Dark Movies

[Venture]

I love dark movies and with dark comedy, or without such comedy even, and I have been searching for these movies so if you have suggestions please leave them here. I've been filling up my netflix queue with movies such as

Lord of War, Crash, Departed, and An American Crime.

I got some of these from suggestions from netflix but they keep getting worse.

Movies also like The Zodiac and Jarhead are what I am looking for.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

My two favourite movies of all time, Synecdoche, New York and Visitor Q could both be called dark movies, so look into those.

 

[Venture]

Could this not be an approriate thread for the INTP forum?

I thought perhaps INTPs might have similar views of my own.

 

[Kuu]

What constitutes "dark" for you?

 

[Venture]

What constitutes "dark" for you?

Definitely one that does not have a happy or some what happy ending along with happy music.

I also prefer films with little or no score.

One that has a belivable plot and story line, I don't like unrealistic storylines and
events like movies such "Accepted" and "Disturbia" alhough you may say those maybe comedies or possible events I still want a movie that might have a bit of adventure in it and also ordinary events and scenerios as the plot and setting.
Jarhead is a close example but not dark and "Mashstick Men, theres probably more but I can't think of them

It does not have to be a horror either.

 

[Venture]

I WANT GOOD MOVIES

and perhaps maybe a couple good novels as well

 

[Anthile]

One word: Brazil.

 

[Venture]

ugh

 

[mikal]

Eraserhead
Lost highway
Tale 52
Tideland
Pi
The seventh seal

And Vegard already said Synecdoche, New York and Visitor Q (this one is weird, but I find it a bit disturbing)

 

[ArcusDog]

Donnie Darko (if you think airplanes are cool)
Olivier, Olivier (seriously jacked up French movie)
Amores Perros (awesome mexican movie)
Mulhuland Drive (if you can make sense of it)
Unfaithful (super hot and dark, according to your definition)
The Butterfly Effect (contains plenty of dark stuff)
Memento (really cool concept too)
Fargo (excellent movie, dark enough)
Traffic (very well made movie, you might like it)
The Jacket (dark as all hell)

That should provide you with some good fodder for your twisted mind.

 

[merzbau]

here's a few more to start you off. some of these are foreign language, so beware subtitles:

night of the living dead
no country for old men
eraserhead
the elephant man
blue velvet
se7en
calvaire/the ordeal
bad lieutenant
the boys
shivers
rabid
zombi (fulci)
l'adila (the beyond)
the thing (carpenter)
the fog (carpenter)
nil by mouth
the war zone
invasion of the body snatchers (kaufman)
let sleeping corpses lie (living dead at manchester morgue)
ghosts of the civil dead
naked
alien
henry - portrait of a serial killer
house of whipcord
scum
escape from alcatraz
romper stomper
thx 1138
seul contre tous (i stand alone)

 

[Venture]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

 

[merzbau]

no worries.
might i add a caveat: find an original of thx 1138, as the director's cut defines epic fail.

 

[NoID10ts]

I'm not sure why, but XIII made me think of one of my favorite dark movies of all time, Se7en. Some quotes for your enjoyment:

"He's a nut-bag! Just because the fucker's got a library card doesn't make him Yoda!"

"C'mon, he's insane. Look. Right now he's probably dancing around in his grandma's panties, yeah, rubbing himself in peanut butter."

"I've been trying to figure something in my head, and maybe you can help me out, yeah? When a person is insane, as you clearly are, do you know that you're insane? Maybe you're just sitting around, reading "Guns and Ammo", masturbating in your own feces, do you just stop and go, "Wow! It is amazing how fucking crazy I really am!"? Yeah. Do you guys do that?"



EDIT: I see someone already mentioned Se7en. Oh well, just enjoy the quotes.

 

[merzbau]

"you're no messiah, you're a movie of the week. you're a t-shirt. at best."

great film.

 

[Malkavian]

Forget about all the other suggestions and watch Oldboy.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/

 

[Waterstiller]

Requiem for a Dream.

 

[snowqueen]

Being John Malkovich (worth seeing just for the puppeteer scenes)
Delicatessen
The Big Lebowski (well it's not 'light' and it does have the most uses of the word 'f***' and it's a bloody funny film)
Shallow Grave

 

[Vegard Pompey]

Forget about all the other suggestions and watch Oldboy.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/

Oldboy is a great movie but I could only watch it once. It could offer me nothing on a second viewing.

 

[NoID10ts]

I loved all three of Chanwook Park's vengeance movies:

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Oldboy
Lady Vengeance

"Man Bites Dog" was very dark.
"Falling Down" was also really good.

 

[Malkavian]

I really liked Insomnia (the original Norwegian version)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119375/

It had a great subtle score too,made me fan of the ambient works of Biosphere.

