The most depressing film you ever watched?

[Bodhi]

I'd like to add Watership Down.

Agreed. After seeing that film I cried for weeks :/

(I was 7, smartarses)


Oh and Matrix Revolutions, simply cos it was the end of the trilogy, with no next installment to look forwards to.

 

[Tenko]

The Phantom Menace was the most depressing film ever.

I kind of thinks its "Ok" now but I came out of that and thought... "Well there goes 15 years of dreams down the drains, remind me not get excited about anything ever again as I'll only be completely and utterly fucked off for ever when it turns out shit".

I used to get excited about new films coming out now I go into EVERY ONE a critic. Even good films. May only be a loss of childhood so I guess it happens to everyone eventually but heh, I found it completely traumatic

 

[Sissyfoo]

Schindlers List because it finally hit home to me how incredibly evil mankind can be.

...such a young age to lose all faith in humanity but oh well.

 

[Munkey]

I dunno if this counts, but the episode in Band of Brother's when they find the concentration camp. That had the same effect.

 

[SawTooTH]

Chiti Chiti Bang Bang

 

[yaruar]

Kids.

definatlly one of the most depressing films I've seen. took me years before I could watch it a second time and even then it totally bummed me out again.

however boys don't cry is probably the film that depresses me most.

 

[anattic]

Nobody mentioned The Deer Hunter yet, so I will.

Absolutely. So unrelentingly depressing and so very, very long...

 

[fatbusinessman]

Has to be Schindler's List.

 

[Scouse]

Muriels Wedding.

Apart from the fact that it's a chick flick and generally not my cup of tea - the mother kills herself (I think - she's not happy anyway) - and it kinda makes me feel really bad for my mother....

....don't know why....

 

[OblongChicken]

You seem to mean "upsetting" instead of "depressing". I find most hollywood films insanely depressing as they're so shit, and it depresses me that they're made and that so many people watch them. Stuff like LoTR, Matrix and the Hulk. Glurb.

LoTR glurb eh? Controversial. The first one was fantastic, the second two only so-so. I reckon this is, however, not a reflection on Peter Jackson but more a reflection on the fact that the whole story is actually a bit lame and one-dimensional. Shame on you, Tolkien.

As for the actual topic of the thread, Charlotte's Web has the most depressing ending and you all know it. Also i wouldn't say Gattaca (one of my fave films of all time) is depressing. Yeah the ending is kinda sad, but in such a beautiful way because it contrasts with what is, in fact, a happy ending. It's one of those films which makes you sit and think for a while, rather than sit and be depressed.

 

[echo]

Christiane F.

 

[Stazbumpa]

The Killing Fields; watching the madness unfold and nobody can do a damn thing about it.

 

[nath]

Also i wouldn't say Gattaca (one of my fave films of all time) is depressing. Yeah the ending is kinda sad, but in such a beautiful way because it contrasts with what is, in fact, a happy ending.

ABSOLUTELY NOT. The ending of Gattaca really fucks me off. It's not happy at all,

Spoiler

his mate fucking kills himself, and he gets to go off to space. Are we supposed to be happy with that? fuck that, he should have stayed on earth with his mate. That was more important than him getting to space.

I hate the way we're supposed to be sad but happy too at the end of that film.

 

[Skyler]

I would say Schindlers List but I have never brought myself to watch it, so I guess it depressed me without even watching it...

As for Gattaca, it was depressing most of the way through it. The way the society was so based on genetic selection and only those with the strongest natural assets had any chance at anything. Also how depressing is it to find out your newly born child will die in 30 years from xxx condition... gah that is evil..

I expect I'll get shot for this but, Titanic (old version) but also the new version both brought me into thinking what it would be like on that boat.. and aside from all the lovey duvvy Celine Dion-ified crap the actual sinking sequence was pretty fucking depressing. The film wasnt particularly fantastic but it had the right effect on me.. I sat there thinking of being in that situation on that boat, and being a non swimmer that freaked me out even more... The film may be Hollywood crap but the story of the Titanic is still emotional to a degree..

28 Days Later I'd also mark as quite depressing... I really enjoyed that film and being a Londoner those opening sequences of a totally deserted London were so good it really depressed me and set the scene for the rest of the film perfectly well... It kind of made me think about lots of things we all take for granted and how chaotic some kind of virus or disaster like that would be... definitely powerful and depressing...

