileage by the fact that the main cast being terrorized is male, a distinct difference from typical horror movies where the males are quickly dispatched and the females are the ones terrorized. Indeed, it’s this very fact that caused “Hostel 2,” with its prominently female cast, to falter, though the film features a clever turning-of-the-table in the end that few touted in the mostly negative reviews. A third sequel subsequently followed, but minus creator Eli Roth at the helm. This one, along with #6, really showed that there was gold in them thar gornos, which means you can also blame it for a lot of what followed.
6. Saw (2004)
You can’t do an article like this and not have this one on it. “Saw” is the one that launched the whole subgenre of torture porn in earnest, even if it’s not the first one in the modern sense (see the intro). Starting life as a short film, it was successfully picked up to be expanded into feature-length film and was eventually such a huge hit it launched a full-on franchise, spawning another six films. It may not be the best overall- see the rest of the list- but it’s undeniably the one people think of when they hear the term torture porn, if they think of anything at all. Another example of the “high concept” film, this one may strain credibility, but go have a look at the rest of the series and tell me which of the series strains credibility the most and get back to me. Because this one is positively do-able compared to the rest of the series, which became so convoluted that I’m not sure anyone knew what was going on by the time of the “final” installment, “Saw 3D,” which I think they made that way to hide the seams that had arisen by that point. (That prequel was looking pretty good by that point, let me tell you.) As dubious as the first film’s final twist was, admit it- it got your attention. Therefore, it deserves- nay earns- a place on the higher end of this list.
5. Antichrist (2009)
This one got people’s attention, all right. Premiering at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, the film marks the lone entry into the subgenre for auteur Lars Von Trier, a much-acclaimed Danish director better known for his bleak, chilly, epic downers like “Dancer in the Dark” and “Melancholia.” As with those films, this one featured an attention-getting performance from his leading actress, Charlotte Gainsbourg, who took home best actress honors at the festival. It’s a tough one to get through, to be sure, especially with its hardcore genital mutilation- you heard me- which is enough to put most people off from watching it in the first place, as well it should. Imagine the looks on the face of all the people watching it at the world’s most prestigious festival, and do the math. Good times! Whatever the case, the film, which co-stars the superlative Willem Dafoe, is a tough one to get through, even without all that gore- but still a worthwhile one, IMHO. Trier’s films aren’t for everyone, to be sure, but for those who like this sort of thing, this is about as good as it gets, in terms of acting, though the American version of “Funny Games” comes close.
4. A Serbian Film (2010)
Banned in several countries, this one is not for everyone, to say the least, even by this subgenre’s dubious standards. You certainly won’t find it on Netflix and Redbox and the like. This button-pushing effort features themes most films avoid like the plague, to put it mildly, including rape, necrophilia, and child abuse- and not necessarily exclusively. If that doesn’t scare you off, I suppose nothing will, so fair warning. It’s also worth mentioning that one of the most sympathetic individuals in the film plays a porn star! (Okay, semi-retired, but still.) It’s not my favorite on the list, I’ll probably never watch it again, but then some films you only need to see once, and I could say that about a few entries on this list. It concerns a guy- the aforementioned former porn star- who signs up for what he thinks is another adult film, only in the art-house vein, but which actually turns out to be a nasty bit of business, the less said about the better. It only gets nastier from there. This one features a few things that fall firmly into the category of what Tosh.0 would call “Things you can’t un-see.” Some may wish they hadn’t. You’ve been warned.
3. Baise-Moi (2000)
Yet another French offering, this one also revolves around a porn star, who teams up with a prostitute to go on a rampage of violence, torture, and sex, not necessarily in that order. Did I mention they’re both women? Think “Natural Born Killers”-meets-“Thelma & Louise” and you’re almost there. The film was written by a woman, and two women co-directed it, one of which was herself a real-life porn star, as are the two aforementioned leads and certain co-stars. However, though the film features some sex and nudity, it’s hardly pornography, least of all since it’s not remotely sexy. What it is, is jarring, jaw-dropping, and thought-provoking in a way you’ve probably never quite seen before and aren’t likely to see much again. The fact that women are behind it lends a certain poignancy and thoughtfulness you don’t often find in most exploitation films of this sort. Just as women transformed the yuck-inducing novel “American Psycho” into a solid film, so do these women capture a certain zeitgeist of deep female dissatisfaction and rage that is unlike anything else I’ve ever quite seen. It’s a powerful film, to say the least, but it is not an easy film to take, either. Oh, and the title is even pretty extreme as well, when translated into English, but you’re on your own for that one.
2. Audition (1999)
Most cite this film, released in 1999, as the real game-changer in the gorno subgenre. It predates everything else on this list, and with the notable exception of #1, it does it better than most of them as well. Interestingly, the filmmaker, Takashi Miike, is notorious for his ultra-violent action flicks, including the highly successful in his native Japan “Dead or Alive” trilogy and the thoroughly insane “Ichi the Killer,” based on the popular manga. Even his more reserved films like “Visitor Q,” a reality-TV parody, and the pseudo-musical “The Happiness of the Katakuris” have to be seen to be believed. This one, however, marked a different sort of film for Miike, a much more subtle and intense experience that takes its time playing out, and is more within the old-school approach to Japanese filmmaking. It’s a slow burner, but, boy does it stick with you. It’s also a direct influence on many of the films on this list- Miike himself even cameos in “Hostel”- as well as psychological dramas in the direct vicinity of gornos, like “Hard Candy,” which I almost included on the list. It’s about a lonely man who decides to hold a faux audition for a non-existent film for the “role” of his new wife, intending to find a new love after the death of his beloved wife nearly a decade before. He finds what he thinks is the perfect candidate and things go from there, and do they ever go horribly awry. You thought internet dating was tough! Wait until you get a load of Asami, who would give any man pause. This one unnerved me completely when I first saw it, and even though it’s tame violence-wise compared to most of Miike’s oeuvre, and indeed most of the films on this list, it only goes to show what a profound impact subtlety can have when used correctly. It may be a slow-burn of a movie, but it gets under your skin something fierce and stays there.
1. Martyrs (2008)
However, nothing comes close to the visceral power of this film, yet another offering from the French. To say this one stays with you is putting it mildly. This is the kind of film you have to work your way up to, and even then, you sort of dread watching it because its reputation precedes it. What’s more, it’s the type of film that unfolds in such a way that, if the content weren’t so horrific, you would want to watch it again immediately after it ends so that you could see it through new eyes now that you see exactly what was going on in it- but you’re probably not going to want to. It’s that horrific. At first, it does come off as violence for violence’s sake, but there is indeed a method to the madness, which will only make sense at the end. In short, it’s a nasty piece of work that manages to go a long way towards justifying itself, despite the oft-unwatchable content. It’s not so much the gore quotient that makes it tough to take- I’ve certainly seen worse. It’s quite simply the overall feel of the film, which makes you feel queasy and full of dread for pretty much the entire run of the film. What’s worse, it only gets crazier as it goes along, and believe you me, it starts out pretty darn crazy as it is. This is basically the filmic equivalent of the word “disquieting”, and for that reason, it tops my list. Once you’ve seen it, you won’t soon forget it.