 

[Venture]

My netflix queue so far

1 Liberty! The American Revolution: Disc 3 -PBS Documentary
2 The War of 1812: Disc 1-PBS Documentary
3 The War of 1812: Disc 2-PBS Documentary
4 Lord of War
5 Vistor Q
6 Crash
7 American Physco
8 The Departed
9 An American Crime
10 Bad Luetinet
11 Unfaithful
12 Nill by Mouth
13 Beavis and Butthead Do America
14 Se7en
15 Amores Perros

Into the Wild was also a good one, but if looking for the story it's far different than the book.

 

[Tyria]

Full Metal Jacket is one that rings an alarm with what happened at Camp Liberty in Iraq.

You could always go for horror movies... usually plenty of dark things, but I'm not sure if you like them or not.

Silent Hill is pretty dark. Not sure if you would like it or not.

 

[Venture]

I loved all three of Chanwook Park's vengeance movies:

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Oldboy
Lady Vengeance

"Man Bites Dog" was very dark.
"Falling Down" was also really good.

Yes Falling Down is one of my favorites, No Country for Old Men too.

Man Bites Dog also looks good.

 

[Ulysses]

I'm surprised no one mentioned Children of Men.

Set in the United Kingdom of 2027, the film explores a grim world in which two decades of global human infertility have left humanity with less than a century to survive. Societal collapse, terrorism, and environmental destruction accompany the impending extinction. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom—perhaps the last functioning government—persecutes a seemingly endless wave of illegal immigrant refugees seeking sanctuary. In the midst of this chaos, Theo Faron (Clive Owen) must find safe transit for Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey), a pregnant African "fugee" refugee.

Trailer: YouTube- Children Of Men Trailer

 

[Venture]

I could also classify Star Wars as a Dark Movie for myself.

 

[Sapphire Harp]

I'd recommend 'Munich' for you. The story isn't as dark as it could be, but it feels very real to me. It seems to capture the whirlwind/merry-go-round of hate, violence, vendettas, and death that the Arabs and Israelis are caught in right now.

We can locate almost anyone for anyone anywhere, and we are ideologically promiscuous. We love everybody; we hate everybody. I get my feelings confused.

Let me see your hands. . . . Too big for a good cook. That was my problem too! I had been a master, but I have thick, stupid butcher's hands just like yours. Oh, we are tragic men. Butcher's hands, gentle souls.

We have 11 Palestinian names, each one of them had a hand in planning Munich. We want them all dead.
​

Or, on a comedic dark note... how about 'Scotland, PA'? It's a re-telling of Macbeth set around the ownership of a small town fast-food restaurant. It's subtitle is 'Greasy Spoon. Bloody Murder.' I thought it was hilarious while still dark.

We're not bad people, Mac... just underachievers who have to make up for lost time.

McDuff: Let me get this straight. You got me here to kill me. Norm wasn't enough?
McBeth: Norm was an accident.
McDuff: Accidentally got tied up and fell in the fryilator?
McBeth: You know what... it's kind of hard to explain, you sort of had to be there.
​

 

[NoID10ts]

Has anyone seen Titus with Anthony Hopkins? It was a film adaptation of a Shakespeare play and it was very unusual and dark, especially the ending.

 

[snowqueen]

Has anyone seen Titus with Anthony Hopkins? It was a film adaptation of a Shakespeare play and it was very unusual and dark, especially the ending.

That is one of my all time favourite films!! It is utterly brilliant. I convinced an ex-boyfriend to go see it with me - he wanted to see Hannibal and I expressed disgust (don't like the hollywood (non) psychological thrillers) and said I wanted to see that instead. He asked about the plot and I told him. He looked surprised and said, you want to see that but not ....? I told him it was totally different because it was Shakespeare. After he'd seen it he actually agreed.

It's brilliantly shot - the play (rarely performed) is 'Shakespeare does horror'. It's set in a fantasy parallel world with great costumes and sets and Hopkins delivers the lines perfectly creating a totally believable descent from nobility to vengeful madness. Everyone should see it if only for the camp motorbyke fascists.

Also Venture mentioned Children of Men - also excellent - chilling, cleverly futuristic in that you get the feeling it could only be a few short steps away from really happening (especially if you live in Britain) and has a wonderful performance from Michael Caine as the aging anti-establishment hippie.

 

[brain enclosed in flesh]

Crash- not the newer one, the 1996 one by David Cronenberg. Exceptionally disturbing.

 

[Thaklaar]

Anthony Hopkins in a film of Titus Andronicus? How did I miss this?

 

[NoID10ts]

Titus really was good. It's climax was one of the most powerful scenes of seething hatred I have ever seen. Hopkins was made for that role, I think. I don't know why that film doesn't get more publicity. Maybe it was too experimental or something.