I will mention Evangelion too, although that's more likely to land you in a state of 'fuckup' rather than depressed, but there are depressing moments throughout the series and even more so in the ending film..

I could probably think of more but cba right now..

[EDIT]: Ohhh ohhh I just remembered a film I watched ages and ages ago that was really old.. I think it was called "The Day the Earth Stood Still" ? It was about a giant meteor/comet/planet that was on way to collide with the earth and it was the end of humanity yadda, but it wasnt done in the tacky way you traditionally see now in films... It really made me depressed and afraid of that happening (I was very young when I saw it).. Although it had a happy ending where a few people on the space shuttle they built to find a new world actually found a decent world.. it was still depressing.

 

[Ivan]

Irreversible, by far leads in this one.

followed by Akira....

 

[nath]

Irreversible is fucking horrible.

 

[Jupitus]

Rainman

 

[Otto]

Got to be the last episodes of Shogun, first time a movie made me cry.

 

[Nos]

Reqiuem for a Dream

 

[Jonny_Darko]

Threads and Watership Down are indeed pretty bad.

Also... I watched this film once, but only bits of it 'cos I was busy. It may even just have been a two hour ITV drama or something, but it looked very depressing - in fact someone's probably already mentioned it.

The entire film seemed to be based on one person in a bed dying of cancer, and someone at her (I think it was a her) bedside. The main reason I didn't pay more interest at the time was because I thought it looked far too upsetting! Anyone know what it was?

That Ghosts of the Fireflies thing will have to be checked out I think - a lot of 80s Japanese anime movies (some of the more obscure ones) had that depressing feeling - I remember vagualy watching one called The Madusa Cloud or something that was quite upsetting.

 

[Alithiel]

Mortal Combat: Annihilation...

Being forced to go and sit through that by a friend (who managed to fall asleep after about 15 mins ) was the most depressing cinema-going experience in my life...

 

[Taen]

Midnight Cowboy

 

[Gef]

Watched a film called 'Love Liza' about a guy whos wife commits suicide and he turns into a druggie, snorting petrol. The whole film his life gets worse and worse progressively throughout, then at the end it takes a nosedive for the worst.

I dont think there is actually a happy moment in it, depressed the hell outta me anyway

 

[Lester]

Watched The Life of David Gale last night - pretty depressing.

Has anyone mentioned Saviour yet?

 

[Trem]

War Zone, totally sickening. Its about insest.

Saviour was also pretty bad(the hammer bit in the water)

^^^^^^^^

 

[Mazling]

Also... I watched this film once, but only bits of it 'cos I was busy. It may even just have been a two hour ITV drama or something, but it looked very depressing - in fact someone's probably already mentioned it.

The entire film seemed to be based on one person in a bed dying of cancer, and someone at her (I think it was a her) bedside. The main reason I didn't pay more interest at the time was because I thought it looked far too upsetting! Anyone know what it was?

Yeah, it was about some University teacher, a really horrible one, coming to terms with her indignity while being forced to deal with people - to depend on them - for the first time. It was on the BBC, and (after a good 10 minutes googling) I believe it was called "Wit". I laughed, I laughed the very life straight out of my soul. Very macabre

 

[Lester]

^^^^^^^^

*incest

fs. Have you learnt nothing???!!

 

[Brockie]

Irreversible, by far leads in this one.

followed by Akira....

Akira was more disturbing than depressing.

 

[Taen]

Watched a film called 'Love Liza' about a guy whos wife commits suicide and he turns into a druggie, snorting petrol. The whole film his life gets worse and worse progressively throughout, then at the end it takes a nosedive for the worst.

I dont think there is actually a happy moment in it, depressed the hell outta me anyway

omg why do ye people post in the film/dvd section when ye havent even seen a depressing or interesting piece of cinema ... the only film i would agree with is that amazing film called " Love Liza" .. and ofc midnight cowboy .. there are also hundreds of other amazing, beautiful and interesting films that wipe the floor with any of the shit that half ye ppl posted .. please get a clue and educate your selves on real cinema b4 ye post half the bollox that ye do ... !!!

 

[leggy]

This isn't a thread on good cinema you half wit. It's a thread on what films we find depressing. I think it is you that needs a clue.

Love Liza rocks though.