Dismissively tarred with the derisive label “torture porn” in the wake of its mainstream boom in the 2000s, torture-horror is in fact one of the most compelling and provocative horror subgenres. Although its roots date back much further, the subgenre gained notoriety after the 2004 launch of the immensely popular Saw franchise, with many subsequent horror films continuing its bloody legacy.

Exploring the limits of what the human body can endure, as well as themes of gender, power and political unrest, torture-horror is able to provide gruesome scares and compelling stories. These are 10 of the very best torture-horror films, showcasing the strengths of the surprisingly varied subgenre.

  1. ‘Martyrs’ (2008)
  2. ‘The Devil’s Rejects’ (2005)
  3. ‘Saw’ (2004)
  4. ‘Calvaire’ (2004)
  5. ‘The Loved Ones’ (2009)
  6. ‘Hostel’ (2005)
  7. ‘Hard Candy’ (2005)
  8. ‘Eden Lake’ (2008)
  9. ‘Wolf Creek’ (2005)
  10. ‘Saw VI’ (2009)
  • Dr. Wesker@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    Japan was already doing this in the 1980s. The first couple entries in the Guinea Pig series is a good intro.

  • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝@feddit.ukOPMEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Dismissively tarred with the derisive label “torture porn” in the wake of its mainstream boom in the 2000s, torture-horror is in fact one of the most compelling and provocative horror subgenres.

    While this is purely subjective, I maintain a big torture porn list in IMDb and would argue that these are two different things. Torture porn revels in the pain it inflicts - something like Hostel (or A Serbian Film) make you want to have shower after watching them, while quite a few films on this list are horror films with scenes of torture in them but they aren’t torture porn. Martyrs, for example, is brutal but the violence is almost… transcendent.

  • hopesdead@startrek.website
    1·
    2 months ago

    Wolf Creek is inspired by the murders committed by Ivan Milat (the podcast My Favorite Murder were amused that one of his supposed surviving victims is a man named Paul Onions; the name is what they liked) and Bradley John Murdoch (according to Wikipedia is forbidden to talk to the press). Highly recommend this.

    As for the rest of the list, I can only say I’ve seen two others: Saw and Hostel. I couldn’t recommend Hostel. Just felt way too boring. Most of the action occurs only in the later quarter of the runtime, bogging down the overall story as unnecessary build up. Saw on the other hand, well is Saw. It is tame compared to pretty much everything else that came after it (excluding the sequels; Saw II pretty much enhances the concept but the other sequels feel cheap and utterly confusing).

    As for The Devils Rejects, I have zero desire to watch that. House of 1,000 Corpses was in my opinion, a rehash of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It offered little substance that made it stand apart from its inspiration.

    I am often not easily impressed by lots of horror movies. Something bold and unique are what get me.

    • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝@feddit.ukOPMEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      As for The Devils Rejects, I have zero desire to watch that. House of 1,000 Corpses was in my opinion, a rehash of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It offered little substance that made it stand apart from its inspiration.

      I quite enjoyed Ho1kC but The Devil’s Rejects (and the third in the trilogy) just take it off in rather a dull direction. I wouldn’t have put it anywhere near such a list.