 

[Thaklaar]

Titus really was good. It's climax was one of the most powerful scenes of seething hatred I have ever seen. Hopkins was made for that role, I think. I don't know why that film doesn't get more publicity. Maybe it was too experimental or something.

I don't know if you can properly call a 420 year old work experimental, but it must have been tough to pitch. I mean costume drama fans aren't usually looking for a lot of cannibalism in their movies. It wouldn't draw your usual Kenneth Brannagh fan.

 

[Sapphire Harp]

I don't know if you can properly call a 420 year old work experimental, but it must have been tough to pitch. I mean costume drama fans aren't usually looking for a lot of cannibalism in their movies. It wouldn't draw your usual Kenneth Brannagh fan.

It's all in how you tell the story, dear Thaklaar. If you're thinking something like 'Shakespeare in Love', let this trailer for Titus show you how wrong you are.

Truth be told, Venture... Titus is probably a better choice than either recommendation I came up with.
​

 

[Ulysses]

Also Venture mentioned Children of Men - also excellent - chilling, cleverly futuristic in that you get the feeling it could only be a few short steps away from really happening (especially if you live in Britain) and has a wonderful performance from Michael Caine as the aging anti-establishment hippie.

It wasn't Venture who mentioned that film.

I think you've been staring at that Bobcat of his for too long.

 

[Venture]

It wasn't Venture who mentioned that film.

I think you've been staring at that Bobcat of his for too long.

You stare at my avatar huh?.........
It's pretty frickin awesome I know....


I missed recommendations of Children of Men and Muinich, very good impressions.

 

[Android]

I didn't see anybody mention Fight Club...

Some directors from the dark side of the force:
-Jean-Pierre Jeunet (City of Lost Children, Alien Resurrection, Amelie, Delicatessen)
-Stanley Kubrick (Full Metal Jacket, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Lolita)
-Gaspar Noe (Irreversible, Seul Contre Tous, Came)
-Abel Ferrara (The Driller Killer, Bad Lieutenant, The King of New York, Mary)
-Chan-wook Park (Oldboy, Mr Vengeance, Lady Vengeance, I'm a Cyborg But That's OK)
-Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Slumdog Millionare)

 

[sagewolf]

Only two, and I don't know if they're what you're looking for exactly:

-Grave of the Fireflies It begins with the main character dying and gets worse. Beyond not funny: I cried, dammit. Normally when characters die I get up and make tea.

-Pan's Labyrinth (If you don't mind a fairytale, and yes, it's very dark. The end is possibly happy, possibly nihilistic: it depends on how you view it, so if ambiguity works for you... Otherwise, disregard this one.)

 

[severus]

@sagewolf: I just finished watching Pan. Love that movie, one of my favorites. The faun's such a creeper.

 

[sagewolf]

My friend started watching halfway through, wondering why a kid's movie was on at ten p.m. Then Fairy-Eater appeared and she stopped wondering. The adverts on RTE (showed it) were really inaccurate, which is why she watched it in the first place: she wanted a nice, happy movie. Poor sensitive little INFP. The faun was great, I completely agree there: Doug Jones is a brilliant actor. Impressively expressive for being completely covered in rubber.

 

[Venture]

Only two, and I don't know if they're what you're looking for exactly:

-Grave of the Fireflies It begins with the main character dying and gets worse. Beyond not funny: I cried, dammit. Normally when characters die I get up and make tea.

-Pan's Labyrinth (If you don't mind a fairytale, and yes, it's very dark. The end is possibly happy, possibly nihilistic: it depends on how you view it, so if ambiguity works for you... Otherwise, disregard this one.)

I never cried during a movie but almost when your throat tightense, the stupidest ones too "Click", King Kong, and Star Wars Episode 111, but I already knew the story but still sad I mostly blame the way the film was put together Stephen Spielberg......, and George Lucas......

Not that these were the only ones I found sad though.

 

[QSR]

Wow nobody has mentioned the ingenious comedy Better Off Dead with John Cusack? The entire movie is about a guy who's depressed enough over getting dumped that he repeatedly tries to commit suicide. It's theater of the absurd at its best.

 

[Venture]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned 'America Psycho" (Not the second one)
or 'Natural Born Killers'!

And those are the kinds of films which I was talking about!

I still haven't found a more casual "Dark Film"....

 

[merzbau]

[FLV]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7OksjNFZo4[/FLV]
recently watched let the right one in, and loved it. finally someone makes a proper vampire film.

and hunger, that was pretty dark in places, but more bleak and miserable than dark. which is also good.

also hunted down a copy of [REC], which has good parts (the atmosphere, breaking of convention) and bad (digital filming makes it look made-for-TV and the exposition conflicts slightly with the realism).

 

[travelnjones]

Ok the two films I am going to mention are sort of the big leagues in terms of hard films to watch. One is slow as hell there other is just wrong

Stalker - slow and philosophical

Begotten - Ugh words fail