24 Movies With Plotlines So Disturbing, People Wish They'd Never Even Heard Of Them

Because, sometimes, your imagination is worse than actually watching it.

We recently asked horror lovers in our BuzzFeed Community, "What's a movie plot so disturbing, you actually regret even reading about it?" and, WHEW, they came through with some absolutely nightmare-inducing answers.

CW

So, with that in mind, here are just a few of the most disturbing movies* shared:

*CONTENT WARNING: Given the context of this post and the question being answered, all of the films listed below are highly disturbing and contain graphic depictions of violence, torture, sexual assault, and death. Rather than describe the plots of the films in detail, we have opted to link out to the individual Wikipedia pages for each film in the titles should you wish to further read about these disturbing plotlines, and to avoid spoilers. 

Please proceed with caution, and take care of yourselves!

1. Audition (1999)

Vitagraph Films Llc / ©Vitagraph Films LLC/Courtesy Everett Collection

"It’s on pretty much every single disturbing film list ever."

—imashes

Watch the trailer here:

Vitagraph Films / Via youtube.com

2. August Underground's Mordum (2003)

Toetag Pictures

"I read the plot before watching the movie because I heard it was very gruesome. Needless to say, I’m still traumatized."

—lherbert1207

Watch the trailer here:

Toetag Pictures / Via youtube.com

3. Kill List (2011)

Ifc Films / ©IFC Films/Courtesy Everett Collection

"It will forever haunt me. Not sure if it qualifies as a 'horror' film, but it horrified me."

—fakefattrusty

Watch the trailer here:

IFC Films / Studio Canal / Via youtube.com

4. Megan Is Missing (2011)

Anchor Bay Films

"I felt unsettled for weeks after, and I love the horror genre. It just felt too gritty and realistic, like watching a snuff film."

—beirutjh

Watch the trailer here:

Trio Pictures / Via youtube.com

5. Oldboy (2003)

Tartan Releasing / Tartan Releasing / courtesy Everett Collection

"I’ve never seen it, but damn, does that plot synopsis haunt me to this day. That’s some fucked-up shit right there."

—ahsnyder93

Watch the trailer here:

Tartan Releasing / Via youtube.com

6. Irréversible (2002)

Mars Distribution / Courtesy Everett Collection

"Nothing else bothers me now."

—vjdoolz

Watch the trailer here:

Mars Distribution / Via youtube.com

(WARNING: TRAILER CONTAINS FLASHING LIGHTS!)

7. Hereditary (2018)

© A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection

"I listened to a podcast discuss this one, and just that gave me nightmares for months."

—sarahs402d05f80

Watch the trailer here:

A24 / Via youtube.com

8. Hostel (2005)

Screen Gems / Screen Gems/Courtesy Everett Collection

"Hands down. I believe Eli Roth based the story off of a real site he found on the dark web."

—savannahg4e56476eb

Watch the trailer here:

Screen Gems / Via youtube.com

9. The Strangers (2008)

Universal / ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

"I still think about it at least once a week."

—gr8pumpkin

Watch the trailer here:

Universal Pictures / Via youtube.com

10. Raw (2016)

Focus Features / ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection

"I'm pretty squeamish, so just imagining the visuals while reading about it made me nauseous."

—jaycee19

Watch the trailer here:

Focus Features / Via youtube.com

11. The Human Centipede (2009)

Ifc Films / ©IFC Films/Courtesy Everett Collection

"It's absolutely disgusting."

—pumpkingoddess5

Watch the trailer here:

IFC Films / Via youtube.com

12. Wrong Turn (2003)

20thcentfox / ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection

"It's awful and has so many sequels."

—louisem4cd6fe38c

Watch the trailer here:

Summit Entertainment / Via youtube.com

13. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

United Artists Europa

"The fact that they actually killed real animals during filming makes my stomach churn. How was that allowed? I’ll never watch it just for that reason."

—paitay21

Watch the trailer here:

United Artists Europa / Via youtube.com

14. Saw (2004)

Lions Gate / ©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection

"Trapping people and forcing them to do things like cut off body parts in order to survive? Nuh-uh."

—frenchfriesandramen2007

Watch the trailer here:

Lionsgate / Via youtube.com

15. The Entity (1982)

20thcentfox / ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection

"I believe it's based on a true story? My eyes and mind rotted."

—venkmanphd

Watch the trailer here:

20th Century Fox / Via youtube.com

16. Saló, 120 Days of Sodom (1976)

United Artists

—sydnyetudor

Watch the trailer here:

United Artists / Via youtube.com

17. Bone Tomahawk (2015)

RLJ Entertainment

"I’m pretty good with gore, but I could not stand this one. Besides it’s terrible representation and reinforcement of harmful stereotypes relating to Native Americans, THAT scene (if you’ve seen it, you know exactly what I’m talking about) is absolutely disgusting, and I couldn’t handle it. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous."

—chloen4f52696c0

Watch the trailer here:

RLJ Entertainment / Via youtube.com

18. Trauma (1993)

Republic Pictures

"It's one I randomly came across. Avoid at all cost!"

—megb2411

Watch the trailer here:

Republic Pictures / Via youtube.com

19. Happiness (1998)

(c) Lions Gate Films / courtesy Everett Collection

"So much nope."

—sierraclouse

Watch the trailer here:

Lionsgate / Via youtube.com

20. Suspiria (2018)

Alessio Bolzoni / ©Amazon/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection

"It's one of my favorite horror films, but it’s also one of the only ones to make me mute and look away for some scenes (if you know, you know)."

—jamiehhhhh

Watch the trailer here:

Amazon Studios / Via youtube.com

21. Funny Games (1997)

Attitude Films / Attitude Films/ Courtesy: Everett Collection.

"We were shown the original German version in high school German class multiple times. I will never get over when after his accomplice is shot dead the antagonist picks up the remote control, looks directly into the camera, and says (in German): 'You don’t want the story to end yet, do you?' Then proceeds to rewind the scene, save his friend, and murder the whole family just for fun."

—kate3

Watch the trailer here:

Attitude Films / Via youtube.com

22. Tusk (2014)

Courtesy Everett Collection

"100%."

—katied47fd64e0d

Watch the trailer here:

A24 / Via youtube.com

23. Found (2012)

Courtesy Everett Collection

"I'd never heard of it, so I looked up the plot summary. I regret my life choices."

—constanvee

Watch the trailer here:

XLrator Media / Via youtube.com

24. And finally — Martyrs (2008)

Weinstein Company / ©Weinstein Company/Courtesy Everett Collection

"I love horror, but I draw the line at torture porn."

—kandim

Watch the trailer here:

Wild Bunch / Via youtube.com

Alright, you've suffered through their picks, but now it's your turn. What's a movie with a plot so positively messed up, you regret even hearing about it/reading about it/watching a trailer for it? Share your pick(s) in the comments below!

Note: Some responses were edited for length and/or clarity.